The Gladiator is based on the Wrangler, so there's no surprise that it is a carbon copy of the Wrangler. But there are some differences that are somewhat easy to point out. The characteristic seven-slot grille openings are larger, to allow more cooling when towing heavy loads. The Gladiator doesn't come standard with LEDs, but if you get the $1,045 Premium LED Lighting Group on Overland trims and up, you get LED headlights, fog lights, turn signals, and tail lamps. The Rubicon trim makes the Gladiator even more macho, with steel bumpers and removable ends that improve off-roading capability.

Park the Wrangler JLU and Gladiator side-by-side, and this is where the biggest difference is between the two. The Gladiator measures in at 218 inches, two and a half feet longer than the Wrangler JLU, and the Gladiator is one of the longest of the midsize pickup segment, although the Chevrolet Colorado is seven inches longer. The Rubicon Launch Edition model we tested came on special 17-inch rims with massive 33-inch off-road tires. The Gladiator Rubicon has an insane 11 inches of ground clearance, which actually is just a half inch less than a Ford Raptor.

Looking at the rear of the Gladiator, this is where the Gladiator further differentiates itself from the Wrangler. LED tail lamps come with the Premium LED Lighting Group, others will have halogens. The assemblies stick out from the edges a bit more because Jeep said that they had issues with the Wrangler's optional blind-spot system and they needed to pull it further out in order to cut down false detections. The tailgate is light, and dampened, and has two positions, perfect for when you want to take your dirt bikes out for a rip in the mud. The Gladiator has a best-in-class 7,650-pound towing capacity, and can haul up to 1,600 pounds of payload. Those are strong numbers from a midsize truck.