So, a few years in, Gladiator thoughts?

Just curious what the TW crowd thinks of the jeep Gladiator now that it's been out a while? While I really like the idea of a Jeep truck, the more I see them on the road the more awkward they look to me. Even the modded-up ones just seem a bit out of proportion.

 

Same as what I thought before. It's a trail limo, but you can fit 37's on it with a leveling kit, but it'll be far less reliable and have major issues... Also if you take it on a really tight trail with branches and stuff sticking out, you'll rip the taillights off because they stick out past the body, and I think that's hysterical.

I wouldn't own one, but I think they're cool

 

Butt ugly and dumb as f*ck.

 

As a Jeep Dealer Auto Tech i can say it's way over engineered. A Trail Rated uncomfortable, terrible riding vehicle. The only Jeep product I would ever own would be a 1940-50's Willys'. Love my Pro.

 

They look awesome and cost more than our cheap-o Tacoma's.

 

IMHO the ones with toppers are the absolute worst looking gladiators. Not a fan.

 

Been seeing them show up on the used lots more often recently. Guess the novelty wears off quickly.

 

Looks like a porta-john on wheels. And I've never seen one scratched or dirty

 

Could be a good time to buy. Thought I have seen Gladiators listen a few thousand below sticker, and O%APR. Don't know what you can and can't buy, and what deals can be combined.

Is that enough for me to buy one? Probably not, and I'd want a Rubicon, and then would go in to debt wanting to modify it.

 

Looks cool but after driving one on the Interstate I couldn’t own one.

 

I'd have been a lot more interested if it was smaller. Regular or extended cab with a short bed, not too much longer than the 4-door Jeeps. Instead, it fits the exact same market space as every other DCSB mid-size pickup.

 

2 straight axles, 2 lockers, 4:1 t-case gears, diesel option, removable top, and 37's with a leveling kit or just drive it off the lot with 33's. Really makes Toyota look like they've got their head up their ass. Seriously though, Ive sased and dual cased 2 Toyotas, next time I'm buying a gladiator. Jeep reliability does concern me though.

 

I'd be all over it if there was a version with a regular cab and a 6 foot bed. Or at least one like a Scrambler where you could put a half cab hardtop or a full length hardtop on it and switch between the two.

 

I like the concept of them , but I think that the AVE Brute conversions did a better job of making a useful jeep "truck" out of a wrangler. If the Gladiator had the small "extended" cab of the Brute and a 6' bed, I think that it would be more appealing to a larger market. ( Probably not the 'angry bird' grill people...)

 

Decent towing capacity but it is straining that poor thing. They are only a few inches longer than the tacoma. Im sure they wheel great but would not want to daily one by any means. I'm on the phone alot and the road noise is pretty bad, Rubicon is nice and Dana 44s but like all rubicons they are not true 44s they are hybrids of 44 inners and 30 outers.

I think a 2 door would be cool but still unsure if I would even get one of those.

 

Stellantis would have still been better off introducing a midsize pick up like a Dodge Dakota over the Gladiator.

Ram already has the 1500, and 1500 classic. I don't think a midsize would interrupt the sales of either truck. Stellantis keeps saying a midsize is coming to market in the US. They could have sold the Gladiator along side their midsize, and probably wouldn't have lost any Gladiator sales.

 

If they did a single cab (an extra cab would be even better), I’d be all over that.

https://www.motortrend.com/news/jeep-j6-concept-two-door-gladiator-pickup-truck-photos

 

It’s not like you can get a Tacoma in a single cab, you can’t even get a manual trd off-road in an access cab any more