Jeep Gladiator review

If the Gladiator’s rugged exterior looks promise an adventure-ready vehicle, the interior cements that feeling. Featuring the same satisfyingly chunky, color-coded, high-function layout that debuted in the Wrangler, the Gladiator adds a couple of new features to the mix.

Such as all-new rear seats – available, like the fronts, in either cloth or leather – which can be folded in a number of different ways to carry more stuff or people. Plus conceal a huge lockable bin to stash all your gear. This is especially valuable if you exercise your right to remove the Gladiator’s doors, roof and want to keep your valuables safe when you park up at the trail head/beach/jetty/motocross track.

It’s worth noting that the Jeep designers and engineers have thought about where to put all the detachable panels – and the bolts, which live in an underseat storage bin – when you take them off. So that hunt for an elusive bolt as the rainstorm starts should be that much shorter.

Other than all the tech you’d expect to find, there are a couple of interesting tech easter eggs available. Rubicon models can be specced with a forward facing off-road trail camera, complete with mini powerwasher. And all models can be fitted with a portable wireless speaker which lives, and is charged, in a docking station on the rear quarter panel.

All this and the windshield still folds flat onto the hood of the truck. There isn’t another pickup that can do that.