The Gladiator is actually a blast from the past. Jeep
produced the truck from 1963 to 1987. Its name changed to J Series in the ‘70s. The North American manufacturer brought it back for the 2019 model year. After a few years on the market, it’s not performing very well. Unfortunately, the 2022 Jeep Gladiator only scored 38 out of 100 on Consumer Reports. This is an overall rating that factors in fuel economy
, comfort, road test performance, predicted reliability and owner satisfaction. The rating has not improved from previous model years. 2022 Jeep Gladiator features
The pickup truck is a stretched version of Jeep’s off-roading Wrangler model. The Gladiator sports a 5 ft. bed and longer wheelbase. It shares a rear suspension with the Dodge Ram 1500, since both are owned by parent company FCA.
Pricing ranges from $49,745 to $65,335. It has a curb weight of 4,650 lbs and towing capacity of 7,650 lbs. There’s seating for five, with three seats in the second row of the crew cab.
Owners have the option of an eight-speed automatic or six-speed manual transmission. Four-wheel drive is a given. The 3.0-liter V6 turbodiesel makes 260 hp, while the 3.6-liter V6 makes 285 hp.
Optional safety features include forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic warning, adaptive cruise control. The Gladiator comes standard with a rear view camera, damped tailgate, ABS, and traction control.
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Predicted reliability for the 2022 Jeep Gladiator
Because this is a newer model, specific reliability information is not yet available for the 2022 Jeep Gladiator. As time passes, data will be collected from owners in the form of reviews and issues experienced. The truck scored a 2 out of 5 based on the 2020 and 2021 models.
Despite the large cabin, it also scored low for comfortability. The seats have no power adjustments so they remain flat and upright for a stiff ride. Getting in and out of the vehicle is awkward, so you’ll be grateful for the four grab handles.
Although the infotainment system is easy to use, the window controls are poorly positioned under the center screen. These are necessary for removing the doors, which is a preference for many Jeep owners. They can also fold down the windshield and soft top, or remove the hardtop. This is only recommended for city driving because the wind noise is excessive at highway speeds, even with the hardtop in place.
The pickup truck’s performance
Critics that conducted the brand new Gladiator’s road test were impressed with its linear acceleration, and the responsive shifting of the transmission. But, according to Consumer Reports
, emergency handling was poor in the 2022 Jeep Gladiator. The steering is slow to react and requires a lot of arm work to turn. Cornering is not an easy task for this truck, but it does grip thanks to stability control. The rear axle remains planted even over washboard surfaces. Braking resulted in short stopping distances on wet and dry surfaces.
The headlights left something to be desired. The low beams lack distance and the high beams do not perform as well as those on most other vehicles. They simply aren’t bright enough.
The Gladiator only scored a 2 out of 5 for fuel economy. It managed 23 mpg on the highway, and 13 mpg in the city. These results are not very impressive, but on par for most trucks in its class.
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Insuring your new car
The 2022 Jeep Gladiator ranked last place in its compact truck class. Competitors include the Ford Ranger, Honda Ridgeline, and Toyota Tacoma. Its low rating is mostly attributed to the lack of standard safety features, poor emergency handling, and noise. It’s difficult to find the value for money spent, unless owners upgrade to the off-roading Rubicon package. Otherwise, it does not demonstrate any advantages over other compact pickup trucks.
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