Bronco pickup? Gladiator shows what will happen...

[Panzer948]

I wouldn't say they "need" to, but Jeep only hurt themselves with the Gladiator's off road ability by making chassis changes. As far as I know (but I'm not a jeep expert) the old Scrambler was much more Wrangler than the Gladiator is.

Neither were ever ideal as "trucks", but I'm guessing the Scrambler's abilities were much more inline also.

Ford has a chance to do it right by keeping the mechanicals the same. IMHO, the body shouldn't even change, only the roof. Don't try to hide a 35" tire underneath.

Literally--sell me a Bronco WITH a bed, not a completely redesigned Bronco truck.

Except Scrambler was back in the AMC "CJ" days. This was before Chrysler bought Jeep and redesigned the CJs and called them YJ "Wranglers". Yes I am showing my age here...
See this link to explain how so many get it wrong: https://jalopnik.com/please-note-cjs-are-not-wranglers-1788449319

From Wikipedia: "The Jeep Scrambler CJ-8 was a long-wheelbase version of the CJ-7, introduced in 1981 and manufactured through 1986. It featured a 103.5 in (2,629 mm) wheelbase and a removable half cab, creating a small pick-up style box instead of using a separate pickup bed. CJ-8s used the traditional transfer case with manual front locking hubs to engage the four-wheel drive."

So yeah, it mechanically was basically the same as a CJ7. But know this, the CJ8s are now the hottest CJ to get and worth a lot more money than a comparable conditioned CJ5 or 7.... The only reason I can figure out why is because they are more rare. I sure wish I had one. Who knows, maybe the Gladiator will be the same in 40 years...

This was the first Wrangler...

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[texasgreazer]

This was the first Wrangler...

I was afraid I'd get called out on that. I knew there was a switch and the Wrangler name plate came later, wasn't it was after the Scrambler.

I wasn't aware it was on a longer chassis either. Thanks for clearing it up.

 

[Panzer948]

I was afraid I'd get called out on that. I knew there was a switch and the Wrangler name plate came later, wasn't it was after the Scrambler.

I wasn't aware it was on a longer chassis either. Thanks for clearing it up.

No problem. It gave me a reason to talk about the CJs, which I have had now for nearly 30 years. Almost as old as me...

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I wanted to like the Gladiator and I love the interior... I can't do the rest of it.

It has the same wheel base as my supercab F-150 with a marginally bigger back seat and a 5' bed. That is a lot of trade offs that don't really line up with what I want. The removable roof and doors do nothing for me in a truck and the added bulk from the required internal roll cage just eats up room and makes the interior feel claustrophobic.

IMO I would rather have a Power Wagon... and the pricing isn't far off either.

I suspect a Bronco truck would suffer a similar fate to me.

 

[AZHUND]

If I could only have 1 vehicle, Gladiator would almost definitely be the way I would go. But as a truck is has compromises and as an offroad vehicle it has compromises... Even then I did a serious look on buying one a few months ago when trading in my Taco. However I saved like ~$4k between the trim I liked (Mojave) and the 1500 I went with while getting~120 more hp, gobs more torque, interior space, bed size, ride quality, 2x towing capacity etc. So I went with the 1500 and am happy with it but still catch myself oogling a gobi or gator colored Mojave or Rubicon Gladiator when I see them.

 

[AleYeah]

4 door JK owner here whose new vehicle options currently are:
* Another JK with much lower mileage than mine.
* A Bronco.
* A Gladiator.
[Edit: A Bronco pickup would join the list.]

I've had the Jeep for 6.5 years, and drove a mix of full size/small pickup for 20-odd years before that. I absolutely love the Gladiator; it's a hybrid between a Jeep and a small pickup, the best of both world for my personal needs.

About my personal needs... I love having a soft top convertible 4WD with removable doors. I don't need a 'real' truck, just somewhere to throw gear in and occasionally grab a scoop of mulch or gravel or whatever. (On the 'real truck scale', I need something comparable to a Ranger/Tacoma, not an F-150/Tundra.) I don't need a 'real' offroad beast; mild overlanding and taking rutted out forest service roads to remote hiking locations are the most serious dirt I see.

The Gladiator is pretty badass IMO. Whether I'm willing to pony up the $$$ is very much a TBD scenario, though.

 

[JohnnyK]

You should look up CAFE regulations and see how our government forced auto makers to build larger vehicles starting around ten to 15 years ago. You will learn much about what happened to the small and mid-sized pickup truck market. It isn't that no one wanted a small truck so manufacturer's stopped making them. Our media and people have been spreading this rumor for several years now. People have been asking for the return of small pickup trucks since manufacturer's stopped making them 10 to 14 years ago. Manufacturers have been listening and are responding with new midsized pickup trucks but in a much longer and wider configuration than in the 90's and 2000's to meet fuel mileage regulations, hence the crew cab. Note that I did not say "to improve fuel economy".

Data doesn't always tell the whole story.

I agree that the J6 looks awesome.

Holy crap I had no idea that this is what happened. The bigger the footprint of the vehicle the less you're punished by the CAFE standards, especially if it's a "light truck". Was just reading through this back from 2012.

https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2012/10/how-cafe-killed-compact-trucks-and-station-wagons/

I miss all those little pickups from the 80's and early 90's.

 

[Raptor911]

 

[Milamdj]

I've been thinking about the Gladiator more and more these days, especially after seeing three different Gladiator RUBICON's at Yellowstone National Park last summer (all optioned to the max, beautiful clean paint, really cute matching luggage in each, no hint of their owners wanting to drive their $65K toys off the blacktop) and what that class of vehicle really brings to the JEEP brand.

• Is it a truck? If it is, it's a really poor choice as a truck
• Is it a off road beast? It has the kit, but again, it's form factor makes it a really poor choice
• Does it still drive like a JEEP (and all the negative that implies on-road)? Yea!
• Is the Gladiator simply another Ridgeline with a very select audience and unable to turn a profit even with $20K of options tarting it up? Probably

TTAC followed up my vehicular wanderings with this article today and it's pointed yet mostly unopinionated (until you get to the comments).

https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2020/11/2020-jeep-gladiator-sport-s-review-poised-for-urban-life/

Does Bronco "need" to follow suit with an even smaller-market vehicle that isn't great off road, isn't great as a truck, and looks as cumbersome as the Gladiator? I would argue there is no business reason to do so. Covid has cost every manufacturer billions, dumping resources into these low-yield makes doesn't make sense. Ranger is a perfectly capable midsize truck, Maverick is rumored to be close to production for small truck, and Bronco looks to be more than capable of giving the fight to Jeep off-road (not in outright capability, but in that entry/mid-market basis) and with the pencil pushers.

I think the OP is looking at the gladiator wrong. He's correct that it's not great at anything, but most people don't really need real truck or the most capable off roader.

It's a great fit for someone like myself who loves the rugged off-road looks, wants the open air experience, and who could really use a small truck bed for throwing my fishing gear in the back or picking up mulch.

The gladiator still has good towing capability and really good off road capability.

If it wasn't a Chrysler, I'd already have one. If bronco was offering a truck right now, I'd absolutely be in.

This sums it up. I agree with you.

 

[JaxGtc]

Man those Scramblers have been hot since the '90s. Always had a nice look.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

You should look up CAFE regulations and see how our government forced auto makers to build larger vehicles starting around ten to 15 years ago. You will learn much about what happened to the small and mid-sized pickup truck market. It isn't that no one wanted a small truck so manufacturer's stopped making them. Our media and people have been spreading this rumor for several years now. People have been asking for the return of small pickup trucks since manufacturer's stopped making them 10 to 14 years ago. Manufacturers have been listening and are responding with new midsized pickup trucks but in a much longer and wider configuration than in the 90's and 2000's to meet fuel mileage regulations, hence the crew cab. Note that I did not say "to improve fuel economy".

Data doesn't always tell the whole story.

I agree that the J6 looks awesome.

They really are not really that much "bigger" A little wider on the outside yes but on the inside a new midsize doesn't feel much if any roomier inside side to side than my '85. Like 2' longer which isn't bad considering we are comparing a supercrew/cab to standard cab longbox. A old (86+) supercab Ranger is longer than mine too.

My '85 looks the 19 eye to eye because of a 3" bodylift and a "stockish" Heinz 57 suspension on 31's. That aside... proportions (like amount of meat in the fender above the tire) are similar.

I was really kind of surprised they were as close as they were.

Now the Gladiator... that thing is just big.

 

[skiptheroad]

They really are not really that much "bigger" A little wider on the outside yes but on the inside a new midsize doesn't feel much if any roomier inside side to side than my '85. Like 2' longer which isn't bad considering we are comparing a supercrew/cab to standard cab longbox. A old (86+) supercab Ranger is longer than mine too.

My '85 looks the 19 eye to eye because of a 3" bodylift and a "stockish" Heinz 57 suspension on 31's. That aside... proportions (like amount of meat in the fender above the tire) are similar.

I was really kind of surprised they were as close as they were.

Now the Gladiator... that thing is just big.

Awesome Ranger Justin, complete with a useful bed. Don't ever get rid of it.

Your modified Ranger doesn't appear much smaller than the new 2020 Ranger. Take a look at the wheelbase and track width of your Ranger in stock form without the offset rims and wider tires compared to the new Ranger and you should notice more of a difference. CAFE requirements for pickup trucks are based on the square foot area of the tires. The bigger the footprint of the vehicle the less truck manufactures are punished by the CAFE regulations.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Awesome Ranger Justin, complete with a useful bed. Don't ever get rid of it.

Your modified Ranger doesn't appear much smaller than the new 2020 Ranger. Take a look at the wheelbase and track width of your Ranger in stock form without the offset rims and wider tires compared to the new Ranger and you should notice more of a difference. CAFE requirements for pickup trucks are based on the square foot area of the tires. The bigger the footprint of the vehicle the less truck manufactures are punished by the CAFE regulations.

Thanks! I have loved my truck since I got it my sophmore year of high school in 2000, 'tis my baby although only the body and frame are original. The longbed is nice for gear and my slide in camper but the cab being a two seater is why we are shopping for a Bronco as there are now three of us and one needs a huge car seat.

Wheelbase for a '86 Supercab is 125", wheelbase for a '19+ (both cabs are the same) is 127".

Now it gets convoluted... my wheels are about the offset as OEM but are an inch wider. 205/75-15 vs 31x10.5-15's too...

Rangers got wider around 1990, my front axle is out of a '95 (stronger for the V8 and has better brakes) and the rear axle is out of an 8.8 out of an Explorer which is the same exact width as the front (from the factory all Rangers have slightly narrower rear axles than front) So it looks like my wheels stick out farther than "normal" but my '85 has a very different shaped body than the later trucks that had that track width. A '95 Ranger has a track width on the front of 58.6" compared to 61.4" on a '19+

Since they are the about the same length and only a couple inches wider with similar interior room... I chalked up the width difference as being more "stuff" in the doors and cab structure for collision protection... and real door panels.

This is a common thing in Ranger land, the die hards went OMG that thing is HUGE... on paper it is just a couple inches here and there over an old one but they are a lot fluffier looking.

 

[elnorte]

Initially I was excited about the Jeep Gladiator, but now I am glad it has passed. I hope Ford doesn't go the same route. If you want a pick up, buy a pick up. Or buy and off road, trail riding, rock crawling vehical. Last thing....El Camino.

 

[Silver-Bolt]

The Gladiator is a bad choice as a truck. It is nearly the same overall length as a crewcab Raptor. It is a poor choice as a tight trail off-road machine that Jeeps are known for. It just doesn't do anything exceptionally well.

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