Off-road, the Jeep Gladiator shows it’s no sword-wielding gladiator of old. It comes out with guns blazing!
Whenever anything American, like the Jeep Gladiator, for example, arrives on our shores, I shoot over to Reddit, arguably the best spot for authentic and, sometimes, random information, to see what real people think of it. The Americans are brutal on some topics, and I have often found that their opinions don’t really matter. I mean, in the US, they call biltong “jerky”.
As word got out that we are finally getting the mother of all bakkies, the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon, I shot over to my favourite site to see what the ’Mericans think of it. There were some gems and some not-so-great comments, but the one that cracked me up was this one — “For a husband whose favourite pastime is imagining arguments he can win.” However, jokes aside, regarding Jeep’s double cab, the Gladiator arguably wins all possible arguments about its off-road capabilities when put through its paces off the beaten track. Here’s why…
I sampled the king-sized double cab in the metal. It was all I imagined it to be… and more! The exterior has a macho presence on the road. When sitting behind the multifunction steering wheel, the driving position is commanding, as it should be in a car bearing the name “Gladiator”. However, this is no gladiator of old, like those sword-wielding men seen in Ridley Scott’s iconic film. Jeep’s bakkie comes out with all guns blazing.
Apart from being extremely capable when entering the off-road arena (we’ll get to that just now), it features several premium features inside. These include the US brand’s 8.4-inch Uconnect touchscreen infotainment system compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, 7.0-inch digital instruments, and heating functionality for the leather-trimmed front seats.
Adaptive cruise control and a rear-view camera supplemented by fore and aft park distance sensors (a welcome addition when parking the gargantuan Gladiator) are also present, as is the all-important tyre-pressure monitoring system. The nine-speaker Alpine sound system drowned out some of the noise emitted from the 32-inch BF Goodrich off-road tyres.
However, as a proud Jeep owner, the second we hit the open road, the tyre noise was music to my ears. Objectively, though, the road noise permeating the cabin is intrusive. However, it’s a trade-off you’ll have to learn to live with if you plan to take the Gladiator to where it’s most at home — off-road. In addition, as this is, in essence, a convertible bakkie, there would, of course, be more cabin noise.
Speaking of the convertible roof, almost everything can come off on the Gladiator — the doors and rear-window section can be removed. At the same time, the windscreen can be folded down, giving you the ultimate “becoming-one-with-your-surroundings” experience.
But back to our road trip. Soon, the tarmac ran out, and we were met with a highly unkempt gravel road. This is where the Gladiator shows off. It handled amazingly on the gravel.
Then, leaving the gravel, we put the Jeep bakkie’s off-road credentials to the test. Many moons ago, I went on a 4×4 training day. It was my first time on an off-road track, and I was nervous. However, behind the wheel of the Gladiator, nerves were something of the past. This is what it was built for.
The 4×4 course was no match for the Jeep Gladiator, thanks to its thick, off-road rubber wrapped around its 17-inch wheels and standard fore and aft FOX shocks. The Rock-Trac 4×4 system is linked with heavy-duty Dana front and rear axles. The Gladiator also features Jeep’s Tru-Lok locking differentials. The Gladiator cleared all obstacles with ease.
The approach and departure angles are 43.4 and 26 degrees, respectively. The break-over angle comes in at 20.3 degrees. The ground clearance is rated at 249 mm. At one point, though, I found that, with its extended bodywork (5 591 mm in length and 3 488 between the front and rear axles), the Gladiator had to be navigated with a touch more caution in some spots. However, overall, the Jeep Gladiator delivered.
Jeep Gladiator 3.6 Rubicon AT
- Price: R1 299 900
- Engine: 3.6 L, V6, petrol
- Transmission: 8-spd AT
- Power: 209 kW @ 6 400 r/min
- Torque: 347 Nm @ 4 100 r/min
- 0-100 km/h: n/a
- Top speed: n/a
- Fuel consumption: 12.4 L/100 km
- CO2: 288 g/km
