The Gladiator wants to be a lot of things. First and foremost, it wants to be a truck, but it has the soul of a Wrangler SUV. It wants to be an off-roader, too, of course. It also wants to be some sort of tribute to the Jeep (SUVs) of yore that helped win the Second World War. It has, to put it lightly, a whole lot going on. While there are plenty of things to love (see this truck’s sister story for more on that), there are also lots of things that rubbed me the wrong way during my week with the truck.
The Gladiator Is Hilariously Long
Chase Bierenkoven
The Gladiator looks about as long as it feels. With a bed to rival mid-sized alternatives like the Toyota Tacoma, it has to be. There is, after all, the body of a Jeep Wrangler tacked onto the front of that bed. It makes the whole thing look like a sort of automotive Centaur.
All told, the Gladiator measures in at 218 inches. This is a full five inches longer than an equivalent Toyota Tacoma, but to be fair, there feels to be a bit more room in the cab. However, this is also a problem off-road – the Jeep’s long body has trouble with steep ascents, and you’ll end up banging the rear bumper on anything truly steep.
I Don’t Love The Stolen Valor
Chase Bierenkoven
This is some next-level nitpicking, to be clear. I don’t find the Willys’ aesthetics particularly attractive on the Gladiator. Moreover, putting the trim level intended to celebrate the original item on the truck that bears very little relation to the iconic military vehicle is already a bit of a reach, but Jeep also didn’t, in my opinion, carry out the best graphics job.
The OG Willys doesn’t have the matte black hood, the silly ’41 graphics, or the Jeep branding. If I were to make a true tribute, my version would feature as many historic graphics as possible, like the stars on the quarter panels, bumper, hood, and windscreen. Heck, stick the VIN on the hood as an homage to the serial numbers on original vehicles. In short, the Willys feels more about Jeep than it does the Willys, if that makes sense.
The Gladiator Suffers From A Poor Driving Position
Chase Bierenkoven
Like the Wrangler on which it is based, the Jeep Gladiator does not have what you’d call an “ergonomic” driving position. You’re basically sitting on a (comfy) stool. You’re also very close to the door, so much so that, when I drive these, I tend to rest my knee against it rather than extending into the footwell. That’s because there’s also no dead pedal. Everything in here feels just a little tight compared to the Rubicon’s rivals, and even the cramped Tacoma provides you with a more ergonomic seating position that isn’t so darn upright. The Gladiator also doesn’t feature any sort of tilt adjustment for the seat, further emphasizing its stool-like traits.
About the author
Chase Bierenkoven
Senior Editor, Autoblog