Undoubtedly, Jeep’s Gladiator is the most rugged midsize truck on the market today. No other model even comes close to matching this rig’s off-road capability. That’s because no other pickup is based on the legendary Jeep Wrangler.
While this truck looks like little more than the abovementioned off-roader with a bed welded onto the back, significant amounts of engineering were required to create the Gladiator. For starters, its frame is new, stretched 31 inches (79 centimeters) to accommodate the cargo box. In keeping with that increase, its wheelbase has been elongated by a commensurate 19.4 inches (49 centimeters). The rear suspension is also new, sharing components with the smooth-riding Ram 1500.
As for this pickup’s business end, it measures five feet in length (152 centimeters) and is made of steel. Of course, the bed in question is fitted with numerous tie-down points and can optionally equipped with under-rail lighting, an ultra-durable spray-in liner and even a 110-volt, three-prong power outlet.
The Gladiator’s tailgate is made of lightweight aluminum and is nicely damped so it doesn’t slam down when opened. It can also support up to 1,800 pounds (816 kilograms) and be set in a mid-position between fully open and closed, which is handy for hauling long items including four-by-eight sheets of building material, which slide right in on top the fender wells.
This is a vehicle the Jeep faithful have been praying to receive for literally decades. The last pickup this brand offered was called the Comanche and it went out of production in 1992, though it was hardly the only one they built. Jeep has a rich truck-making history, one that stretches all the way back to the 1940s.
Just like Jeep’s iconic Wrangler, the Gladiator pickup is built in Toledo, Ohio.
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