A look at Jeep’s new R1.26 million bakkie launching in South Africa

Jeep has announced pricing and details for its new Gladiator Rubicon pickup, which the group is positioning as its ‘ultimate adventure vehicle’ in the South African market.

The 2022 Gladiator Rubicon features a 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 engine delivering 209kW and 347Nm of torque and features ESS as standard equipment. Jeep said the engine is engineered to provide a broad torque band with a focus on low-end torque, an essential trait needed for extreme off-roading.

“There has been tremendous demand for this unique vehicle from our loyal Jeep customers and double cab buyers all over the world. South Africans’ affinity to pickups or bakkies is well established and we believe Gladiator offers them a true lifestyle alternative in this popular segment,” said Leslie Ramsoomar, managing director of Stellantis South Africa.

For the exterior, Jeep has opted to keep the seven-slot grille seen on Wrangler, but widened the grille slots for additional air intake to assist with the increased towing capacity.

The Gladiator Rubicon also features LED headlamps and fog lamps, as well as daytime running lights, which form a halo around the outside perimeter of the headlights also highlight the traditional Jeep face, with indicators positioned on the front of the trapezoidal wheel flares.

From behind, traditional square tail lamps feature LED lighting and give way to a wide tailgate opening for unobstructed loading of cargo into the bed. The tailgate is damped and capable of stopping in three positions, while cargo is easily secured with a power-locking tailgate.

The Gladiator’s load bed is lined with a special scratch-resistant layer and a roll-up rigid loading cover.

Internally the Gladiator features a hand-wrapped instrument panel with functional features, including climate and volume control knobs, media charging and connectivity ports, and Engine Stop Start (ESS) control.

The centre console houses gear shift selection, transfer case and parking brake.

An 8.4-inch touchscreen houses the fourth-generation Uconnect system and sits prominently atop the centre stack. Two USB ports and a USB-C port up front and two in reach of occupants in the back seat connect to the media centre.

Retail pricing will start at R1,259,900, with the Gladiator featuring a three-year/100,000km maintenance plan and a five-year 100,000km warranty plan.

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