2021 Jeep Gladiator

Pros: Pickup with serious off-road capability; comfortable ride; option of open-air driving

Cons: Large for a compact pickup; long bed not available; steep pricing

CG Says: The 2021 Jeep Gladiator adds a diesel engine option and full-time 4-wheel drive is newly available in addition to the standard part-time 4-wheel drive. The turbodiesel 3.0-liter V6 develops 260 horsepower and 442 lb-ft of torque. There is a new 80th Anniversary model and new Willys Sport and Willys models with limited-slip differential and 32-inch mud-terrain tires. Jeep introduced a pickup-truck version of its popular Wrangler SUV for 2020. The Jeep Gladiator is a compact pickup that adds a lengthened chassis, a 5-foot bed, and other modifications to the basic platform of the popular 4-door Wrangler. Jeep previously used the Gladiator name on a conventional full-sized pickup in the 1960s, but the new Gladiator is closer in form and spirit to the 1981-85 Scrambler that was based on Jeep’s CJ7 (one of the Wrangler’s predecessors). The Gladiator adds 18.9 inches to the 4-door Wrangler’s wheelbase, and 29.6 inches to overall length. Stretching more than 18 feet between the bumpers, the Gladiator is longer than most other crew-cab/short-bed compact pickups. Gladiator is available in Sport, Willys Sport, Sport S, Willys, 80th Anniversary, Overland, High Altitude, off-road-oriented Rubicon trim, and a Mojave model designed for desert terrain. All have a standard removeable soft top (and doors), making Gladiator the only production convertible pickup; a removable hard top is optional. The standard powertrain is a 285-horsepower V6 with a standard 6-speed manual transmission or optional 8-speeed automatic. The previously mentioned diesel is only available with the 8-speed automatic. All Gladiators have standard part-time 4-wheel drive and now are available with full-time 4-wheel drive. Available safety features include forward-collision warning, blind-spot alert, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control. Other available features include front-mounted camera with washer, 115-volt AC outlet, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto functionality, and locking front and rear axles. The Gladiator is certainly a one-of-a-kind vehicle—it boasts the exceptional off-road capabilities of its Wrangler sibling, and a capability for open-air driving that no other pickup offers. Its exceptionally long overall length might be a problem in tight parking spots, but the Gladiator’s long wheelbase helps give it a surprisingly smooth on-road ride. However, the Gladiator’s pickup bed isn’t quite as capacious or versatile as a conventional pickup’s, and Jeep charges a hefty price premium for the Gladiator over the already pricey Wrangler.