Saw a red Gladiator today

89grand

TJ Addict
Joined
Mar 29, 2019
Messages
1,108
Location
Phoenix, AZ
I'm still not too sure what I think about them, but it looked a little better in person than in the pictures I've seen, but still kind of goofy. The bed seemed a little bigger than I imagined it was too. I guess they had to, to have a decent sized bed, but the rear over hang looks too long. I also think it's looks really awkward using the JL 4dr rear doors when they didn't need to.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ElectricWizard
Wow, that's saying A LOT!

I just can't stand them. I'll admit, the 2-door concept they made didn't look bad. But the 4-door is just so stupidly long that I can't stand it.

The only way it MIGHT look right to me is if it had 40s on it, haha.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ElectricWizard
Two showed up to a nearby dealer, the rubicon looks okay, the other one is hideous. I think they need color matched hard top and decent size tires to look right. Curious what people do with them when they start getting built.

37A8ADF1-9AAC-4FE6-A1FF-986DDA38CB29.jpeg
260575EB-4C5C-4000-B75E-8D5B000D4C6F.jpeg
 
This is the one I saw today. The design of any Wrangler 4dr, is just simply not suitable to become a truck, and not look like a ridiculous after thought.

These are really angle dependent. The black one above from that angle looks tolerable, the one I saw from this angle looks pretty absurd, and they are both Rubicons.

0515191353_HDR.jpg
 
Once someone adds 35-37 inch tires to fill the wheel wells they start looking a lot better. I would buy one if I could ONLY have a truck OR a jeep but, the problem I have with them is the price. I would want to wait for the diesel and its probably going to push 65k. Then at that point it makes zero sense. I got my ram Laramie ecodiesel for for 37k which would leave me 28k to buy a TJ and mod it.....
 
They both have the same Falken tires, so I'm assuming they are the same size. I don't think there are optional larger tires among Rubicons, so they should all use roughly the same 33 ish tire size.

That's what I mean about the angle. These are both brand new and stock, but what looks ok at one angle, and higher, with bigger tires, looks stupid from another angle, and looks lower with smaller tires, even though they are the same minus the color and wheels.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sancho
This is the one I saw today. The design of any Wrangler 4dr, is just simply not suitable to become a truck, and not look like a ridiculous after thought.

These are really angle dependent. The black one above from that angle looks tolerable, the one I saw from this angle looks pretty absurd, and they are both Rubicons.

View attachment 94033

I think you’re right, some angles look really slick. Overall I’m meh on them so far. I still think the only category they grab is those that are half way between and Jeep and a truck. Many of which will fall to either side.

Metrics will tell though.
 
I agree the black one is much better-looking but I think maybe it's because it's all black so it looks a bit less cobbled-together. And I wonder if maybe it does have 35s on it. I know they pitch that the Rubis are 35-ready from the factory so it would not surprise me if they offer that as a dealer-installed option.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sancho
Level it out, throw some meat around the wheels and they look pretty damn sharp. I'd buy one
 
  • Like
Reactions: Alex01
I got my wife a JL Moab. Nice driving grocery getter. I'll see it once a year. That is an awful lot of $$ for a rig that tows like an old station wagon.
 
I like the idea of a Jeep truck, but the Gladiator just seems like it's trying to be too many things at once. I liked the old Scramblers but they also suffered from that. The LJ/CJ6/Commando wheelbase is about right to me.

If I was looking to buy a Jeep truck, the old Willys trucks are where I'd go looking. Put a 292 Chevy six in it and go.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JMT