In my book, the Jeep Gladiator remains somewhat of a surprise for the Jeep brand to bring us essentially a pickup truck version of the Jeep Wrangler. Such a vehicle has won over the hearts of many, and the Gladiator continues to impress with its versatility wrapped up in a hardcore go-anywhere package like what you find in the Wrangler. Entering the 2024 and 2025 model years, the Gladiator receives some updates to keep on pace with the movement of technology, such as getting a larger touchscreen infotainment system updated with the latest Uconnect 5 interface.
For the latest Mojave edition of the Jeep Gladiator, there’s a lot to appreciate for its ruggedness and off-roading attitude as you get a rather trick suspension setup featuring Fox shocks with large reservoirs that adapt well to off-roading adventures. On the road, the Gladiator Mojave doesn’t necessarily feel out of place but has a bit of harshness to its ride quality when rolling over larger undulations or bumps in the road. Such a feeling is somewhat excusable due to the Gladiator Mojave’s ability to cover sandy dunes and rough terrain with such ease.
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The familiar 3.6-liter V6 engine returns in the Gladiator with 285 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque, ready to give you a rather predictable drivetrain on the road and one that has just enough power to satisfy on off-roading terrain. Where the Gladiator Mojave shines, if you keep the longer wheelbase in mind for going over large off-roading rises, is its equipment for transforming the Jeep into a serious off-roader by pressing a few buttons that do special things. Such things range from detaching the sway bars for better wheel articulations to locking differentials and selecting the four-low transfer case gearing. Moreover, you get 33-inch All-Terrain Falken Wildpeak tires to grapple at the ground and loose surfaces. There’s a lot to appreciate in one of the most off-roading capable pickup trucks you’ll find, as I’ve mentioned in a roundabout way in my previous reviews of the formidable Gladiator.
Zero to 60 mph on pavement takes place in about 8 seconds and the fuel economy isn’t exactly stellar but it is consistent matching its EPA figure of 17-mpg city and nearly matching the 22-mpg highway figure in the real world.
The interior of the Jeep Gladiator retains the rugged theme but does it with some flare by having a few soft-wrapped surfaces on the dashboard accented with stitching. The latest update, the new larger 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, is a welcomed update to offer up a better display of a plethora of information thrown at you, from the fundamentals of entertainment to the various off-roading apps and vehicle information. Some of the off-roading information is key for a serious off-roader in that you won’t get lost on those unmapped off-roading trails, and you have just the right data so you can keep your Gladiator planted on its wheels, even if it’s just three of them at a time when climbing over serious obstacles.
In the tradition of a Jeep vehicle that’s birthed out of what you find in the Wrangler, the Gladiator doesn’t compromise on much other than having a longer wheelbase that you must contend with when off-roading. Otherwise, the Gladiator Mojave is one trick pickup truck that’s poised to offer all the equipment luxuries that you’d want in such a vehicle, in addition to having hardcore off-roading abilities that make it one of the most capable pickups around.
In the pay-to-play aspects, the Jeep Gladiator Mojave falls in line with still having a respectable pricing point at $66,690, including a $1,895 destination charge, for my well-equipped test vehicle. One area that I wish Jeep would change up is the offering of the 392 V8 engine for the Gladiator as they do with the 392 Wrangler, which would absolutely make this off-roading pickup truck a riot and appease those who want one last hurrah of V8 power from the brand. I’d be willing to say that people would pay the premium for such. However, such an offering doesn’t look promising, and what we have here in the V6-powered Gladiator will do just fine for most, and I hope it sticks around for a long time.
