Everything You Should Know About The Jeep Gladiator Sport S
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The 2022 Jeep Gladiator Sport S returns for its fourth production cycle, and in doing so, once again raises the question, will its capability and utility be enough to overcome its archaic interior quality? If the last three model years have proven anything, the answer is yes. With sales nearly doubling from 2019 to 2020, and then another 15% from 2020 to 2021, it would appear early on that Jeep has built another cult classic.
Largely sacrificing comfort for practicality, Jeep’s loyal customer base has proven time and time again that capability will always outperform the flash and glamour carmakers have been shifting towards the last couple of decades. The Gladiator has quickly catapulted itself to the top of its midsize pickup competition as it relates to off-road talent, stowing prowess, and towing ingenuity. Let’s take a look at everything you should know about the 2022 Jeep Gladiator Sport S.
Engine And Performance Of The 2022 Jeep Gladiator Sport S
Powered by Stellantis’ stalwart 3.6L V6 Pentastar engine, the Gladiator is capable of producing 285-hp with 260 lb-ft of torque that kicks in at 4,400 rpm. Mated to its standard six-speed transmission, the Gladiator can produce an admirable 0-60 mph acceleration time of 7.9 seconds. However, the Gladiator isn’t meant to see how fast it can go from a standstill. True to its Jeep name, the Gladiator Sport S is a four-wheel drive truck that is more than capable of donning the Trail-Rated badging.
The Gladiator also comes with an optional 3.0-liter Turbo EcoDiesel engine, that sees a decrease in power to 260-hp, but packs a walloping 442 lb-ft of torque, which is best in its class. The diesel engine ditches the six-speed in favor of an eight-speed automatic transmission, and pairs with the wide track axles of the Gladiator to offer better acceleration than the Pentastar, while simultaneously adding the strength necessary to handle the low-end torque you’ll need when crawling over rocks on the trails.
As mentioned previously, the Gladiator comes standard with Trail-Rated options from its numerous skid plate options, extended ground clearance, and ability to tread through waters up to 30” in depth. There’s not much you can throw at the Gladiator off the beaten path that it can’t handle. It does still however, retain Jeep’s tedious steering at highway speeds, a minor drawback when considering the intended purpose of this off-road ready truck.
Fuel Economy Of The Gladiator Sport S
If there was ever a drawback for any Jeep, it would unfortunately be its fuel economy. Which makes sense, for it to be as capable, and utilitarian as it needs to be, it must create enough power and torque to handle the toughest roads in the world. The Gladiator excels past its competition in just about every category, except for fuel efficiency. Where its gas-burning, engine comes in dead-last.
According to the EPA, the 3.6-liter Pentastar engine with six-speed manual transmission sees a paltry 16 mpg in the city and 23 mpg on the highway, whereas its eight-speed automatic transmission counterpart sees 17 mpg in the city, and 22 mpg on the highway. However, the 3.0-liter EcoDiesel tells a different story. With its EPA-rated 22 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway, the Jeep Gladiator EcoDiesel not only outperforms all midsize diesel trucks, but all midsize trucks regardless of gasoline or diesel.
Towing Capabilities
Jeep has long been synonymous with off-roading, reaching Kleenex-esque notoriety in some countries, referring to their entire classes of off-road vehicles simply as “jeeps.” With the addition of the Gladiator is would appear Jeep is beginning to add another notch in the belt when it comes to utility of this midsize pickup truck.
Due in large part to its high-strength steel frame, heavy-duty axles, coil suspension, and the largest brakes of any midsize pickup, the Gladiator is able to achieve a maximum tow load of 7,650 pounds. Earning it the title of best in class towing, the Gladiator also leads the competition with a 1,700 pound 4×4 payload limit for the bed. Beating out midsize pickup icons such as the Ford Ranger, Toyota Tacoma, and Nissan Frontier.
Interior And Cargo Capability
Much like its Wrangler brother, the Gladiator features a largely straight-forward interior configuring with a stunning amount of comfort features, while still remaining unequivocally, a rugged Jeep at heart. Between its waterproof push-to-start button, heated seats and steering wheel, durable cloth, or optional leather-trimmed seats, the interior continues Jeep’s practicality and capability ethos they’ve established for the Gladiator.
Featuring the best in class rear seat legroom, a five-foot cargo bed, well-hidden storage, and removable body panels to create an open-air cabin, the Gladiator can not only take you anywhere, it can also haul your family, their luggage, and the dog, comfortably. Its flexible and foldable seating also allows for even more room when fitting essential outdoor gear.
Safety And Technology
Boasting over 80 standard safety features, the Gladiator’s build quality also matches its ability to keep its passengers out of harm’s way. Offering such options as Gorilla Glass windshield for added durability and protection against anything the trails might throw at you, literally. The Gladiator also offers industry-standard features like blind spot monitoring, adaptive cruise control, collision warning, and path detection that will also keep you safe when on surface streets. Finally, the Gladiator offers a trailer sway control system that will detect when a trailer is out of line and automatically apply brake pressure to the correct wheels to return the trailer in line.
Technology features do leave quite a bit to the imagination when it comes to the base Gladiator Sport S, but with available packages and upgrades, the Gladiator features similar technology across the automotive landscape. From Wi-Fi hotspot capability, keyless remote entry, and Bluetooth connectivity, the Gladiator won’t win any tech awards, but it is capable of hosting a bevy of feature, it’ll just cost you.
Pricing For The Gladiator Sport S
While the initial MSRP of $39,010 isn’t going to cause anyone to balk on the Gladiator Sport S, its inflated price tag can reach $55,000 and up, pretty quickly, after adding some necessary options that come standard on other midsize pickup trucks. But as it remains, the Gladiator Sport S is meant to be seen as an off-road ready truck, with the opportunity to add 21st century features at an extra price. A large amount of its customer base will be previous Jeep owners looking for a little more cargo room and towing capability than their Wrangler.
The truth of the matter is there are far more economical and technological midsize pickup trucks than this Jeep. However, there are none more capable of towing, loading, and of course, off-roading, than the 2022 Jeep Gladiator Sport S
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