The Jeep Gladiator is a midsize truck that combines all the fun and off-road capability of the Jeep Wrangler with the versatility of a pickup. It’s the mullet of Jeeps – business in the front, party in the back. In fact, it looks so much like the Wrangler from the front that you really don’t even know it’s the Gladiator until you take a step to the side.
This year, the Gladiator gets a refresh that includes changes to its styling, technology, and features. Those changes aren’t dramatic, but taken together they do make this a better vehicle. Jeep flew us out to Moab, Utah, where we had the chance to drive the Gladiator. Our drive time was limited as is the norm on such first drive events, but it was enough to get a feel for this unique truck.
Exterior: New Grille
The biggest change to the Gladiator’s styling is the modified seven-slot grille. Jeep loyalists will pick up on it pretty quick; a keen eye will see that the slots are smaller. They’re also black, which makes them more subtle. We liked the old style better because it made the grille stand out, but the changes serve a purpose by improving engine cooling and making room for a winch. Those who want to customize a hardcore off-roader will appreciate that fact. Seven new wheel designs also join the mix to provide more opportunities to personalize your Gladiator.
Another change is a new windshield-integrated antenna, which we love. This doesn’t sound like a big deal, but more than a few times in the past we snagged the old-school physical antenna on a passing branch while wandering through the woods off-road. Having it suddenly fling back when it worked its way free of said branch only to loudly smack the car was not fun, so we’re pretty excited about not having to worry about accidentally ripping the darn thing right off anymore.
Interior: Minimalist to Fancy
If you’ve ever been inside a Wrangler, then you’re going to feel right at home in the Gladiator. It has the same styling with big, knobby controls that are easy to grip whether your hands are wet or you’re wearing gloves. It perfectly matches the vibe of an off-road vehicle and hasn’t changed much from last year aside from a few new soft-touch surfaces.
Depending on the trim, it’s either a modest interior with a lot of plastics or downright fancy with leather trims. No matter which Gladiator you choose, it’s been torture tested to withstand the elements – so go ahead and take off that roof.
Take It All Off
That removable roof, along with removable doors and a windshield that drops down, are part of what makes the Gladiator unique among trucks. The Gladiator brings the outside in like no other truck and makes off-roading more fun and messier, which we don’t mind at all.
Removing all those parts takes a minute, but it’s not complicated. One of the changes Jeep made when it introduced the new generation of the Wrangler was redesigning the door so it has a handhold on the inside after a wayward engineer removed them for the first time and managed to drop one. The doors on the Gladiator have the same design, so it’s easy to lift them off and safely store them for later.
Seating: A Mixed Bag
There’s room for five people in the Gladiator with a standard four-door configuration so it’s easy to get to the rear seats. We say easy, but depending on the trim, the step up can be a bit high. If you’re looking at the Rubicon or the new Rubicon X and you’re on the short side, it’s a large step up. If little kids or less mobile adults are on your passenger list, they may need an assist to climb inside.
Once you do climb inside, seating is comfortable up front with options including new 12-way power front seats. That adjustability comes in extra handy when off-roading requires a quick adjustment to fully see the trail. And yes, they’ve been tested for water fording so don’t panic about the controls getting wet. Rear passengers don’t have quite the same experience with seats that are very flat and not ideally suited to longer drives, though kids in car seats won’t care.
Infotainment: Larger Touchscreen
The big change inside this year’s Gladiator is an updated infotainment system. It now has a standard 12.3-inch touchscreen versus the seven- or 8.4-inch screens from last year. There’s also wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as well as better speech recognition, thanks to the inclusion of seven microphones.
Much like riding in a convertible, even with the top and doors firmly in place, the Gladiator is on the noisy side. That’s the trade-off for having a vehicle you can open up to the elements. This can prove a challenge for the voice recognition system, but the improvements are noticeable.
Ready for Adventure
Finding your way on-road is one thing, but finding your way when you’re off-road is a different story. In trims equipped with navigation, the Gladiator offers Adventure Guides incorporated right into the infotainment system. These guides pull information from the popular Trails Offroad app. The app rates trails from one to 10 so you know just how difficult a route is before you find yourself in over your head. It also includes updates from other off-roaders; as trail conditions change from one day to the next, so does the app information. It also currently includes 68 Jeep “Badge of Honor” trails from the Rubicon Trail in California to Jericho Mountain in New Hampshire.
This is one of our favorite changes to the infotainment system because it’s helpful no matter your skill level. The more information you have when you go off-road the better. And for newbies, it makes it easier to venture out on that first off-road experience when you know what to expect when you leave the pavement.
New Trims: X Marks the Spot
Four-wheel drive is standard on Gladiator, but some trims are more capable than others. The Rubicon is the most capable trim with front and rear locking differentials, electronic sway-bar disconnect, and multiple skid plates that make tackling rocky terrain easier. The Mojave focuses on high-speed desert racing with hydraulic shocks tuned to avoid bottoming out, external shock reservoirs to resist overheating, and the ability to lock the rear axle at high speeds while in four-wheel drive. Both of these trims are priced at $52,995.
Pony up an extra $10,000 and you have the Rubicon X and Mojave X. They build on that capability with new standard features. Both see the addition of a full-time transfer case, an integrated off-road camera, and steel front and rear bumpers. The off-road camera is especially helpful as it makes it easier to get out of tight spots while the steel bumpers protect the Gladiator when the rocks and branches are a little closer than they look.
Cargo: Bring Everything
You never know what you’re going to need when you head off-road. Especially when overlanding, the more you can take along the better. That’s the benefit of the Gladiator over the Wrangler: it’s a truck with room for extra stuff, with as much capability as the Wrangler.
There’s a max tow rating of 7,700 pounds and a standard 5-foot 3-inch bed for carrying up to 1,710 pounds of additional cargo. There is no long bed, but in an off-road truck that may find itself in tight spots, a short bed is a better choice.
Powertrain: Bye-Bye Diesel
If you had your heart set on the diesel engine, we have bad news. Jeep discontinued the diesel for 2024, leaving only the gas 3.6-liter V6. It delivers 285 horsepower with 260 lb-ft of torque and can get the Gladiator up to speed without trouble, but also without haste.
As far as transmissions go, you have your choice of two. There’s an eight-speed automatic or a six-speed manual. Though fewer and fewer people even know how to drive a manual, they’re brilliant off-road as they provide better control when you’re taking it slow.
Drive Impressions: Made for Dirt
The Gladiator makes short work of sand and dirt with off-road features that get the job done. A variety of four-wheel drive systems, robust off-road suspension components, beefy all-terrain tires, skid plates, and locking differentials are all on the list. There’s more off-road capability, particularly in the Rubicon and Mojave trims, than most people will ever use.
We took the new Gladiator Mojave X on a challenging off-road drive around Moab. There was plenty of sand with rocks to crawl over, some technical enough to require spotting from a pro. Open stretches of sand turned the Gladiator into a show-off. It took whoops at high-speed with amazing control and came down with less of a jolt than you’d expect.
Off-road vehicles like to be off-road. Their tires and suspension systems are designed specifically to make driving in the dirt more fun. This makes them less fun on-road where they have a bouncier ride. The Gladiator isn’t exactly aerodynamic either, so there’s noticeable wind noise at highway speeds. The removable doors and roof increase the noise level even when they’re all in place, just like in a convertible. If that’s a concern, definitely go with the hard top. There’s a balance to be struck between off-road chops and on-road comfort and the Gladiator leans toward the former.
Conclusions:
The 2024 Jeep Gladiator is unlike other midsize trucks. Sure, they all have a trim or two designed for going off-road, but with the Gladiator it’s the full lineup. This is a truck for off-road enthusiasts who want the capability to go anywhere. The addition of Adventure Guides with the Trails OffRoad app make it easier to explore, especially for novices, and pricing that starts slightly lower than last year at $37,895 and tops out at $62,995 is a bit easier on your wallet.
The Gladiator combines capability with a comfortable interior that can stand up to the rigors of a muddy, doors-off, roof-off adventure. Water is not a problem either, not even for the new power seats. You don’t have to be afraid to get this thing dirty. This midsize shines when it’s in dirt and mud, but on-road its manners are less refined. If that’s your priority, then this might not be the truck for you. If, however, you live to go off-road and want the versatility of a truck to do it, then the 2024 Jeep Gladiator will not disappoint.