REVIEW | Brash Jeep Gladiator is all about the image

You have to take a peek at American lifestyles to get a handle on how best to use the Jeep Gladiator, the new bakkie version of the iconic Wrangler.

One of the more sensible applications I spied was a unit turned into a motorhome/caravan as an off-road overlander with sleeping quarters on the roof.

But the main template is of a hard-core double cab much like the Toyota Land Cruiser 79 and the Ford Ranger Raptor. The Gladiator is gargantuan and at 5,591mm it’s nearly a metre longer than the 4,882mm four-door Wrangler. The wide cabin that seats five passengers has chunky switches and levers.

The driving position is multi-adjustable, visibility is good, the controls are logically laid out and easy to use and getting in and out isn’t too awkward. The bakkie payload is less than average at 693kg and it’s rather shallow for proper workhorse duties. But there is extra storage space under the folding rear seats, while the tailgate is lockable from the central security system.

The Gladiator is more at home carting lifestyle paraphernalia or motorised toys such as bikes or jet skis, eschewing the need to tow a trailer for smaller items on shorter trips. If you need to tug larger items, such as boats or caravans, it also pulls 2.7-tonnes, but it’s also about something else.

Its stylish looks is no coincidence. There’s value in this aspect as it gives off the same coolness of giant bakkies such as the Mercedes-AMG G63 6x6 and the Hummer H1.

The boxy cabin with roll-over hoops remains airy in the sense you can pop out the roof partitions in front and let the oxygen and sun rays through, or you can go the full Monty and remove the entire roof, unhinge all doors and detach the windscreen to fully experience your surroundings.

This is why the Gladiator comes with a strong heating system, including heated seats and steering wheel.

With this being my first taste of the new-generation Jeep Wrangler since its SA launch in 2019, the progression towards digitisation is remarkable. There’s a touchscreen infotainment system that beams “1941" on start-up to remind you of its 79-year old origins, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, a rear parking camera and adaptive cruise control.

You bring it to life using a starter button or, even cooler, use the remote starting feature on the key fob. The engine is a naturally-aspirated 3.6l V6 with 209kW and 347Nm channelled through an eight-speed gearbox, with sequential changes if you want to go manual. 

The power train has a good enough shove and it’s a comfy ride, assisted by the fitment of specialist Fox shocks at each corner. The 0-100km/h sprint and top speeds are less important values, but it’s not a torpedo. It lumbers about on the road and is fairly easy to steer in city conditions. Give it horns and it has the soundtrack of a grizzly guzzler.

Jeep believes it will consume a 12.4l/100km average, but in reality this figure can shoot up to 20l/100km when driven at war-zone speeds. Using manual mode on the transmission and keeping the speeds below 80km/h, it returned a better 13.1l/100km.   

It’s every bit as good off-road as you would expect from a Wrangler with the words Rubicon pasted on its clamshell bonnet.

A bewildering array of mountaineering tools include low-range gearing, diff locks, 249mm ground clearance, 800mm wading depth, tow hooks, downhill descent control, knobbly tyres that rumble audibly on smooth tarmac and a new Command-Trac 4x4 system with a full-time mode that automatically switches from 2WD to 4WD.

The big question remains whether the Gladiator is the Wrangler we never knew we needed or a concept gone too far. From my perspective, it offers one more way to enhance active lifestyles and could appeal to those already enamoured with the Wrangler as something that blends summer fun, family practicality and a modicum of a work ethic in one capable and hip package.

I’d buy it purely for the image.

Tech Specs

Engine
Type: V6 petrol 
Capacity: 3,605cc
Power: 209kW
Torque: 347Nm

Transmission
Type: Eight-speed automatic, Command-Trac transfer case

Drivetrain
Type: Four-wheel drive

Fuel Consumption
12.4l/100km (claimed) 13.1l/100km (as tested)

Standard features
ABS brakes, stability control, four airbags, climate control, remote central locking, active cruise control, keyless operation, electric windows, electric mirrors, Uconnect multimedia system, front and rear USB ports, cloth seats, 249mm ride height, LED headlights, LED daytime running lights, auto-lock load bin, rear parking camera, removable doors and roof panels, fold-down windscreen

Ownership
Warranty: Five years/100,000km
Maintenance plan: Three years/100,000km
Price: R1,299 900
Lease*: R27,694 a month
* at 10% interest over 60 months, no deposit

Jeep Gladiator 3.6 Rubicon double cab

WE LIKE: Looks, off-road capability, ability to strip off parts. WE DISLIKE: Fuel consumption, limited loading capacity. VERDICT: A lifestyle bakkie par excellence.

Motor News star rating
Design * * * * *
Performance * * *
Economy * * 
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Safety * * *
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Competition
Toyota Land Cruiser 79 4.5D V8 double cab 70th Anniversary — 151kW/430Nm — R981,100
Ford Ranger Raptor Special Edition, 157kW/500Nm — R999,150

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