Oh, Jeep. Look, pickup trucks usually don’t come as convertibles. There are many good reasons for this, such as weight and body rigidity, but most importantly, it doesn’t seem to be a feature that many truck customers need or want. But Jeep doesn’t care about such lazy things. Once you understand that, you’ll understand why the Jeep Gladiator is the only convertible pickup truck.
Why aren’t there more convertibles?
I want to go ahead and get the Range Rover Evoque out of the way. Even if it’s not a pickup and the Range Rover eventually had the sense to kill this hideous creature, it still informs this conversation. Although no uglier than the bottom of my shoe, the Evoque convertible was doomed. It seems clear that the sinking luxury SUV is not something the people want.
Interestingly, the Jeep Gladiator, an honest-to-god convertible pickup truck, is not only selling like gangbusters, but it’s pretty cool.
The Jeep Gladiator is special
Besides being the only convertible pickup, Jeep operates by a different set of rules than the rest of the automotive world. The Jeep Wrangler—the foundation of the Gladiator—hasn’t rated well for comfort, reliability, safety, or damn near anything else in a long time. None of that seems to matter though. People love Jeeps. I love jeeps. Good, bad or otherwise, something inside us makes us want a proper Jeep.
The Gladiator has a different, longer chassis than the Wranglers on which it models its appearance. Also, borrowing from the CJ8 Scramblers of the ’80s, it wears a truck bed on the back of a Wrangler. It’s cool.
The Gladiator continued to transform the Wrangler into a truck and retained the Wrangler’s removable top. It’s a convertible truck.
Is the Jeep Gladiator a good truck?
This depends on what your definition of “good” is. Again, the world of Wranglers and Wrangler-based trucks is not about being “good” but about driving a Jeep. But I understand that is not the most useful answer.
Consumer Reports was not impressed with the Gladiator. However, it was rated higher than the Wrangler, interestingly enough. The 2022 Jeep Gladiator comes standard with a 3.6-liter V6, producing 285 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque through a standard six-speed manual transmission or an optional eight-speed automatic transmission. There is also an optional 3.0-litre turbodiesel option – manual transmission and convertible for a pickup. I’m just saying’…
The Jeep Wrangler, in its toughest configuration, can tow 7,650 lbs. While it’s a decent spec, the gas mileage is a killer. The Gladiator gets an oppressive 16 mpg city and 23 highway. The diesel version is rated at 22 mpg city and 28 highway.
Fuel economy isn’t the only sacrifice you’ll make for the convertible pickup. The interior also leaves a little to be desired from a truck that starts at $38,765. Remember, real 4×4 Jeeps value off-road capability more than anything else. As such, the interior can become a bit spartan and harsh. That said, thanks to the longer wheelbase, Car and Driver says legroom, as well as headroom, is very good.
The only convertible is cool
Convertible trucks as a segment can sound extremely lame and moany from any angle, but the only one we have on the market right now is really cool. It’s not that great, objectively speaking, but many of us out there see ourselves living the Jeep life. Instead, we buy decent and practical vehicles like a Toyota. Let’s work on it.
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