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The Jeep Gladiator is Struggling

Teghogh

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Yep.. there are a lot of people in here who have no idea. I went through 4 Wranglers from 1992 to 2018 and the Gladiator surpasses them all. You should go get one.

Mark Allen said the rear doors are not "straight" into the cab corners because they specifically wanted to keep the doors interchangeable between JL and JT. This helps FCA because it keeps production costs down, and it helps the consumers because in the future replacement doors and replacement door parts will be easier to find and less expensive.

The wheelbase is long because the truck uses a solid front axle, which requires control arms mounted in parallel with the frame unlike IFS trucks, which pushes the front axle farther forward. This was also a design that was done intentionally because that solid front axle is one of Jeep's calling cards. The vehicle had to have it to remain special.

They didn't go with a smaller cab and longer bed because that's not what buyers want. Gladiator as it sits has class leading rear head and leg room. Spend five minutes in a Tacoma and you will REALLY appreciate the cab space. The 5' bed is industry standard, and it gives you a 7.5' load floor instantly with the tailgate down. Zero reason to put a longer bed on the Gladiator.

Comparing a JT's offroad prowess against JL isn't fair. Should we compare JL's payload and towing capacity against JT? Spoiler: JL would get slaughtered.

As far as the Gladiator being a truck:

-Largest brakes in the class
-Strongest axles in the class
-Strongest frame in the class
-Only truck in the class with rear 4-link and coil suspension
-Highest legal gasoline towing capacity in the class
-Among the highest payloads you can get in the class
-Only truck with removable tops and doors and folding windshield
-Pentastar engine has been on Ward's 10 Best Engines list in multiple years
-Most 2nd row leg and head room in the class
-Best infotainment system in the class
-One of only two trucks in the class to include a heated steering wheel in the cold weather group
-Only truck to offer disconnecting sway bar and 4:1 transfer case in the class
-Accessories list is endless for this truck
-Easiest to service/maintain/repair in the class
-Only truck in the class to offer 33" AT or MT tires from the factory
-Pre-wired for trailer towing across all trims
-Better payload and equal towing to the Ford F-150 Raptor, but in a smaller package that fits a residential garage


The Gladiator is an AMAZING truck, and FCA specifically designed it the way they did BECAUSE that's what buyers said they wanted for years.
It is also not "struggling". They've got a premium price tag that far surpasses anything else on the market and despite that, they're still selling at a rate of 60,000 units per year and growing. Don't believe what you read on the "media sites". They're just trying to get views.
You are not supposed to be making sense here. I agree with all the above. The recent discounts place the car where it needs to be. Comparing msrp to msrp however the truck has ways to go before it can be Considered a value buy compared to the raptor but then again same with the jlur. The last time I checked they are almost the same price give or take
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whiteglad

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The Raptor is a foot wider than the JT. Where I go wheeling, all the paint would be scraped off within a couple miles.
 

Socalomid

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The Raptor is a foot wider than the JT. Where I go wheeling, all the paint would be scraped off within a couple miles.
raptor is 8 inches wider. i have both and i measured last night. i was surprised as i thought it would be more than 1ft atleast
 

sourdough

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Rubidozer

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I'm really not a fan of the JT but the criticisms are stupid. You can't reasonably say the JT is farfetched in it's market and the JL is not. 99% of SUV owners don't care about tire size, offroading or taking the doors off. People want it because it’s NOT like the competition, not because it “makes sense”.
Right. There are a lot of ignorant people that buy vehicles for too much money and do not actually want to use them for their designed purpose.
Like buying a multitool to use it as a doorstop, an umbrella to use as a punch bowl, or a Wrangler as a street vehicle.
They could save tens of thousands to buy something else.
 

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Rubidozer

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Interesting. How was it off road compared to the Toy? I would imagine both would be a handful in twisty tech over a JL or other short rig? First I've heard of the bed having issues with dents and warping??
The Tacoma was far better with the 3” lift, front coil-overs, rear shackle flip, rear ubolt flip, and other things to get it there. That’s because Toyotas have some beefy qualities.
However, the biggest difference was the offroad turning radius. The JT needed a 5-point turn to complete a 3-point turn in the Toyota.
Neither was really great but the Tacoma was $40,000 for every single option and upgrade and got better mpg. It also towed better (stock) as the engine had a 7th fuel injector, which with the intake runners adjusting constantly, would pull like my trailer wasn’t there. The JT couldn’t tow the same, even with a higher tow rating and better brakes.
I would like to see the JT made better but everyone ran out to buy it early, including me.
If it lags in sales, I’m hoping Jeep will improve it.
 

mtbjeep

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I had a Tacoma for 6 months. What a joke. Terrible motor. Atkinson cycle motor defined the term gutless. The manual transmission was from a go cart and spaced so far apart everything above 2nd was useless for daily driving. Gas mileage on par with my quad cab long bed 1-ton Chevy, no ergonomics and an uncomfortable driving position. I traded it in for a 2018 JLUS and the wrangler was head and shoulders above the taco in every category. Toyota is resting on their laurels because they have solid reliability and haven’t needed to provide the buying public with anything else because they sell no matter what. Good for them. Bad for us. They are a joke. I’d take a JT every day of the week over the taco.
 

Goin2drt

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Yep.. there are a lot of people in here who have no idea. I went through 4 Wranglers from 1992 to 2018 and the Gladiator surpasses them all. You should go get one.

Mark Allen said the rear doors are not "straight" into the cab corners because they specifically wanted to keep the doors interchangeable between JL and JT. This helps FCA because it keeps production costs down, and it helps the consumers because in the future replacement doors and replacement door parts will be easier to find and less expensive.

The wheelbase is long because the truck uses a solid front axle, which requires control arms mounted in parallel with the frame unlike IFS trucks, which pushes the front axle farther forward. This was also a design that was done intentionally because that solid front axle is one of Jeep's calling cards. The vehicle had to have it to remain special.

They didn't go with a smaller cab and longer bed because that's not what buyers want. Gladiator as it sits has class leading rear head and leg room. Spend five minutes in a Tacoma and you will REALLY appreciate the cab space. The 5' bed is industry standard, and it gives you a 7.5' load floor instantly with the tailgate down. Zero reason to put a longer bed on the Gladiator.

Comparing a JT's offroad prowess against JL isn't fair. Should we compare JL's payload and towing capacity against JT? Spoiler: JL would get slaughtered.

As far as the Gladiator being a truck:

-Largest brakes in the class
-Strongest axles in the class
-Strongest frame in the class
-Only truck in the class with rear 4-link and coil suspension
-Highest legal gasoline towing capacity in the class
-Among the highest payloads you can get in the class
-Only truck with removable tops and doors and folding windshield
-Pentastar engine has been on Ward's 10 Best Engines list in multiple years
-Most 2nd row leg and head room in the class
-Best infotainment system in the class
-One of only two trucks in the class to include a heated steering wheel in the cold weather group
-Only truck to offer disconnecting sway bar and 4:1 transfer case in the class
-Accessories list is endless for this truck
-Easiest to service/maintain/repair in the class
-Only truck in the class to offer 33" AT or MT tires from the factory
-Pre-wired for trailer towing across all trims
-Better payload and equal towing to the Ford F-150 Raptor, but in a smaller package that fits a residential garage


The Gladiator is an AMAZING truck, and FCA specifically designed it the way they did BECAUSE that's what buyers said they wanted for years.
It is also not "struggling". They've got a premium price tag that far surpasses anything else on the market and despite that, they're still selling at a rate of 60,000 units per year and growing. Don't believe what you read on the "media sites". They're just trying to get views.
whoa that is one tall glass of kool-aid

39DE6EEB-442B-4E5B-9C1E-173627C246F4.jpeg
 

whiteglad

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Pass me a glass of that Kool Aid! I came from a JKU Rubicon Recon to a JT Sport S Max Tow and consider it an upgrade in many areas! I prefer the 2.72 transfer case, especially with the 8 speed, and BTW that trans really wakes up the 3.6L. Could go on and on, but if you can't stand the Kool Aid, oh well.
 

Aenima

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Ain't no way I'm reading this whole thread, but....

I see its devolved into at least some people defending how right they are and how wrong someone else is, like they think choice is a bad thing. Not sure why some hate freedom.

The JT is cool but not for me personally, but I can certainly see how it is for some. I wheel in places where even the JLU wheelbase stuggles at times (I have a 2 dr). A JT would be miserable in those conditions, and dramatically hurt further by its breakover and departure. But, it's not a wheeling rig, or at least I think it's pretty weird to try to make it into one. For overlanding, towing, utility, and cred either real or perceived, they are pretty cool. As far as the price is concerned, come on....at this point any model following the word 'Jeep' is overpriced. Didn't stop me, I bought one anyway, but I'm not delusional about the asinine prices.

'Tis what it is.....enjoy your Jeeps, now matter which one you own.

And the Tacoma? Thing hasn't been updated in any meaningful way for at least a decade. Take your pick - an older vehicle built on newer tech, or a newer vehicle built on older tech.
 

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Jebiruph

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Ain't no way I'm reading this whole thread, but....

I see its devolved into at least some people defending how right they are and how wrong someone else is, like they think choice is a bad thing. Not sure why some hate freedom.

The JT is cool but not for me personally, but I can certainly see how it is for some. I wheel in places where even the JLU wheelbase stuggles at times (I have a 2 dr). A JT would be miserable in those conditions, and dramatically hurt further by its breakover and departure. But, it's not a wheeling rig, or at least I think it's pretty weird to try to make it into one. For overlanding, towing, utility, and cred either real or perceived, they are pretty cool. As far as the price is concerned, come on....at this point any model following the word 'Jeep' is overpriced. Didn't stop me, I bought one anyway, but I'm not delusional about the asinine prices.

'Tis what it is.....enjoy your Jeeps, now matter which one you own.

And the Tacoma? Thing hasn't been updated in any meaningful way for at least a decade. Take your pick - an older vehicle built on newer tech, or a newer vehicle built on older tech.
Welcome to the devolution :like:
 

GRAK

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I'd love to have the Mojave suspension and it's mountings upgrades on my JLR. Why did FCA piss on the Wrangler Rubicons:whatsgoingon:
Read about the Mojave upgrades over the Rubicon.....
https://www.fourwheeler.com/news/jeep-jt-gladiator-mojave-vs-gladiator-rubicon-whats-difference/
my understanding is the Mojave got a metal steering box up grade too :computerrage:
"it's apparent that Mojave features some identifying styling that will run through the line as other Jeep models perhaps earn the Mojave's new Desert Rated badge"

Get ready
 

Dash68

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Yep.. there are a lot of people in here who have no idea. I went through 4 Wranglers from 1992 to 2018 and the Gladiator surpasses them all. You should go get one.

Mark Allen said the rear doors are not "straight" into the cab corners because they specifically wanted to keep the doors interchangeable between JL and JT. This helps FCA because it keeps production costs down, and it helps the consumers because in the future replacement doors and replacement door parts will be easier to find and less expensive.

The wheelbase is long because the truck uses a solid front axle, which requires control arms mounted in parallel with the frame unlike IFS trucks, which pushes the front axle farther forward. This was also a design that was done intentionally because that solid front axle is one of Jeep's calling cards. The vehicle had to have it to remain special.

They didn't go with a smaller cab and longer bed because that's not what buyers want. Gladiator as it sits has class leading rear head and leg room. Spend five minutes in a Tacoma and you will REALLY appreciate the cab space. The 5' bed is industry standard, and it gives you a 7.5' load floor instantly with the tailgate down. Zero reason to put a longer bed on the Gladiator.

Comparing a JT's offroad prowess against JL isn't fair. Should we compare JL's payload and towing capacity against JT? Spoiler: JL would get slaughtered.

As far as the Gladiator being a truck:

-Largest brakes in the class
-Strongest axles in the class
-Strongest frame in the class
-Only truck in the class with rear 4-link and coil suspension
-Highest legal gasoline towing capacity in the class
-Among the highest payloads you can get in the class
-Only truck with removable tops and doors and folding windshield
-Pentastar engine has been on Ward's 10 Best Engines list in multiple years
-Most 2nd row leg and head room in the class
-Best infotainment system in the class
-One of only two trucks in the class to include a heated steering wheel in the cold weather group
-Only truck to offer disconnecting sway bar and 4:1 transfer case in the class
-Accessories list is endless for this truck
-Easiest to service/maintain/repair in the class
-Only truck in the class to offer 33" AT or MT tires from the factory
-Pre-wired for trailer towing across all trims
-Better payload and equal towing to the Ford F-150 Raptor, but in a smaller package that fits a residential garage


The Gladiator is an AMAZING truck, and FCA specifically designed it the way they did BECAUSE that's what buyers said they wanted for years.
It is also not "struggling". They've got a premium price tag that far surpasses anything else on the market and despite that, they're still selling at a rate of 60,000 units per year and growing. Don't believe what you read on the "media sites". They're just trying to get views.
I love everything you listed about the JT Gladiator except the crew cab and 5 foot bed. A regular cab and 6 foot bed would best suit my needs. I need a bed that I can haul our bikes in, upright with the front tires attached and tailgate in the upright position so the rear view camera is usable when reversing. We have tight twisty heavily forested trails where I live and wheel and the length of the crew cab gladiator would not be any fun for me trying to turn around at a dead end trail. I know it wouldn't be long before I crushed the tailgate into a tree as the rear camera is useless with the tailgate down. I'm hoping FCA decides to offer the gladiator in regular and extended cab configurations so more people can experience the joy of owning and offroading what could just end up being another legendary Jeep vehicle.
 

DadJokes

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I’m disappointed to read the Mojave won’t have a front locker or sway bar disconnect option.
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