What is the Gladiator’s ability to tow and what does it do for fuel economy?
The Fast Lane Truck extensively tested the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon on-road. The Gladiator Rubicon has been compared against the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison as well as the Ford Ranger FX4. Both times, it has won.
The Gladiator is a proven off-road vehicle. The pick-up bed is what makes the Gladiator different from the Jeep. This truck is expected to behave as one. This is the latest test by The Fast Lane Truck. It’s a complete pavement test that will give you an idea of how well this Jeep can be tow.
The average pickup’s towing capacity has always been its downfall. Even if the truck is rated at a certain weight the fuel economy is affected greatly and the driving experience is poor as the truck feels too heavy, even though it is not designed to to haul.
The Gladiator can tow up to 7,500 pounds. The trailer enclosed in the video weighs around 4,300 pounds. This is well below the maximum. It is not the goal of this video to show how heavy the Gladiator can pull, but rather to show what average fuel economy can be expected for towing an average load.
Initial results indicate a drop in rear suspension of about 1″. This is a good start to the test. The loaded Gladiator took just 21 seconds to accelerate from a stop at an on-ramp to reach 60 mph. It used every foot of ramp space before merging with traffic. It’s not too bad, but one host comments that the 3.6-liter V6 could use more torque.
Due to its slab-sided design, the Gladiator is more sensitive to wind and can be towable. Although the truck isn’t keen to be moved around, it can still be driven with ease. The interior sounds are acceptable, even though they are a little loud. This is understandable considering the Gladiator’s removable roof panels. The ride with the trailer attached is not all bad. One for the Gladiator!
Although the Gladiator’s highway rating is 22 MPG, the added weight of a 4,300-pound trailer will have a significant impact on fuel economy. You may be wondering how much. The Gladiator’s average fuel consumption is 8.5 miles per gallon after approximately 100 miles. This isn’t great, but it’s comparable to the results of similar midsize trucks that were subject to the same test.
Although the Gladiator isn’t the most efficient at all its tasks, it’s good enough to do the job where it counts. The Gladiator would still be our top pick for a pickup truck of medium size to add to our fleet.