The all-new 2020 Jeep Gladiator isn’t for the faint of heart. This latest addition to Jeep’s lineup of powerful vehicles meant for people who love adventure is taking the internet and die-hard Jeep fan’s by storm. The official release date of the 2020 Jeep Gladiator hasn’t yet been announced, though Jeep has been showing off its latest toy at car shows around the country. Every Jeep dealership out there is excited to be able to offer this truck to their customers and it seems that Jeep loyalists everywhere feel that this truck will be monumental.
One of the biggest factors which are setting the 2020 Jeep Gladiator apart from the competition (besides its awesome name) is the fact that it’s going to be the first open-air truck available to the public. It features removable tops and doors, as well as a fold-down windshield so that you can feel the wind on your face and get closer to nature.
The Gladiator is built to be very similar to the ever-popular Jeep Wrangler, which is technically an SUV. The 2020 Jeep Gladiator is essentially a Wrangler with an extended and versatile truck bed. This means that Jeep owners who love their Wranglers but year to be able to bring along their kayaks, ATVs, or tow their boat to the lake will now be able to do so without having to jump to another brand of automaker.
With the 2020 Jeep Gladiator comes a heightened level of adventure. Drivers will be able to take off all four doors as well as the roof covering to experience the joy of open-air driving, all while being able to tow a heavy trailer or haul everyone’s mountain bikes. The Gladiator is the best of both worlds between the Wrangler and a pickup truck, and the world is excited.
Here’s a closer look at the performance capabilities and features of this latest powerhouse from Jeep:
Towing and Hauling
Since towing and hauling capabilities are really what sets the new 2020 Jeep Gladiator apart from the classic Jeep Wrangler, we thought this would be a good place to start. The 2020 Jeep Gladiator comes standard with a 5-foot cargo bed so that you can load up all your sporting equipment and take it with you on your next adventure. This bed itself provides a cargo volume of 35.5 cubic feet. If you want to include the space behind the bedwalls, there is even more space to haul your things!
If that amount still isn’t enough, the rear seats in the Gladiator fold forward which allows for even more room. If you’ve got specialized or fragile cargo, the 2020 Jeep Gladiator is going to be offered with lots of cargo management accessories including tie-downs, roof-racks, and more. These will help keep your cargo safe and you on the road.
Since the purpose of this cargo bed is to allow Jeep thrill seekers a way to take their equipment with them, the cargo bed is likely to get dirty frequently. That’s why the bed is easily washable and has removable drain plugs. So, if you’re planning to bring your dirt bikes, you don’t need to worry about mud getting everywhere.
Power and Fuel Economy
The 2020 Jeep Gladiator runs on FCA’s trusted 3.6-liter V6 engine. This is the same engine that can be found in the Ram 1500, Dodge Durango, and the Jeep Grand Cherokee. It makes 285 horsepower and 260-pound-feet of torque, so power certainly won’t be a problem when your hauling or maneuvering on uneven terrain. You can choose either a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission to power the standard four-wheel drive of the Jeep Gladiator.
Like the Jeep Wrangler, the Gladiator will be a great off-roader as well as be able to tow all kinds of things behind it. When this vehicle is equipped with the 8-speed automatic and the Sport Max Towing package, you’ll be able to tow up to 7,650 pounds with it. Not only that, but the 2020 jeep Gladiator has a maximum payload of 1,600 pounds! You won’t have to worry about how you’re going to bring your equipment with you when you’ve got this truck ready to tow and haul just about anything.
EPA estimates for fuel economy haven’t been released yet for the 2020 Jeep Gladiator. It’s expected that the Gladiator will have similar gas mileage as the six-speed manual transmission Wrangler Unlimited, however. That vehicle got up to 17 MPG in the city and 23 MPG on the highway. It will be interesting to see whether this truck gets better or worse fuel efficiency.
Ride and Handling
As mentioned above, the Jeep Gladiator is expected to be just as much of a powerhouse off-roading as the Jeep Wrangler has been before it. This means you should be easily able to tackle challenging terrain, plow through muddy patches, and climb hills that a normal truck would never be able to mount. In the past, Wranglers were able to do all of this exceptionally well, but with a whole lot of noise involved. The recently redesigned Jeep Wrangler drastically cut what is colloquially known as NVH or Noise, Vibration, and Harshness. The Jeep Gladiator will also feature this new, quieter ride quality without sacrificing the feel of open-air driving or off-roading capability.
The standard running gear on the 2020 Jeep Gladiator includes the Command-Trac part-time, shift-on-the-fly transfer case, an optional Trac-Lok limited slip differential, and Dana 44 heavy-duty front and rear axles. In the off-road community which has sprung up around the Jeep brand, the Dana 44’s are extremely popular equipment.
If off-roading is your “thing” and you want the best of the best experience when you venture into the great unknown, you should upgrade to the Gladiator Rubicon trim. This version of the Gladiator has
Fox shock absorbers and adds electronic front and rear locking differentials. The Rubicon also has upgraded underbody skid plates to protect your vehicle from debris and rocks which could end your trip prematurely. The Rubicon also has a forward-facing camera which will help you see obstacles on the trail ahead before they become a problem. With any version of the Gladiator that you choose, however, you’ll be able to get the full off-roading experience in the body of a truck.
Features
When the 2020 Jeep Gladiator becomes available to the public, no one is going to be disappointed with the array of features available and standard features. For the Sport trim of the Gladiator, you can expect air conditioning, LED interior and cupholder lighting, push-button start, manual-adjustable seats, and Uconnect with a 5-inch display.
Jeep dealerships will also surely want to tout the many available features that make the Gladiator even more fun to take on your next adventure including leather seating, heated front seats, satellite radio, and a larger 7- or- 8.4-inch Uconnect infotainment screen. If you choose to upgrade to get a larger infotainment screen, you also get Apple CarPlay and Android Auto automatically. If you get the 8.4-inch Uconnect system, you can also opt to have navigation included. You’ll also get two standard USB ports as well as the option to add a wall-style power outlet.
Open Air Off-Roading Meets Towing and Hauling Capability
The Jeep Gladiator is destined to be the first vehicle that really provides the best of a truck with the off-roading and adventure capabilities of a Jeep Wrangler. No other car brand has been able to create a vehicle that can seamlessly transition from the highway where you can have you kayaks strapped down securely in the back to a trail leading to the river you’re planning to launch from. The Gladiator extends the realm of possibilities and will surely make exploring nature even that more exciting!
