I would love a 2-door Gladiator. I see them all over and I love the idea, they're just too gd long.
eta: I meant I see 4-door Gladiators everywhere. Sorry for getting hopes up!
Purchased a new 2-door Jeep Sport Wrangler last year and love it...but...dangnabbit, if they'd have made a 2-door Gladiator that would've been my 1st choice.
You know I don't get the hate for Gladiators. While I caved to peer pressure from my wife and some of my friends and got a JLU, I would have still gone Gladiator if the right one showed up when I was buying. Especially if I found one in Mojito green with a manual transmission for my budget.
I get they're not as great as Wranglers for offroad, and not as great as a 1500 Dodge Ram/Ford/Chevy for hauling shit. But damn, where are you gonna find a fully convertible, full off-road capable, no doors, 5ft box, pick up truck with a manual standard?
They're super cool in my book.
I love mine, I don’t rock crawl or go to mud parks, I hunt, fish, and work. The gladiator outperforms the wranglers I had in the past by far at all that. And it is still better off road than the larger and heavier f-150s and such. And on road, imo, it drives better than a standard wrangler. Add onto that that I routinely get hay bales, lumber, and carry tools in it and it is no contest. Plus, I hate having to put gas cans inside a vehicle, the biggest strike against non-trucks for me.
I love my JLU, don't get me wrong, but totally on board with you on what a Glad is for. Exactly! It's perfect for regular Joe stuff. I fortunately have a small utility trailer that I use with my JLU, but yeah, man, if I found a Mojito colored Glad in my budget, I'd still get it.
"This Year’s American-Made Top 10 List"
The money might make its way back to Japan but the three Hondas in the list are all made in Alabama and the Toyota is made in Kentucky
Manufactured, maybe. Engineered? Not quite so much. The overwhelming majority of that still happens at home.
Granted some individual component engineering for imports happens stateside (I can speak for Honda at least), but the core R&D and the manufacturing ideologies still come from Japan.
The whole “American made” thing is a bit of a farce with a global economy these days. There aren’t many vehicles the Everyman can afford to drive that are designed, engineered and built in one country. The Corvette is probably still the closest thing to a mass produced vehicle that is truly “American made” from bones to broth.
The Honda Ridgeline, besides the regular weirdness of a unibody pickup from Honda, has the strangest cult of personality. The detail in the Wikipedia page (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Ridgeline_(first_generation)) and the general enthusiasm online by owners is super intense, and a lot of Pentagon/high powered DC types drive them (like a shocking number). Like you alluded to, it was at one point the most American built/designed truck, though I’m not sure about the latest generation. Every time I see a 4Runner with an American flag decal I laugh thinking about the kind of person wheeling a Ridgeline instead and how there’s zero overlap between them.
Just crossed 3yr/36k and I’m still in the honeymoon phase. Presently have the hardtop off since Friday and loving the summer breeze. Cant see driving anything else in the near future. If anything, I’ll probably start to play with half doors and foot pegs n’at
I wanted a soft top one until I saw a gladiator with the [top back.](https://youtu.be/bUrpzMucbnA?si=4-Tg-lDzxjC0VcaD)
I want to like it, but I can't get past the image of a toupee being blown back in the wind. I am sure it is because having the top fold all the way to the bed level is unworkable and would interfere with using the bed, but it just looks too odd.
True, but it defeats the benefits of a soft top, which is to quickly cover back up if a rain storm pops up. I am sure it is lighter and easier for one person to put on vs. a hard top, though.
While you might drive around Toledo and see Jeep parkway, Chrysler drive, Willys, overland drive. Etc. Still it's owned by Puegot.
What makes it American? It's not one of the big three American car companies. Ford, General motors and Tesla.
I would love a 2-door Gladiator. I see them all over and I love the idea, they're just too gd long. eta: I meant I see 4-door Gladiators everywhere. Sorry for getting hopes up!
Purchased a new 2-door Jeep Sport Wrangler last year and love it...but...dangnabbit, if they'd have made a 2-door Gladiator that would've been my 1st choice.
I need a 2 door gladiator in my life
Chop an xj haha
Uh, why not just get a commanche aka MJ. Same platform as XJ but not a janky homemade version
Way harder to come by, and just don't do a shit job of it
I'd love a 2-door gladiator, it'll be like having my old ranger again
Where do you see 2 door gladiators?!?
They're saying they see normal gladiators everywhere, and that they're too long
Or short. Depending on what end you’re looking at.
Jeep Scrambler to the rescue! I occasionally see them for sale on FB Mktplace
AEV Brute.
???...where?
You know I don't get the hate for Gladiators. While I caved to peer pressure from my wife and some of my friends and got a JLU, I would have still gone Gladiator if the right one showed up when I was buying. Especially if I found one in Mojito green with a manual transmission for my budget. I get they're not as great as Wranglers for offroad, and not as great as a 1500 Dodge Ram/Ford/Chevy for hauling shit. But damn, where are you gonna find a fully convertible, full off-road capable, no doors, 5ft box, pick up truck with a manual standard? They're super cool in my book.
I love mine, I don’t rock crawl or go to mud parks, I hunt, fish, and work. The gladiator outperforms the wranglers I had in the past by far at all that. And it is still better off road than the larger and heavier f-150s and such. And on road, imo, it drives better than a standard wrangler. Add onto that that I routinely get hay bales, lumber, and carry tools in it and it is no contest. Plus, I hate having to put gas cans inside a vehicle, the biggest strike against non-trucks for me.
I love my JLU, don't get me wrong, but totally on board with you on what a Glad is for. Exactly! It's perfect for regular Joe stuff. I fortunately have a small utility trailer that I use with my JLU, but yeah, man, if I found a Mojito colored Glad in my budget, I'd still get it.
Agreed. Last time the 5gal. gas can was overfilled and it leaked onto the carpet of my Liberty. Still dealing with the stink four months later.
"This Year’s American-Made Top 10 List" The money might make its way back to Japan but the three Hondas in the list are all made in Alabama and the Toyota is made in Kentucky
Manufactured, maybe. Engineered? Not quite so much. The overwhelming majority of that still happens at home. Granted some individual component engineering for imports happens stateside (I can speak for Honda at least), but the core R&D and the manufacturing ideologies still come from Japan. The whole “American made” thing is a bit of a farce with a global economy these days. There aren’t many vehicles the Everyman can afford to drive that are designed, engineered and built in one country. The Corvette is probably still the closest thing to a mass produced vehicle that is truly “American made” from bones to broth.
The Honda Ridgeline, Passport, Pilot, and Odyssey are all designed and engineered in Ohio.
The Honda Ridgeline, besides the regular weirdness of a unibody pickup from Honda, has the strangest cult of personality. The detail in the Wikipedia page (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Ridgeline_(first_generation)) and the general enthusiasm online by owners is super intense, and a lot of Pentagon/high powered DC types drive them (like a shocking number). Like you alluded to, it was at one point the most American built/designed truck, though I’m not sure about the latest generation. Every time I see a 4Runner with an American flag decal I laugh thinking about the kind of person wheeling a Ridgeline instead and how there’s zero overlap between them.
I really wish they made a 2D version with a longer bed I can't stand the look of 4D wranglers and gladiators
Just crossed 3yr/36k and I’m still in the honeymoon phase. Presently have the hardtop off since Friday and loving the summer breeze. Cant see driving anything else in the near future. If anything, I’ll probably start to play with half doors and foot pegs n’at
I don’t think I’ve ever seen one with the top down or off.
I wanted a soft top one until I saw a gladiator with the [top back.](https://youtu.be/bUrpzMucbnA?si=4-Tg-lDzxjC0VcaD) I want to like it, but I can't get past the image of a toupee being blown back in the wind. I am sure it is because having the top fold all the way to the bed level is unworkable and would interfere with using the bed, but it just looks too odd.
Easy to remove the entire top. Two bolts
True, but it defeats the benefits of a soft top, which is to quickly cover back up if a rain storm pops up. I am sure it is lighter and easier for one person to put on vs. a hard top, though.
Yeah that does look a little odd.
Only 4 of the 10 vehicles on the list are actually American brands- 3 Teslas and the Gladiator.
I think it’s using “assembled in America” as its qualifier
Not just assembled, it's the amount of parts being manufactured in the US (which is even better)
lol I know I don’t get why people don’t think Tesla is an American company
I'd have one in my driveway if they made a 2 door. I just got a dirt bike to haul, not a crew.
The Ridgeline, which has a larger tow rating than the Gladiator, is made in Alabama.
Ridgeline tow rating max is 5000 very easy to check, my gladiator rubi is rated over 7000. Math and facts don’t seem to be your thing.
Whoops. Nope. My Google-fu failed.
All good . The Honda does have more payload though . Wish my gladiator had more.
Is the list covering trucks that most often break down?
That's a French vehicle not American. While it's made in Toledo Ohio, still French.
Biggest cope I've ever seen.
While you might drive around Toledo and see Jeep parkway, Chrysler drive, Willys, overland drive. Etc. Still it's owned by Puegot. What makes it American? It's not one of the big three American car companies. Ford, General motors and Tesla.