First Drive: Jeep Gladiator Rubicon

First Drive: Jeep Gladiator Rubicon

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We gotta love how Americans use the most aptly descriptive words for their products. These can range from the most arb of things, yet the meaning manages to be as succinct as it comes. Jeep has recently launched the Gladiator, which is the double cab bakkie variant of the popular and capable Wrangler Rubicon SUV.

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A hulking thing in the metal, the Gladiator has a long lineage of pickups dating back to the original 1947 Willys Jeep, and this latest iteration couldn't have chosen a more opportune moment to make its appearance in Mzansi. Why is that, you might be wondering?

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Well, Ford's new Ranger Raptor will be here at the beginning of the third quarter and I reckon, at least in price and appeal, will compete squarely against the Gladiator. Yes, sure, there'll be a massive performance discrepancy, with the Raptor, but both will have appeal in spades, and for some, that'll just suffice. Back to the Gladiator, though, and it's arguably one of the lengthiest bakkies on the market, spanning 5.5 metres, which should make parking in tight spaces somewhat interesting.

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Jeep(ish) Expectations

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From the front to the C-pillar, the Gladiator is pretty much identical to its SUV sibling, so you get all the mod cons that come with the Rubicon nameplate. This includes the familiar fascia with its rugged plastics and Jeep design motifs including the circular vents and rectangular dash design. It's typically what we've come to expect of the Wrangler Rubicon, only here you have a bakkie load box (with a 693 kg loading capacity) in tow. It cuts quite a rugged, tough, even hewn-from-granite pose and receives quite its fair share of attention and admiration from motorists and passers-by alike.

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Under the bonnet beats the drum of the 3.6-litre V6, a normally aspirated engine making 209 kW and 347 Nm through an 8-speed automatic transmission. So, no diesel derivative then? Sadly not. According to Jeep, the Euro 6 turbo diesel engine available in other markets will require a minimum of 10 ppm diesel, which means owners can only fill up at a Sasol service station. A great pity, as I reckon a 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel would be the ideal engine for this application, but alas. While the V6 petrol engine is adequate to lug the vehicle around, you do feel it at the pumps, though, with 12.4l/100 km being the best you can muster on the open road and 14l/100 km being the average fuel consumption around town. 

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Out-Fox a Trail

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At each corner is a Fox-built, high-performance aluminium shock that lends itself to a rather compliant ride quality on and particularly off-road. If there's any criticism in ride quality, then it points to road noise due to the off-road bias tyres, which is further exacerbated in the ragtop version. That aside, it remains a rugged thing that truly relishes roughing it on the unbeaten track. There's an impressive 800 mm water wading depth, while the front and rear differential locks and sway-bar disconnect features ensure a go-anywhere disposition. We tried a few off-road obstacles at the Hennops 4X4 Off-Road Trail and the Gladiator took to these like a duck to water, hardly breaking a sweat as though begging us to subject it to more challenging obstacles. 

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One of the Gladiator's best party tricks is being the only convertible bakkie on the market. A premium Sunrider soft top provides a segment-exclusive easy open-air option, which helps to quiet wind noise and allows for access to partial and full open top positions. The soft top features retainers that slide into a track for easy rear window removal.

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There's also a black three-piece hardtop which offers even more options for open-air driving. The two Freedom panels and quick-release latches enable fast removal and installation of the hardtop. The hardtop features a manual rear-sliding window.

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There's also a four-bolt design at the top of the windshield's frame that allows for the windscreen to fold down quickly and easily. A header bar, meanwhile, connects the A-pillars and stays in place even when the windscreen is folded down. This allows the rearview mirror to remain in place even with the windscreen folded.

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Lightweight, high-strength aluminium doors feature the Torx bit size stamped directly onto the hinge to eliminate guessing which size bit is needed to remove the doors. A tool kit with the necessary Torx bits to remove the doors and lower the windscreen is provided as standard equipment.

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Furthermore, the Gladiator also features body-colour sport bars, which are welded to the body and feature integrated grab handles for front occupants.

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That said, the contentious topic is the sticker price of R1,259,900, which might look like a lot, but I reckon it's more than warranted. For starters, this is a bakkie based on an SUV and not the other way around, and is the only convertible bakkie currently available on the market. This is yet another unique selling proposition. According to the company, only 35 units per month will be coming to SA in the next six to twelve months, making this a rather exclusive offering for the foreseeable future.

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Though the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon has so many flaws, it remains one of the coolest bakkies currently offered on the market hands-down. There's definitely so much want with this one!

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