Jeep Gladiator: Hit or Hype?

I have a pickup and a wrangler so I really want to like it but I don't. I think it looks like a JL with a ram bed on the back which is precisely what it is. Honestly I don't think it will function as well for pickup things as a pickup and it wont perform off road like a stock wrangler unlimited. The break over angle and exit angle are too low, the bed is too far out behind the rear tire, the rear fenders look kinda silly and its bigger and heavier with the same power output. In my mind it has all the downsides of both and only a few of the upsides. I think its too big to fight the small trucks and wont perform to fight big trucks. Its a novelty item that will likely sell but will not hit the sales targets they expect.

I loved this prototype but I wished it had a wrangler front end.
jeep pickup.jpg

jeep pickup.jpg
 
That concept truck looked so much better than the new one. I liked that truck a lot.

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That said, I like the old scramblers too but they are no match to the new ones in capability.

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I wonder if people would have had same comments about a factory LJ style truck.

I would buy the concept... I hate the reality. the back of the cab and into the bed is just too boxy for me... boxy and unrefined.

I realize it's a jeep, but you still can get a decent look to it... something that looks planned instead of a mashup....

As to size, my GMC Canyon Crew Cab with the 6' bed is longer... so that's not a problem, and none of these are 'massive' to me. that's reserved for the full size/HD pickups.
 
If they increased the engine size and options , they would likely appeal to the small to mid sized truck crowd more.
The US Jeep lead addressed this issue in one of the videos, cant be done. However he did say there is more than enough room in the front end for a V8.

I really like that Jeep is now a big supporter of the aftermarket and advocates for making the Jeep Wrangler your own. Relatively, this a new concept, I'm not sure any other manufactures are following thier lead.
 
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I hate the fact that it looks like a Wrangler with a truck bed on it... which doesn't look right to me. It looks like a stupidly long Jeep Wrangler... haha.

This is obviously just my opinion, but I cringe every time I see it. I'd take a Tacoma any day over it personally ;)



I just can't wrap my head around a Wrangler that is that long... it looks so disproportionate to me!
Are you a fan of the Commanche? its just an Jeep XJ with a truck bed..
 
I like it, and think it will sell. My TJ is my 3rd jeep I had a CJ-7, and a YJ. I sold both the CJ, YJ due to needing a truck to haul stuff. I still wanted a jeep, but needed a truck, so I've had a truck for the last 20 years. Now I've got a truck and a TJ. I told the wife when I watched the videos of it that if I didn't have the TJ, I'd be looking at the Gladiator
It also has 2-doors and is significantly shorter. This thing looks like a stretch limo.
i heat ya but....the taco short bed is 6” shorter than the JT...only 6”. Why does it appear to be much longer? I really think it’s because most of the photos are with top and doors off creating a different perspective. I’m not sure but they are very close in size lol
 
i heat ya but....the taco short bed is 6” shorter than the JT...only 6”. Why does it appear to be much longer? I really think it’s because most of the photos are with top and doors off creating a different perspective. I’m not sure but they are very close in size lol

I'm not sure. All I know is that if they made this in a 2-door version I wouldn't mind it at all. In 4-door trim, it's just too long for me.

But, eventually they'll get rid of the 2-door Wrangler altogether, as that's not what sells anymore.
 
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I have a pickup and a wrangler so I really want to like it but I don't. I think it looks like a JL with a ram bed on the back which is precisely what it is. Honestly I don't think it will function as well for pickup things as a pickup and it wont perform off road like a stock wrangler unlimited. The break over angle and exit angle are too low, the bed is too far out behind the rear tire, the rear fenders look kinda silly and its bigger and heavier with the same power output. In my mind it has all the downsides of both and only a few of the upsides. I think its too big to fight the small trucks and wont perform to fight big trucks. Its a novelty item that will likely sell but will not hit the sales targets they expect.

I loved this prototype but I wished it had a wrangler front end.
View attachment 66633

View attachment 66633
@Zukey14, if you don’t mind, where did you get this prototype picture? I haven’t seen it before
 
I hate the fact that it looks like a Wrangler with a truck bed on it... which doesn't look right to me. It looks like a stupidly long Jeep Wrangler... haha.

I just can't wrap my head around a Wrangler that is that long... it looks so disproportionate to me!

So you like the LJ ?

It took a little while for me to get used to the LJ as I too thought it looked like a limo. Still does sometimes from certain angles to me.

A stock LJ just looks so disproportionate. But now they are really sought after.

Wonder what the LJ’s monthly sales figures were...
 
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But you like the LJ or no?

It took a little whioe for me to get used to the LJ as I too thought it looked like a limo. Still does sometimes from certain angles to me.

A stock LJ just looks so disproportionate. But now they are really sought after.

Wonder what the LJ’s monthly sales figures were...

Yes, I like the LJ, but only if it's on 35s or larger. Without 35s, they look a little weird to me. It's the bigger tires that make them look good.

In the case of the Gladiator, maybe if you put 40s on it it wouldn't both me so much, haha!
 
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Yes, I like the LJ, but only if it's on 35s or larger. Without 35s, they look a little weird to me. It's the bigger tires that make them look good.

In the case of the Gladiator, maybe if you put 40s on it it wouldn't both me so much, haha!
The rubi JT does have the even bigger beefer Dana 44 axles that are just a 1/2 inch short of full width axles. (Improving/updating on the JK/JK rubi axles even more)

Who knows? Wild to see the way the JK and JL crowd has pushed Jeep in the last 10 or so years. Jeep has been steered into the right direction more and more every year, the next gen Rubi may have Jeep hanging full width 60s under them. Love the direction Jeep is going these days.
 
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Yes, I like the LJ, but only if it's on 35s or larger. Without 35s, they look a little weird to me. It's the bigger tires that make them look good.

In the case of the Gladiator, maybe if you put 40s on it it wouldn't both me so much, haha!
It will be interesting to see some shop and or magazine JT builds.
 
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I still don't like it because it has 4-doors, regardless of who builds it ;)