Are you in the market for a new off-road whip that is ready to take on rugged trails and with style? If so, you may want to look into the 2020 Jeep Gladiator. The long-awaited arrival of this mid-size Jeep pickup truck hybrid is finally here and we couldn’t be happier. According to Jeep, the 2020 Jeep Gladiator is designed to erase barriers and engineered to leave the pavement behind. This article takes a look at Jeep’s revolutionary 2020 Jeep Gladiator including specs and pros and cons, plus off-road Jeep parts in St. George that you’ll want to add to the Gladiator or any other Jeep in order to take your vehicle anywhere, anytime.
2020 Jeep Gladiator Specs
Exterior
At first glance, the Jeep Gladiator may look like a Jeep Wrangler and a truck bed got into a fight that ended with a tie. However, the 2020 Jeep Gladiator is so much more than just a wanna-be mid-size pickup. Given the near-identical look to the Jeep Wrangler (before you hit the truck bed that is), the Gladiator has the same interior as Wrangler and the roof panels and doors are completely removable. In addition to removable doors and roof panels, the windshield also folds down. That’s about where the similarities between the Wrangler and the Gladiator end.
The Gladiator’s frame is 31 inches longer than a Wrangler Unlimited with a wheelbase that’s almost a foot and half longer than the Wrangler (19.4 inches). This large wheelbase allows for the smoothest ride in a solid-axle Jeep available, according to this review from Bob Sorokanich who drove a 2020 Gladiator Overland along the coastal highway.
Along with the heightened Wrangler features of the Gladiator the towing capacity of the Gladiator is among the best in midsize pickup trucks with a 1,600 payload and truck bed that’s five feet in length. The truck bed features all-steel construction, under-rail bed lighting and a tailgate with locking capabilities. Additional off-road jeep accessories can be purchased in St. George like spray-in bed liners or tonneau covers.
Interior
The interior of the Gladiator will be very similar to that of the impressive redesign that occurred to Jeep Wranglers in 2018. The top luxury level will be available in the Overland Sport for the Gladiator. In the front of the Gladiator expect a Uconnect multimedia system with a standard 5-inch touch screen with the options to upgrade to a 7 or 8.4 inch that runs with Uconnect 4 which will add features like Android Auto, Satellite radio and Apple CarPlay.
According to this article, the Gladiator backseat offers the most legroom of any midsize pickup in its category. The rear bench seat folds down for easier access to storage compartments near the rear wall of the Gladiator.
Under The Hood
The 2020 Jeep Gladiator will come standards with FCA’s 3.6 liter VS that produces 260-pound-feet of torque and 285 horsepower.
The standard for the Gladiator will be a six-speed manual with an eight-speed automatic option. Two four-wheel-drive systems will be offered. For the Overland and Sport models, the Command-Trac system will be utilized. The Rubicon will get a more aggressive Rock-Trac system. EPA estimated fuel economy is as follows:
- Automatic – 17 mpg city, 22 mpg highway and 19 mpg combined.
- Manual – 16 mpg city, 23 mpg highway and 19 mpg combined.
For more specs and off-roading capabilities offered by the revolutionary 2020 Jeep Gladiator, find a local dealer near you or check out Jeep’s website.
The Pros & Cons
Priced between $33,545 – $43,545 according to Edmunds the 2020 Jeep Gladiator has some great advantages with a few negative aspects that should be considered before purchasing the Gladiator. They list the following as pros and cons of the 2020 Jeep Gladiator:
Pros
- Has a much larger backseat than most midsize pickups
- Only convertible truck currently available
- Off-road prowess with rugged capabilities synonymous with Jeep
Cons
- There is only one engine available for all models at the moment
- Ride quality can be jarring at times (this can be fixed by adding more weight to the bed of the Gladiator)
- Steer can be slow, particularly on the Rubicon
Off-Road Jeep & Truck Accessories in St. George
Probably one of the most interesting aspects you’ll run into if you do decide to purchase the juggernaut of a Jeep, the Gladiator is that you will need to check out both truck and jeep off-road parts in St. George if you plan on modifying your Jeep in any way. Now we realize that you’ve just spent a decent amount of cash on your new off-road vehicle so to get you ready for the off-road we recommend at least getting a LINE-X high-performance spray-in bed liner for the truck bed for maximum protection against the elements and your gear. The second off-road Jeep part in St. George you may want to consider getting before heading out on the open trail is a winch. A winch is one of the best off-road accessories you can purchase since it is the optimal towing device that can be used in recovery situations. Trust us when we say, you don’t want to be caught out on a trail without one of these.
For these off-road Jeep parts in St. George and all other off-road parts you may need to take your ride to the next level, contact Red Desert Off-Road or stop by our off-road parts store in St. George today!