2021 Jeep Gladiator

Every midsize pickup wants to be an off-road warrior these days, and you can find most entries in the segment dressed up with fender flares, lifted suspensions and beefy tires. While some of these trucks are mostly about image, Jeep’s Gladiator is the real deal.

Jeep’s first pickup in nearly three decades, the Gladiator slots into an increasingly crowded market against established rivals like the GMC Canyon and Toyota Tacoma, but it doesn’t look or feel like its competitors. Based directly on Jeep’s Wrangler, the Gladiator off-roads like a proper Jeep. It can also haul and tow better than its peers and works well as an everyday driver. All that versatility, however, doesn’t come cheap.

Though prices were a bit lower earlier in the model year, according to a Jeep spokesperson, the base model Gladiator Sport now starts out at $37,060 including destination fees while the top-spec High Altitude starts at $53,260, the most expensive midsize truck on the market. There are eight trims in between, and a vast array of accessories and option packages can inflate the price beyond $60,000.

Since it was new in 2020, the 2021 Gladiator gets only one truly major change. Joining the 285-horsepower gas-powered 3.6-liter V6 engine this year is a 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6. Producing 260 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque, the diesel offers more torque and acceleration, but has slightly lower tow ratings. It returns significantly better fuel economy too, though it comes at a steep $6,000 price premium.

A six-speed manual transmission is available, but there’s no operational benefit to having one. In fact, towing capacity is lower for manual versions compared to automatics with the same axle ratio. The eight-speed automatic will serve almost everyone else just fine.

The Gladiator comes only as a crew cab with the five-foot-long bed. An optional soft top peels back and transforms it into the only convertible pickup on the market. Just like the classic Willys Jeeps, the windshield folds forward and flat, opening the vehicle up even more.

Off-roading in the Gladiator is effortless and confidence-inspiring both because of its mechanical pieces and its size. Nowhere near as big as a full-size pickup and narrower than some mainstream SUVs, the Gladiator fits in tight spaces. Its substantial length is a different story. At 218 inches, it’s almost eight inches longer than a Ford Ranger four-door crew cab model.

All Gladiators are highly capable off-road, but the most specialized versions are the Mojave and the Rubicon, both priced at $45,635. The Mojave trim bumps the Gladiator’s off-road capability even further with a Fox suspension system, a mild lift kit, a locking rear differential and 33-inch tires. Those features improve the Gladiator’s already impressive clearances off-road. The approach angle improves to 20.9 degrees, while breakover and departure angles improve to 20.9 and 25.5 degrees, respectively. 

The Mojave is geared toward desert running and sand, like Toyota’s Tacoma TRD Pro or Chevrolet’s Colorado ZR2. The Rubicon, with slight mechanical differences focused on axles, gearing, suspension tuning, and frame reinforcement, is meant for rock crawling and mud. For a mix of on-road and off-road use, the Mojave may be the more civilized choice.

The Gladiator drives better than expected on the road, despite its off-roading tires and carrying all the mechanical gear for going slow, steady and nearly vertical on dirt. That’s due, in part, to a 20-inch longer wheelbase than the Wrangler’s, which smooths out the ride. It’s no Mercedes S-Class, but it’s far superior to Jeeps from the 2000s. The downside is wandering, slack steering on the highway.

The Gladiator loses even a bit more steering feel when it’s towing a heavy load. With the optional $1,395 max tow package, the Gladiator’s standard 4,000-pound tow rating rises to 7,650 pounds, second only to GM’s updated 2021 Canyon/Colorado twins.

Inside, the Gladiator offers decent room across the cabin, though not a lot of front legroom. The front seats have no power adjustment option, but this enables hosing off the floorboards following extra muddy adventures. Rear seat occupants enjoy class-leading legroom and plenty of head and shoulder room.

There are loads of clever storage areas too. The rear seatbacks drop down quickly to create a flat shelf, and the seat bottoms pivot forward and up, allowing the back to swallow larger items. At floor level there are lockable and flexible weatherproof storage compartments. These bins also house the bolts that secure the doors, hardtop and other removable pieces, with well-marked pictograms for assembly and storage.

The dashboard looks a little basic, but it’s also designed to be used with the doors and top removed. The user-friendly Uconnect infotainment system runs Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, standard across all models. A 7-inch screen is standard, while an optional upgrade adds more features and an 8.4-inch unit.

The 2021 Gladiator hasn’t been evaluated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety or the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). NHTSA did give the 2020 model four stars in frontal impact testing, but didn’t assign it an overall safety rating. ANCAP, Australia’s New Car Assessment Program, gave it three stars overall. The Gladiator offers available adaptive cruise control, forward automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alerts, but they can add up to $1,790 to the price.