Jeep Gladiator: the most "cheeky" pickup ever!

Jeep is the informal name for all SUVs, and Jeep is a legendary car manufacturer. But the most popular car of this brand in Russia, the Jeep Grand Cherokee, has never been a full-fledged conqueror of bad roads.


Yes, the "Big Indian" from the first generation received a load-bearing body without a frame! But this does not make the manufacturer less legendary. Today we will talk about the Jeep Gladiator.

History of the model

In Russia, few people know that the Jeep company produces pickups, but this is a glorious page in the history of the manufacturer. The first models with this type of body appeared back in 1947. Willys-Overland Pickup is a direct descendant of a military SUV, only adapted to the needs of the average US farmer.





After that, many more pickup models were produced by Jeep, but their popularity gradually fell. The last hope was for the 1985 Comanche, which was based on the Cherokee. Unlike the Cherokee, the Comanche received a load-bearing cab body and a frame for the loading platform. But the SUV "did not enter" - for all the years of production, only 190 cars were sold.

It turned out that buyers are interested in a brutal pickup truck in the spirit of Wrangler. And in 2019, a new model appears - the Jeep Gladiator. This is the first pickup truck in the history of the manufacturer with a full second row of seats.

Appearance

The car turned out to be successful - a kind of nuclear mixture of Wrangler and military Hummer, or rather, HMMWV. An SUV was created on a redesigned Wrangler chassis, which was lengthened and a cargo platform was added. The rear suspension is copied from the Ram 1500.





Gladiator received a catchy and memorable appearance. The car does not even hint, but simply screams that its main purpose is to conquer off-road.

Most of all, the model is similar to the Jeep Wrangler, as it is single-platform. But if the Wrangler is more suitable for outings in the wilderness, then the Gladiator can even go on a trip around the world.

The large saloon will easily accommodate the driver and 4 passengers. The cargo platform is useful for transporting all the necessary luggage.

By the way, part of the body elements of the pickup truck made of aluminum:

• ? All 4 doors
  
• ? Tailgate
  
• ? Wings
  
• ? Hood
  
• ? windshield frame
  

Surprisingly, the manufacturer took into account all the nuances of old SUVs regarding the body! Steel cargo platform - this step was taken for the sake of maximum strength.

What is inside?

Compared to competitors, the Jeep Gladiator has a convenient and comfortable rear row. Even tall passengers will not experience any inconvenience - there is enough space for the knees, the head also does not rest against the ceiling.



At first glance, it seems that inside the SUV will have a Spartan level of comfort, like a military HMMWV. But as soon as you look into the salon, you realize that it is not for nothing that the cost of a car in Russia is so high.

There are Uconnect multimedia systems and rear-view cameras. The front seats have developed lateral support. Salon only leather. At the same time, they deliberately got rid of unnecessary electronic bells and whistles - the front seats, for example, have mechanical adjustments.

Technical features

The base engine for the Jeep Gladiator is a 6-liter V3,6. The motor develops 285 hp. With. For some, this is enough, but for lovers of the classics, it is possible to order the HEMI Hellcat SRT 4D version. There is an engine with a displacement of 6,2 liters.

For Europe and rare adherents of heavy fuel in the USA, a version with a three-liter diesel engine is offered, but such ones have not yet come across in Russia. Officially, they are not going to be delivered.

The base Jeep Gladiator is offered with a manual six-speed gearbox. For such an uncompromising SUV, this is the right decision. But in fact, most customers prefer to pay extra $ 2 for an 000-automatic transmission.

How does it go?

On the go, the Jeep Gladiator is most similar to its single-platform Wrangler Unlimited. That's just due to the long base smoothness is higher. If you load the rear platform, the car goes even softer.



The steering is unexpectedly light, at first it causes inconvenience, then you get used to it. If you put off-road tires with a "toothy" tread, then there is a slight heaviness when cornering.

The Jeep Gladiator has excellent cross-country ability due to the entry and exit angles of 43,4 / 26 degrees, respectively, and a ground clearance of 281 mm.

The drive of the Gladiator is only full, in any modification. It could not be otherwise, because the car is positioned as an SUV. The Overland and Sport versions come with a Command Trac system.
The most ruggedized Rubicon has received Rock-Trac all-wheel drive with differential locks. The Rubicon is also equipped with a high-strength transfer case.



It would seem that only a powerful version of the Jeep Gladiator with a 6,2-liter engine is suitable for towing massive trailers on an ongoing basis. In fact, an SUV, even in the basic configuration, can easily cope with such a load. The automatic transmission selects the gear in accordance with the load on the engine, trying not to overload it.

Cost in the USA and Russia

In the United States of America, official dealers offer the Jeep Gladiator starting at $35 in the base version. The most expensive High Altitude version is offered from $000.



In Russia, the lowest price for a used Gladiator is much higher - from 6 rubles. If you translate into dollars, you get about 680.
It seems that the price is shamelessly overpriced, but you need to take into account the equipment of the cars. Such SUVs are always brought to Russia in rich trim levels, and options can easily increase the cost by 2-3 times.

Advantages and disadvantages of the model

Jeep Gladiator has a number of advantages:

• ? Ready to conquer the harsh off-road without preparation
  
• ? Reliable naturally aspirated engine
  
• ? Possibility to order a 8-liter V6,2 engine
  
• ? Full five-seater saloon
  
• ? Simple and maintainable design
  
• ? Brutal appearance
  

It is too early to talk about any technical problems, so the disadvantages of the model are only those that lie on the surface.



Disadvantages of the Gladiator:

• ? High cost in Russia even for used cars
  
• ? It will not be easy to find spare parts, you will have to order everything from the USA
  
• ? No short version
  

Jeep Gladiator is an SUV for a narrow audience. The price will not allow him to become popular in Russia, perhaps in 10-20 years. But this model has the potential to be as iconic as the Wrangler or the military HMMWV. The only competitors in terms of cross-country ability for the Gladiator from new cars can be the single-platform Wrangler and the Mercedes Gelendvagen.