In Praise of Gladiator Comfort

[KJ Jeeper]

I love the comfort of this truck. I’m a shorty, and have excellent vision/seat height etc. Long trips are no issue.

I drive a 2017 Tacoma for work and being short, I have neck pain at the end of the day, because the hood is so large and difficult to see over and it has no seat height adjustment. The older little Toyotas were not an issue for me, just this new design making that front end so big.

Sponsored

 

[BearFootSam]

The JT has excellent seats, and I generally like the manual adjustment, quirky recline strap and all.

The Jeep cockpit reminds me of a military vehicle more than a passenger car. It shares the flat, upright windshield and short vertical dash. The boxy passenger space has the same sorts of visible structural assemblies, hardware and boxy format. The narrow windowsill is just as useless for an armrest as an HMMWV and the high, square interior roof (of the softop). The overall effect in my impression is very similar to the HMMWV, just a lot nicer and vastly more comfortable.

Every time I have a rental I get back into the JT and am reminded how much I like the layout. The lower raked seating position of the Tacoma really turned me off when we shopped it. That posture is fine for highway cruising, but off road I want to be upright and forward for the best forward visibility. I measured the forward blind space in my JTR at 15'. That's probably less than half some pickups.

 

[HankB]

My Glad is my 6th or 7th truck. Other than a brief visit from the Death Wobble (defective steering damper) the “ride” both in comfort and handling perspectives has been fine, and as good as the other truck predecessors. I just spent four hours this afternoon on errands that included several stops, including picking up 800 pounds of wood pellets, two flats of shotgun shells, groceries for dinner and a gas fill up. Oh and at 21 mpg. Despite the loading and unloading of the 20 bags of pellets I’m feeling fine, which at 72 is an accomplishment without the errands. So I guess that indicates the seats are pretty good.

But good as the Gladiator truck seats are, they do not come close to luxury car standards. We have German cars that are not known for super comfort, but the wife’s Q5 seats and ride beat the Gladiators. The seats/ride in my other car are on par with the Glad, but the P4 will also do 145 (on the track of course) without breaking a sweat.

 

[Shitbox]

I had a 2010 Wrangler two door with 35s and an inexpensive Zone lift. That thing was a handful and my wife drove it once and said “ it was fun until about 50 mph”. She was correct.

I replaced the Wrangler with an 2017 F150 long bed super cab. The ride was uncomparable for obvious reasons. When I bought the F150 I said to my wife “ I wish Jeep made a truck.”

I traded the F150 for a pre owned 2022 Willys Sport. I couldn’t be happier with this truck. I’m sorting out the suspension and steering problems with help from this forum. The Gladiator with 37s gets about the same highway mileage as the F150 with 34s. The only thing I really miss is the 36 gallon fuel tank in the F150.

 

[Geoarch]

How about a positive post for a change? LOL I've read a lot of negative posts on here and elsewhere complaining about the comfort of the Gladiator - specifically the seats, lack of a dead pedal, rough ride, and and wind noise. My last truck was an '09 Tacoma, so that's my main basis of comparison (I owned a couple of sports cars between them). My wife & I (and our dog) just took a 700+ mile road trip in my Gladiator over the holidays and I have ZERO complaints. The trip was very enjoyable! Even though my Sport S seats are cloth and lack a lumbar adjustment, I found them to be very comfortable with just the right amount of support and the right seat bottom angle (I'm 6'0 with a 34" inseam). No need for Seat Jackers for me. I also did not miss having a dead pedal at all... since there is plenty of room to move your feet/legs around (BOTH feel/legs if you use the cruise control - which I did). The ride - especially with the Rubicon take-off 33" Wildpeak AT's that I'm running - was nice and smooth. It swallows up expansion joints & pavement imperfections with very little noise/harshness/drama. Wind noise was fairly high at higher speeds - but mainly because I have a Sunrider for Hardtop on mine - which is generally comparable in noise level to the hardtop - until you get above 75 MPH or so (which I was over a lot of the time). If I'd put the freedom panels back on, that would have been a non-issue as well - but even so was no big deal. I'm sure the Gladiator doesn't compare to a high-end trim level full-size pickup, but but those luxo-barges can't do what a Gladiator can do off-road either - and it is hands-down better than my old Taco in every way. This is my first Jeep and I honestly expected more of a trade-off between off-road capability and comfort, but I have been pleasantly surprised. Very happy with it.

Yeah, I came from a 2018 TRDPro and yes the wind bugs me, but being able to sit much higher is a major plus for me. Plus my JTR is a much better off-road machine.

 

[jgphil09]

How about a positive post for a change? LOL I've read a lot of negative posts on here and elsewhere complaining about the comfort of the Gladiator - specifically the seats, lack of a dead pedal, rough ride, and and wind noise. My last truck was an '09 Tacoma, so that's my main basis of comparison (I owned a couple of sports cars between them). My wife & I (and our dog) just took a 700+ mile road trip in my Gladiator over the holidays and I have ZERO complaints. The trip was very enjoyable! Even though my Sport S seats are cloth and lack a lumbar adjustment, I found them to be very comfortable with just the right amount of support and the right seat bottom angle (I'm 6'0 with a 34" inseam). No need for Seat Jackers for me. I also did not miss having a dead pedal at all... since there is plenty of room to move your feet/legs around (BOTH feel/legs if you use the cruise control - which I did). The ride - especially with the Rubicon take-off 33" Wildpeak AT's that I'm running - was nice and smooth. It swallows up expansion joints & pavement imperfections with very little noise/harshness/drama. Wind noise was fairly high at higher speeds - but mainly because I have a Sunrider for Hardtop on mine - which is generally comparable in noise level to the hardtop - until you get above 75 MPH or so (which I was over a lot of the time). If I'd put the freedom panels back on, that would have been a non-issue as well - but even so was no big deal. I'm sure the Gladiator doesn't compare to a high-end trim level full-size pickup, but but those luxo-barges can't do what a Gladiator can do off-road either - and it is hands-down better than my old Taco in every way. This is my first Jeep and I honestly expected more of a trade-off between off-road capability and comfort, but I have been pleasantly surprised. Very happy with it.

I agree. Just bought a new 2023 Sport S. Only complaint I have is on the fuel economy. I only get 18.5 mpg on the interstate doing 75mph instead of the posted 22 mpg on the window sticker. What mpg did you get on your trip?

 

[jgphil09]

I agree. Just bought a new 2023 Sport S. Only complaint I have is on the fuel economy. I only get 18.5 mpg on the interstate doing 75mph instead of the posted 22 mpg on the window sticker. What mpg did you get on your trip?

 

[offtheroadjeep]

I agree. Just bought a new 2023 Sport S. Only complaint I have is on the fuel economy. I only get 18.5 mpg on the interstate doing 75mph instead of the posted 22 mpg on the window sticker. What mpg did you get on your trip?

There's part of your problem: your speed. Highway rating is done at 65. Level grade on a lovely day. The window sticker is a very generalized mpg under ideal conditions.

Also, they may have rounded them off a little, but Jeeps still have the aerodynamics of a brick.

 

[jgphil09]

There's part of your problem: your speed. Highway rating is done at 65. Level grade on a lovely day. The window sticker is a very generalized mpg under ideal conditions.

Also, they may have rounded them off a little, but Jeeps still have the aerodynamics of a brick.

It's a bit of a disappointment since my other vehicle is a 2014 RAM 2500 Cummins which originally got about 20mpg Hwy and 17 city hand calculated. After 100k miles it is now 18 hwy and 16 city for a almost 8,000lb truck vs the Gladiator which weighs over 2,000lb less.

 

[offtheroadjeep]

It's a bit of a disappointment since my other vehicle is a 2014 RAM 2500 Cummins which originally got about 20mpg Hwy and 17 city hand calculated. After 100k miles it is now 18 hwy and 16 city for a almost 8,000lb truck vs the Gladiator which weighs over 2,000lb less.

Also keep in mind, it IS a Jeep... it's built to do 15 mph, regardless of terrain. The cost of that is bad fuel economy at highway+ speeds.

Basically: You don't take a dirt bike to a motogp event and expect to do well. Heheh.

 

[Stuntman Mike]

Also keep in mind, it IS a Jeep... it's built to do 15 mph, regardless of terrain. The cost of that is bad fuel economy at highway+ speeds.

Basically: You don't take a dirt bike to a motogp event and expect to do well. Heheh.

And the RAM is a Diesel. With the JTD you are getting easily 26-29 mpg on the highway.

 

[bd100]

Our 3.6L got happier with low end torque around 500 miles, and happier again at 15,000 miles. Wait for break in. I get highway mileage almost as good as our minivan. Stock height, stock diameter 32" tires but a little wider and all-terrain LT-E rated. So if it's new give it time.

 

[jgphil09]

Also keep in mind, it IS a Jeep... it's built to do 15 mph, regardless of terrain. The cost of that is bad fuel economy at highway+ speeds.

Basically: You don't take a dirt bike to a motogp event and expect to do well. Heheh.

Thanks for the enlightening . It's my first Jeep. My Dad had a '46 Willys over 50 years ago that I learned to drive a stick. Loved that Jeep and finally after all these years was able to buy one.

 

[offtheroadjeep]

Thanks for the enlightening . It's my first Jeep. My Dad had a '46 Willys over 50 years ago that I learned to drive a stick. Loved that Jeep and finally after all these years was able to buy one.

No problem. They're still pretty purpose built, which is why I even entertained the idea of a Glad. It'll serve you well so long as you keep in mind it's an offroady truck: okay on the highway, but will always get you back home.

It does do better than my TJ does on gas though. Not much, but a bit better. Which ironically enough is even better than the Taco I had. So there's the silver lining.

 

[Raven65]

I agree. Just bought a new 2023 Sport S. Only complaint I have is on the fuel economy. I only get 18.5 mpg on the interstate doing 75mph instead of the posted 22 mpg on the window sticker. What mpg did you get on your trip?

When mine was new and still had the skinny Bridgestone Dueler street tires on it, I could easily get 22-23 mpg on the highway if (and this is important) - IF - I kept my speed below 65 MPH. I have a 80-mile round trip commute to work & back - about 80% highway - and I could easily average 22 mpg. I have since put stock 33" Rubicon take-off wheels/Falken Wildpeak A/Ts which are a couple of inches taller than the stock tires, wider, and a LOT heavier (which hurts you in stop & go driving). I also did a 1.5" leveling lift on the front - which didn't help the already awful aerodynamics (but looks SO much better). I am now only able to hit 19-20 on the highway - and that's only if I drive REAL carefully and keep the speed down. I take a backroads route on 2-lane highways for most of the way - where the speed limit is 55mph, so I go that way to keep my speed down and get decent MPG (and because the interstate is a madhouse). I now typically average around 18 MPG when I commute if I drive "normally". I can eek out another MPG or 2 if I really try, but wher's the fun in that? LOL Thankfully, I work from home half of the time, so the fuel mileage is no big deal. The road trip we did over Christmas was mostly interstate, so we were doing around 75 MPH most of the time - sometimes 80-ish. I think I averaged 16-17-ish over the whole trip. Another thing is the faster I go (the higher the wind resistance), the less likely I am to see 8th gear because I'm still running the stock 3.73 gears. If I were to put 4.10's in it, I might see 8th more and get better fuel mileage - but maybe not. The higher RPMs of the 4.10s might off-set getting to 8th more often... I don't know. It's not worth the big expense to swap the gears just for that to me. I didn't buy this thing to get great fuel mileage.

Sponsored