2023 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon new car review

This car maker zigged while all others zagged, resulting in one of the most unique cars on the road that needs to be experienced to be believed.

A dual-cab four-wheel-drive ute that’s also a convertible? If ever there was an answer to a question that was never asked, it’s the Jeep Gladiator. We tested it in outrageous Rubicon spec.

Jeep's dual-cab Gladiator Rubicon ute relishes the outdoors.

It’s utterly ridiculous and all the better for it

It’s as if Jeep executives, off-road enthusiasts and teenage boys juiced on Prime got together to design a vehicle.

For starters, they got away with calling it Gladiator. Then they crammed a heavy-drinking old-school V6 petrol into the engine bay. No sensible diesel option was allowed. Two motocross bikes fit the 1500mm tub, and at 5.5-metres it obnoxiously overspills parking spaces.

The windscreen folds forwards and you can unbolt its four doors. It’s not legal to drive like this, but who wants rule-abiding Gladiators?

Undo the heavy-duty latches and two lightweight roof panels come off for topless adventuring.

It’s surprisingly tolerable on roads

It’s a lofty climb getting in – running boards are your saviour – and you’re at truckie level above lesser road users, with views across a muscular, strapped bonnet.

The V6 has ample grunt to surge forward but it settles to an unstressed 2000rpm at 110km/h. It may have a rudimentary truck-like frame but its coil rear suspension copes with road bumps and potholes rather well.

You can remove the roof and doors and fold the windscreen down.

Steering’s easy, the eight-speed auto swaps cogs in a buttery manner and the firm but heated leather-trimmed seats, heated steering wheel and pumping audio are quite fancy.

It corners like the behemoth it is, and city parking’s as fun as tax bills. BFGoodrich mud terrain tyres emit a constant drone, but remove the roof and wind noise happily replaces tyre roar.

You can unleash hell off-road

This convertible Jeep is a monster off-road, boasting electric locking differentials front and rear and a front sway bar that electronically disconnects for better articulation and suspension travel.

Our rocky test route was dispatched with ease and inclines laughed at with outrageous ability, even over seriously muddy ground.

Four underbody skid plates, a 760mm wading ability and the tub’s smart tie-down points for your gear help the Gladiator’s case.

It is very capable off-road.

With the roof off at low speed, having the sights and sounds of nature above is wonderful. But putting the shifter into low-range needs herculean strength, and that bus-like wheelbase makes off-road turns challenging.

Some numbers are less than impressive

The Gladiator’s towing maximum is only 2721kg when 3500kg is the dual-cab norm, while the 693kg payload falls well short of a Toyota HiLux SR5.

A three-star ANCAP safety rating makes you wince, as does the $94,000 needed to drive away a Gladiator Rubicon. It’s pricier than a Ranger Raptor but unlike the hero Ford, Jeep has stock and is offering $6000 cash off until June 30.

Upgrading from soft-top to our Esky lid-like hard top panels costs another $2950. Steep, but worth it.

Then there’s fuel economy. A kerb weight of 2242kg, elephant-like aerodynamics and a 209kW/347Nm V6 equals 12.4L/100km on average and 15.4L/100km in town.

Our test returned 12.7L/100km over 500km.

A five-year/100,000km warranty is under-par – most have unlimited kilometres – but $1995 for five services is surprisingly cheap.

The Jeep feels like its from another age.

It’s flawed and challenging but easy to love

The Gladiator is about as woke as Pauline Hanson. But the classic Jeep grille, a tub so long you can sleep in it and ample cabin space bathed in open-top sunlight make it a joyful 4WD to adventure with.

We know such vehicles are on borrowed time – Jeep’s going big on electrification – and the Gladiator’s many buttons in a busy centre console already feel as if they’re from another age.

Amusingly, electric window buttons are below the 8.4-inch centre touchscreen. A necessary evil when you have removable doors.

Get one in Sarge green paint, add a star on the door, ignore the fuel bills and embrace this unique off-road toy while you can.

Originally published as 2023 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon new car review