The 2024 Jeep Gladiator is not like any other mid-size pickup truck that’s on sale today. Though it has a bed for carrying stuff, it’s focused more for outdoor adventures rather than commuting to and from work. It’s more rock crawler than mall crawler.
Performance
Engine – For 2024, the Jeep Gladiator is only available with one engine; the 3.6L V6. The turbo-diesel engine is no longer available for 2024. The V6 produces the same amount of power as it did when the Gladiator came to the market; 285 hp & 260 lb-ft of torque (213 kW & 353 Nm). While the competition has moved to turbocharged 4-cylinder engines, the V6 has enough power to keep things entertaining. Sure, it doesn’t have the low-end grunt of the Ford Ranger but this engine has no problem getting up to speed from a stop and merging onto fast moving highways.
Fuel Economy – However, this engine’s major downfall is its thirst for the explosive juice. With the 8-speed automatic, it is officially rated at 13.7 L/100km (17.2 MPG) in a city and 10.7 L/100km (22 MPG) on a highway. In reality, it’s a little difficult to achieve those kinds of numbers. During my week with the truck, I averaged 13.6 L/100km (17.3 MPG) combined. Though that is between the rated figures, barely, about half of my driving with the 2024 Gladiator was on highways. So I can only imagine how much worse the fuel consumption would have been had I driven mostly in a city environment.
Transmission – This particular Jeep Gladiator Rubicon demo vehicle came equipped with an 8-speed automatic but a 6-speed manual transmission is available. The 8-speed changes gears quickly, smoothly, and without much hesitation. You can take over shifting duties by popping the gear selector in manual mode, just don’t expect fast reaction times from your inputs. In this truck, it’s best to let the computer decide when to change gears.
Braking – Stopping the truck are two piston floating calipers on the front with 13-inch discs. It doesn’t take much effort of the brake pedal to bring the truck to a stop in everyday commutes but predictably, the all-terrain tires don’t provide as much grip on paved roads as the street tires do on other Gladiator trims. There is some nose dive under heavy braking but the truck feels in control.
Handling – On paved roads, the 2024 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon is not the best driving mid-size truck on the market. Steering is light and lacking in feel but the worst thing about its on-road performance is highway driving. At higher speeds, the front wheels have a tendency to point wherever they feel like. As a result, you constantly have to provide steering input, even when driving in a straight line. This gets tiring on longer trips.
Off the beaten path though, the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon is a joy to drive. The suspension easily absorbs bumps and keeps the tires in contact with the dirt. The Gladiator is the only mid-size truck to use a solid rear and front axle with a disconnecting sway bar on the front for better wheel articulation when driving over a large boulder, or very uneven pavement. The truck has 4X2, 4X4 Auto or high, and 4X4 low with locking differentials in both axles. But, the axles can only be locked when the transfer case is in 4 Lo. Additionally, the long wheelbase of the Gladiator may not make it as proficient as the shorter Wrangler when driving over certain obstacles.
Capability – On the capability side of things, the 2024 Jeep Gladiator is not lacking behind the competition. This Rubicon is rated to carry 1,200 lbs of cargo with the 8-speed auto and 1,300 lbs with the 6-speed manual. Maximum payload for the Gladiator is 1,725 lbs on the Sport S trim. When it comes to towing, this Rubicon is limited to 4,500 lbs but 7,700 lbs on the Sport S trim with the Max towing package.
The Gladiator comes with a 5-foot bed that is a bit narrower than the box of something like the new Toyota Tacoma and Ford Ranger. It has one tie down point at each corner along with movable cleats for more cargo tie down points. This truck also came equipped with a tonneau cover for added security.
Comfort
Ride Comfort – The ride of the 2024 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon is not too bad. It’s not plush but it’s not unbearable either on a day to day basis. The shocks don’t completely isolate the shunt of hitting a pothole but, coupled with the large sidewall all-terrain tires, ride is not jarry and you don’t need to swerve too much to avoid hitting a big bump.
Interior Space – At 6’4”, I have an adequate amount of space in the front seats. Headroom is good and more can be had if you remove the roof. The front two panels are held on by a few clamps while the rear portion requires some tools to take it down. The doors can also be removed but these too require tools to do so.
Behind my driving position, I could fit but more legroom would have been nice. There’s an indentation in the back of the driver’s seat so tall adults like myself won’t feel squished. Headroom is good but just be aware of the roof mounted speakers and cross bars. Lift up the rear seats and you find a bit of storage for small items. Pull down the rear seat backs and you have a flat surface as well as a little bit more space for small items.
Noise, Vibration, & Harshness – Starting off with the good news, there were no squeaks or rattles in the Gladiator Rubicon when I was driving it. The bad news is that it’s loud on the inside. The engine can be heard every time you accelerate, there’s wind noise from its boxy shape on highways, and the worst noise culprit are the tires. They are the loudest thing inside the cabin of the 2024 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon.
Odds and Ends
Pricing – The 2024 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon with the 6-speed manual transmission starts at $71,240 CAD ($53,590 USD). The automatic is an additional $2,995 CAD ($2,500 USD). At the other end of the price spectrum, a fully loaded Rubicon X will cost you upwards of $95,000 CAD($74,190 USD) or more depending on the many options that you can add onto it.
Gadgets – New for 2024 is the 12.3” touchscreen that displays the latest Uconnect 5 infotainment system. This system has fresh new graphics and a new menu layout. It is customizable with different widgets being available on the home screen and you can select your favorite apps and display them on one page, instead of endlessly scrolling through all of them. This infotainment system also allows the use of wireless Apple CarPlay & wireless Android Auto.
Other gadgets on this Rubicon trim of the 2024 Gladiator include leather upholstery, heated seats & steering wheel, forward facing camera, keyless entry with push button & remote start, adaptive cruise control, rear parking sensors, dual-zone automatic climate control, and AUX switches to name a few.
Interior Design – Apart from the new touchscreen, the rest of the 2024 Jeep Gladiator’s interior remains unchanged. The design is utilitarian with simple to understand and use controls. Everything is either a button or a knob, no touch sensitive controls.
Exterior Design – Like the inside, the exterior doesn’t see many changes for 2024. The only update that it did receive is a slightly redesigned grille. But you probably wouldn’t have noticed if I didn’t say it because it looks almost the same as the previous model year. As for that paint, it’s called “High Velocity”.
Safety – The 2204 Gladiator Rubicon is equipped with a number of standard safety features including multiple airbags, automatic collision alert and stability control with anti-rollover. The only safety package that can be added to the Rubicon includes automatic high beams, the aforementioned parking sensors, and blind spot sensors with rear cross traffic alert.
Warranty – The 2024 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon is covered by a 3 year / 60,000 km basic and 5 year / 100,000 km powertrain warranty. For more information on Canadian warranty, click here. For information on USA warranty, click here.
Conclusion – The Jeep Gladiator is not a mid-size truck for everyone. There are more comfortable trucks such as the Ford Ranger. There are some with bigger beds such as the Nissan Frontier. And there are some with more efficient powertrains such as the Tacoma Hybrid. The Gladiator focuses on a niche part of the market. It is a truck with a decently sized bed and good towing capabilities, but it’s one that excels more so on rough roads rather than paved roads.
Thank you to Stellantis Canada for providing the vehicle. www.Jeep.ca
2024 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon Gallery
