Jeep’s Gladiator Pickup Adds Diesel To Its Repertoire

Jeep just added more fuel to the fire in the already red-hot pickup segment by adding a diesel engine to its rugged Gladiator lineup.

The new 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V6 engine, which Jeep says is a response to “overwhelming” demand, is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission that is specially calibrated to handle heavy loads both on- and off-road. The new powertrain is rated at 260 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque and will be available on the Sport, Overland and Rubicon models.

Jeep added the same engine to all trims of the Wrangler last fall. The EcoDiesel also can be found under the hood of parent Fiat Chrysler Automobile’s 2020 Ram 1500. The Ram’s diesel engine has been tuned for light-duty truck work like towing on the road, and it can travel more than 1,000 miles when equipped with the standard 33-gallon fuel tank. The official range of the Gladiator EcoDiesel has not been announced, but it will deliver over 600 miles, according to a Jeep spokesman.

Diesel’s abundance of torque—what moves a vehicle from stop to start—translates to robust low-end power, which is essential for hill climbing or tackling challenging terrain. The same properties make diesel engines ideally suited for towing and hauling heavy loads.

Diesel also contains more energy density than gasoline, and it burns at a much higher compression ratio allowing the engine to extract more power from the fuel. That contributes to better fuel economy. Vehicles powered by diesel can travel 20 to 35 percent further on a gallon of fuel compared with their gasoline counterparts, according to the US Department of Energy.

In addition to increased range, each EcoDiesel model will feature standard fuel-saving stop/start technology. Since diesel engines also are typically louder than gasoline engines, Jeep re-worked the inside of the engine using aluminum as well as diamond-like carbon coating on specific components to reduce noise, vibration and harshness. Lightweight aluminum also helps boost fuel economy and adds durability.

The EcoDiesel models also have Dana 44 front and rear heavy-duty axles. The off-road-ready Rubicon EcoDiesel will have a Rock-Trac two-speed transfer case with a 4.0:1 low-range gear ratio. The Sport and Overland will get a Command-Trac part-time two-speed transfer case with a 2.72:1 low-range gear ratio. The Wrangler models also share the same equipment.

Ford recently stole off-road headlines with the reveal of its new Bronco and Bronco Sport models, the former poised as the Wrangler’s first genuine competitor in decades. That could explain another Jeep debut: the Wrangler Rubicon 392 concept, which boasts a 6.4-liter (392 cubic-inch) V8 engine.

The V8 is paired to an eight-speed transmission and will deliver 450 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque, dwarfing the EcoDiesel. It also boasts a claimed zero to 60 time of less than 5 seconds. Though the Rubicon 392 is a concept and might not make it to production, Jeep says that like the EcoDiesel, it’s another highly requested iteration from “enthusiasts.”

The Gladiator EcoDiesel models will go on sale in the third quarter of 2020, but they are available to order now, as are the Wrangler EcoDiesel models.