Much less Cash, Extra Refined, Nonetheless Tremendous Succesful

When the Jeep Gladiator debuted in 2020, it answered the decision patrons wished: a manufacturing Jeep pickup based mostly on the ever-popular and iconic Wrangler. Jeep insisted it wasn’t merely a Wrangler with a pickup mattress — it was a mid-sized truck. For 2024, Jeep modified its philosophy. The Gladiator now’s a Wrangler with a pickup mattress, and there have been a number of enhancements, and even a worth discount.

This variation in philosophy is smart. Wrangler is an icon, and Jeep needs to affiliate Gladiator with that. “(Gladiator) operates and acts rather more like a Wrangler than its competitors within the mid-sized phase,” mentioned Invoice Peffer, senior vp and head of the Jeep model North America. Plus, the truck stays the one car of its sort with an open-air prime, ala Wrangler.

For 2024 Jeep has opted to embrace the Gladiator’s Wranglerness and isn’t messing with success, reasonably it seeks to enhance upon what makes this Jeep a Jeep.

Briefly: Jeep Gladiator competes within the hotly contested mid-sized truck phase. It’s unapologetically a Jeep with its Wrangler-like model and detachable prime and doorways. For 2024, it will get a brand new grille, a number of wheel choices, all-inclusive Mojave and Rubicon X trim ranges, and a brand new infotainment system with an even bigger display screen. Refreshing autos like Gladiator or Wrangler an excessive amount of can alienate patrons, so Jeep’s upgrades are minor for 2024, however all of them goal to maintain the rig recent and take a step towards additional refinement.

2024 Jeep Gladiator Evaluation

Nonetheless Mid-Sized, Tremendous Succesful, however Revised

With strong axles, accessible locking differentials, and a number of different off-road facilities, the Gladiator is probably the most succesful truck within the mid-sized pickup phase when the pavement ends. Whereas strong axles and a detachable prime received’t provide the epitome of refinement, it’s all a part of the Jeep’s character. Should you don’t desire a Wrangler with a mattress, this isn’t the truck for you.

For 2024, the Gladiator will get a revised seven-slot grille design, a windshield-integrated antenna (no extra hitting tree branches), in addition to a extra refined inside. First- and second-row aspect curtain airbags are actually commonplace and positioned on the game bar (e.g., roll bar). There’s additionally commonplace ahead collision warning (Sport S fashions and above) and commonplace superior cruise management. Oh, and it now prices much less.

Extra Trim Ranges, Extra Choices, Fewer {Dollars} to Begin

Gladiator now begins at $37,895 for a Sport mannequin, $1,725 much less than final yr’s mannequin. So whereas Jeep is giving patrons extra options, it’s diminished the value. 

“This new Gladiator delivers a extra refined and technologically superior inside with accessible 12-way energy seats and improved security with commonplace side-curtain airbags for a beginning U.S. MSRP lower than $38,000 with extra content material and a decrease beginning MSRP than the truck it replaces,” mentioned Peffer.

For 2024, there are seven trim ranges, together with the brand new Mojave X and Rubicon X. The X fashions tick each field accessible together with metal bumpers and Nappa leather-trimmed 12-way energy adjustable seats good as much as 31.5 inches of water fording. Total, there are seven new wheel designs permitting house owners to have rolling inventory that matches the look they’re after. Of notice: Willys trims now get a regular locking rear diff. 

A Greater, Higher Infotainment System

Probably the most notable Gladiator enhancements is the brand new 12.3-inch touchscreen with wi-fi Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, which replaces the small 7-inch Uconnect model. The newest display screen is massive, shiny, and simple to make use of.

There are a wide selection of menus, all comparatively intuitive and simply navigable with good UX. Jeep Journey Guides that includes Trails Offroad are additionally new, and ship maps of trails all around the USA. A full subscription unlocks greater than 3,000 Trails Offroad guides and maps, which I and different journalists used whereas on Moab’s 7 Mile Rim path.

Tackling Moab Trails

We drove 2024 Gladiator Mojaves via parts of Moab’s 7 Mile Rim to trail-test the truck’s functionality, comforts, and conveniences.

My Gladiator was a Mojave X, which included heated 12-way energy leather-based seats, a heated steering wheel, a full-time switch case, built-in off-road cameras, and metal entrance and rear bumpers. Mojave fashions embody FOX 2.5-inch inside bypass shocks with reservoirs and hydraulic bump stops, a 1-inch entrance raise, a Tru-Lock locking rear differential, and Dana 44 axles with 33-inch all-terrain tires.

We had been instructed the brand new Gladiator’s suspension was additionally revised for a greater total trip.

Strolling Up Wipeout Hill

Our group wasted no time attending to Wipeout Hill, an impediment extra suited to the Gladiator Rubicon with its twin locking axles, swaybar disconnect, and rock-crawler character. I’d been on this impediment in a Gladiator in years prior, however happening, not up it.

Esteemed off-roader and path information, Nina Barlow, was my spotter, and I adopted her prompt line up the multitiered rocky incline, with the rear diff locked, and the tires aired all the way down to about 23 psi. The Mojave walked proper up the stair-stepped path with out hesitation.

Jeeping legend and trade cohort, Rick Péwé, greeted me on the prime. “Good throttle utilization there. Ever accomplished this earlier than?” he joked. He knew this wasn’t my first rodeo, however even these with restricted off-road expertise efficiently navigated Gladiators up Wipeout Hill, a testomony to a succesful car and good spotters.

Rainbow Hill & ‘Off Highway Pages’

Earlier than I took my Gladiator Mojave over Rainbow Hill, an off-camber part of slick rock, I switched the infotainment to Off Highway Pages, and chosen Pitch and Roll, exhibiting me simply how a lot I used to be leaning. Off Highway Pages additionally has Automobile Dynamics exhibiting driveline’s standing.

The Accent Gauges tab brings up coolant temp, oil temp, oil stress, transmission temp, and battery voltage. Lastly, there’s a tab on your forward-facing digital camera.

I additionally tried out Selec-Pace Management, which is actually off-road cruise management. Press the button, and also you don’t have to the touch the accelerator — the car retains slowly crawling alongside. You possibly can regulate pace by shifting the shifter into handbook mode and deciding on the up/down on the shifter. It’s a neat characteristic, however I desire to modulate my very own throttle. Perhaps I’m a management freak.

Utilizing the Mojave in Its Aspect

After tackling the technical off-road sections, I took the Mojave Gladiator into its component: higher-speed sandy desert segments. Gladiator Mojaves are geared up with FOX entrance hydro jounce bump stops, which act as a second shock absorber. They forestall the entrance axle from bottoming out offering a smoother, extra managed trip over tough terrain, particularly at pace.

In lots of autos with strong entrance axles, this sort of hurried driving over tough topography (particularly whoops or washboard) can upset a chassis. It may possibly trigger the car to buck or “porpoise” and doubtlessly result in harm. However the Mojave’s FOX suspension impressively soaked up this sort of terrain, even at pace.

You might hear the bump stops take up the impacts. They functioned admirably holding the chassis flat and managed. It’s to not the extent of a Ford Raptor R or some kind of race-built trophy truck, but it surely’s a lot better than the opposite Gladiator fashions, and was a blast to drive in these sections.

I additionally tried Off-Highway+ mode which takes the rig to a different efficiency degree. Throttle, shift factors, and traction management are optimized for off-road driving making this rig much more thrilling to pilot enthusiastically.

Gladiator’s Mojave’s potential to deal with sluggish, technical sections in addition to sooner desert tracks makes it a flexible efficiency pickup.

One Engine, Two Transmissions

All Gladiators get one engine: a 3.6L V-6 making 285 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque, a carryover from earlier years. It’s paired to both an eight-speed automated or a six-speed handbook transmission.

Gone is the three.0L turbo diesel powerplant, and neither the two.0L turbo engine nor the 4xe PHEV powerplant can be found on the 2024 Gladiator.

Gladiators can tow as much as 7,700 kilos and have a payload capability of as much as 1,725 kilos. Gas economic system is unchanged from 2023; at 17 metropolis, 22 freeway, and 19 mixed for the automated; handbook fashions are 16/21/18.

2024 Gladiator: Modified Simply Sufficient, Nonetheless Interesting

In 2023, Jeep bought 55,188 Gladiators, which was a 29% decline from 2022, maybe as a result of the costs had been larger than customers wished. However with the elevated options, additional refinement, and decrease entry worth, the Gladiator ought to proceed to enchantment to those that desire a Jeep but in addition desire a pickup.

However remember, this can be a Wrangler with a mattress, and it’s most actually a Jeep. Some will discover that exceptionally interesting. Others could desire a extra conventional pickup. However one factor’s for sure — the most recent Gladiator continues Jeep’s custom and heritage of functionality and gobs of character.