JEEP GLADIATOR RUBICON
IN A segment dominated by turbocharged four-cylinder diesels, a naturallyaspirated petrol V6 is both a breath of fresh air and literal music to our ears.
Figures of 209kw-347nm would be reasonable in a sports car, and they shift the massive Jeep Gladiator Rubicon well enough, accompanied by a howl that isn’t a million miles away from a Nissan 370Z.
Unfortunately, like the Ranger Raptor, the Gladiator Rubicon wears chunky Bfgoodrich Mud Terrain T/A 255/75R17 108Q mud-terrain tyres and they result in diabolical on road braking performance.
Stopping from 100km/h in the dry takes more than 44m, but in the wet the Jeep just sailed across the surface like it was Teflon, taking 66m to come to a halt. That’s between 10 to 15m more than most other dual-cab utes and could be the difference between having a serious accident and avoiding one completely.
DYNAMICS 5/10
AS the only petrol-powered truck on this comparo, the Gladiator really goes by the beat of its own drum. It’s also the least suitable grade of this particular Jeep from a dynamic point of view, with live front and rear axles designed for extraordinary 4x4 articulation, not Lotus-style handling prowess. The Sport is the more on-road focused option.
Still, the 2215kg Rubicon is what we ended up with and, in some ways, the American icon shines regardless of where it’s taken. Swift, sweet and smooth, the 209kw-347nm 3.6-litre V6 – tied to an eight-speed auto – provides muscular performance, revving freely and strongly well past the 6000rpm mark.
But there’s no escaping its off-road birthright, which – in this company – means lifeless steering, ponderous handling and a loose, top-heavy feeling through tight turns. It leans and lurches, and is far from comfortable from an on-road perspective.
Inevitably, the Gladiator walked the gravel circuit, its ESC keeping everything travelling where directed while the smattering of smaller bumps that are constantly transmitted inside the cabin are soon ignored, especially when bigger potholes and ruts are effortlessly negotiated. It’s what this is all about.
The Jeep is born to smooth the way forward over the rough stuff but is compromised almost everywhere else. Which is another way of saying that – dynamically – it is the polar opposite of the athletic Rangers.
INFOTAINMENT 8.5/10
JEEP’S 8.4-inch Uconnect infotainment system features a large amount of functionality and customisation. There are configurable shortcuts along the bottom of the screen depending on what facilities are most used, while the system stocks a swathe of off-road displays and accessory gauges for the hardcore enthusiast.
There are two USB-A ports, one USB-C socket and one 12V outlet for connecting your own gear, and there is also space to connect auxiliary switches should you wish to accessorise.
The infotainment system caters to Apple Carplay and Android Auto users – albeit wired – and will also tune to digital radio. The standard satellite navigation offers clear, detailed maps and is easy to use. Many of the car’s functions such as heated seats and climate control are controlled using the touchscreen.
Voice command is quick to understand spoken instructions and will engage Apple’s Siri if an iphone is connected, rather than rely on the native system. Audio and media controls mounted on the back of the steering wheel take some learning and experience to understand which button does what.
RUNNING COSTS 6/10
EVERY new Jeep sold comes with a fiveyear/100,000km factory warranty that covers the cost of parts and labour for any manufacturing faults. The Gladiator also benefits from a roadside-assistance program that lasts as long as the car is warranted but can extend beyond that by 12 months every time the car is serviced through Jeep’s service network.
Jeep has capped the service cost to $399 for the first five visits, which occur every 12 months or 12,000km – whichever comes first.
Since the model is new to Australia, there is no data to base a Glass’s Guide depreciation estimate on, while pricing is $76,450 (RRP).
TOWING 6/10
20-60km/h: 6.3 seconds
THIS was a bit of a surprise package, being the second-fastest vehicle on our measured acceleration test. Considering the Gladiator is powered by a 3.6L petrol motor, it’s not hard to see why it was quick out of the gates.
Strangely, the gearbox was the item I disliked the most, it seemed to just want to hold 5000rpm instead of shifting smoothly through the gears. Sure, the motor can handle it, but it wasn’t exactly a natural feeling.
The off-road-oriented live-axle suspension and mud-terrain tyres didn’t help when it came to towing either, requiring more (as in constant) steering input than others on test. It did the job though and for occasional towing, the Gladiator could work if you needed the impressive off-road performance it’s renowned for.
OFF ROAD 9/10
IN terms of pure off-road prowess, you would be hard-pressed to find a more capable vehicle than the Gladiator. Front and rear locking differentials, tremendous low-range gearing, a disconnecting front sway bar and mud-terrain tyres are a recipe for success.
And while the Ford Ranger Raptor felt wide on the tracks, the Gladiator felt long. This was its only real issue during our testing. Some larger tyres and a bit of suspension lift will fix this. I swear the Gladiator in Rubicon trim didn’t slip a wheel the entire time; traction levels were simply incredible.
Engagement of 4x4 was via a simple old-school lever, which is great to see, and the interior – while cramped – is easy to clean after a day on the tracks. So, while not perfect, with a few simple tweaks the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon would be unstoppable off-road.
INTERIOR & SAFETY 7.5/10
A SENSE of adventure leads the styling
inside the Gladiator and subverts traditional ergonomics in a way that can prove novel or annoying. For instance, the window switches are placed behind the gear selector on the centre stack, due to the removable doors.
Gladiators score remote entry and start, parking sensors and a rear-view camera, auto-levelling headlights, dualzone climate control, heated side mirrors, rear window defroster and a tyre-pressure monitoring system.
The optional Rubicon-specific leather seats are good, offering support and comfort in equal measure. Meanwhile, the rear seats are okay but the raised centre backrest eats into inside-elbow room.
A higher dash blocks out what lies immediately in front of you but forward visibility is otherwise good, with the Gladiator one of the few utes where you can see between the side mirror and A-pillar.
ANCAP gave the Jeep Gladiator a three-star safety rating in 2019, the score informed by previous crash tests of the Wrangler on which the Gladiator is based. It features a good range of active safety systems except for lane-keep assist. It has four airbags.
Up back, the Gladiator includes two ISOFIX anchorage points with top tethers, and cupholders both in the centre armrest and underneath the two vents on the floor. There are all-weather plastic floor mats.
PAYLOAD 5.5/10
OUR Rubicon, equipped with the Lifestyle Adventure Group package, adds a roll-up cloth tonneau cover and spray-in tub liner up back. This joins equipment like two working lights, four fixed tiedowns and four adjustable tie-downs. The Gladiator’s rear tub is on the shallow side and its gate width is also notably narrow for loading, at 1260mm wide.
At 2835kg, the Rubicon’s Gross Vehicle Mass is relatively low. Subtracting a 2215kg kerb weight leaves just 620kg for payload. Keep in mind that this needs to be shared among passengers, cargo and tow-ball download weight.
Despite this, the Gladiator Rubicon simply blitzes the laden acceleration test. It only needs 3.4 seconds to charge from 20 to 60km/h and does it with effortless energy unique to its petrol V6.
But the Gladiator Rubicon is less sprightly on our ride and handling loop with a 500kg pallet onboard. The suspension struggles to control the weight and pitches forward dramatically over bumps. This instability is amplified by the higher-revving powertrain that requires more concentration to keep it at a predetermined speed.