JEEP’S Gladiator must be one of the coolest double-cab bakkies on Mzansi’s roads and I’ve experienced the magic of this beast for a week.
The Gladiator is huge and looks menacing, even much more so in black like the test car I had. I had onlookers scraping pavements with their tongues and fellow motorists hooting at the beast and giving it the thumbs up. It’s not surprising as a convertible bakkie, or closer to a truck, is not a common site. The irony is that tar is not this beast’s natural terrain as it is made to thrive in the bush and where things really get rough.
The Gladiator’s ground clearance of 249mm is ideal for tackling rocks, and off-road terrain. Under the hood of this bush monster is a Pentastar 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine married to an eight speed automatic transmission. The engine has more than enough muscle and delivers 209kW and 347Nm.
The Gladiator’s approach/departure angles are 43.4/26 degrees and the wading depth is 800mm. The Gladiator Rubicon boasts bulky tyres – 32-inch BF Goodrich rubber (255/75R17) and it’s covering 17-inch Granite Crystal alloy wheels.
The Gladiator is any 4x4 enthusiast’s dream and is equipped with a Rock-Trac 4x4 system with 4LO, third generation Dana 44 axles, a limited-slip differential and front-and rear diff-locks. The Fox suspension system is pure quality.
I loved being behind the wheel of the Gladiator but as a daily ride it has some cons – fuel consumption, wind noise and its size. The massive bakkie is 5540mm long with a wheelbase of 3490mm. Even though it’s fitted with a rear-parking camera it’s not the easiest double cab to park, especially in narrow parking bays.
The Gladiator is a serious bar fly and I was struggling to get the combined fuel consumption figures below 15L/100km. Being behind the wheel of a convertible with a soft top, I expected wind noise on the highway, which was the case. Luckily, the powerful sound system was the perfect antidote.
If you really want that closer bush experience, the doors, windscreen and roof can be removed.
You’ll be treated to luxury and loads of space when you jump inside the Jeep. It features a new 8.4-inch touchscreen, three USB ports in the front and two in the back, and even heated seats. The seats and steering wheel are detailed by sporty red stitching.
The rear passenger bench can be lifted up which then offers quite a bit of extra storage space.
The Gladiator is rugged, comfortable, spacious, mean and powerful but will dent even the bulgiest wallet.
PRICING:
Jeep Gladiator Rubicon – R1 259 900
The Gladiator is sold with a 3-year/100 000km maintenance plan as well as a 5-year/100 000km warranty.
Jeep SA/Stellantis made this review possible.
