Jeep Gladiator: Which Should You Buy, 2021 or 2022?
Most significant changes: Sport base trim gets standard 7-inch touchscreen, replacing the 5-inch display; Overland, Rubicon and Mojave swap in 8.4-inch touchscreen with integrated navigation; new Altitude trim introduced, while 80th Anniversary and Freedom Editions are no longer available
Pricing: $36,910 for the Sport up to $54,105 for the range-topping High Altitude (all prices include destination charge); 2022 price increases range from $300 to $2,335
On sale: Now
Which should you buy, 2021 or 2022? Those shopping lower trim levels should opt for the 2022 model’s upgraded multimedia system. Shoppers considering the Overland, Rubicon or Mojave trims can save substantially with a 2021 model if the built-in navigation and largest touchscreen aren’t necessary. All remaining trims carry over unchanged and offer a better value for 2021.
Introduced for the 2020 model year, the Gladiator blends Jeep’s off-road resume with the utility of a cargo bed for a unique offering among mid-size pickup trucks. The pickup enters its third year largely unchanged, with a handful of tech upgrades on select models and a condensed list of available trims. What does change is the 2022 Gladiator’s price tag, which increases anywhere from a few hundred bucks to more than $2,000 depending on the trim.
Related: 2020 Jeep Gladiator Review: Unique, Expensive and Massively Entertaining
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Shop the 2022 Jeep Gladiator near you
What’s New for 2022?
The most notable change for the 2022 Gladiator comes in its tech offerings. Base models now get Jeep’s latest Uconnect 4 system, which has a 7-inch touchscreen in lieu of the 2021 model’s Uconnect 3 system and 5-inch screen. Previously offered as a package option, Uconnect 4C, which swaps in an 8.4-inch screen with navigation, will be standard on Overland, Rubicon and Mojave models. Those three also get a premium stereo upgrade and keyless access; both features are optional on lower trims.
Features
The Gladiator is among the few light-duty vehicles on the U.S. market that still lacks standard automatic emergency braking, an important safety feature that automakers — including Jeep’s parent company — vowed back in 2016 to make standard by September 2022. To get it along with adaptive cruise control, shoppers will need to check the box for Jeep’s Advanced Safety Group Package, available on all trims.
All Gladiator variants come with a standard Sunrider folding soft-top roof with a sunroof feature; a Freedom hard top is optional. Lower trims have cloth seats; leather-trimmed seats are optional or standard in the top four trims, starting with the Overland.
Powertrains
The standard engine for all Gladiator models is a 3.6-liter V-6 that makes 285 horsepower and 260 pounds-feet of torque. The base engine offers up a maximum 1,700-pound payload and 7,650-pound towing capacity with the available Max Towing Package.
Shoppers can swap the standard V-6 for a turbo-diesel 3.0-liter V-6 that makes 260 hp and 442 pounds-feet of torque; the diesel offers a 1,325-pound payload capacity and a towing capacity that tops out at 6,500 pounds. The base V-6 comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission; an optional eight-speed automatic can pair with either engine. All Gladiator trims are available with full-time four-wheel drive.
Trims and Pricing
The 2022 Jeep Gladiator is on sale now, but shoppers still are likely to find 2021 models. As of December, the outgoing model made up approximately 65% of all new Gladiator inventory among Cars.com dealers. All prices listed below include a $1,595 destination charge:
- Sport: $36,910 ($670 increase)
- Willys Sport: $39,010 ($670 increase)
- Sport S: $40,310 ($475 increase)
- Altitude: $42,105 (new for 2022)
- Willys: $43,205 ($1,305 increase)
- Overland: $45,015 ($2,315 increase)
- Rubicon, Mojave: $48,855 ($2,335 increase)
- High Altitude: $54,105 ($300 increase)
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