The Jeep Gladiator isn’t doing too hot, which is a little surprising. How can the Jeep Gladiator be a letdown with such a glorious name like ‘Gladiator’? Well, since people have had the time to drive this Jeep and test it out for themselves, they have discovered a lot of issues. 

Problems with the Jeep Gladiator 

First of all, the Jeep Gladiator doesn’t have a two-door version. Jeep continues to provide four-door models, even though off-roading enthusiasts prefer two-door models for exploring off the pavement. 

Four-door models do make Jeeps seem more family-friendly, and make them more capable for hauling passengers and stuff around, but is that really what an off-roading truck is for? 

Difficulty steering 

Drivers seem to be discovering that the Jeep Gladiator is incredibly difficult to steer. Of course, it’s not expected to have the same handling as a car, but the Gladiator could be dangerous at highway speeds. 

One driver claimed that their Gladiator drifts at highway speeds even when the steering wheel isn’t moving. Constant corrections have to be made, and the steering wheel almost seems unresponsive at speeds over 45 mph. 

Flaming transmission 

If having a truck that steers like a tank isn’t tricky enough, Jeep Gladiators have also been catching on fire. 

Jeep Gladiators seem to have a transmission issue that leads to leaking fluid that overheats and catches fire at highway speeds. Due to the location of the fire under the Gladiator, flames shoot from the undercarriage and may fill the cab with smoke. 

• 

Jeep issued a recall for this issue and believes it’s caused by the fact that the rear driveshaft was assembled without grease. This is why it overheats. 

This issue may also be responsible for causing the loss of power or causing the driveshaft to become disconnected and fall into the road. 

It feels slow 

The Jeep Gladiator seems a little weak with its 3.6-liter V6 engine and low-end torque. While jeeps and trucks aren’t usually expected to be able to fly around town, the Gladiator is behind the competition when it comes to pick-up and towing. 

On its own, the Gladiator takes a sluggish 7.6 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph. When paired with a 4,000-pound trailer, the Gladiator goes from 0 to 60 in 15.6. 

• 

On top of that, the Gladiator has small mirrors that make it challenging to keep an eye on what your towing. Plus, the power seems to come from the front end, which isn’t where you want it while hauling.  

It’s Expensive 

For a compact truck, the Jeep Gladiator has one high price tag. Sure, you can take off the top, doors, and even fold the windshield down, but is that enough to jack up the price? 

The base model starts around $33k, and prices soar with higher trim options. The Tacoma may keep it’s top on, but it starts around $26k. 

• 

For this price, you would expect better capabilities as a truck in terms of towing convenience and power. Instead, you get a sluggish engine that’s slow to change gears and limited towing visibility. 

Sales for the Gladiator were expected to boom, but due to the problems with the transmission, early powertrain recall, reviews stating difficulty with steering, complaints among towing ability, and more, are causing sales to stagger.