Looking for a small pickup with great off-road performance that can also tackle those honey do tasks? The 2024 Jeep Gladiator is ready to roam on rough terrain and can also tow and haul fairly substantial payloads. It’s basically a Wrangler with a pickup bed. But it’s not the best when it comes to city driving and the price tag is steep compared to other small pickups.
Base Price: $62,995
As Tested: $68,880
Horsepower: 285
Mileage: 17 mpg city/22 mpg highway/19 mpg combined
The Gladiator was introduced for the 2020 model year and has received minor tweaks since then. For 2024, the grill gets a new look, the turbodiesel engine is no longer offered, the Mojave X and Rubicon X trims are added to the line-up, and the infotainment system is updated.
The 2024 Jeep Gladiator comes in seven trims: Sport, Sport S, Willys, Mojave, Rubicon, Mojave X and Rubicon X. Starting prices range from $37,895 to $52,995. Four-wheel drive is standard on all trims. There’s room for five passengers in two rows of seating.
The Gladiator can be turned into a convertible, thanks to a removeable roof and doors, and the windshield can be folded down onto the hood.
All trims get the same engine: a 3.6-liter V6 that makes 285 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual transmission is standard and an eight-speed automatic is available on every trim.
The Gladiator is meant for off-roading, and it truly shines off the beaten path whether you’re venturing out on trails or the desert. Jeep says it’s the world’s most off-road capable midsize pickup. It has 11 inches of ground clearance and can ford water of up to 31.5 inches.
Of course, most folks will also be driving their Gladiator on pavement and city streets, and it can feel rough in more civilized settings. From a stop, the Gladiator accelerates more slowly than other small pickups, but there’s plenty of power for merging and passing at freeway speeds. The eight-speed automatic shifts quickly. Visibility is good to the front and rear. Brakes are responsive but the steering feels numb. The ride is firm and can be very bumpy and even uncomfortable on rough roads. And the cabin can get loud with engine and wind noise. In short, this is probably not the best pickup for those who will mostly drive on pavement and want a comfortable daily driver.
Fuel economy is below average for a compact pickup. EPA ratings for my tester with the eight-speed automatic are 17 mpg highway and 22 mpg highway with a combined rating of 19. I got 18 mpg during my week with a mix of city and highway driving. The trims with the manual transmission 16 mpg city and 21 mpg highway with a combined rating of 18.
The Gladiator has respectable towing and hauling capabilities. It can haul 950 to 1,710 pounds, and tow up to 7,000 pounds when properly equipped, depending on the trim. There are 35.5 cubic feet of storage space in the 5-foot bed.
The roomy cabin is all about function and practicality over luxury – when you’re exploring a muddy trail you don’t want to have to worry about getting fancy materials dirty. There are lots of hard plastics and other materials that are easy to clean. The lower trims have cloth upholstery, while leather is standard on the Mojave X and Rubicon X. Seats are comfortable and both rows have good head- and legroom for adults. A large center touchscreen is on the dash.
Standard features include push-button start, rearview camera, cloth upholstery, manually adjustable front seats, infotainment system with 12.3-inch touchscreen, eight-speaker audio system, satellite radio, Bluetooth, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, Amazon Alexa, three USB ports, and a Wi-Fi hot spot.
Available features include remote keyless entry, proximity keyless entry, remote start, forward-facing camera, automatic climate control, auto-dimming rearview mirror, leather upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, seven-inch digital gauge cluster, navigation, nine-speaker Alpine audio system, HD Radio, additional USB ports, voice recognition, 115-volt household-style power outlet, automatic high-beam headlights, and a universal garage door opener.
The 2024 Jeep Gladiator does not come with any standard driver assistance technologies.
Available driver assistance technologies include forward collision warning, forward automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear parking sensors.
The infotainment system looks great with its large 12.3-inch screen and sharp graphics. It’s user-friendly with logically arranged menus and is easy to see and reach. The system responds quickly to touch and voice commands. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard. Handy physical controls make it easy to adjust audio and climate settings.
The good:
Stout off-road prowess
Roomy cabin
The only small pickup you can turn into a convertible
Excellent towing and hauling capability
User-friendly infotainment system
The not-so-good:
High starting price
Not geared for city driving
Below average fuel economy
Not many standard features
Pricing info:
My tester starts at $62,995. The eight-speed automatic transmission with Selec-Speed Control and transmission skid plate is $2,500. 33-inch mud-terrain tires are $495. 17-inch painted dark gray wheels are $1,095, the spray-in bedliner is $555, and the Sunrider for hardtop by Mopar is $945. Destination fee is $1,895 bringing the grand total to $68,880.
Bottom line:
The 2024 Jeep Gladiator is a beast when it comes to off-roading. It has stout hauling and towing capabilities, it’s the only truck in its class that can be turned into a convertible, and the cabin is roomy and practical. But there are some trade-offs. It’s not particularly comfortable as a daily driver, fuel economy is below average, and it’s expensive compared to other small pickups. But those are easy to overlook if your primary goal is to be ready for adventure.
