2024 Jeep Gladiator: Capability, Trims, and What to Look For

The Gladiator is the only midsize pickup you can take the doors and roof off of. That alone makes it different from a Tacoma or a Ranger — but the real question is whether the truck underneath earns it.

Here’s how the 2024 Gladiator breaks down.

The Powertrain

A 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 producing 285 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic.

This is the engine for 2024. Jeep discontinued the EcoDiesel option after the previous model year, so if you’ve read about a diesel Gladiator, that was an earlier truck.

Standard 4×4 on every trim, with heavy-duty Dana 44 front and rear axles — solid axles front and rear, which is increasingly rare and is a large part of why this truck goes where it does.

Towing and Payload

Up to 7,650 pounds of towing and up to 1,700 pounds of payload when properly equipped.

Those figures require specific configurations, including the Max Tow package on the towing side. Ratings vary by trim and equipment, so check the door-jamb sticker on the specific truck before matching it to a trailer.

Seventy-six hundred pounds covers a bass boat, a pair of side-by-sides, or a small camper — genuinely useful capability in a truck this size.

The Trims Worth Knowing

Sport and Willys — the capable foundation. If your off-roading is forest roads, ranch tracks, and the occasional wash, this is enough truck.

Rubicon — the rock-crawling setup, with lower gearing, locking differentials, an electronic sway bar disconnect, and available 33-inch all-terrain tires. Built for slow, technical terrain.

Mojave — the one worth talking about in this market. Where the Rubicon is tuned for crawling, the Mojave is built for speed over desert terrain: Fox internal-bypass shocks, a reinforced frame, a front skid plate, and a hydraulic jounce bumper.

For the terrain around El Paso and southern New Mexico — washboard, sand, high-speed dirt roads — the Mojave is arguably the more relevant Desert Rated truck, and it’s the trim most people here haven’t considered.

Ground Clearance and Trail Rated

Up to 11.1 inches of ground clearance, with genuine water-fording capability.

The Trail Rated badge covers five categories: traction, water fording, maneuverability, articulation, and ground clearance. Unlike most off-road badging, it reflects actual testing.

The Bed

A five-foot steel bed with integrated tie-downs, an available spray-in bedliner, and a three-position tailgate.

The bed is the whole argument for a Gladiator over a Wrangler. It handles the things you don’t want inside a vehicle — wet gear, dirt bikes, firewood, a cooler that’s been sitting in the sun.

It’s shorter than a full-size truck’s box, so if you regularly haul lumber or long materials, look at a Ram 1500 instead.

Interior

Uconnect 5 with a large touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and navigation. Confirm the screen size on the specific truck, since it varies by configuration.

The wash-out interior with removable carpet and drain plugs, plus weather-resistant switches. Take the doors off, get caught in a monsoon storm, hose it out. Nothing else in the segment does that.

Storage that gets used: a lockable rear-seat storage bin, a rear under-seat compartment, and an available removable Bluetooth speaker.

Seating for five with available leather-trimmed seats and soft-touch surfaces on higher trims.

Exterior

The seven-slot grille, standard LED headlights, fog lights, and taillights.

Removable doors and an available hard or soft top. Still the thing that separates a Gladiator from every other midsize pickup on the market.

Wheel options run to rugged all-terrain setups depending on trim.

Safety

• Forward Collision Warning with Active Braking
• Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go
• Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross Path Detection
• ParkView Rear Back-Up Camera
• Electronic Stability Control

Content varies by trim, so confirm on the specific vehicle.

Gladiator, Wrangler, or Ram 1500?

Wrangler — shorter, more maneuverable on tight trails, enclosed cargo area. Right if you don’t need a bed.

Gladiator — the Wrangler experience plus a five-foot bed and more towing capacity. Longer, which costs you some agility on technical trails.

Ram 1500 — full-size, longer bed options, more towing, better highway ride. Right if the truck is primarily a truck.

Buying a 2024 Gladiator Now

A few things to check on a used one:

Evidence of hard use. Look at the skid plates, underbody, and suspension. Check wheels and tires for trail damage.

Bed condition. Look under the liner if there is one.

Remaining factory warranty. Coverage runs from the original in-service date rather than the model year, so ask for that date.

Open recalls. Recalls are VIN-specific and free to remedy at any franchised dealer. Look up any VIN at NHTSA or Jeep’s owner site, or we’ll run it for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What engine does the 2024 Jeep Gladiator have? A 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 producing 285 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic. The EcoDiesel option was discontinued after the previous model year.

How much can the 2024 Jeep Gladiator tow? Up to 7,650 pounds when properly equipped, with payload up to 1,700 pounds. Both figures require specific configurations, so confirm on the specific truck.

What’s the difference between the Gladiator Rubicon and Mojave? The Rubicon is built for slow, technical rock crawling with lower gearing, locking differentials, and a sway bar disconnect. The Mojave is built for high-speed desert running, with Fox internal-bypass shocks, a reinforced frame, and a hydraulic jounce bumper.

How big is the Gladiator’s bed? Five feet, in steel, with integrated tie-downs, an available spray-in bedliner, and a three-position tailgate.

Can you remove the doors and roof on a Gladiator? Yes. Removable doors and an available hard or soft top are standard Jeep features on the Gladiator.

How much ground clearance does the Gladiator have? Up to 11.1 inches depending on trim and configuration.

What does Trail Rated mean? A Jeep designation based on testing in five categories: traction, water fording, maneuverability, articulation, and ground clearance.

Where can I see a Jeep Gladiator near El Paso? Sunland Park Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram at 950 Crockett St. in El Paso, TX, serving Las Cruces, Sunland Park, and Alamogordo. Browse our Gladiator inventory or contact us at 915-584-9393.

Come Drive One

If you’re weighing a Rubicon against a Mojave, drive both. They’re tuned for opposite kinds of terrain, and the difference is obvious within a mile. And take a top off while you’re here — that’s the part no spec sheet conveys.

Browse our Gladiator inventory, our full Jeep lineup, or our used and certified pre-owned inventory.

Building one out? Our parts department handles Mopar accessories, and you can browse the accessory catalogs or order parts online.

Check current offers and incentives, estimate a payment, value your trade, or apply for financing.

Our service department handles Gladiator maintenance and warranty work, and you can schedule service online any time.