2026 Jeep Gladiator Review

Our automotive expert shares opinions and new photos of the 2026 Gladiator.

Beverly Braga | 

Aug 13, 2026 | 12 min read

Beverly Braga

• Pros: The Gladiator offers a unique on- and off-roading experience while arguably providing more utility than the Wrangler.
• Cons: The Gladiator comes at a steep price, with few amenities and all-terrain tires that make for a loud ride.
• The Takeaway: Capable, customizable, and cargo-friendly, the 2026 Gladiator is the go-to Jeep for carrying just about everything and going pretty much everywhere.

Instantly recognizable and respected, the Jeep brand knows exactly what it's doing with its from-the-factory, off-road-ready vehicles. The 2026 Jeep Gladiator, despite being a truck, understands this assignment and can climb and claw the same mountains and valleys as the more wiry Wrangler. But for all its off-the-grid prowess, its on-pavement personality might leave you wishing for a smoother, quieter ride.

• What's new for the 2026 Jeep Gladiator
• About the 2026 Gladiator review vehicle
• Design, quality, and interior layout
• Comfort, convenience, and cargo space
• 2026 Jeep Gladiator infotainment system review
• Safety features and ratings
• 2026 Jeep Gladiator specs and fuel economy
• 2026 Jeep Gladiator test drive
• Alternatives to the 2026 Jeep Gladiator

What's New for the 2026 Jeep Gladiator

Largely a carryover model, the 2026 Gladiator does receive some minor updates. A new Willys '41 trim pays homage to Jeep's military roots, drawing inspiration from the World War II-era Kaiser Jeep M715 military truck. Whitecap is another heritage-inspired package newly available on select trim levels, adding a Bright White-colored roof, grille, and decals. Jeep also revised the truck's door hinges for easier removal and added new exterior colors, including Reign (purple) and Goldilocks (gold), while Joose (orange) is now a mainline color option after a limited run last year.

Debuting with the 2020 Jeep lineup, the Gladiator midsize pickup truck was freshened for 2024. 

Beverly Braga

About the 2026 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon Review Vehicle

Equipped with standard four-wheel drive (4WD), the 2026 Jeep Gladiator comes in 11 trim levels, spanning the base Sport to the Mojave X and Rubicon X, range-toppers that share the same price. Base prices range from about $42,000 to around $63,000, including the destination charge to ship the truck to a dealership from the Toledo, Ohio, assembly plant where Jeep builds it.

For this Gladiator review, I test-drove the Rubicon on its namesake, the Rubicon Trail, in Lake Tahoe, California. Optional equipment highlights included Joose premium paint, power-adjustable leather seats, a premium Alpine audio system, and the Whitecap Package, bringing the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) to $61,680, including the $1,995 destination charge.

Jeep provided the vehicle for this Gladiator Rubicon review and paid for airfare, lodging, and meals during the evaluation period.

Beverly Braga

Design, Quality, and Interior Layout

To call Jeep's design distinctive is the understatement of the century. After all, over the brand's 85 years of existence, its styling hasn't veered much from its ruggedly boxy beginnings. The Gladiator is no different, looking like a four-door Wrangler with a truck bed (because it kinda is).

For Jeep owners, though, the extensive list of trims, colors, and options helps make each vehicle feel unique. And then there's the aftermarket — but that's a rabbit hole for the fearless.

In any case, the new combo of Joose paint and the Whitecap Package made my test vehicle look like a delicious orange creamsicle on a hot summer day. And those were exactly the conditions during my trek on the Rubicon Trail as I, indeed, enjoyed ice cream while off-roading. More on that later.

Equally no-frills is the Gladiator interior. Everything you need for outdoor adventuring is front and center. The 4WD shifter, the locking differential switch, and other related buttons are clustered together and positioned for the driver. Controls are large and rubberized, making on-the-fly adjustments as easy as possible, even as you're tossed around like a salad while clambering over boulders and leaning at angles so acute, you can almost kiss the dirt.

Beverly Braga

Comfort, Convenience, and Cargo Space

The Gladiator is the party bus of the Jeep lineup.

Sure, two-door Wranglers are agile rock-crawlers and four-door Wranglers let you bring friends for the raucous ride, but the Gladiator? That added 5-foot-long steel bed means you, your three besties, and their camping/hiking/cooking stuff can also tag along. Or just you and your gear filling up the closest thing to a Jeep mansion. How many of whom and what you pack is up to you, but the Gladiator is the Jeep that gives you options.

The truck bed isn't merely a gaping hole either. Jeep offers additional utility, including a 115-volt AC power outlet, a tonneau cover, and trail rails. Interior storage can also be expanded with an optional lockable storage bin under the rear seat. And in-house parts supplier Mopar offers even more accessories.

Comfort-wise, the leather seats are the opposite of a warm embrace. Maybe their stiffness is great for longevity against environmental exposure, but I'd have preferred more cushioning. Just because I'm driving over boulders doesn't mean my seat has to feel like one, too. Adjustable side bolstering would be another plus because keeping my butt in the seat with the Rubicon rambling was sometimes a struggle. Then again, my core probably needed the workout.

Beverly Braga

2026 Jeep Gladiator Infotainment System Review

Every 2026 Gladiator is equipped with a Uconnect 5 infotainment system running through a 12.3-inch center touchscreen display.

Standard features include:

• Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity
• 4G LTE Wi-Fi hot spot 
• SiriusXM satellite radio with 360L three-month trial subscription
• Uconnect Voice Command
• Eight stereo speakers

Additional features available on higher trim levels or via packages include:

• Alexa built-in
• Navigation system
• Nine-speaker Alpine premium sound system with all-weather subwoofer and 552-watt amplifier

Without navigation, smartphone connectivity is a huge help, but it's also dependent on cell-service availability. Pairing my phone was quick and uneventful. However, Google Maps' inability to load created a mild panic attack, even when back in civilization (i.e., paved roads and stop signs). But that eventually worked itself out.

Uconnect 5 features a fast processor that makes menu selections instantaneous, and, according to Jeep, the standard 12.3-inch touchscreen is the largest in the segment. Similar to the physical knobs located below it, the onscreen graphics are large and utilize an easy-to-read typeface. The Off-Road Pages, in particular, were a great reference while off-roading. Despite the bumpy ride, the digital display design made equipment statuses legible at a glance, providing information about the locking differentials and the pitch and roll angles.

Along the trail, switching between the camera feeds and Off-Road Pages was a bit of a chore. With practice, though, muscle memory kicked in so that I didn't have to search through the categories as much.

Beverly Braga

Safety Features and Ratings

Jeep equips the Gladiator with a minimum of standard safety features. As such, to obtain any of the few advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), you must upgrade to the Sport S trim at a minimum.

My Gladiator Rubicon test truck included:

• Adaptive cruise control
• Forward-collision warning
• Automatic emergency braking

Blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear parking sensors are also available, but my test truck did not have them. With most of my behind-the-wheel time spent traversing the Rubicon Trail, I had little need for them, and all of the accompanying visual and audible warnings would have been maddening.

Of course, a popular saying is that most Jeeps only roam suburban streets and metro highways. Shopping center speed bumps are no match for 33-inch all-terrain tires and 11.1 inches of ground clearance. Unpaved paths and off-highway vehicle (OHV) trails? Don't be silly.

Yet the heart of the city is where safety nannies are most necessary. Because of its ride height and bulky profile, the Gladiator has larger blind spots, so you'll probably want those optional safety sensors to scream for your attention.

Unfortunately, my test vehicle had nothing more to evaluate than adaptive cruise control. For that, the steering wheel-mounted controls are straightforward, and I have no complaints about the overall system, which smoothly adjusted acceleration and braking.

As of publication, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had not given the 2026 Gladiator an overall safety rating due to incomplete testing. However, the truck earned a four-star (out of five) frontal-crash rating and a three-star rollover-resistance rating. A side-crash rating was unavailable.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the 2026 Gladiator performs reasonably well in crashworthiness tests, but not in headlight illumination and crash avoidance. 

Beverly Braga

2026 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon Specs and Fuel Economy

All 2026 Gladiators are outfitted with a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine, an eight-speed automatic transmission, and 4WD with a two-speed transfer case. This standard powertrain produces 285 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque.

The towing capacity ranges from 4,500 to 7,700 pounds, depending on the trim level and equipment. The maximum figure applies to Sport and Sport S models, but only when equipped with the Max Trailer Tow Package. Without any extra help, the Rubicon can tow up to 7,000 pounds.

As a purpose-built off-roader, the Gladiator Rubicon has an axle ratio of 4.10:1, compared with 3.73:1 on the base model. Additionally, the Rubicon comes equipped with Tru-Lok electronic locking front and rear differentials, plus a front sway-bar disconnect.

The Gladiator's fuel economy is EPA estimated at 19 mpg in combined city and highway driving. Off-roading garnered nowhere near that. After roughly 16 miles of slow and steady tip-over avoidance, I managed 8.1 mpg. Vehicle range also dropped significantly because off-roading is nearly the equivalent of idling the engine for hours on end.

A full tank gives 418 miles, but with a quarter-tank remaining on the trail, the range shown was 13 miles. Thankfully, once the truck was back on asphalt, that figure increased and kept climbing. Whew. Never thought I'd experience range anxiety with a gasoline-powered vehicle.

Beverly Braga

2026 Jeep Gladiator Test Drive

Off-roading isn't the most expedient way to travel, but it's an adventure worth trying at least once. And within the off-roading community, the Rubicon Trail is on the bucket list of OHV experiences. It's technical and harrowing, and it deserves respect. Oh, and at an elevation of more than 7,000 feet, the views of the Sierra Nevada mountain range are spectacular. At the same time, though, never take your eyes off the trail guides.

Invited by Jeep to join Jeep Jamboree USA's annual Rubicon Trail trip, our group's colorful collection of Gladiators and Wranglers dotted the hillside like an exploded bag of Skittles. My colleagues were a mashup of automotive and non-automotive types, and we all shared the same anxiety and anticipation. 

This was my second time on the Rubicon Trail, but I'm no expert. I'm merely familiar with what to expect and which sections to close my eyes and pray in. And the Gladiator created extra hesitation. Its 137.3-inch wheelbase is 42% longer than a two-door Wrangler's (96.8 inches). Even the four-door Wrangler is nearly 20 inches shorter in wheelbase (118.4 inches). That party-ready truck bed is gonna hang out like a sore thumb.

And it did, one loud thunk after another, which happened during every steep drop-off, of which there were many. Thankfully, the Gladiator has body armor. An eight-piece combination of rock rails and skid plates creates a well-protected underbody. But that doesn't mean I'm adding the scratching, scraping, and squeaking soundtrack to my Spotify playlist.

Over time, I became more mindful of the truck's overall length and adjusted my strategy accordingly. Though surrounded by other Jeeps, I couldn't follow the path of the shorter 4x4s in front of me. Those drivers didn't have to worry about a tail. Also, the Wrangler features 35-inch tires, which are recommended by El Dorado County, where the Rubicon Trail is located. The Gladiator's smaller 33s will "most likely cause travel to be slower and ground clearance will be limited," according to the county's website.

In short, going off the grid with the Gladiator isn't impossible, but it does take commitment, patience, and some off-road math. For example, my vehicle didn't have a front-view camera, so even after getting the all-clear from a trail guide, I still had front thunks to think about, too. To help with this, my Gladiator was equipped with Off-Road+ and Selec-Speed Control. The former calibrates the throttle, transmission, and traction for off-road-friendly speeds; the latter is cruise control that maxes out at 5 mph.

With their powers combined and my ever-increasing confidence, I became less concerned about unintended revving or braking and could focus on more important things, like snacking. Off-roading can put as much physical strain on you as it does on the vehicle, especially in the summer sun. But with Jeep's 4x4 tech, I could steer with one hand while holding an ice cream bar or a bag of Cheetos in the other. (Yes, there are pics to prove it.)

On the road, though, the Gladiator feels completely different. Sure, I can still snack at will, but at highway speeds, the truck's suspension is less compliant, the steering feel becomes vague, and, wow, is it loud in here.

Keep in mind that the Gladiator's tires were still at about 20 psi, instead of what the factory calls for. I was hoping for a softer ride, albeit a slow one, but didn't get that. Ironically, you can get jostled even around town because the truck's off-road setup is the opposite of what's typically needed for smooth on-road cruising. Sigh.

Beverly Braga

Alternatives to the 2026 Jeep Gladiator

At the end of the day, the Jeep Gladiator is just one of several midsize pickup trucks to choose from. The segment also includes the Chevrolet Colorado, Ford Ranger, GMC Canyon, Honda Ridgeline, Nissan Frontier, and Toyota Tacoma. 

Those alternatives offer more mainstream truck styling, better on-road ride quality (especially the Honda), and probably won't price you out of your home. They also offer off-road-capable performance variants such as the Colorado ZR2, Ranger Raptor, Canyon AT4X, and Tacoma TRD Pro.

Yet there's something about a Jeep that remains enticing. There is instant 4x4 credibility and a built-in community recognizing one another with the Jeep Wave. No other brand can claim such things, whether you actually go off-road or not. It's like being part of a secret society that isn't actually secret, and for some people, that instant fellowship pays for itself.

Beverly Braga

Beverly Braga is a freelance writer and consultant with nearly 20 years of experience as a storyteller and communications professional. Her work has appeared in numerous print and digital outlets covering the automotive, entertainment, lifestyle, as well as food and beverage industries.