Need your feedback, Manual or Auto, Rubicon or Mojave.

[PuddleJumper]

Probably.
Can't explain it - but the Redline Tuning folks who sell the hood struts have a heavier pair for the Mojave and 392 hood...........

"Mojave edition and all outside North America"

https://www.redlinetuning.com/SearchResults.asp?Search=Jeep+Gladiator+2020

Thats crazy. I felt a 392 wrangler hood and its a heavy bastard. Mine weighs in the same ball park as my aunts rubicon. But I haven't found or heard of anyone else with a aluminum or ultra light mopar hood. It would be weird if i somehow ended up with a one off.

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[ShadowsPapa]

If I were a buying man, I would choose the Mojave in an auto. But I wanted a diesel and don’t need the Rubicon, so the Overland was my best choice.

Makes a whole lot of sense for sure.

 

[whiteglad]

I prefer the 2.72 to 1 transfer case over the 4:1, rarely use any locker so rear only is fine for my use. I like the seats, steering wheel, beefed up frame, brackets, and knuckles on the Mojave. Philosophically, only the Gladiator is offered in Mojave trim, but Gladiators and Wranglers are offered in Rubicon trim. Of them, the 2 door Wrangler is ideal for a rock crawler, and the Gladiator would be the "worst" or least capable for that usage. BTW, my 2022 Mojave has a steel hood which the inexpensive Hooke's Road struts support well. i have enjoyed stick shifts for decades and owned many, but the 8-speed auto is ideal, imo, for the Gladiator 3.6 gas engine.

 

[RHINO79]

I wanted a manual in the worst way until I test drove a gladiator with one.

 

[Hasemano]

I was at a decision making point last year between an automatic or manual Rubicon. I did my research and it almost turned me off the manual, but I went for it anyway - I have never bought myself an automatic car. I am glad I followed my heart because I absolutely love my manual Rubicon. It has only gotten better with a 5.38 re-gearing after a 3.5” lift and upgrade to 37x12.5. Do it!

 

[AverageGrunt]

didn't even read all the replies but MOJAVE AUTO ALL DAY

 

[Olivia2023]

The manual vs. automatic choice was really quite the discussion between my wife and I when we purchased our 2023 Gladiator this last summer. Interestingly enough, so was whether to go with the Rubicon or the Mojave. This purchase was my wife's retirement gift (retired R.N.), so she made the final decision.
She test drove both the Rubicon and the Mojave and felt that the Mojave drove just a little better on the road at highway speeds (we probably won't ever be off-roading it, so the perks of the Rubicon were not an issue). She also liked the aesthetics of the Mojave's hood better than the Rubicon. She chose the Mojave.
As far as getting a manual, the dealership didn't have one available or I might have pushed for that more. I LOVE driving a manual, but we are also in our early sixties and as much as I would have enjoyed having a manual transmission again, I also listened to my wife's opinion (many years as an orthopedic nurse). I took into consideration that as we get older (I already have an artificial knee), a manual may not be the best option to pick. The icing on the cake was all of the reviews that I read that said that the 8-speed automatic was a REALLY good match to this current engine configuration.
We just got back from a road trip down to New Orleans and back. After leaving a drive-thru and eating on the road, I may have conceded to the wife that I was "O.K." with not having to shift at the same time! Having said that............. "Dang, I would really love to have another manual!" Sometimes you make choices because they are simply fun - and maybe not the most practical.

 

[Geoarch]

Hey, my Overland is stock.........
Except:
synergy front springs, Eibach rear shocks, air bags in rear springs, clear front side markers, 12v outlets in rear bed, winch, steel bumper, Oracle backup lights, Suma side mirrors, front receiver................ but really, it's stock. Sits almost exactly as high as a Mojave but doesn't have orange hooks.

" ...but really, it's stock". That's definitely a Jeep Gladiator forum statement.

 

[Geoarch]

I wanted a manual in the worst way until I test drove a gladiator with one.

It's interesting, I couldn't stand the OEM clutch engaging near the top, so put in an ACT clutch that actually feels like there's a clutch there. My wife, however, preferred the OEM clutch. Go figure.

 

[Alan SOBX]

I have the automatic Mojave for many reasons listed above:
- I love at the beach and drive the sand a lot—no plans to rock crawl. I always lock the rear diff but not sure I need it with OffRoad+. I only air down my tires when on a remote beach.
- I didn’t want to shift while hitting bumps on sand (I used to have manual cars). One of the beaches has a speed limit of 20 mph which puts me squarely between gear points so I can tap the gear changer to the left and go into "manual mode" and manipulate the change points.
- I may not need the reinforced frame but it is nice to have. I absolutely hammered a hard sand drift and had some piece of mind after my miscalculation.
- After 32 years of company cars, I am a Jeep newbie. While I have done some mods, I am fine with the factory lift and tires that came with the Mojave so I basically bought what I would have changed with difficulty. Other mods (hard tonneau, RokBlokz, back-up lights, Tazer) have been fun and something I can do myself.
- Suspension? I am not sure that it is a big improvement. Like wine, perhaps my palate is not sophisticated enough to tell the difference.

Warning on the rear diff locker for 2023 and before—you have to override to use the rear diff in 4H. Takes about 10 seconds to go through the sequence (enable OffRoad+, hold down traction control button for five seconds until it beeps, push the diff lock). Easy enough to do but even easier with my Tazer—I just push the button while stopped. I can even lock in 2H. I have never driven in 4L because it would likely dig into the soft sand. I will likely only use it on the ramp to haul my boat out of the water although it lives on a lift and hasn’t been trailered in three years.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

BUT - how is Mojave in mud or SNOW?

wish you guys would quit talking these things up. My dealer said "if you need time to gather finances and strip yours down, I'll hold this one for you as long as it's before the end of the month"
Stop!
Luckily, my wife HATES the orange accents around the emblems and the "JEEP" on the tail gate. I showed her and she said "I don't like that at all". So can't get anything with orange emblems.

 

[Rocksalt]

automatic

 

[shootify]

It's like knowing the auto is more practical, but you can't beat the manual, the feeling is just different. The only thing that got me thinking is the list of improvements of the Mojave over the rubicon. I might have to find a Mojave with a manual but they are rare.
cheers

 

[Rocksalt]

It's like knowing the auto is more practical, but you can't beat the manual, the feeling is just different. The only thing that got me thinking is the list of improvements of the Mojave over the rubicon. I might have to find a Mojave with a manual but they are rare.
cheers

the auto stick mode in the AT satisfies my need to manually shift when I want

 

[ShadowsPapa]

only thing that got me thinking is the list of improvements of the Mojave over the rubicon.

Be careful calling them "improvements over the Rubicon".
Each is purpose built.
Rubicon owners will argue theirs is best for their purpose with the front locker and sway bar disconnect and suspension build for max flexing over rocks, and slow crawling in really rough terrain.

You have to consider the "features" each has - and which will be to your benefit and which won't.
For most, frankly, the frame of the Mojave won't mean squat.......... each has pros to them.
It depends on how YOU will use it.

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