Call me Crazy.... Gladiator Rubicon

[DeDax]

I couldn't agree more. The more I read and lurked on the gladiator forum the more I learned & appreciated the over engineering that went into the development of the Gladiator. As far as utility is concerned, I think it will more than suit my needs in regards to payload/towing. My only true concern is the interior volume. I've grown accustomed to the abundance in space in 'full size' crew cab trucks, and F150 and now the Ram. That will be hard to give up. The gladiator is undoubtedly smaller but I wonder for my personal uses if it will have that much of an impact on my lifestyle. So now that Barbershops are back open, looks like my son & I are hitting the barbershop and then maybe to the CDJR dealership, Rubicon vs Rebel test drive battle lol.

 

[silver64]

After 2 years with the Ram, and a few trips to the dealership trying to figure out if I wanted to go ahead and lift the ram, mopar, orp, wheels/tires a white Gladiator Rubicon caught my eye. It's fully loaded, Saddle leather, 8.4 uconnect, Led's, alpine, etc. Man is that thing nice. A smidge smaller on the inside but so much more capable. Am I crazy to consider trading my Laramie? Anyone have any specific insight on the Gladiators?

Other than the fact that they are about the most ugly truck on the planet I would say that's reason enough! They should rename it the Cubeicon!

 

[J-Cooz]

I had a wrangler (JK) or a few weeks when my Jeep SRT was totalled. It was miserable to drive, wanders all over the road, loud as hell, and absolutely freezing inside in the cold winter. I had to have the heat on full blast just to be comfortable.

Now I'm sure the JL is a bit better, but its still a jeep. It's not going to be anywhere near as refined as the Ram.

 

[Nibis]

Good luck, and there is a reason the saying "it's a Jeep thing, you wouldn't understand" applies

 

[flameredram]

As a long-time owner of a JKU and a new owner of a RAM, I say there is no comparison, I would never trade a RAM for a Wrangler or a Gladiator.

 

[Bhew123]

I like the gladiator. I think they look very good and I have considered buying one a few times.

 

[HeliPilot]

I wouldn't mind one, but I need a truck. Besides...I can pull the doors off the heli

 

[jdmartin]

Well, when it comes to trucks that are used as trucks, there's one simple rule: drive what contractors drive. You are not going to see any contractors (well, maybe the owner's son) driving a Gladiator. Just like you're not going to see any contractors driving a Ridgeline or a Subaru Baja. If you can live with a bed that small you really don't need a bed at all. The Gladiator bed is more shallow than any other truck bed out there. It only configures to a length/width like that of a crew cab mid-size truck, but have no extended bed option like those trucks have. Good towing and payload capacity is just like having a decent SUV. The bed on these things are for dirty soccer shoes and a couple of bags of mulch.

Again, I am not a Jeep hater - but comparing the Ram to a Gladiator makes no sense other than they both are automobiles. The Gladiator is a glorified SUV with an open trunk. I can see its usefulness to a homeowner, but for people who really need a truck that thing would be useful for about 5 minutes

 

[silver64]

Well, when it comes to trucks that are used as trucks, there's one simple rule: drive what contractors drive. You are not going to see any contractors (well, maybe the owner's son) driving a Gladiator. Just like you're not going to see any contractors driving a Ridgeline or a Subaru Baja. If you can live with a bed that small you really don't need a bed at all. The Gladiator bed is more shallow than any other truck bed out there. It only configures to a length/width like that of a crew cab mid-size truck, but have no extended bed option like those trucks have. Good towing and payload capacity is just like having a decent SUV. The bed on these things are for dirty soccer shoes and a couple of bags of mulch.

Again, I am not a Jeep hater - but comparing the Ram to a Gladiator makes no sense other than they both are automobiles. The Gladiator is a glorified SUV with an open trunk. I can see its usefulness to a homeowner, but for people who really need a truck that thing would be useful for about 5 minutes

Yeah they used to call them Ranchero's & El Camino's

 

[WXman]

Well, when it comes to trucks that are used as trucks, there's one simple rule: drive what contractors drive. You are not going to see any contractors (well, maybe the owner's son) driving a Gladiator. Just like you're not going to see any contractors driving a Ridgeline or a Subaru Baja. If you can live with a bed that small you really don't need a bed at all. The Gladiator bed is more shallow than any other truck bed out there. It only configures to a length/width like that of a crew cab mid-size truck, but have no extended bed option like those trucks have. Good towing and payload capacity is just like having a decent SUV. The bed on these things are for dirty soccer shoes and a couple of bags of mulch.

Again, I am not a Jeep hater - but comparing the Ram to a Gladiator makes no sense other than they both are automobiles. The Gladiator is a glorified SUV with an open trunk. I can see its usefulness to a homeowner, but for people who really need a truck that thing would be useful for about 5 minutes

Well I don't see hardly any contractors using Ram 1500s either. Guess I still leased the wrong truck?

The Gladiator bed is "shallow" for design purposes. They specifically wanted to make it so that an average height man can reach over and touch the load floor. Mark Allen said so during many of the launch event interviews. This, in turn, actually makes the truck MORE useful for many people. And I must admit, I'm 6'3" and I find that it's very hard to reach over and get things out of the Ram. I end up having to drop the gate more often, or crawl up into the bed altogether.

Opinions are like yesterdays. Everybody has one. But the general consensus across the Gladiator forum is that almost everyone who has gone from a full size truck to the Gladiator has not missed the full size truck at all. The Gladiator 5' bed, which turns into a 7.5' bed with the gate down, and does have plenty of bed extender options on the market, will do anything the Ram 5'7" bed will do in 99% of situations. Calling a 5' box which is industry standard in the class an "open trunk" is a bit unrealistic. And we've already discussed that the payload and usability as a truck is in many cases greater than a Ram 1500. So no need to hash that out again.

You prove my point in my earlier post. 9 out of 10 people have no idea what the Gladiator really is, how it's really built, why it's built that way, or what it's capable of. And I partially blame FCA for that because they should have done a better job advertising it as a truck.

 

[silver billet]

Well, when it comes to trucks that are used as trucks, there's one simple rule: drive what contractors drive. You are not going to see any contractors (well, maybe the owner's son) driving a Gladiator. Just like you're not going to see any contractors driving a Ridgeline or a Subaru Baja. If you can live with a bed that small you really don't need a bed at all. The Gladiator bed is more shallow than any other truck bed out there. It only configures to a length/width like that of a crew cab mid-size truck, but have no extended bed option like those trucks have. Good towing and payload capacity is just like having a decent SUV. The bed on these things are for dirty soccer shoes and a couple of bags of mulch.

Again, I am not a Jeep hater - but comparing the Ram to a Gladiator makes no sense other than they both are automobiles. The Gladiator is a glorified SUV with an open trunk. I can see its usefulness to a homeowner, but for people who really need a truck that thing would be useful for about 5 minutes

That may all be true. But the thing most people seem to be missing, is that we're not comparing max specs of the one truck vs the other. It's obvious the 1500 has more maximum capability.

The question is; given the OP's requirements for his truck, is the Gladiator any good? And for a subset of people who own 1500's the answer is "yes", what they do with their truck they could also do with the Gladiator, and then enjoy the pro's the Gladiator has over and above the ram. Such as, small, nimble, better offroad, removable doors/windshield/roof etc.

 

[silver billet]

As a further thought, ask yourself this question: "Why am I driving a 1500 when it's clear a 3500 1 ton dually has more capability as a truck?" Think we all know the answer. It's not about max capability. It's about finding the best fit for what you value most in your truck. It's a scale with 1/4 tons' on the left and 3500 duallys on the right, and not everbody wants or needs the same thing. Every truck on that scale has pro's and con's and every truck has a compromise somewhere.

 

[silver64]

Well I don't see hardly any contractors using Ram 1500s either. Guess I still leased the wrong truck?

The Gladiator bed is "shallow" for design purposes. They specifically wanted to make it so that an average height man can reach over and touch the load floor. Mark Allen said so during many of the launch event interviews. This, in turn, actually makes the truck MORE useful for many people. And I must admit, I'm 6'3" and I find that it's very hard to reach over and get things out of the Ram. I end up having to drop the gate more often, or crawl up into the bed altogether.

Opinions are like yesterdays. Everybody has one. But the general consensus across the Gladiator forum is that almost everyone who has gone from a full size truck to the Gladiator has not missed the full size truck at all. The Gladiator 5' bed, which turns into a 7.5' bed with the gate down, and does have plenty of bed extender options on the market, will do anything the Ram 5'7" bed will do in 99% of situations. Calling a 5' box which is industry standard in the class an "open trunk" is a bit unrealistic. And we've already discussed that the payload and usability as a truck is in many cases greater than a Ram 1500. So no need to hash that out again.

You prove my point in my earlier post. 9 out of 10 people have no idea what the Gladiator really is, how it's really built, why it's built that way, or what it's capable of. And I partially blame FCA for that because they should have done a better job advertising it as a truck.

Actually the roll out of the Gladiator was a poor marketing strategy. They acted like they did when they rolled out the Challenger. Only a few vehicles at God awful prices in one color etc etc etc so they could gouge the people who had to have it first instead of ramping up production and selling several trims right away. The manufacturers just dont get it that where they will make their money is getting the product in the hands of daily users not someone who will buy it to be the first on his block to have one. Hardcore Jeep people are a wholly different segment than normal car buyers and the Gladiator will allow FCA to reach an even bigger segment than they could before.

 

[DeDax]

All excellent points, and I appreciate everyone's insight & feedback. There are a myriad of opinions out there and the answer is very individualized based on need, want, budget. I love my Ram, it's been great, truth be told I probably would have never thought about a Gladiator had I not been at the dealership figuring out what I wanted to do to upgrade the Ram, in relation to lift/wheels/tires, etc. That said, we have been trying to figure out a way as a family to incorporate a Jeep into our lineup, mainly because they are just fun. It is undoubtedly a fun vehicle. My wife doesn't want to drive a JLU everyday so we have been at a stalemate until seeing the Gladiator Rubicon. It got the wheels turning that possibly we could have the best of both worlds. That said, I plan on taking my son (8) to the dealership tomorrow morning sometime and have some fun, test drive the Gladiator and the Rebel ( if they have one) and see if it fits our lifestyle. Who knows, maybe I won't buy anything and keep a great truck that has been good to me in the 2 years I've owned it. Still some quality time with the boy and we get our Jeep fix, for now.

 

[devildodge]

We just had a member post his payload in our payload thread.

945lbs. So his isn't a half ton.

I love reading these types of threads.

 

[DeDax]

Welp, as promised I went and test drove the Gladiator Rubicon and the Ram Rebel this morning w/ my son. We drove the rebel first and it immediately felt very familiar coming from my Laramie Sport. It was a crew cab, Level 2, 12" uconnect. Not my color choice per se in Black but still nice. I do like that the black you can get in the mono paint scheme and can't really tell its a rebel other than the tailgate badge and the nostril grille. The characteristics of the Rebel again were very familiar, it for the most part was very much like my Laramie. But boy is that 12" uconnect a big improvement over the 8.4. Not only is it eye catching but very smooth and easy to use. The interior space is magnificent, same as my Ram, and although I was expecting a slightly altered ride with the small factory lift and tires, it was buttery smooth. Being a test drive I obviously couldn't really test its off road chops but I know its quite capable.

Then comes the Gladiator... at this point there was certainly some anticipation built up. The first thing I immediately noticed is that it is significantly more cumbersome to get in the Gladiator. I'm 6'1 240 and my leg throw on entry was noticeably more. I even tried to use the factory rubicon slider as a hoist, but it's just different. Not bad, but would certainly take some getting adjusted to. So upon seating, you certainly notice the size difference. It's cozy, to say the least. It would be ok 90% of the time on way to from/work or riding by myself, but I could see center armrest battles with my wife ensuing should we use it for long trips. The interior is unlike any Jeep i've ever been in, FCA has really being knocking it out of the park in my opinion. That said, it doesn't hold a candle to the ram especially with the 12" uconnect. This Gladiator had the upgraded 8.4 and Alpine but truly no comparison. My son liked the back seat and said he was comfortable, with no real opinion added other than "can we take the top off now". Driving the Gladiator was a different beast then the Rebel. It is more engaging/involved, but not really high maintenance. I didn't notice any wobble, it drove true and I felt the 3.6L Pentastar did a fine job powering it. With significant lifts and anything bigger than 35's I might be concerned, although many guys run 37's with the 4.10's without an issue. Half way thru the test drive I pulled over and took the front sky panel off for my son. It's quite easy, and there really isn't a better feeling. Is this a Jeep or a truck.... BOTH. At this point my son was sold.

While both are tremendous vehicles, they are very different. I think the Rebel is probably best suited for my families needs but the Gladiator certainly offers a certain fun/"it" factor, that is hard to compete with. Outcome...... TBD, I would like to get my wife's opinion on the Gladiator, if for nothing else just for fun. But I could certainly see upgrading to a Rebel might be in the cards in the near future. In the end practicality will probably win.

 

[Neurobit]

Welp, as promised I went and test drove the Gladiator Rubicon and the Ram Rebel this morning w/ my son. We drove the rebel first and it immediately felt very familiar coming from my Laramie Sport. It was a crew cab, Level 2, 12" uconnect. Not my color choice per se in Black but still nice. I do like that the black you can get in the mono paint scheme and can't really tell its a rebel other than the tailgate badge and the nostril grille. The characteristics of the Rebel again were very familiar, it for the most part was very much like my Laramie. But boy is that 12" uconnect a big improvement over the 8.4. Not only is it eye catching but very smooth and easy to use. The interior space is magnificent, same as my Ram, and although I was expecting a slightly altered ride with the small factory lift and tires, it was buttery smooth. Being a test drive I obviously couldn't really test its off road chops but I know its quite capable.

Then comes the Gladiator... at this point there was certainly some anticipation built up. The first thing I immediately noticed is that it is significantly more cumbersome to get in the Gladiator. I'm 6'1 240 and my leg throw on entry was noticeably more. I even tried to use the factory rubicon slider as a hoist, but it's just different. Not bad, but would certainly take some getting adjusted to. So upon seating, you certainly notice the size difference. It's cozy, to say the least. It would be ok 90% of the time on way to from/work or riding by myself, but I could see center armrest battles with my wife ensuing should we use it for long trips. The interior is unlike any Jeep i've ever been in, FCA has really being knocking it out of the park in my opinion. That said, it doesn't hold a candle to the ram especially with the 12" uconnect. This Gladiator had the upgraded 8.4 and Alpine but truly no comparison. My son liked the back seat and said he was comfortable, with no real opinion added other than "can we take the top off now". Driving the Gladiator was a different beast then the Rebel. It is more engaging/involved, but not really high maintenance. I didn't notice any wobble, it drove true and I felt the 3.6L Pentastar did a fine job powering it. With significant lifts and anything bigger than 35's I might be concerned, although many guys run 37's with the 4.10's without an issue. Half way thru the test drive I pulled over and took the front sky panel off for my son. It's quite easy, and there really isn't a better feeling. Is this a Jeep or a truck.... BOTH. At this point my son was sold.

While both are tremendous vehicles, they are very different. I think the Rebel is probably best suited for my families needs but the Gladiator certainly offers a certain fun/"it" factor, that is hard to compete with. Outcome...... TBD, I would like to get my wife's opinion on the Gladiator, if for nothing else just for fun. But I could certainly see upgrading to a Rebel might be in the cards in the near future. In the end practicality will probably win.

Nice review. Thanks for taking the time to write this.

 

[SpeedyV]

Welp, as promised I went and test drove the Gladiator Rubicon and the Ram Rebel this morning w/ my son. We drove the rebel first and it immediately felt very familiar coming from my Laramie Sport. It was a crew cab, Level 2, 12" uconnect. Not my color choice per se in Black but still nice. I do like that the black you can get in the mono paint scheme and can't really tell its a rebel other than the tailgate badge and the nostril grille. The characteristics of the Rebel again were very familiar, it for the most part was very much like my Laramie. But boy is that 12" uconnect a big improvement over the 8.4. Not only is it eye catching but very smooth and easy to use. The interior space is magnificent, same as my Ram, and although I was expecting a slightly altered ride with the small factory lift and tires, it was buttery smooth. Being a test drive I obviously couldn't really test its off road chops but I know its quite capable.

Then comes the Gladiator... at this point there was certainly some anticipation built up. The first thing I immediately noticed is that it is significantly more cumbersome to get in the Gladiator. I'm 6'1 240 and my leg throw on entry was noticeably more. I even tried to use the factory rubicon slider as a hoist, but it's just different. Not bad, but would certainly take some getting adjusted to. So upon seating, you certainly notice the size difference. It's cozy, to say the least. It would be ok 90% of the time on way to from/work or riding by myself, but I could see center armrest battles with my wife ensuing should we use it for long trips. The interior is unlike any Jeep i've ever been in, FCA has really being knocking it out of the park in my opinion. That said, it doesn't hold a candle to the ram especially with the 12" uconnect. This Gladiator had the upgraded 8.4 and Alpine but truly no comparison. My son liked the back seat and said he was comfortable, with no real opinion added other than "can we take the top off now". Driving the Gladiator was a different beast then the Rebel. It is more engaging/involved, but not really high maintenance. I didn't notice any wobble, it drove true and I felt the 3.6L Pentastar did a fine job powering it. With significant lifts and anything bigger than 35's I might be concerned, although many guys run 37's with the 4.10's without an issue. Half way thru the test drive I pulled over and took the front sky panel off for my son. It's quite easy, and there really isn't a better feeling. Is this a Jeep or a truck.... BOTH. At this point my son was sold.

While both are tremendous vehicles, they are very different. I think the Rebel is probably best suited for my families needs but the Gladiator certainly offers a certain fun/"it" factor, that is hard to compete with. Outcome...... TBD, I would like to get my wife's opinion on the Gladiator, if for nothing else just for fun. But I could certainly see upgrading to a Rebel might be in the cards in the near future. In the end practicality will probably win.

Nice write-up. Sounds like you just need a Rebel with a panoramic sunroof

 

[DeDax]

Yes the Pano would be on my list of must have's for a future Rebel purchase.

 

[Slumlord]

I traded in a 18' Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited on my Ram and don't regret it one bit. The Jeep was a nice vehicle but as others have said unless you're really into off-roading it's not the best choice for a daily driver.