Posted on May 30, 2022 in
AUTO REVIEW
absolutely AUTO REVIEW | By Steve Kursar –
The 2022 Jeep Gladiator is a crew-cab pickup truck based on the popular Jeep Wrangler 4×4 off-road SUV. Now you can have all the fun a Wrangler delivers and have the extra utility of a truck bed for those times when only a pickup will do. This is the only pickup that you can buy where you can pull off the doors and remove the top and take off into the woods on a rocky trail. Once you do it, you’ll want to do it again and again.
Fans of the Jeep Wrangler have been clamoring for the automaker to revive a model that disappeared back in the late 1980’s. The original Gladiator was a two-door pickup they introduced in 1962 and immediately found a niche in the growing off-road segment. Although the original Gladiator never achieved the sales numbers of the other Detroit pickup trucks, it retained a loyal following. Vintage models are sought after by knowledgeable collectors.
A base 2022 Jeep Gladiator comes with a $36,480 MSRP price tag. There are two powertrains available along with both your choice of a manual or an automatic transmission. The standard engine is a gasoline-fueled 285 hp, 3.6 liter Pentastar V6 that can be mated to either a six-speed manual or a TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission. EPA estimated fuel economy numbers for the gas engine are 16 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway.
There’s an optional 260 hp, 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V-6 engine that delivers more torque along with somewhat better fuel economy. To handle greater torque loads, the EcoDiesel V-6 connects to a TorqueFlite 8HP75 eight-speed automatic transmission, calibrated for low-RPM shifts. Fuel economy for the diesel is 22 mpg city and 29 mpg highway. Every Gladiator is “Trail Rated” which means they are all capable of surviving an off-road adventure straight out of the dealer showroom.
Last model year, Jeep introduced the Gladiator Texas Trail trim, a model that pays homage to the largest truck market in the country: Texas. Along with a $41,750 MSRP price tag, the Gladiator Texas Trail features 17-inch Mid-Gloss Black Aluminum wheels wrapped in 32-inch mud-terrain tires. These features, combined with the Jeep Command-Trac 4×4 part-time, two-speed transfer case with a 2.72:1 low-range gear ratio, enhance the Gladiator Texas Trail’s off-road capability.
Texans love both Jeeps and pickups and now, with the Gladiator, we can have both in one neat off-road package.
