Zac Quinn 
While Europe is sending off the Jeep Gladiator, North America is anticipating the arrival of a refresh for the midsize truck with several new features that bring the vehicle a step closer to the safety and creature comforts that most modern cars have these days. That includes a larger 12.3-inch Uconnect 5 touchscreen, 12-way power-adjustable front seats, and standard side-curtain airbags. Together, these new features add greater capability, more refinement, new technology, and more standard safety features. But the wait for the start of production is finally at an end, as Jeep has just announced that the 2024 Jeep Gladiator production is underway at the Toledo (Ohio) Assembly Complex.
With more than 3 million square feet of floor space, the Toledo Assembly Complex comprises the North plant that builds the Wrangler and the South plant (Supplier Park), which has been home to the Jeep Gladiator since 2019. The company invested $1 billion to retool and modernize the South plant to build the all-new Jeep pickup truck. Since starting production in 2019, the plant has produced over 345,000 Jeep Gladiator midsize trucks.
2024 Jeep Gladiator: Details
The new Gladiator has a refined interior with premium features and technology. That includes the new 12.3-inch touchscreen at its core and the heritage-inspired center stack, which features a clean, sculpted form that complements the horizontal dashboard design. The vehicle is also well-equipped to keep occupants connected. Functionality is enhanced for front-row passengers with standard dual USB Type C ports that allow devices to charge up to four times faster. The Gladiator delivers up to seven USB Type A and Type C ports for both rows.
As for off-road capability, Jeep offers Jeep Adventure Guides featuring Trails Offroad, a built-in off-road adventure trail guide downloaded directly into the Jeep Gladiator’s Uconnect 5 Nav system. The available Jeep Adventure Guides deliver detailed guides and maps for the 62 Jeep Badge of Honor trails. Unfortunately, the 4xe trim is still not available for the Gladiator, leaving customers with just one powertrain option, the Pentastar V6 engine that delivers 285 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque, which isn’t all that competitive power-wise with the competition, but it’ll do.
It would be nice to see Jeep give the Gladiator a bit more love in the powertrain department, such as a 4xe powertrain, or a Hurricane engine. It certainly would go great with the available AEV packages.
