The Jeep Gladiator JT was Jeep's first pickup since 1992

Jeep had not sold a pickup since the Comanche left the range in 1992. The Gladiator closed that gap on the platform of the Wrangler JL, with a bed behind the cab and front and rear doors that come off. It went on sale in spring 2019 as a 2020 model, and Australia and New Zealand were the first markets outside the Americas to receive it.

The launch engine was a 3.6 L Pentastar V6, and a 3.0 L EcoDiesel joined the range from the 2021 model year. The Rubicon carried the full off-road hardware set, while the lower trims were aimed at everyday driving on the same underpinnings.

Where did the Gladiator name come from?

Jeep weighed Comanche, Scrambler and a fresh name before choosing Gladiator, which it felt suited the truck best. The name had belonged to an earlier Jeep built from 1962 until 1988, known as the J-Series. Reviving it gave the new truck a ready-made link to Jeep's pickup heritage.

The Scrambler idea was not new when the Gladiator arrived. A two-door Scrambler pickup, built on a lengthened Wrangler, appeared at the NADA meeting in 2003, years before the production truck was settled.

Jeep's first pickup since 1992, built on Wrangler JL hardware and sold with a diesel V6 for three model years.

Did the concept preview the Wrangler JK?

The Gladiator concept was introduced in late 2004, and the 2005 version previewed the design of the upcoming Wrangler JK. That concept had removable doors and a pickup bed, and both features also appear on the production truck. Two Jeep showings, one in 2003 and one in 2004, came before the truck itself.

Concept work of this kind shows Jeep carrying the Wrangler's removable hardware into a second body style. Doors that come off and a windshield that lowers were already part of the Wrangler story, and the Gladiator extended them to a pickup.

How was the Gladiator styled?

Taylor Langhals was the lead exterior designer, and the Gladiator borrowed its main styling cues from the Wrangler JL. The design team enlarged the grille slots so the truck could move more air to the engine, which matters on a vehicle built for both hauling and towing.

The full-size spare tyre sits under the cargo bed, not on the tailgate, a layout that suits a truck used for hauling. Inside, a flat rear load floor lets longer and taller items ride in the cabin rather than in the bed.

What roof and door options did buyers get?

Buyers could pick from four roof options, including two Sun-Rider soft tops and two Freedom-Top three-piece hard tops. The front and rear doors can be fully removed, and the windshield lowers, which Jeep makes possible with a supplied tool kit. Jeep includes the tools needed for the job.

One Freedom-Top hard top is black and the other is colour-keyed to the body. The Gladiator is also the only pickup offered with a convertible folding soft top, which gives its roof range a clear point of difference.

An optional front-facing trail camera shows the view ahead on the touchscreen. It needs one of the two larger UConnect screens, and the Off Road Pages show approach and departure angles, along with steering angles.

What engines did the Gladiator use?

The Gladiator launched with the 3.6 L Pentastar gasoline V6, rated at 289 PS (213 kW; 285 hp) and 353 N-m (260 lb-ft). From the 2021 model year a 3.0 L EcoDiesel V6 was offered for three years, with 264 PS (194 kW; 260 hp) and 599 N-m (442 lb-ft) of torque.

The Pentastar uses variable valve timing and was the only engine at launch. No turbocharged four-cylinder was ever offered, unlike the Wrangler JL, so buyers had two engine choices over the model's life.

The EcoDiesel's power fell short of the petrol figure, at 264 PS (194 kW; 260 hp) against 289 PS (213 kW; 285 hp), but the torque told the other story. Its 599 N-m (442 lb-ft) compares with 353 N-m (260 lb-ft) from the petrol V6.

Those two engines answered different jobs. The petrol unit offered more power, while the diesel delivered the pulling torque that a heavy load demands, and buyers chose between them on that trade-off.

Gearboxes and four-wheel drive systems

Gasoline Gladiators could take the Aisin AL6 manual or the ZF 8HP automatic. The manual was discontinued for the 2025 model year, which left the automatic as the only transmission on offer.

Command-Trac part-time four-wheel drive sat on every model except the Rubicon. Selec-Trac full-time was offered on all models except the Rubicon too, so the Rubicon was the only trim that used Rock-Trac.

Rock-Trac on the Rubicon came with 4.10 gear ratios. A 4Xe hybrid was planned for the 2025 model year, but Stellantis cancelled those plans on September 22, 2025.

How much could the Gladiator tow and carry?

Payload ranged from 450 kg (1,000 lb) up to 770 kg (1,700 lb), and the top figure belonged to the Sport S with the V6 manual. Standard towing was rated at 1,800 kg (4,000 lb), rising to 3,470 kg (7,650 lb) with the heavy-duty package.

The heavy-duty package pairs with a 4.10 rear axle ratio. Diesel models carried a lower towing rating than petrol models, so check the specific model before towing anything heavy.

Anyone planning to tow should match the trailer to the rating for their exact trim, engine and package, because the Gladiator's figures change across those choices.

A rear tonneau cover offers a Weekend Warrior Mode, which lets the tailgate close over 2x4-inch lumber. It is one of the practical touches that separates a working truck from a pure lifestyle vehicle.

Rubicon and off-road hardware

The published angles are 43.6 degrees on approach, 20.3 degrees at breakover and 26 degrees on departure. Those figures set the limits for climbs and drops on steep ground.

The Rubicon gets electric lockers on both the front and rear axles. Its Rock-Trac system uses 4.10 gears, the same ratio as the heavy-duty tow package, so the lockers do the rest when grip runs short.

Two electric lockers mean both axles can be locked at once when the ground demands it. That combination is what sets the Rubicon apart from the rest of the range.

Mojave, the first Desert-Rated Jeep, adds a rear axle lock that works at speed in 4WD High. Willys uses a 2.72:1 low-range gear ratio, which sets its crawl ratio.

Which trims and special editions were sold?

Core trims included Sport S, Overland, Willys and Rubicon, while the Rubicon Launch Edition, North Edition, Mojave, High Altitude, Texas Trail and FarOut added special editions. Each one took a different route, from a preorder-only launch car to a diesel-only farewell. The Sahara joined the range for the 2026 model year.

Special editions tend to reveal where Jeep was pushing the truck, from the North Edition cold-weather focus to the Mojave desert rating.

The Rubicon Launch Edition was limited to 4,190 units and carried an MSRP of $62,310. It was sold by preorder, and Jeep tied the offer to April 4, 2019, its 4X4 Day.

The North Edition was based on the Overland and arrived in late 2019 for buyers in colder climates. The Mojave debuted at the 2020 Chicago Auto Show as the first Desert-Rated Jeep, with 17-inch wheels, 33-inch Falken Wildpeak all-terrain tyres and FOX 2.5-inch internal bypass shocks.

High Altitude also appeared at the 2020 Chicago Auto Show, as the up-level trim with black aluminium wheels. The Altitude, also introduced in 2020, was based on the Sport S and carried 18-inch Granite Crystal wheels.

The Willys arrived in the 2021 lineup, based on the Sport S, with 32-inch BF Goodrich KM2 tyres and a base price of $39,260. The Texas Trail followed on April 12, 2021, sold only in Texas from $40,535.

The FarOut edition came in 2023, limited to 1,000 vehicles and sold only in left-hand drive. It was the last diesel model Jeep sold in the Gladiator.

The Sahara arrived for the 2026 model year with leather seats, and Jeep announced it on December 19, 2025. It was the first Gladiator to use the Sahara name, which had been reserved for Wrangler models since 1988. Mojave X and Rubicon X models arrived from 2024.

Markets from Australia to South Korea

Australia and New Zealand took the truck before any other market outside the Americas did. Australian trims for 2020 and 2021 were Sport S, Overland and Rubicon, with the petrol V6 as the only engine.

From 2022 the Australian line narrowed to Night Eagle and Rubicon.

Europe had a narrower start. The Gladiator launched there in 2021 with Sport S and Overland trims, both diesel only, and it left the market at the end of 2023.

In the Middle East, the Mojave was renamed Sandrunner, and only the Sport and Sandrunner were sold. South Africa, Japan and South Korea offered only the Rubicon, while the Gladiator is also sold in China.

Each market received a different slice of the range, so the same nameplate meant different trims and engines depending on where it was sold.

The Super Bowl spot and the film clip

Jeep premiered a Gladiator commercial during Super Bowl LIV, starring Bill Murray in the role he played in Groundhog Day.

USA Today's Super Bowl Ad Meter named it the best commercial of Super Bowl LIV.

The launch video used a clip from the 2000 film Gladiator, which tied the new truck to the older name.

Did the Gladiator pass its safety tests?

The 2020 Gladiator scored 4 stars for the driver's front seat position and 5 for the passenger's, in ratings from NHTSA. Those are the only star ratings covered here, and they describe the 2020 truck, not later model years.

The technical crash report behind those ratings was released on December 10, 2019.

Recalls and the diesel exit

A recall announced on September 13, 2019 covered about 3,427 vehicles, built between December 15, 2018 and June 25, 2019. The fault involved the rear driveshaft, which could fracture and cause a sudden loss of power.

A stop-sale order covered affected models still on dealer lots.

Because the affected builds fell in a narrow window, owners of later trucks should check their own paperwork rather than assume they were covered.

Jim Morrison, head of the Jeep brand in North America, announced the diesel phase-out. FarOut marked the final chapter for the engine.

Gladiator JT key figures