The Jeep Gladiator’s official debut back in 2018 during the LA Auto Show stirred up quite a bit of excitement. Off-roading enthusiasts had been yearning for a pickup truck version of the Wrangler for years. Now, over a year after the Gladiator first hit the dealership floors, it has been nothing short of a sales success. The recipe is quite simple yet effective. According to Car and Driver, the 2021 Gladiator is an affordable, capable, and highly configurable truck.

The 2021 Jeep Gladiator starts at $33,545

Let’s face it. Pickup trucks can get unbelievably expensive, especially if you opt for the highest trims. According to Kelly Blue Book, the average price for a new pickup truck is $51,240. Thankfully, the Gladiator starts at a far more reasonable $33,545. That is not to say the Gladiator cannot be expensive, given that the top trim level, the High Altitude, starts at $51,745. The main benefit the Gladiator has is that all of its best parts come as standard.

As standard, you get a 3.5-liter V6 engine developing 285 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed manual transmission also comes as standard, although an eight-speed automatic is available for an extra $2,000.

If gas engines aren’t your thing, the Gladiator has an available 3.0-liter turbo diesel V6 engine producing 260 hp. The main benefit of the diesel engine is its 442 lb-ft torque figure. It is important to note that adding the diesel engine adds $4,000 to the Gladiator’s base price.

Thankfully, all of the Gladiator’s main appeals like its body on frame design, detachable doors, and foldable roof all come as standard. The result is that if you don’t have to pay extra to get the Gladiators’ main off-roading benefits.

The Gladiator is far more capable than the Wrangler

As you’d expect, the Jeep Gladiator and its SUV sibling, the Wrangler, share many of the same components. For example, the V6 gas engine is identical in both models and produces the same hp figure. The diesel engine is also available in the Wrangler.

Despite their similar stats on paper, Car and Driver noted that the Gladiator could tow significantly more than the wrangler. A Gladiator equipped with the optional $1,245 Max Tow Package can tow up to 7650 pounds. In contrast, the Wrangler can only top up to 3,500 lb. Car and Driver also point out that even the weakest version of the Gladiator is capable of towing 4,000 lb.

Mopar offers an abundance of available accessories

The Jeep Gladiator is already a highly configurable truck straight from the factory. However, if the removable roof and doors aren’t enough, Mopar offers plenty of additional gear to customize your Gladiator even further.

If you like the feeling of having no doors but want a bit of extra safety, Mopar offers a set of steel tube doors for $1,195, according to PickupTrucks. You can also option a two-inch lift kit for $1,495 and off-roading wheels for $1,140. The extensive lists reported by PickupTrucks covers 20 available accessories, giving you plenty of customization possibilities.

The best part of these optional parts is that they can be purchased directly through your local Jeep dealership. As a result, they do not affect your Gladiator’s warranty. Many of the Mopar extras even offer their own standalone warranty.

There are two ways you can add these parts to your Gladiator. Firstly, you can option them on the truck by ordering a specific configuration directly from Jeep. If you’ve already purchased your Gladiator, you can take your truck to the dealer, and they can install the parts for an additional fee. Regardless of what draws you toward the Gladiator, positive reviews indicate you’ll more than likely be delighted with it.