TRUCK BOASTS BOTH INTELLIGENT AND THOUGHTFUL DESIGN FEATURES
I’ve always wondered why it took Jeep so long to put a pickup truck bed on a Wrangler. One theory is that Jeep spent the 33 years since the CJ-8 Scrambler getting the Gladiator absolutely perfect, because it kind of did.
The Gladiator is built using the redesigned-for-2019 Jeep Wrangler platform. Updates include a more raked windshield, stylish faux fender vents, a redesigned front bumper, and a host of subtle fuel-economy tricks to help this barn door go down the road with a modicum of efficiency.
To turn a four-door Wrangler into a Gladiator, Jeep lengthened the wheelbase from 295 to 349 centimetres. Onto that chassis is fitted a five-foot bed that makes for an overall length of 554 cm — 64 cm longer than the regular four-door Wrangler. It also gets all the hardcore off-road bits that make the Wrangler such a billy goat. But we wanted to know how well the Gladiator works as a daily driver in an urban setting, so we set off to use this pickup for what 90 per cent of people actually do with their Jeeps, even though they don’t always like to admit it.
The Gladiator is a great place to observe the world. You sit high and the belt line is low. Headroom is excellent, but the glass doesn’t go very close to the top of the roof. The pillars are thin, especially for a truck, and the upright windshield is odd but pleasant. The view in any direction is clear and wide, an absolute triumph for a modern pickup. All of this means shoulder checks are easy and parallel parking is a breeze. The Gladiator also feels like it’s a manageable size because, well, it is. You can change lanes with confidence, and it can actually be jockeyed into city parking spots. Try that with an F-150 Raptor. Compared to a 203-cm-wide Raptor, the Gladiator is just 187 cm wide. I know the Raptor is a halfton and the Jeep a quarter-ton, but in an age of gigantic pickups, the Gladiator is refreshing.
The highway used to be the last place you’d want to spend 45 minutes with a Jeep — they were loud, harsh, uncomfortable, and made you pay heartily at the pump for the privilege. The Gladiator, tested here in luxury-spec Overland trim, leaves occupants no worse for wear during long highway jaunts. Wind noise is remarkably low for how boxy the shape is, and the tires don’t whine their way into every song either. Even at 120 km/h, the noise levels are perfectly tolerable over pretty much any surface.
The interior is roomy and there are bits of intelligent, thoughtful design wherever you look. The A-pillar grab handles are perfectly placed so that shorter drivers can hoist themselves up into the cab. The window switches are centrally located to simplify the removal of the doors.
I love the little Easter eggs hidden around the truck, too, including the off-roading Jeep in the windshield tint and the dirt-bike tire imprints in the bed. It feels special in a way that no other SUV does.
The seats deserve special mention as well. Upholstered in leather, they’re soft, form-fitting and don’t cause fatigue on longer drives. Even the rear seats are accommodating, if a bit upright in their design. The rears also fold easily, and contain handy storage boxes beneath.
And here’s the Gladiator’s party trick: Despite its butch underpinnings and military-esque exterior, it can trundle along in town without issue. If you have only one vehicle, the Gladiator is perfect and I would honestly drive one myself if not for the $63,235 price tag. The Overland trim starts at $49,495, but this one included the $1,395 upgraded Uconnect infotainment system with navigation, the $1,595 automatic transmission, the
$525 limited-slip rear differential, and more. The base Gladiator starts at $46,995.
The Gladiator is as at home on a gridlocked highway as it is in the remote backwoods. It’s one of the few trucks you can commute with for five days of the week, and then drive to the end of civilization (and back) on weekends.
The Gladiator is good, and I want one; if you need a go-anywhere truck, you should take a good look at this one.