2020 Gladiator Mojave Long Term Tester by Car and Driver

[Dewyaw]

What differential gears come with the Mojave? Wondering if they're too tall and that's why we see so many complaints about it being sluggish and slow. My Sport S has 4:10 gears with an auto and it's downright peppy.

4:10 also.

When a review complains they can’t heel-toe a vehicle like the Gladiator, that tells you all you need to know about the reviewer.

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[ssteve]

Yeah its all frame of reference. The guys who raced model A's with 40 crank hp would absolutely shit themselves if they drove any modern family car today and back then they were considered crazy.

In 1965 the Ford Mustang 289 with a four speed tested at 16.5sec qtr mile.
But today most minivans do 15s. Subaru 2.5 outback’s are in the 17s

Back in the day i thought my 289 mustang was pretty entertaining to drive.

my stock YJ was supposed to do 18s in the 1/4. Maybe

the concept of performance has changed over the years. (For the better)

 

[Klutch]

That skinny pedal on the right controls your speed, not hard to modulate that and keep it at the speed limit.

Well, yeah. The problem is if it push on that pedal at all while rowing through the gears, by the time I hit third, I'm doing 100 MPH.

 

[3-pedal-Rub]

It is slow. But I don't remember buying a Jeep for it's speed.

This review seemed parallel to every review I've heard. Where is the discussion about maintenance and reliability?

 

[Eldage]

16.5 in the 1/4 and 8.5 0-60 is slow. Everyone uses “peppy” because with the auto these trucks move decently quick at lower speeds and at lower rpms have good response. But they are not fast, not even a little bit quick. Most mini vans would walk them on the big end of the 1/2. It’s why so many have longed for a v8 in a jeep. Great for trails, crawling etc, not enough power to be entertaining when driving it daily.

When I use the term "peppy" I am referring to how it operates as a daily driver, not it's time on the 1/4 mile or racing a mini van.
I have no issue accelerating on the on ramp of a major highway.
I have no issue trying to accelerate pass traffic when I have waited to long to get in the appropriate turn lane.
My Jeep is not a sports car by any means but it does what I need it to do when I need it to do it.

 

[ssteve]

When I use the term "peppy" I am referring to how it operates as a daily driver, not it's time on the 1/4 mile or racing a mini van.
I have no issue accelerating on the on ramp of a major highway.
I have no issue trying to accelerate pass traffic when I have waited to long to get in the appropriate turn lane.
My Jeep is not a sports car by any means but it does what I need it to do when I need it to do it.

No one is arguing that it’s not enough power to be functional. But I would t consider it “peppy” when it’s one of the slower modern vehicles on the road.

 

[PDiddy]

I can from a 2015 4Runner and my Rubicon JT is so much peppier. It seems like a sports car compared to it. We head up to Tahoe frequently for vacations and the 4Runner, loaded up, needed to be floored all the time to keep up with the speed limit. The Gladiator just cruises on up with power to spare. So I guess it is all frame of reference. I would never mind more power, but the Gladiator's power is satisfactory to me. I would like more torque, but I will eventually regear it for that.

 

[Bonanza]

I remember the 3.6 being a hoot in a 2dr. Not FAST, but more than required. These gladiators are definitely just adequate. Mine doesn't feel slow, but it's not fast at all. It's the same expectation as a rental car from an airport. It is what it is!

 

[Cristagalli]

I’m not concerned about our Mojave feeling sluggish. It just got a 707 HP Hellcat installed by Aggressive Krawlers Off-road.

 

[DirtGadgets]

IMO, Car and Driver's review misses the forest for the trees. I don't think it's a stretch to expect a review to align with the intended purpose a manufacturer has for their vehicles. Yeah, the Jeep Gladiator Mojave is a truck, it's a very capable truck, but it's also a truck designed for a.) free-wheeling/dune-hopping in a desert, b.) off-roading and/or overlanding, c.) taking the doors and top off to bring the outdoors in. In other words, it's an expensive toy, in truck dress. It's not really a truck+trim level intended for full-time utility work... like, say, a lot of trailer towing at high speeds on highways. Should it be capable of towing? Yes. Is it capable of towing? Yes. Is it best-in-class at towing? I don't think so, even though I've towed with mine a fair bit and it performed just fine.

My basis for comparison is the 2019 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road I leased before I bought my 2020 Jeep Gladiator Mojave. The Gladiator is much peppier/responsive than the Taco was, at all speeds. Now, I'm not denying the Gladiator wants the gas pedal on the floor to pass, but it's a wind block on wheels... aerodynamics were not the chief concern for Jeep's Gladiator design team.

In my opinion the Gladiator acceleration is good for what it is and how the truck is geared. I know the Tacoma well, the Gladiator acceleration is better than the Tacoma by far. I guess I'm not following the acceleration criticisms. It's a truck, not a sport car. It rides high, with a lot of ground clearance... not down on the ground. It has a boxy aesthetic, which is Jeep trade dress. It's geared for crawling. I think people have misplaced expectations.

I can see if a person is hauling or towing often, well then sure, more power would be nice. However, if that's the intent maybe the buyer should be looking at full size trucks designed for those full-time utility applications. As my daily driver, in a city, I have no complaints about power/acceleration. I've worked a few carpentry jobs, hauled lumber and tools around, and done so without difficulty. I've towed a 6x12, single-axle trailer loaded with lumber as well. It handled that fine too. However, for me these are one-off use cases. Any odd handling characteristics were because of the faulty steering gear, but I just got that replaced via the TSB so that's all correct now.

If you're in the market for a mid-size truck for full-time hauling and towing, and you really want a Gladiator, it would make a ton of sense to buy a base trim level Gladiator then either apply the heavy tow package or go aftermarket for heavier crate axles. Perhaps talk to the fine folks at Quadratec, 4WheelParts, ExtremeTerrain, Currie, Dynatrac, Teraflex, King, or Fox about building the right drive train for your application. The folks at those companies are always happy to offer advice, but you've got to call and ask for it.

Power hungry? The Eco-Diesel power plant paired with the right drive train could be a fantastic setup for hauling/towing. Throw a couple re-geared, heavy-duty Dana 60's with some beefed up suspension and you'd be hauling/towing to your hearts content. Sticking with gas? Well, then super charge or turbo charge the Pentastar 3.6L. Magnuson sells a very nice super charger kit that delivers proven boost at a fraction of the cost of an engine swap.

Just saying, a review should put the vehicle and it's intent in the proper context just like the buyer. If you've got the coin to drop $50K - $60K on a truck maybe start by prioritizing your must-haves and then figure out how to get them. It may not be stock, but you don't buy a Jeep if that's how you're going to roll.

 

[Gossamer]

No one is arguing that it’s not enough power to be functional. But I would t consider it “peppy” when it’s one of the slower modern vehicles on the road.

Could someone define "peppy" for me with a number? I think mine is "peppy" (for a Jeep with a V6). Have had "fast" cars. Didn't buy this with the understanding it was "fast". "Peppy" works IMO.

 

[Klutch]

Could someone define "peppy" for me with a number? I think mine is "peppy" (for a Jeep with a V6). Have had "fast" cars. Didn't buy this with the understanding it was "fast". "Peppy" works IMO.

I'm sure personal perspective has a lot do to with it. To me, if I mash on the pedal which is narrow, and seemingly nothing happens, that's not peppy. If I mash on the pedal which is narrow and the vehicle smoothly downshifts (or I manually downshift) and the engine spins up and gets the vehicle moving, that's peppy.

I have rented many vehicles over the years. Some were peppy, most were not. The worst vehicles I have ever driven were the Chevrolet Cavalier and the Chevrolet HHR. Jeez, were those cars turds on treads. Not only were they not peppy, they couldn't get out of their own way. Oh, sure, the auto trans would dump into low gear and the engine would scream like a Banchee, but the vehicle didn't move any faster. Phooey!

I've talked to people who drive brand new Tacoma trucks with the inline four. They tell me acceleration is barely there and they have to put their foot the floor to make the truck do 70 MPH on the freeway; not peppy!

Context is very important. Obviously, we shouldn't expect a midsize truck to drive like a Mustang GT. But it shouldn't be a lumber wagon either.

That's my take, anyway.

 

[Squelch]

Could someone define "peppy" for me with a number? I think mine is "peppy" (for a Jeep with a V6). Have had "fast" cars. Didn't buy this with the understanding it was "fast". "Peppy" works IMO.

That's the problem - it's all subjective. I had a Nissan GTR before I had this truck - it was PEPPY. The Gladiator is peppy for a truck. I don't expect a sub-3-second 0-60 in the Gladiator, and I didn't expect to pull a 3000-pound trailer while carrying a motorcycle in the trunk of the GTR. You have to trade one capability for another and the level of "peppy" is going to be less the more you add other capabilities (towing, hauling, off-roading).

 

[ssteve]

Could someone define "peppy" for me with a number? I think mine is "peppy" (for a Jeep with a V6). Have had "fast" cars. Didn't buy this with the understanding it was "fast". "Peppy" works IMO.

The technical definition is “lively and spirited”. For me personally to be “peppy” it should at least be more “lively and spirited” than the average base model family car. Best I could claim is that it has enough power to be functional and pretty decent throttle response. Pretty sure it’s just accepted after jeep has set the bar so dismally low for decades.

 

[JeepJunky]

What differential gears come with the Mojave? Wondering if they're too tall and that's why we see so many complaints about it being sluggish and slow. My Sport S has 4:10 gears with an auto and it's downright peppy.

I just traded in my 2017 Ram 1500 Sport (High ratio, 395 HP) which was so fun to mash down on the gas a little. I am amazed I never got a ticket. The first week with the Mojave I felt it was powered by, oh I don't know, I guess a six cylinder. After week 2, I notice at traffic lights that most cars fall behind me. I'm not punching it or flooring it. I'm just driving. I agree with the thought that it is sluggish if you are coming off of close to 400 horsepower. I got use to Miss MoHav very quickly. The only thing I haven't quite adjusted 100% to yet is the steering seems to require a lot more attention than the Ram did.

First 2 weeks impression? I love this thing.

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