2024 Jeep Gladiator Review: A Truck True To Its Jeep Roots
Jeep recognized the popularity of the pickup truck in the USA a couple of years ago, and in order to get in on the action, it applied the Wrangler formula to a truck body, creating a mid-size truck with the Wrangler's off-road ability but a practical five-foot load box in the back. It's been a sales success in the USA, with nearly 78,000 sold last year. This is all the more impressive considering its $40k starting price makes the 2024 Jeep Gladiator several thousand dollars more expensive than rivals such as the Chevrolet Colorado and brand-new Toyota Tacoma. There's a high-speed off-road Mojave trim with FOX suspension too, but unlike the new Ford Ranger Raptor, this isn't a performance model, being powered by the same 285-horsepower naturally aspirated six-cylinder engine as every other Gladiator. Hybridized 4xe powertrains are in the cards too, and the diesel engine is now gone, so the Gladiator lacks variety and lags behind on gas mileage. It has an excellent towing capacity, though, and refinement is improved with better sound deadening and more equipment, including a new infotainment system. Is it now the proper all-rounder to take on its more car-like rivals?
New for 2024
The 2024 Gladiator range sees a significant trim realignment and many changes to the car's features and specifications. The limited-run Freedom, Texas Trail, Willys Sport, Overland, High Altitude, and Rubicon FarOut trims are now gone, but there are two new trims, namely Rubicon X and Mojave X, both equipped with a full-time transfer case steel bumpers, an off-road camera, and Nappa leather upholstery. Last year's 3.0-liter turbo-diesel engine has been dropped, and the only remaining engine is the naturally aspirated 3.6-liter gas V6. Exterior changes include a new seven-slot grille that improves cooling-system performance, a new in-windshield radio antenna, and new wheel designs. The structure has been strengthened to withstand side impacts better, and this is accompanied by standard new side curtain airbags on all trims, while adaptive cruise control with front-collision alert and automatic emergency braking is now fitted to all trims from the Sport S and up.
Inside, the infotainment system is overhauled with a new 12.3-inch touchscreen across the lineup. The system adds many new features, such as two-phone connections, a customizable home screen, improved voice recognition, and navigation preloaded with Jeep Adventure Guides with Trails Off-Road programming. Standard equipment is improved with the addition of a standard premium soft top to the Sport, while the Willys gets an Off-Road+ mode and Tru-Lok rear-axle locker. Finally, refinement is improved with additional sound deadening across the board,and there's a new paint option for 2024 called Anvil.
2024 Jeep Gladiator Price: Which One to Buy
The price of a new Jeep Gladiator now starts at $37,895 for the base Sport trim - a surprising $1,725 reduction over last year, despite the various updates and more standard features. This is followed by the Sport S at $41,395, the Willys at $44,995, and the Rubicon and Mojave both at $52,995. The two new trims - Rubicon X and Mojave X, both cost $62,995, so upgrading either of them to the highest X level will cost you exactly $10k. The two special edition trims, the Texas TRail and Beach, are priced from $48,090 and $51,035, respectively. These prices are MSRP and exclude the $1,895 destination charge.
Last year, we thought the Sport S with a few upgrades make for an excellent buy, and this year it's even better. Now equipped with a large new 12.3-inch touchscreen, side curtain airbags, adaptive cruise control, and automatic emergency braking, the Sport S becomes a genuine option for daily family duty, even without any extras added. Still, it's better with the Convenience Group (dual-zone climate control, heated front seats, a seven-inch digital gauge cluster, and more). This means you end up paying just over $45k for a well-equipped Sport S, destination included.
Sport S | Mojave | Rubicon X |
---|---|---|
Great Buy | High-Speed Baja Truck | Luxury Off-Road Truck |
$ 37895 | $ 52995 | $ 52995 |
Equipped with the Sport’s features, plus: | Equipped with the Sport S’s features, plus: | Equipped with the Rubicon’s features, plus: |
17-inch alloys, automatic headlights | Command-Track part-time transfer case, Tru-Lok rear diff | Full-time 4WD, front off-road trail camera |
Power windows, mirrors, and door locks | Premium cloth upholstery, trim-specific steering wheel | Body-color hardtop & fenders, Cargo Group package |
Remote keyless entry, premium-wrapped steering wheel | FOX internal-bypass external-reservoir dampers | Nappa leather, heated 12-way power front seats |
Front-collision alert with automatic emergency braking | One-inch front suspension lift | Navigation, nine-speaker Alpine audio system |
Adaptive cruise control | Body-color grille, black high-clearance fender flares | Blind-spot monitoring, cross-traffic alert, rear parking sensors |
Best Deals on 2024 Jeep Gladiator
Interior and Features
The workmanlike surfaces ensure toughness, but modern digital display screens and in-car tech brings the Gladiator into the 21st century.
It's impossible to miss this year's major cabin overhaul. The dashboard gets a restyle to accommodate the big new touchscreen that's standard on all trims, taking up all the space previously occupied by the round center air vents; these are now horizontal ones below the display. This is the main change, but it modernizes the cabin significantly, especially when the seven-inch digital gauge cluster is specified as well. The materials are hard-wearing and made to get washed down, so we have no gripes with this utilitarian approach considering the Gladiator's design brief. Everything is solidly constructed, and the top X trims do gain added plushness with leather on the seats and contrasting accents. Features are trim-dependent, and it's very bare in the Sport, with even the windows being manually operated, while the top trims get most of the mod cons. Interior space is excellent for a mid-sizer, with plenty of space even in the second row. Visibility is good, and with the roof and doors removed, it's a truly panoramic experience.
Space
A class-leading 137.7-inch wheelbase dwarfs that of most rivals and makes for a second row that has more legroom than any mid-size truck out there. Headroom is abundant, even for the tallest among us, and becomes infinite once you remove the roof. Only one Crew Cab body style is available, so you don't have a choice of cab configurations and bed lengths as you do in some rivals.
Cargo
The five-foot box is 60.3 inches long, 56.8 inches wide, and 33.9 inches deep, providing a total bed volume of 35.5 cu-ft. The floor width between the wheelhouses is 44.8 inches. The total bed space falls a bit short of the new Ford Ranger's 43.5 cu-ft. Maximum payload comes to 1,710 lbs with the 4.1:1 axle ratio; the other configurations vary from 950 to 1,200 lbs. The Trail Rail Cargo Management Group can help you make the most of the loading space by adding three rails, four anchor pods, a 115-V power outlet, and a roll-up tonneau cover to the box. The damped tailgate has three position settings, but no configurable multi-purpose tailgate is available. A spray-in bedliner costs extra.
Cabin storage is taken care of by a rather small glovebox, two cupholders behind the gearshifter, and a small lidded storage compartment behind them. The full-length center console has two cupholders for the rear-seat passengers, where it ends behind the front seats. No decent pockets are provided in the removable doors; they get net pockets only. There's useful rear under-seat storage, and the rear seats can also be folded flat to transport larger items inside the cabin.
Jeep Gladiator | Toyota Tacoma | Ford Ranger | |
---|---|---|---|
Seating | 5 Seater | 2/5 Seater | 5 Seater |
Headroom | 40.8-42.8 in. front 40.8-42.8 in. rear | 39.7 in. front 38.4 in. rear | 41 in. front 38.3 in. rear |
Legroom | 41.2 in. front 38.3 in. rear | 41.8 in. front 33.7 in. rear | 43.7 in. front 34.6 in. rear |
Bed Volume | 35.5 ft³ | TBC (5' and 6' bed) | 43.5 ft³ |
Materials and Colors
Only a limited number of interior colors are available, with black dominating at the bottom of the range. The Sport and Willys trims come with black cloth upholstery, while the cloth in the Rubicon and Mojave is of an upgraded premium type. Only the Rubicon X and Mojave X get Nappa leather. The Rubicon's cabin gets red stitching on the seats, dashboard, steering wheel, and center armrest, while the accent stitching in the Mojave trims is orange, with "Mojave" embroidered on the front seatbacks. Only the Willys trim gets all-weather Mopar slush mats, but they're optional on the other trims. A headliner is optional for the hardtop, except in the X trims, on which it's standard.
Features and Infotainment
There are loads of features in the base Sport trim, with plain cloth upholstery and manual operation for the seats, door locks, mirrors, windows, tilting/telescoping urethane steering wheel, and air-conditioning. A few concessions to convenience include push-button start, LED-illuminated cupholders, and a premium soft top. Only from the Sport S and up do you get anything over and above these basic features. Higher trims gain better-quality cloth, a leather-trimmed and heated steering wheel, remote keyless entry, and power accessories. Only the top trims get power seats and leather upholstery.
The brand-new Uconnect 5 infotainment system is standard across the lineup and comes with a 12.3-inch touchscreen, SiriusXM Radio, USB ports, voice commands, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and an eight-speaker audio system. In the Rubicon X and Mojave X trims, the audio system is upgraded to a nine-speaker Alpine setup, and navigation becomes standard, preloaded with Jeep Adventure Guides with Trails Off-Road programming.
Sport S | Mojave | Rubicon X | |
---|---|---|---|
Keyless entry and push-button start | S | S | S |
Power accessories | S | S | S |
Leather-trimmed steering wheel, premium cloth | N/A | S | S |
12.3-inch touchscreen with wireless phone mirroring | S | S | S |
Leather upholstery and power front seats | N/A | N/A | S |
Performance
With only a single gas engine option and the demise of the diesel, the Gladiator lacks the performance and fuel efficiency that rivals offer, though trailering remains strong.
This year, the turbo-diesel engine is no longer available, so the only engine in the Jeep Gladiator is the trusty old naturally aspirated 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 producing 285 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. The six-cylinder sounds nice and revs smoothly, but with even the lightest trim weighing in at nearly 4,700 pounds, it's not the quickest - the Jeep Gladiator's 0-60 sprint takes a comparatively long 8.5 seconds. These figures vary depending on the transmission in use, the drivetrain configuration, the trim and the options fitted, and can dip into the seven-second bracket or be as slow as 9.5 seconds - turbocharged rivals such as the Ranger are appreciably quicker. The Gladiator is one of the few trucks still offered with a six-speed manual gearbox, with an eight-speed automatic optionally available. The Gladiator's off-road bias makes it unsuitable for high speeds, and its top speed is appropriately capped at 98 mph.
Various versions of Jeep's 4WD systems are offered, depending on the trim. The Sport, Willys, and Mojave use the part-time Command-Trac that can run in rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive and has a 2.72:1 low range. With this system in the Sport with the 4.1:1 axle ratio and the Max Tow package fitted, the maximum trailering ability is unlocked, pushing the maximum towing capacity to 7,700 lbs. Optional on the Sport and Mojave is the Selec-Trac full-time transfer case with 2WD, 4WD, and Auto modes. Standard on the Rubicon only is the part-time Rock-Trac transfer case. Bolstering the Gladiator's off-road credentials is an ample ground clearance of at least ten inches, maxing out at 11.6 inches on the Mojave trim. The approach angle varies from 40.8 to 44.7 degrees, the departure angle from 25 to 26 degrees, and the breakover angle from 18.4 to 20.9 degrees.
Those solid front and rear axles, high unsprung mass, long-travel suspension, and high ground clearance help to make the Gladiator an off-road hero. It's nearly as good as the Wrangler, curtailed only somewhat by that long wheelbase, which limits its break-over angle and widens its turning radius, so it's less maneuverable. But it just soaks up the punishment, and the Rubicon's disconnectable front sway bar effectively keeps the wheels on the ground while trying to keep the body upright when cornering on tarmac. Yet it's still ponderous and feels heavy on the road. The steering is perfectly geared and well-damped in rough going, but that translates to slow, wooly responses on the road; you simply can't have it both ways.
Fuel Efficiency
Contrary to what we'd normally expect, the Jeep Gladiator's mpg figures are no better with the automatic transmission than with the manual. Even with a mildly tuned V6, the Gladiator's EPA-estimated gas mileage of 16/23/19 mpg for the six-speed manual's city/highway/combined cycles is rather poor. With the automatic transmission, the overall 19 mpg remains unchanged, but the city/highway figures are 17/22 mpg.
With a 22-gallon fuel capacity, expect a range of around 418 miles on the combined cycle on a full tank.
3.6L V6 Gas 6-Speed Manual 4X4 | 3.6L V6 Gas 8-Speed Automatic 4X4 | |
---|---|---|
Power | 285 hp | 285 hp |
Top speed | 98 mph | 98 mph |
MPG | 16/23/19 mpg | 17/22/19 mpg |
0-60 | Est. 8.5 sec. | Est. 8.5 sec. |
Max. Towing Capacity | 4,500 lbs | 7,700 lbs |
Safety
Safety credentials aren’t good, with relatively poor crash scores and almost no driver assists fitted to the base car, but at least side airbags are now standard on all trims.
Neither authority has conducted a full safety review of the Jeep Gladiator, and even last year's truck was only partially tested. The tests the NHTSA did do weren't great: the rollover test yielded just three stars out of five - same as the 2023 models. That year model also scored four out of five for frontal crash tests. The IIHS only offers Marginal and Poor scores for headlights. The 2024 Gladiator gains side reinforcement and curtain airbags, so we're hoping that it fares better when tested.
This year, all the Gladiator trims gain two-row curtain airbags and a strengthened side structure to better deal with side impacts. In terms of safety features, the compulsory ABS, stability control, tire-pressure monitoring, and backup camera are all there, but to these, the base Sport trim adds very little. It does get trailer-sway control, electronic roll mitigation, hill-start assist, and regular cruise control. From the Sport S and up, adaptive cruise control, front-collision alert, and automatic emergency braking are fitted as standard from this year. Only the Rubicon X and Mojave X get blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and rear parking sensors as standard, but these are all optional on the other trims.
Sport S | Mojave | Rubicon X | |
---|---|---|---|
Front-collision alert with braking | S | S | S |
Adaptive cruise control | S | S | S |
Blind-spot monitoring | O | O | S |
Rear cross-traffic alert | O | O | S |
Rear parking sensors | O | O | S |
US NHTSA Crash Test Result
Rollover Rating |
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3/5 |
Reliability
At the time of writing, there was no 2024 JD Power rating for the Jeep Gladiator's reliability, but last year's model fared very well, with an excellent score of 87 out of 100 for the Quality & Reliability rating, so we're hoping the 2024 Gladiator can repeat the feat. There were a few recalls for the 2023 Gladiator, though, notably for fuel-pump failure, a disabled backup camera and backup lights, and an overheating clutch pressure plate. But these three recalls are still a lot better than what the 2022 Gladiator could muster. It was recalled six times, so quality seems to be improving.
The 2024 Jeep Gladiator's warranty coverage is average. The limited warranty is valid for three years/36,000 miles, and the powertrain warranty runs for five years/60,000 miles. A welcome surprise is the inclusion of three years' complimentary maintenance, regardless of the miles traveled.
Warranty
Basic | Drivetrain | Corrosion | Roadside Assistance | Maintenance |
---|---|---|---|---|
3 Years / 36,000 Miles | 5 Years / 60,000 Miles | 5 Years / Unlimited Miles | 5 Years / 60,000 Miles | 2 Years / Unlimited Miles |
Design
The Gladiator can't be confused with anything else than a Jeep, and it's very clearly a Wrangler with a pickup bed on the back. Part and parcel of the Wrangler heritage is everything that goes with that, namely a removable roof and doors, to create the only entirely topless pickup truck on the market. At the base level, the Sport and Sport S make do with halogen headlights, untinted glass, and black fender flares. The Sport has 17-inch steel wheels, but all the other trims ride on 17-inch alloys of various styles and colors. From the Willys and up, all Gladiators have LED headlights and LED foglights.
The old mast antenna is gone, with the new one integrated into the windshield. The Willys has a tow hitch, fender flares with a body-color insert, a black grille, and various Willys decals on the outside. Mojave and Rubicon trims have high-clearance fender flares. Rock rails and front skid plates are standard on the Mojave and Rubicon trims. A premium Sunrider soft top is standard, but the three-piece modular Freedom Top hardtop is optional on all trims except the two top-ranking X trims, which have it as standard. This year sees revised styling with a modified seven-slot grille that lets in more air, and the styling details between the trims distinguish them from each other.
Verdict: Is The 2024 Jeep Gladiator A Good Truck?
The Jeep Gladiator is the only mid-size truck on the market with a removable top and doors, and it can do proper rock-crawling in the best Wrangler tradition. There's nothing else like it out there, and for sheer off-road ability, it is the most capable mid-sizer on sale. But that also makes it a poor-driving road car, with somewhat wayward handling, wooly steering, lots of wind noise, and poor fuel economy. The Mojave is an intriguing Ranger Raptor rival, but it will need a lot more power to rival the Ford. If you subscribe to the Wrangler way of life and you're going to spend your time on terrain where the Gladiator shines, it's a great truck. As a daily, its rivals are more liveable and car-like, though.