CONS: The manual is geared too tall, cabin
can be noisy, sub-par breakover angle,
and Gladiators get pricey quickly.
Despite just losing to the Colorado Bison
in a recent comparison, the Jeep Gladiator
Rubicon and the newly released Gladiator
Mojave are easy adds to this list. If the
Gladiator’s segment-best four-wheel drive
payload of up to 1,200 pounds doesn’t
pique your interest, the tremendous
capability brought forth by its off-road
hardware should.
The Rubicon model, the more rock-
focused of the two, sports locking front
and rear differentials, an electronic anti-
roll bar disconnect for increased articula-
tion, and a low range with a 4:1 crawl ratio.
We haven’t driven the desert-focused
Gladiator Mojave yet, but we have no
reason to believe it would be less capable
than the Rubicon. It gets a beefed-up
frame and shocks to handle high speeds
across the desert, plus a wider front track
for better stability.
It also gets a locking rear differential,
but it lacks a front locker or anti-roll bar
disconnect. Both models get 33-inch
tires, steel bumpers, skidplates, rock rails,
and a standard 3.6-liter V-6 with 285 hp.
One knock: Its long wheelbase means the
Gladiator drags its well-armored belly on
nearly everything off-road.2020 Jeep Wrangler
Unlimited Rubicon
BASE PRICE: $43,6 20
PROS: See Jeep Gladiator: There aren’t
many places a stock Wrangler won’t
go. Tremendously capable and well-
thought-out package from the factory.
CONS: Low payload capacity, cabin can
be noisy, and this Jeep’s suspension setup
favors a steady pace, unlike some of the
desert runners on this list.
An of f-road comparison test winner
and 2019 SUV of the Year, the Wrangler
Unlimited Rubicon is an obvious add to
this list. Few vehicles are as capable from
the factory floor as the Wrangler Rubicon.
Sporting the exact same hardware as the
Gladiator Rubicon but in a more compact,
maneuverable package, the Wrangler can
directly trace its lineage back to the World
War II Willys MB, the vehicle that created
the SUV and this segment.
A 285-hp 3.6-liter V-6 is standard on
the Wrangler, and both a 270-hp 2.0-liter
turbocharged I-4 (our favorite) and a
260-hp 3.0-liter turbodiesel V-6 are
optional. The Wrangler’s payload capacity
is 892 pounds, though, so pack light.In the midsize space it’s tough to
beat the Gladiator’s combination of
standard features and payload.2020 Ford F- 150 Raptor
BASE PRICE: $55,15 0
PROS: Powerful, fast, and fun to drive.
Ford’s Trail Control and off-road drive
modes help make things easy.
CONS: The Raptor’s payload is unimpres-
sive for its size, and its dimensions might
give you trouble on narrow trails.
Arguably the vehicle responsible
for starting the warranty-backed
desert-running truck craze, the Raptor is
unsurprisingly quite capable as an over-
land platform, too. Although its large size
might make life trickier on narrow trails
(its tires and fender flares make it wide
enough to require clearance lights), the
Raptor’s cushy Baja-ready electronically
adjustable Fox shock absorbers, meaty
tires, and powerful 450-hp 3.5-liter twin-
turbo V-6 help make it one of the most
fun-to-drive overlanders on this list. Don’t
forget to tick the box for the bead-lock
wheels (allowing you to run super low tire
pressures without the tires falling off the
rim) and the limited-slip front differen-
tial. The Raptor has payload capacity of
1,000-1,200 pounds.
2020 / 202 1 Jeep Gladiator
Rubicon/Mojave
BASE PRICE: $45,37 0
PROS: Like a billy goat, a stock Gladiator
can take you almost anywhere, thanks
to its long list of standard off-road
features. Good payload
capacity for its size, too.
OVERLANDING
48 MOTORTREND.COM JUNE 2020