Jeep Gladiator

As expected, the cabin of the Jeep Gladiator has been shared with the Wrangler, with the former also having the same vertical layout for the dashboard and a nice blend of modern-day features with old-school physical controls. The cabin is spacious enough for five people, with enough space in the deck behind the cabin for luggage.

The four-spoke steering wheel of the Jeep Gladiator has silver garnish for the spokes and is both tilt and telescopic adjustable. Behind the steering wheel, the Jeep Gladiator gets an old-school layout for the instrument console, with a new-age 7-inch TFT screen for the MID sitting in the middle of pop-up-styled rounded analogue gauges. This instrument console binnacle, along with the AC vents on the corners of the dashboard and the sides of the centre console, is round-themed.

In the centre console, a large 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system is placed between the rounded AC vents, with the lower centre console getting dedicated housings for physical buttons for the dual-zone automatic climate control, 8-speaker Alpine audio system, and a plethora of off-road drive settings. The Jeep Gladiator also comes with a segment-exclusive lockable rear seat storage, with the foldability of the rear seats possible in multiple configurations.

The fact that the Jeep Gladiator is based on the Wrangler off-roading SUV is evident from the looks of the former, as the Gladiator is nothing but a four-door pickup version of the Wrangler. Besides the rear section, which has a flat deck in place of a closed compartment, the Gladiator looks identical to the Wrangler. This isn’t a bad thing though, for this similarity makes the Jeep Gladiator look rugged and purposeful, just like the Wrangler.

At the front, the Jeep Gladiator has a flat and vertical fascia, which comprises the traditional seven-slat vertical grille and rounded LED headlamps with daytime running LEDs on the upper corners of the grille. This entire fascia sits within a trapezoidal housing, above which there is a towering bonnet with a sleek-looking hood scoop over it in the middle. The front bumper of the Gladiator is also shared with the Wrangler, with tapered edges on the sides for a better approach angle.

The side profile of the Jeep Gladiator is where the differentiation begins, with the major differences lying at the rear. Both the variants of the Gladiator come with rugged black 17-inch alloy wheels, with the Sandrunner looking more purposeful and off-road ready with its 33-inch off-road-spec tyres. The flat-surfaced door panels, flared trapezoidal wheel arches and angular window panels are all shared with the Wrangler here. 

The rear profile of the Jeep Gladiator looks pretty simple with a flat-surfaced deck lid with rectangular tail lamps on the sides which feature modern LED inserts. Like the front bumper, the rear bumper also looks off-road ready with tapered sides for a better departure angle.

Like the Wrangler on which it is based, the Jeep Gladiator is an absolute champion that deals with off-road surfaces and terrains with great composure and excellence. The Jeep Gladiator comes with a Selec-Trac full-time four-wheel drive system as standard in both of its variants, along with wide Dana axles at the front and rear. With a claimed water-wading capacity of 31.5 inches and a ground clearance of 11 inches, the Jeep Gladiator has high levels of wheel articulation and Tru-Lok electronic locking differentials for more prowess in off-roading.

And that’s not all, for the Jeep Gladiator also comes with segment-exclusive sway bar disconnect, steel rock rails and a dedicated Off Road+ button for low-speed rock and sand crawling. The Sandrunner variant pushes the bars even higher with its desert-tuned performance suspension with FOX shocks at the front and rear.

Both the variants of the Jeep Gladiator come standard with Jeep’s old-school 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 naturally-aspirated petrol engine paired with 8-speed automatic transmission. With a maximum power output of 285 bhp and a peak torque output of 353 Nm, this engine has a claimed fuel efficiency of 13.8 kmpl.

The Jeep Gladiator is armed with a host of premium safety features, which can come in handy in both regular and off-road driving conditions. These safety features include front and side airbags, ABS with EBD, electronic stability control, electronic roll mitigation, hill start assist, trailer sway damping, reverse parking sensors and camera, remote keyless entry, and tyre pressure monitoring system. However, the Jeep Gladiator misses out on ADAS features.

Like the Wrangler SUV, the Jeep Gladiator also is a truly focused off-road vehicle with a very capable combination of engine and chassis. With the right set of hardware to take on the worst off-road terrains, the Jeep Gladiator also looks rugged and is decently equipped for its price, making it purposeful for a vehicle of its kind.