The 2020 Jeep Gladiator comes to take on the Chevy Colorado and Toyota Tacoma with some serious credentials that puts good faith in the phrase “good things come to those who wait.” The Gladiator rocks out the new Wrangler JL look with a five-foot bed in the rear. It’s downright gorgeous, but it’s not just about what it looks like. This baby can tow up to 7,650 pounds that’s 850 pounds more than the Toyota Tacoma and 650 pounds more than the Chevy Colorado.

Jeep Gladiator Performance and Overview

The Jeep Gladiator is powered by the familiar 3.6-liter, Pentastar, V-6 that’s good for 285 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. The trick is, however, that it has a focus on low-end torque, so it’s perfect for hitting the dusty trail. Even better yet is the fact that a six-speed manual transmission (yes, the kind with three pedals) is standard equipment – as it should be. The caveat there, however, is that the diesel isn’t available with a manual transmission – sorry guys.

Expanding into the driveline a little more, you’ll find a pair of third-gen Dana 44 axles attached along with front and rear electric rockers and 33-inch off-road tires as standard equipment. This thing is sealed off well too, allowing you to ford as much as 30 inches of water without breaking a sweat. Outside of the bed out back, you’ll find yourself happy with the Gladiator, even if you’re a Wrangler fan. This thing has so much Wrangler DNA that the interior is nearly identical. You’ll find the same dashboard, same infotainment system, same A/C controls, and even the same steering wheel. The windshield even folds down for those of you who really dig that off-road life.

The instrument cluster features a 3.5-inch display, or you can go for the optional seven-inch unit, but if you’re a jeep guy, you already know all of this. Like I said, It’s a Wrangler through and through… with a bed, of course.

Jeep Gladiator Off-road Performance

With so much Wrangler DNA, this baby is surely designed for off-road travel. As such, it comes with either the Command-Trac 4x4 system with a two-speed transfer case and 2.72:1 low-range gear ratio. On this model, the front and rear axles carry a 3.73 gear ratio. The Gladiator Rubicon comes to the party with the Roc-Trac 4x4 system with a 4LOW ratio of 4:1 and a 4.10 front gear ratio (rear axle remains 3.73 as far as we know.) This model has a crawl ratio of 84.2:1 or 77.2:1 if you have the automatic transmission (please, don’t be that guy.)

The things that really matter:

-* Command-Trac 4x4 system with 2.72:1 crawl ratio standard on Sport and Overland models

-* Rock-Trac 4x4 system with a “4LO” ratio of 4:1 and Tru-Lok locking differentials standard on Rubicon models

-* Skid plates and front and rear tow hooks

-* Standard on Rubicon rear steel heavy-duty off-road rear bumper and available front steel winch-ready bumper with removable end caps

-* Approach angle of 43.6 degrees, breakover angle of 20.3 degrees, departure angle of 26 degrees and ground clearance of 11.1 inches

-* Aggressive available 17-inch off-road wheels; Rubicon models get 33-inch tires standard

-* Up to 30 inches of water fording

-* Up to 7,650-lb. towing and 1,600-lb. 4x4 payload capacity

-* Body-on-Frame design

2020 Jeep Gladiator specifications

Engine

3.6-LITER PENTASTAR V-6

Type and Description

60-degree, V-type, liquid-cooled

Displacement

(cu. in. / cc) 220 cu. in. (3,604 cu. cm)

Bore x Stroke

3.78 x 3.27 (96 x 83)

Valve System

Chain-driven DOHC, 24 valves and hydraulic end-pivot roller rockers

Fuel Injection

Sequential, multiport, electronic, returnless

Construction

Aluminum deep-skirt block, aluminum alloy heads

Compression Ratio

11.3:1

Power

285 HP @ 6,400 RPM

Torque

260 LB-FT @ 4,400 RPM

Wheelbase

137.3 (3,487)

Overhang — Front

29.7 (755)

Overhang — Rear

51.0 (1,296)

Track — Front

62.9 (1,598)/64.4 (1,636) – Sport Max Tow, Rubicon

Track — Rear

62.9 (1,598)/64.4 (1,636) – Sport Max Tow, Rubicon

Overall Length

218.0 (5,539)

Overall Width

73.8 (1,875)

Overall Height – Soft Top

75.0 (1,907)/76.1 (1,933) – Rubicon

Overall Height – Hardtop

73.1 (1,857)/74.1 (1,882) - Rubicon

Box Volume

35.5 cu. ft. (1.0 cu. m)

Box Length, Tailgate Closed

60.3 (1,531)

Box Length, Tailgate Opened

81.3 (2,067)

Cargo Width – Lift Gate

56.8 (1,442)

Cargo Height – Lift Gate

33.9 (861)

Liftover Height

29.7 (755)

Load Floor Height – Axle

33.3 (845)

Distances between Wheelhouses

44.8 (1,137)

Tailgate Opening Width

50 (1,270)

Open Tailgate to Ground

34.8 (885)


Further reading

Read our full speculative review on the 2020 Jeep Gladiator.

Read our full review on the 2005 Jeep Gladiator Concept.