Jeep Gladiator JT

The Gladiator JT, launched for the 2020 model year, is the first Wrangler-derived pickup since the CJ-8 Scrambler went out of production in 1986. Jeep stretched the JL Wrangler wheelbase by 19.4 inches, added a 5-foot bed, and kept everything that defines a modern Wrangler: solid Dana axles front and rear, body-on-frame construction, removable doors and roof, fold-down windshield. The 3.6L Pentastar V6 and 8-speed automatic carry over from the JL; a 3.0L EcoDiesel V6 was available for 2020-2023 (260 hp, 442 lb-ft, dropped after 2023).

The Rubicon trim gets the same off-road kit as the JL Rubicon: Dana 44 HD axles, factory Tru-Lok electronic lockers front and rear, 4:1 Rock-Trac transfer case, electronic front sway-bar disconnect, 33-inch Falken Wildpeak M/T tires, and 4 aux switches pre-wired through the dash. Towing tops out at 7,650 lb on Rubicon (lower than non-Rubicon Gladiators because of the gearing).

The Mojave trim, exclusive to the Gladiator (no equivalent on the Wrangler), is built for high-speed desert running rather than rock crawling. Fox internal-bypass shocks with hydraulic bump stops, a 1-inch front lift, reinforced frame mounts, beefier upper control arms, 33s on widened wheels, and a "Desert Rated" badge. The Mojave keeps a rear locker but drops the front locker and sway-bar disconnect — the trade-off for a vehicle tuned to run 60 mph through whoops.

Aftermarket support is essentially a rebrand of the JL Wrangler catalog with extensions for the longer wheelbase. Bed-mounted tents, drawer systems, gas/water cans, and bed racks fit dozens of configurations. The Gladiator pays the longer-wheelbase price in tight technical sections; it makes up for it as the most capable mid-size truck for hauling a real overland load.