Thinking of getting a Gladiator. Sport or Mojave?

[ecidiego]

Utility and towing I'd go Sport with Max Tow package. Everything else Mojave.

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[Snake Eyes]

I went Sport S Max Tow. I like to tow, like the ability to do some changes if I want to. Like it as a daily driver and for some off-roading. Plus I got all the bells and whistles for safety and comfort. Fits the bill. Bottom line you have to decide for you. Everyone will have their own opinion based on their own needs. GVsukids is right. Only armor difference OEM is under steel bumper. I was laughing when I saw the post saying the S has nothing underneath. They do get rock rails, but those I like to get aftermarket.

 

[COmtnbiker]

Anyone here with the Mojave towed a trailer say > 3k lbs? I had noticed in some reviews that the Mojave's soft suspension caused towing issues (eg: walk and reaction to wind). I have a Sport S and feel it's a hair firm to drive.

 

[Rburns1776]

Anyone here with the Mojave towed a trailer say > 3k lbs? I had noticed in some reviews that the Mojave's soft suspension caused towing issues (eg: walk and reaction to wind). I have a Sport S and feel it's a hair firm to drive.

4.5/ 5k including trailer, 4 wheelers, ramps, gear, gas, water, tools, etc etc. I use a RedArc Tow Pro Elite brake controller. Mojave does just fine with it in the Blue ridge mountains

 

[Gvsukids]

Anyone here with the Mojave towed a trailer say > 3k lbs? I had noticed in some reviews that the Mojave's soft suspension caused towing issues (eg: walk and reaction to wind). I have a Sport S and feel it's a hair firm to drive.

With a weight distribution hitch, you won't see the squat. And add a sway bar, you'll be set.

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/tow-report-with-gladiator-mojave/

 

[Choatecav]

I bought the Mojave because it’s already set up how I want and need it. If you plan on modifying the suspension and everything else, you may as well save money up front and get a Sport or Willys.

What he said..............................

 

[Raven65]

I went for a regular Sport S because the dealer had one in color I wanted with the exact options I wanted and the price was right. It was/is all I needed & nothing I didn't/don't. It is my daily driver on a fairly long commute, so I don't plan to put huge wheels/tires on it and kill the already not great fuel economy. The extent of my off-roading will be dirt/gravel forest service roads and mild "Jeep trails"... no rock crawling or anything crazy. I'll also never tow anything approaching 6,000 lbs, so I didn't need the additional 1,250 lbs or so of towing capacity of the "Max Tow". Some people make a big deal about the Max Tow's wider axles. They a half-inch wider... that's a quarter of an inch per side. Hold your thumb and pointer finger together with a gap between them about the thickness of a pencil. Yep, that much wider per side. Big deal. Those were my needs... you just have to be honest about yours and decide for yourself. The cool thing about these is they're basically Legos. All of the parts from the various trims are interchangeable, so if your needs change later, you can buy take-off Rubi/Mojo parts for CHEAP and bolt them on. Some things are a little more difficult/expensive (like having to re-gear for large wheels/tires), but most can be done much cheaper than the cost of a Rubi/Mojo with take-off and/or aftermarket parts. Anyway... good luck with your decision!

 

[jay21mojave]

Another Point to consider is current incentives. Listed at https://www.jeep.com/incentives.gladiator.2022.html#/model/CUJ202211

 

[Jobofly]

I bought the Mojave because it’s already set up how I want and need it. If you plan on modifying the suspension and everything else, you may as well save money up front and get a Sport or Willys.

My exact reason for going with the Mojave. It will do everything I need it too. I won’t change anything major. Just small things.

 

[glassjawkid32]

Also consider the fact that if you do indeed decide to buy a Mojave and modify the suspension later, you might have less options than every other trim as it requires parts unique to a Mojave.

 

[Uparms]

Sport Max Tow.

 

[FloridaMan655321]

Always Mojave

 

[KWin]

 

[b-roc]

1) Will you modify your vehicle?
1a) If no, then simply test drive each and you're done (everyone has different preferences in driving manners/handling)
1b) If yes, then still test drive each trim level and decide on your preferences so that you know which direction you're heading
1b.i) How quickly will you do your mods (this ends up being your own personal balance of ...) ?
- Warranty & Insurance coverage
- Having costs covered by your loan
- How long until you have your ideal Jeep
- initial vs short term vs long term cost
2) Is there anything that you can't easily get that is available on one trim and not another that you care about?
3) If there is a particular characteristic of a trim that you like, are there limitations or alterations/additions that will be required if you do mods
... so here is how it worked out for me
1) Yes I was willing to modify it
1b) Hated how the Rubicon handled on hwy, Overland was fine, sport was fine, loved the Mojave
1b.i) I knew that I wanted to do my mods at a medium rate and to try and do them so that my potential warranty problems would only slowly creep up ... the finances didn't play a huge role but when I found factory vs aftermarket options that were close, then I chose factory for warranty and financing. I decided to start very close to the jeep that I consider ideal and then to gradually work towards it with base warranty coverage in mind

2) I cared about the reinforced frame... others care about the tow rating on the placard (note that as soon as you modify something that the ability changes but not the placard) ... others care about resale based off of trim level ... engine ... transfer case ... off-road + ... color matched bumpers ... steel hood ... softer calls to this category- diff gearing, lockers, limited slip, electronic swaybar disconnect

3) This is the bigger one for the mojave ... keep the front end and unsprung weight light (the engineers nailed the suspension for me so I didn't want to screw it up)... I chose method wheels and light 37" tires as well as a light bumper and winch setup ... I added airbags to the back springs to keep my shocks in the ideal range for when I add weight to the back (via bed or towing)

I am loving my Mojave (feel free to scroll through my signature for a mods summary)... each of us have different tastes and goals ... hope this helps!

 

[Minty JL]

Mojave FTW, rides like a damn Cadillac compared to a Rubicon.

If you need a serious tow rig, its one of the trucks from the Big 3.

We buy jeeps for off road and open top fun.

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