2020 Jeep Gladiator Off-Road in Moab at the Easter Jeep Safari
332Dan Edmunds visits the Easter Jeep Safari, an annual off-road gathering of Jeep Wrangler enthusiasts that happens in Moab, Utah. We drop by the town and then venture out onto one of the trails in the new 2020 Jeep Gladiator pickup to do a little exploring and see how it performs. Along the way, we check out the Jeep Gladiator Wayout and talk with a Jeep designer about the other concept vehicles the automaker brought. Dan also chats with one of the event's expert trail leaders about the Easter Jeep Safari and how the event has grown over the years.
About the 2020 Jeep Gladiator:
The new Gladiator may just be the perfect vehicle for those who want a Jeep but need a truck. It benefits from the Wrangler's well-sorted V6 engine and eight-speed automatic transmission combination, and it has the same impressive-to-look-at and easy-to-use interior as the newest Wrangler. And its pickup credentials are real: The Sport S can tow 7,650 pounds and has a 1,600-pound payload, but even the Rubicon can tow 7,000 pounds.
Yes, the driving experience does suffer a bit from the very Jeepy solid front axle, but a smooth-riding coil-spring rear suspension offsets that. And the Gladiator's wheelbase is indeed a bit long compared to other crew-cab pickups. That's a mixed bag because it smooths out the ride and tracks it straighter on the road, but it also reduces breakover clearance and makes it more likely to drag its belly off-road.
The Jeep Gladiator is available in four trim levels - Sport, Sport S, Overland and Rubicon - that provide increasing levels of comfort, convenience and off-road capability.
All come with a 5-foot cargo bed, a four-wheel-drive system and a 3.6-liter V6 engine that produces 285 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed manual transmission is standard, and an eight-speed automatic is optional.
The Jeep Gladiator Sport trim is equipped with 17-inch steel wheels, all-season tires, crank windows, manual door locks and mirrors, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, cruise control, an eight-speaker audio system, a 5-inch central display, a rearview camera, Bluetooth, and voice control capability.
The Gladiator Overland model dresses up a Sport S with style and function features such as 18-inch alloy wheels, body-color wheel arches, side steps, and tinted rear side and rear windows. Additional standard features include automatic headlights, LED ambient footwell lighting, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, the 7-inch infotainment system (with additional USB ports for the rear passengers), and a 110-volt outlet in the center console.
Finally, the Rubicon trim provides the most off-road capability with a different transfer case that provides a lower crawl ratio for better climbing and crawling, fenders with increased clearance to accommodate larger 33-inch all-terrain tires, locking front and rear differentials, an electronically disconnectable front stabilizer bar, Fox shock absorbers, and body-protecting rock rails and skid plates.
Read our Jeep Gladiator review: https://www.edmunds.com/jeep/gladiator/2020/
More Jeep Gladiator Videos:
Watch our 2020 Jeep Gladiator Off-Road Truck Comparison: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YShvfvW-qbg
Watch our Jeep Wrangler vs. 2020 Jeep Gladiator Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtOTMVWKfz4
About the Easter Jeep Safari:
The Easter Jeep Safari started in 1967 as a single-day trail run hosted by local Jeep enthusiasts eager to share the amazing old mining trails and incredible slickrock vistas that surround the town. The idea proved to be extremely popular, and it expanded to the point that it now spans a full nine days, each of which includes several guided trail runs to choose from.
But today's Easter Jeep Safari is more than a collection of trail runs. It's now a bucket-list item for Jeep owners and enthusiasts, drawing in adventurous off-roaders from all over the globe. For this reason, Jeep designers and engineers routinely participate so they can gather suggestions from dedicated fans and share future concept vehicles to see if they strike the right chord and make sense to produce.
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Archival photos courtesy of The Times Independent
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