2020 Jeep Gladiator Engine Options Will Not Include a 4-Cylinder
Slideshow: There will be two engine options on tap for the box with a bed.
What can we get?
Jeep's all-new open-air pickup truck is coming to rescue consumers from the humdrum choices from the Blue Oval and other brands with a tried and true pedigree of tough vehicles. The Gladiator will come with a standard soft top, four doors, and all of the same capabilities as the Wrangler. The only thing from the Wrangler that won't be coming over to the Gladiator is the four-cylinder turbo engine.
Are you entertained?
The new pickup from Jeep will, however, get the choice of the reliable 3.6-liter Pentastar motor and a 3.0-liter EcoDiesel that will be offered in 2020. Those hoping for a hybrid eTorque option are out of luck. But why won't it be coming to the Gladiator when the Wrangler gets the 48-volt mild hybrid system that adds torque in needed areas of the rev range for a much more spirited experience? According to a spokesman at Jeep, it all came down to two factors: towing and temperature management.
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The Gladiator is not here to play games
"The 3.6-liter engine can handle the temperatures seen while towing," they said. The Pentastar V6 will enable the Gladiator to tow up to 7,650 lbs and haul up to 1,600 lbs in the bed. That towing number puts the Gladiator at the best in its class but the Ford Ranger still bests it by 50 lbs in the hauling department. Chevy, Ford, Toyota, and Nissan all offer inline-4s in their midsize trucks but Jeep didn't see the value in it.
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A long time coming
Chrysler killed off Jeep's last pickup, the Camanche, more than 25 years ago with the last model rolling off the line in 1992. Speculation has been brewing for the last few years about Jeep producing another pickup for the brand with the announcement way back in 2015. At the LA Auto Show, the Gladiator showed up in trail-spec Rubicon form and even a Mopar accessory loaded variant.
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Ready to rock n roll
The Gladiator will come to the market with a plethora of hardware for off-road conditions that range from a pair of 4x4 systems, Dana 44 axles, electric front, rear lockers, skid plates, and a limited slip diff. The Rubicon Gladiator models will come with upgraded 4.10 axles, upgraded suspension articulation and travel, Fox shocks, adaptive disconnecting sway bars, protective cab, and steel rear bumper with cargo bed rails. The Rubicon can run tire sizes up to 35 inches with no lift and you can equip a front-facing camera that is capable of showing anything less than two feet in front of the vehicle.
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