Gay Icon, Jeep Wrangler, has gone hardcore. It’s grown, and had a handy tray-back glued on, and is now called Gladiator.

At $76,490, Gladiator costs about as much as a movie of the same name, but, is it worth it? Look at it this way, do you want to watch a Gladiator movie, or would you rather be part of it?

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Outside:

You might think Gladiator is a giant penis extension, and it is. But it is so much more.

Gladiator is around 800mm longer than the regular Wrangler. The wheelbase is around 500mm longer too, and you can see that behind the back door, where it counts. The wheels are 17”, with 32” tyres. It looks magnificently butch.

LED headlights are flanked by a couple of evil-looking DTRLs. The front end looks like a Cylon strumped a Tonka Toy.

If you couldn’t see the tray-back, you’d swear you were looking at a regular Wrangler.

Above: This Week’s VIDEO Car Review -2020 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon SUV 4X4

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ABOVE: Jeep Gladiator Launch Event – New Zealand

So why create a pick-up truck?

Pick-ups are very important, even in the days of apps. Home shopping is being able to swipe left, hit “woof”, and wait for a delivery. But there are those who like to do things the old-fashioned way. They like to get their hands dirty, and by that I mean the humble tradie.

Tradies have been making do with Hilux, and Navara. As laudable as they are, neither have the gravitas of a Jeep with a tray back. Against Gladiator, Hilux is so boring, it would make a battery hen want to take up an evening class.

The fact is, if you can’t pick up in a Gladiator, you’re just not trying. However, I digress…

The tray is lined, and has a locking tailgate to keep your big tools safe from grabby hands. A soft cover has sturdy internal ribs, and it locks when the tailgate locks.

Happy campers like a tray too. They also like a place to hitch up a wagon, so, everyone is happy, right?

Does the cabin feel luxurious?

No, it is a bare as a backroom bar (ask you gay friends to explain).

There are rubber floor mats. Now, while that may sound very backroom-bar, these have a topographical map of Rubicon gold fields stamped into them. For added adventure, there are miner’s picks and shovels as well.

And, what backroom bar would be complete without lashings of leather.

Seating is leather, so nasty spills can be wiped down, and floors have a bung hole, so can be hosed out. Oh, what memories, but I digress, again.

This particular backroom bar look is not without its techy charm.

The dash has a bold orange insert. It is replete with a bewildering array of switches and screens, It is a cool mix of WWII fighting machine, and modern explorer,

The centre stack includes controls for off-roading, entertainment, and climate. The switches and LCDs screen combine and intertwine. Some functions are  duplicated, with several ways to access settings and controls.

If you fancy recapturing scenes from Lost Arc, you can remove most of the body panels. Roof sections come out in 3 parts, the rear window in one part, and the windscreen folds forward onto the bonnet. If you want the full monty, the doors can be taken off too. Since that involves time and effort with spanners and lots of swearing, so is best left alone. I know that looks swish on the scene of modern automotive television, but what kind of plonker wants to venture off the beaten path with half the car left at home. What if is pisses down? No thank you very much.

The drive?

Wrangler has form. Early Jeeps carted soldiers into battle, whether they wanted to go or not. Explorers beat a path through virgin forest, and crossed vast deserts.

That is where it is king. Gladiator is bigger and badder than Wrangler.

Sadly, most use is going to be on hard tarmac. How utterly depressing. Gladiator will be called upon to tow boats and trailers. It might even be used by grey nomads, regressing into highschoolers

The V6 Pentastar is as smooth as silk, and the 8-speed ZF automatic is as slick as ever. The 4X4 system differs slightly from the base model Overland, but are equally capable.

There is no diesel option which is a bit of a disaster. Gladiator drinks like a drag queen, and this makes me slightly cranky.

Jeep has great diesels available, and Gladiator has to have this option if it is not to die a slow and painful death, as Toyota’s Fj Cruiser did.

At speed, the steering feels floaty because big tyres mean tall sidewalls. Corners are still dispatched with reasonable sonfidence,, but you’re in no doubt that you’re in a big, tall, heavy, long, vehicle. You’d think that would make it dreadful to use daily, but not a bit of it. It is fabulous fun.

I took Gladiator to my local high-rise shopping centre. After double checking the specs, I had a mere 200mm clearance overhead. That is way too close for my liking, but I ventured forth in the name of discovery.

As it ruend out, you can easily park at the local shops because the cameras allow exact placement in those tight spots. Headroom was fine, at least at Broadway in Sydney’s CBD.

Cameras can be used any time, so on-road or off, which can come in mighty handy.

In short, Gladiator makes you feel big, and bold, and butch. It gets looks too. While stopped at a set of lights, one handsome chancer rolled his number up on a bit of scrap and chucked it through the open passenger’s window, but that’s a story for another time.

Who will use Gladiator?

Tradies will not like the huge rear tray. Off roaders will love the drive system, ride height, and space. Grey nomads will want to recapture their youth as the curtains of time are gradually drawn closed.

All of those buyers are going to want the option of a diesel engine. Not having that might cause some buyer a great deal of angst..

Conclusion:

I loved every second in this big beast. We drove the Firecracker Red car, but there are other cool colours, including one that makes you feel like you’ve nicked an army car from the car pool.

Although Gladiator is huge, it feels much smaller, especially on the highway. Parking is fairly easy, and the interior space has that mid-century cool.

There ate slightly dodgy bits, like parts of the bumper for example. They look like they were made in dad’s workshop while he was pissed. Not to worry though, it only adds to the atmosphere.

Gladiator is a pearl among swin.

Price:

Overland $74,490

Rubicon $76,490

Weight – Kerb 2215

Weight GVM 5284 (with 620kg payload)

Length (mm) 5,591

Width (mm) 1,894

Height (mm) 1,909

Wheelbase (mm) 3,488

Front Track (mm) 1,636

Rear Track (mm) 1,636

Suspension

Front – Solid axle, link coil, leading arms, track bar, coil springs, stabilizer bar

Rear – Solid axle, link coil, trailing arms, track bar, coil springs, stabilizer bar

Shocks – Aluminum monotube shocks

Electronic Stabiliser Bar Disconnect – Front

Electronic Locking Differentials – Tru-Lock® Front & Rear

Running Clearance (mm) 249

Approach Angle 40.7

Breakover Angle 18.4

Departure Angle 25.1

Wading Depth (mm) 760 (

Warranty & Service Overland

Towing – Max. Braked Towing Capacity (kg) (9) 2,721

4×4 System

Overland  Selec-Trac® 4×4 Active On-Demand

Rubicon – Rock-Trac® 4X4 Active On-Demand

Operating Mode 2WD High; 4WD High Auto; 4WD High; Neutral; 4WD Low

Engine: 3.6L Pentastar V6

Power: 206KW/347Nm

CO2: 288gm/km

Tank: 83L

Econ:  12.8L/100k

Transmission: 8-Speed ZF Automatic

Service Intervals 12,000km / 12 months

Warranty (7) 5 year / 100,000 km

Roadside Assist (8) Lifetime roadside assist when you service through Jeep

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