Written by Isaac BoberArticle from Unsealed 4X4

The 2020 Jeep Gladiator will go on-sale in Australia from May with prices starting at $75,450+ORCs for the Gladiator Overland.

The Jeep Gladiator will go on-sale in Australia from May in just two flavours and with no diesel engine. Prices start from $75,450+ORCs for the Gladiator Overland and from $76,450+ORCs for the Rubicon.

Australia is the first right-hand drive market in the world to get the Jeep Gladiator but while some markets get access to a diesel engine and a manual transmission, Australia won’t. Making the announcement today, Jeep Australia boss, Kevin Flynn said, ““The Jeep Gladiator will be the first Jeep truck to land on Australian shores; it is so different, so competent, and it is so Jeep. It is the ultimate enabler for people to find and make their own adventures.”

“The excitement and anticipation for the Jeep Gladiator has been tremendous. It is undeniably a Jeep and has the versatility and functionality to meet all levels of adventure regardless of the terrain. It’s such a unique vehicle and I can’t wait for Australian’s to find their own adventure and experience the Jeep Gladiator,” Mr Flynn continued.

Unsealed 4X4 has already driven the Gladiator at its international launch in New Zealand and we said, “Crawling along across a line of boulders also takes your mind off any lack of torque from the petrol V6. Fundamentally, there’s so much gearing for the taking that it’s just not an issue, and at times, you’re actually thankful for the engine’s ability to rev since it means you can hold a lower gear between obstacles and not be caught in the wrong ratio when the 2300kg of the Rubicon starts to feel gravity. The seats offer enough support but still allow you to peer around the A-pillars, but damn, a left-foot rest to steady yourself over lumpy terrain would be a nice touch”. You can read more HERE.

The Gladiator Overland gets Jeep’s Selec-Trac Active On-Demand 4×4 system which features a two-speed part-time transfer case with a 2.72:1 low-range gear ratio, and heavy-duty third-generation Dana 44 axles with a 3.73 rear axle ratio. The Jeep Gladiator Rubicon gets the Rock-Trac Active On-Demand 4×4 system, with heavy-duty third-generation Dana 44 front and rear axles with a “4LO” ratio of 4:1. A 4.10 rear axle ratio is standard as are Tru-Lok locking differentials. The Rubicon variant also offers improved articulation and total suspension travel with help from a segment- exclusive electronic sway-bar disconnect and boasts a crawl ratio of 77.2:1. The Gladiator (regardless of the variant) runs a 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 engine making 209kW of power and 347Nm of torque, this is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, and it offers a maximum payload of 620kg and a maximum braked towing capacity of 2722kg (which is way off the pace).

There are two packages available for both variants, the Overland gets a Lifestyle Adventure Package for $3835 which includes a cargo management system, lockable rear under-seat storage bin, roll-up tonneau cover, spray-in bedliner, auxiliary switch bank with a 240-amp alternator, 700-amp maintenance-free battery, and wireless speaker. The Rubicon offers the same package for the same price but deletes the wireless speaker. A Luxury pack is available for the Rubicon which includes leather seat trim and body colour flares and heated front seats and steering wheel. Also available: 17-inch Black Wheels with Polished Lip ($975); Rubicon Steel Front Bumper ($1650); Body-Colour Three-Piece Hard Top ($1950); Premium Black Sunrider Soft Top ($3575); and Premium Paint ($1035) MSRP

Jeep Gladiator Overland – Key Features

• McKinley Leather Seats with Overland logo;
• Jeep Selec-Trac Active On-Demand 4×4 system;
• Heated Front Seats and Steering Wheel;
• 18-inch Alloy Wheels;
• Removable Body Colour Freedom Hard Top Roof;
• LED Headlights/Taillights/Daytime Running Lights/Fog Lights;
• Forward Collision Warning Plus;
• Body Colour Fender Flares;
• Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop;
• Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross Path Detection;
• Remote Proximity Keyless Entry;
• 9-Speaker Alpine Premium Audio System;
• Uconnect 8.4-inch Touchscreen with Navigation; and
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Jeep Gladiator Rubicon – Key Features

• Jeep Rock-Trac Active On-Demand II 4×4 system [4:1 Transfer Case];
• Jeep Tru-Lok Front & Rear Locking Differentials;
• Front Sway-Bar Disconnect;
• FOX aluminum-bodied 2” diameter shocks [front/rear];
• Forward-Facing TrailCam Off-Road Camera;
• Selectable Tyre-Fill Alert;
• 32” BFGoodrich Off-Road Tyres [255/75R17];
• 17-inch Alloy Wheels;
• LED Headlights/Taillights/Day-Time Running Lights/Fog Lights;
• Forward Collision Warning Plus;
• Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop;
• Blind Spot Monitor with Rear Cross Path Detection;
• Remote Proximity Keyless Entry;
• 9-Speaker Alpine Premium Audio System;
• Uconnect 8.4-inch Touchscreen with Navigation; and
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.