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There are few things more American than Jeeps and vans. Combining the two with the all-new Jeep Gladiator 2020, it's like washing a slice of apple pie with a cold Bud Light while watching fireworks on July 4th.
Jeep has a lot of experience in the field of pickup trucks. In 1947, he introduced the Willys-Overland pickup. The Forward Control followed in 1957, but it was only at the 1963 J-Series Gladiator that the brand truly has a pickup rivaling the likes of Ford and General Motors. The latest Jeep truck, the Comanche, has sold more than 190,000 units over its eight years of existence, but the picture that the majority of Jeep's most ardent fans evoke when they think of a Seven slotted van is not the new comanche bodybuilder, it is the old Scrambler body on frame. That's the power of the iconic grille and round headlights.
It is not surprising that Jeep is trying to emulate his CJ-8 with his new Gladiator, following the same recipe: lengthen the frame of his best-selling Wrangler by 31 inches and graft it onto a bed. Jeep is inspired by the experience of his cousin Ram to borrow the rear suspension design of the 1500 for the Gladiator. Fortunately, the end result does not give the impression of a special badembly of parts bins badembled solely to meet a market need. This is an honest competitor in the field of pickup trucks entering a very hot market of average size.
And that, with a sense of style really unique. Of course, she owns the Wrangler grille, modified with larger openings to let in more air to meet the cooling needs of a pick-up truck. The rest of the bodywork through the front doors is cashed directly from Wrangler. Only one configuration is available, a four-door model with a five-foot truck bed.
At launch, all 2020 Jeep Gladiator models will be equipped with a 3.6-liter V6 engine developing 285 horsepower and 260-pound-foot torque. This is not at all a power, and the empty weight of the Gladiator base of 4,650 pounds – 680 pounds more than a two-door Wrangler that uses the same powertrain – contributes to the Slow acceleration of the truck. The four doors, hood, fenders, windshield frame and tailgate are aluminum, while the rest of the cab and bed are made of steel.
A Rubicon equipped with an automatic transmission climbs up to 5,072 lbs. It's no coincidence that the Gladiator's maximum payload of 1,600 pounds and its towing index of 7,650 pounds are achieved with the standard Sport trim level (and the lightest), while the Rubicon reaches its maximum of 7,000 pounds. For comparison, a Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro four-door weighs 4,445 pounds and can tow £ 6,400.
In regular driving on roads and highways, the Gladiator V6 engine seems sufficient. A six-speed manual gearbox is standard in all areas. There is not much joy in the art of changing the Gladiator's manual gearbox, but one way or another, a clutch pedal in a Wrangler-based vehicle is not uncomfortable .
In reality, almost everyone will opt for the eight-speed automatic, which adds $ 2,000 to the price of any gladiator. This is a good transmission that does not unnecessarily flush out the gears and mostly disappears in the background, matching well with the standard Gladiator V6. A 3.0-liter V6 diesel engine is promised soon, but it is not expected to appear in dealerships until calendar year 2020. The fuel consumption of this engine is likely to be much better than that of the V6 EPA ratings. Automatic of 17 cities, 22 highways and 19 combined (the manual obtains ratings 16/23/19).
We towed a 5,500-pound Airstream trailer over several kilometers using a Gladiator Sport equipped with an automatic transmission and all the necessary towing equipment, including a brake control. Mopar trailer. Buyers who plan to carry anything heavy on a regular basis will probably want to opt for a full-size pickup, but we can confirm that the Gladiator will handle the load as well as its mid-size competitors. The engine is a little stressed when it pushes the Gladiator and the trailer to speed, but its transmission resists well without driver intervention and adapts appropriately to uphill and downhill slopes.
The price of the Gladiator Sport base starts at $ 35,040, destination fee of $ 1,495. A cut on the Sport S trim scale results in power windows, door locks, a keyless entry system, a 7-inch touch screen and a 115-volt power outlet in the cash register. the truck for $ 38,250. The luxurious Overland finish features unique 18-inch wheels, side steps, solid-color wing flares, an 8.4-inch Uconnect screen, and access to a host of options, including an interior leather and adaptive cruise control for $ 41,890. At the top of the range is the Rubicon for $ 45,040.
Jeep says that a fully loaded Rubicon Gladiator with everything the factory can offer will cost around $ 60,000. This is a lot of money for a medium size pickup truck, even though it has the unique capabilities of the Gladiator. In addition, a complete catalog of over 200 Mopar branded accessories is filling up at dealerships even before trucks.
Despite its undeniably high price, we expect the Gladiator to stand out from dealer bids and the Toledo-built truck is at the top of the moparization charts. It's America, after all, land of the free, home of the brave and big consumer of vans of all shapes, sizes and colors. Which leaves us to ask an important question: Do you prefer a Firecracker Red, Bright White or Hydro Blue Pearl coat?
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