Video: Why Do People Dislike the Gladiator?

At first, it seemed like a home run, but Gladiators aren’t exactly selling like hotcakes. What, exactly, turns buyers off?

On paper, it seemed like a great idea. People love pickup trucks. People love SUVs. And most of all, people love the Jeep Wrangler. Combining these similar flavors into one delicious 4×4 cocktail should be a recipe for surefire success. However, there are plenty of folks out there who simply don’t like it.

YouTuber SamkoWorkShop covered that very topic in a recent video, but don’t dismiss him as a hater. He’s a is a Gladiator owner and fan, but he’s open minded. In his quest to understand why folks don’t like the Gladiator, he was honest in his reflection of the ownership experience.

His first two negatives boil down to the boxy styling. We may love the way the Gladiator looks, but that shape is terrible for fuel economy. In addition, it’s liable to get blown around a lot in high winds. Combine that with a solid front axle, and you’ve got a truck that’s liable to wander like a kid in the candy aisle.

Typical Truck Problems?

However, poor fuel economy and lackluster handling aren’t unique to the Gladiator. Most trucks will have those issues. One thing that is unique to the Gladiator among trucks are the removable body panels. It’s fun to catch some sun, but you get a lot of wind noise – with or without those panels in place.

The rear seat is roomy, but the shape of the rear door makes access difficult. That’s a minor nitpick for the driver, but could be a serious issue for folks who make off-roading a family affair.

Getting into some more Gladiator-specific issues is the lack of skid plates on the Mojave models. It may look the part, but some may not view it as a serious off-roader due to the lack of underbody protection. The longer wheelbase of the Gladiator means that the breakover angle isn’t as conducive to off-roading as the Wrangler. Skid plates would be really helpful for some much-needed protection.

The biggest issue, according to SamkoWorkShop, is the lack of a Hemi option. With Mojave prices topping $70k, he thinks it’s unacceptable that a beefier motor isn’t even an option. However, that would raise the price even more.

If you have a spouse, they’ve learned to accept our sometimes annoying quirks – our Jeep obsession, for example. When it comes to the Gladiator, maybe true love means accepting it for what it is and enjoying the ride.

Photos: Stellantis

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Cameron Vanderhorst

Cam VanDerHorst has been a contributor to Internet Brands' Auto Group sites for over three years, with his byline appearing on Ford Truck Enthusiasts, Corvette Forum, JK Forum, and Harley-Davidson Forums, among others. In that time, he's also contributed to Autoweek, The Drive, and Scale Auto Magazine.
He bought his first car at age 14 -- a 1978 Ford Mustang II -- and since then he’s amassed an impressive and diverse collection of cars, trucks, and motorcycles, including a 1996 Ford Mustang SVT Mystic Cobra (#683) and a classic air-cooled Porsche 911.
In addition to writing about cars and wrenching on them in his spare time, he enjoys playing music (drums and ukulele), building model cars, and tending to his chickens.
You can follow Cam, his cars, his bikes, and his chickens at @camvanderhorst on Instagram.