Americans have a lot of choices when it comes to trucks. Between famous names like the Ford F-150 or the Toyota Tacoma, there are many reasons to buy any of those trucks. However, according to MotorTrend, here are the reasons why you should buy the Jeep Gladiator.

Everything you need

While MotorTrend admits that the Gladiator doesn’t have the highest towing capacity or have the most fuel-efficient engine, what it does have is the right combination of everything an average person needs. What that means is that MotorTrend isn’t talking about folks who live in rural America who need to tow thousands of pounds of cargo everywhere, but rather someone who lives in the city or the suburbs. 

The Gladiator is a mid-sized pickup truck, which means that it’s smaller than the F-150 or other large trucks. However, for someone who lives in an urban area, the Gladiator is just large enough, according to MotorTrend. It’s not so massive that it’s a hassle to park anywhere, but it’s not so small that it has issues doing truck things, either. 

The Gladiator’s truck credentials 

Although the Gladiator only has one engine option, it’s a very good engine. The Gladiator’s 3.6-liter V6 generates 285-hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. This reliable engine allows the Gladiator to not only get decent performance figures, but also a very good towing and hauling capacity. 

MotorTrend says that it can tow over 7,000 lbs, and that’s on par with what many similar pickup trucks can do. 7,000 lbs isn’t record-breaking by any means, but it’s more than enough for most drivers. Jeep also claims that the Gladiator can tow more than other trucks of its class. Furthermore, although its truck bed is on the smaller side, it can hold a payload of up to 1,600 lbs.

Again, this is comparable to what other similar pickup trucks can do. While larger pickup trucks like the Chevy Silverado have a higher payload and towing capacity than the Gladiator does, MotorTrend again mentions that the Gladiator is more than adequate for what a regular person needs. 

But one truck thing that MotorTrend really praised about the Gladiator was the fact that four-wheel drive is a standard feature on the Gladiator, unlike on other trucks where it’s only an option. This means that every Gladiator owner can confidently drive their Gladiator off-road without paying extra. 

Comfortable and fun

On top of those things, MotorTrend really liked the other creature comforts that the Gladiator had. It’s well equipped, and with MotorTrend’s trim of the Gladiator, it also comes with many smart safety features. These features will improve the safety of the Gladiator, its occupants, as well as other cars and pedestrians. 

That optional package also gives the Gladiator adaptive cruise control, which is one of the most convenient smart features that a driver can have and use. Other optional features that MotorTrend liked about the Gladiator included an upgrade to its infotainment system and its keyless entry feature. 

MotorTrend also liked how the Gladiator drove, but that’s a very subjective thing, so your mileage may vary. But asides from that, another area where MotorTrend praised the Gladiator was in its price. The Gladiator starts at about $33,000, and the trim that MotorTrend had cost less than $50,000.

Because of that relatively affordable price tag, as well as all the other neat optional and standard features that the Gladiator had, MotorTrend recommends that consumers consider buying the Gladiator. As MotorTrend said, it may not be the best at anything, but it’s capable, it has character, and it makes people smile.