The last diesel midsize pickup truck in America is about to die. With General Motors out of the diesel midsized truck game first, it was only a matter of time before Jeep followed. Hot on the heels of the diesel Wrangler’s run-out special, Jeep has announced a limited-edition Gladiator Rubicon FarOut to mark the end of diesel production. Mind you, the brand has only released one photo of the special truck, so for the sake of clarification, the Jeep in the photo at the top of this article is a FarOut, the rest of the Jeeps aren’t. Anyway, on with the show.
Like the Wrangler FarOut, the Gladiator Rubicon FarOut builds on the off-road-focused Rubicon trim with a litany of cosmetic and functional alterations. Stickers abound, from celebrations of this Jeep’s powertrain to acknowledgement of its limited status, while accents like the grille and wheels are blacked out. Aiding progress through the mucky stuff are 33-inch mud terrain tires and a steel front bumper that should take a decent beating.
On the inside, drivers will be pampered with leather seats, leather-wrapped trim, and the Gladiator’s excellent Cold Weather Group that includes a toasty heated steering wheel and late-autumn top-down-rated heated seats. Well, as pampered as you can get in a Gladiator. This is still a rugged vehicle with a solid front axle and a removable roof, after all. Speaking of creature comforts, how about LED headlights that don’t feel like candles in the dark, advanced driver assistance systems, and a sensible set of rubber floor mats? Oh, and cargo isn’t neglected, with a spray-in bedliner and the trailering package being bundled into this smorgasbord of equipment.
Jeep plans to build just 1,000 Gladiator Rubicon FarOut examples, each priced at $71,790. Yep, that’s a lot of money, but if you loaded a Gladiator Rubicon up with as much comparable equipment as possible, you’d end up with a price tag of $70,835. I don’t know about you, but $955 extra for some wicked graphics isn’t the worst deal in the world, especially considering what quality vinyl work costs these days.
A likely contributing factor to the diesel Wrangler’s discontinuation is that the 4xe plug-in hybrid powertrain offered similarly immense torque but with even better real-world economy, provided owners remember to plug in. However, the Gladiator isn’t currently offered as a plug-in hybrid that would pick up the torque crown from the three-liter diesel V6. Could the diesel’s end mean a Gladiator 4xe is on the way? I guess we’ll just have to wait and find out. Stellantis claims that “All Jeep brand vehicles will offer an electrified variant by 2025,” and the Gladiator is due for a facelift, so we should find out soon.
In the meantime, the Gladiator will continue to be available with the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 hitched to either an eight-speed automatic or six-speed manual gearbox. My advice? Get the manual. It’s leagues more refined than the unit in the old JK Wrangler and rowing through gears with the top off while seemingly two floors in the sky is an unforgettable experience. Sure, fuel economy is somewhere in the range of no, but that’s not why people buy Jeeps.
(Photo credits: Jeep)
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Unfortunately, Jeep isn’t shipping the diesel JT orders it already has, and hasn’t been for ~6 months! Stop-sale for safety recall on diesel fuel pump since last fall they still don’t have a fix for. I have a diesel JL and been trying to order a comparable JT most of this year (even with the 18-20% price increase and triple interest rates since 2020-2). Not interested in another 3.6 Jeep, especially one I plan to tow and wheel with.
I’ve always heard the Gladiator has very terrible cooling dynamics. It’s the reason why there’s only been two engine choices, and that the 3.6 actually has a higher tow rating then the EcoDiesel. The 2L apparently can’t get favorably cooled in the Gladiator, so trying to give the JT a hybrid set-up with nothing but a grille swap might not work.
Just my 2 cents though.
I mean the 392 works in a wrangler, so it can be designed properly. The Towing is relative to gearing. The diesel makes good torque but does not spin like the 3.6 so 4.10 gears are not available. That is generally the limiting factor with towing capacity and fuel economy.
Before recommending the manual you should read up on issues the JL/JT have had with manuals. A lot of actual off roaders & builder-uppers of Wranglers have had massive issues with the JL manual trans, with dual mass flywheels needed to be replaced aftermarket because Jeep can’t find a solution yet. It’s kind of a cluster, TBH, and would put me off that trans until they figure it out.
As a long-time Jeep fan, multi-time Jeep Wrangler Rubicon owner, and avid offroader who lives within 30 minutes of dozens of mountain trails that I frequent as often as possible, this thing should be squarely in my wheelhouse. However, the packaging is a tad wonky (that rear overhang) and the price is absolutely bonkers. I was actively shopping these 18 months ago and just could not convince myself to buy one at the insane asking prices.
These work on trails when equipped with 37 inch tires. 35’s are minimum tire for making the angles work. The dimensions on these are just funky.
The pricing is insane, but it really is only about 1-2% more than a simliarly equipped JL. And more or less in line with other midsize trucks when spec similiarly. I recently purchased one, and they were better deals on the gladiators than the wranglers at that time.
In my opion the breakover angle is a bigger issue than the rear overhang, but because the front axle of the wrangler is so far foward there’s only so much they can do if they want a 4 door cab and a 5′ bed.
Like Pat said, a 35-37 inch tire really fits these well, both form and function
I’ve been a Jeep fan and owner all my life, but I hate the Gladiator. I wanted to like it – I loved my CJ8 – , but I just don’t. There are so many ways this could’ve been better. Instead, it’s just an oversized, overpriced hobby boy show pony, especially this version. I wish they’d cancel the whole model and begin again, however, that’s not happening. I refuse to give the Jeep wave to anyone driving one of these. And I wave to people driving Compasses for heaven’s sake.
Just curious, better how? A Comanche? Be Maverick priced and sized?
I have one and I’ve taken family trips from Texas to Montana in it, hauled my wake boat with it, hauled a camper, gone and got loads of dirt and mulch, gotten sheets of wood and more. It’s done all the truck things I need it to do. I’ve taken it on trails like Black Bear Pass, to Jeep Jamborees. Yeah Jeep made compromises with it, but that is all vehicles. Yeah there are places it doesn’t go easily like my TJ will but it does a lot of things the TJ doesn’t like haul around a family of 4 comfortably on 20 hour+ trips.
“Jeep Fan” means Jeep Fan. You’re all in and a fan, or not…
I’ll still wave at you though from my Gladiator, because I’m a fan and appreciate all Jeeps.
Good vibes brother…And happy trails!
I would have applauded a stubbier box with a midgate system to allow hauling a bit more things when the requirement arose. the flat panels would have made that lots easier I would have though.
I think the Gladiator is aimed more at overlanders, they rarely get off much more than Fire roads, so the approach and overhang is less of a concern.
We’re supposed to wave at Compasses?
Agreed, though I ended up driving one for 3 weeks while my Grand Cherokee 4xe was in the shop for warranty work. By the end of it, I kinda liked the stupid thing, and that was a basic ass sport trim. Now I know it will never wheel as good as my old XJ, or as good as the Wrangler its based on, but for mild trails and beaches while giving someone the utility of a truck bed, its ok.
Its absolutely overpriced though. But I’ve seen a few dealers selling them with $12k cash on the hood, which takes a Rubicon or Mojave down to the low $50’s.
I totally forgot about this thing lol
I hope the next engine they phase out will result in Groovy or Cool Beans Editions.
I understand why they used the 3.0, but it was the wrong engine. When Jeep people say they have been aching for a diesel option they mean a FRUGAL diesel option. One that is reasonably expensive to option and run. The V6 was just too much motor for the Wrangler/Gladiator and it didn’t make sense. What Jeep people wanted was something like the 2.8 in the GM twins or the Cummins 2.8 repower. Much less sophisticated engines that should have easy maintenance, long life and return excellent economy and range. Plus the 3.0 was too heavy for the chassis and required a lot of beefing up just to handle it.
the 4Xe is a good alternative powertrain…except it’s not been known as a very reliable one with weird things like start battery issues and other things.
I dunno, I can’t be too sad about the passing of an expensive niche option, though maybe its a good idea to get one and hold onto it a dozen years.
This is the way I see it as well. Plus, PHEV will likely actually better on the trail, because you know you will prolly need a generator when you get to your spot anyway. The use case is stronger.
Jeep Oz chose not to run with this diesel engine in a market dominated by midsize diesel utes. So dominant in fact that very few of them are offered with a petrol engine at all. Not the Hilux. Not the Ranger (until the new Raptor came along). So that tells us something about the actual appropriateness of this engine in this application…
This engine was already federally certified here in North America so it wasn’t that hard to add to the Jeep (logistically), but it was never the right engine for the job, just an easy add for the fans. Still, would have been cool with the right sized engine.
This has been my take as well. The low-end torque of a diesel is great for an off-roader (When coupled to a transmission that keeps it controllable!) but this was the wrong engine for the job. Simple, time-proven diesels are what appeal to buyers who expect to really work their vehicles on or off-road.
I still miss my 2.8L Canyon. Best truck ever.
The lack of hybrid variant of the Gladiator is what’s keep it off my next truck list at the moment. With the lacklustre sales of the normal Gladiator I wouldn’t be surprised if it disappears sooner rather then later. Here’s hoping for a 4XE version though to possibly save it.
I love my ’21 Gladiator because I’m a Jeep fan, and I need more space than a Wrangler but less than a full-size truck. The diesel wasn’t on my radar because I don’t tow, and I think Jeep was fighting an uphill battle selling the Gladiator as a full-size competitor. Hearing a 4xe version is in the works might be enough for me to consider a trade-in when it happens.