2020 Jeep Gladiator Mojave - Review & Road Test

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https://www.kbb.com/jeep/gladiator/

The 2020 Jeep Gladiator Mojave is a new and different beast built atop the foundation of Jeep’s popular pickup truck. Jeep has dubbed the Mojave “Desert Rated”, an expansion of the brand’s Trail Rated moniker, which is reserved for their most capable off-road offerings. With 33-inch Falken all-terrain tires, stronger axles, cast-iron steering knuckles, a 1-inch suspension lift, a reinforced frame, and Fox 2.5-inch internal bypass shocks, the 2020 Gladiator Mojave is crafted for high-speed blasts through hot, sandy, rutted trails. That all sounds good on paper but how does it translate to actual desert? Our man, Micah Muzio, ventured solo into the Mojave desert to find out.

At Kelley Blue Book we’ve already reviewed and enjoyed the Jeep Gladiator pickup, but we’re gonna target this video on what makes the Mojave unique among Gladiators.
Item 1. The Mojave is Desert rated. Look there’s a badge to prove it.

What does Desert rated mean? Well, according to Jeep that means their vehicle has passed “strenuous tests” in 5 categories.

Ride Control and Stability (specifically over undulating terrain)
Traction (say, on tricky surfaces like dirt and sand)
Ground Clearance (for cresting whoops and dunes)
Maneuverability (when driving at high speeds through challenging environs)
Desert Prowess (And finally, the swimsuit completion. No, I made that one up. The last one is Desert Prowess, which equals an ability to endure high temps and intrusive sand and dust)

So, the Mojave premise is high-speed maneuverability in vast open spaces. Alright, let’s try that out. Half inch wider track adds slightly more confidence when driving sideways.

The Mojave’s enhanced whoop-ability comes via Fox 2.5-inch internal bypass shocks featuring external reservoirs to keep damping fluid cool plus hydraulic front jounce bumpers that provide additional damping force when the suspension bottoms out.

According to Jeep’s press materials the Mojave also has standard 33-inch Falken all-terrain tires, stronger axles, cast-iron steering knuckles, a 1-inch suspension lift providing 11.6 inches of ground clearance, and a reinforced frame.

Assuming you’d like to use your Gladiator Mojave as a pickup truck, you have 1,200 lbs of payload and 6,000 pounds of towing capacity to exploit. That pulling power is provided by Jeep’s familiar 3.6L Pentastar V6 (285hp, 260lb-ft). Yes, that’s the same output as a standard Gladiator. And here are some fuel economy figures for those who care. (17city/22hwy— automatic, 16city/23hwy — manual) As for transmission choices, an 8-speed automatic is optional…
But a 6-speed manual comes standard.
For dispensing the V6’s power, Jeep has fitted their Command-Trac 4X4 system. That means there’s a two-speed transfer case with a 2.72:1 low range gear, Dana 44 axles, and an electronic locking rear differential. And for those who like angles, here’s are some angles.
( Approach 44.7° , Breakover 20.9° , Departure 25.5° )

While staring at the exterior I’ll note that the Mojave is visually distinguished by its silver front skid plate, sand slider side rails, orange tow hooks, and, for the hyper-observant among us, the word Mojave on the hood, which also features a center scoop.

Glance inside and you’ll find orange details, nicely bolstered front seats, and a racier steering wheel,
Beyond aesthetics there are two more Mojave features worth mentioning.

One, is Off-Road Plus mode that alters throttle, transmission, and traction control behavior to enhanced dirt drenched frivolity.
VO: And two, this $600 forward-facing camera that was previously reserved for the Gladiator Rubicon. Evidently, it’s easier to traverse the desert when you can see it.

I suppose we should also address how the Mojave drives on road. It actually rides quite well!

And back to the dirt. To me, fast off-roading is the most fun, making the Mojave my Gladiator of choice. But before trundling down and buying one we have to address price. In least expensive form a Gladiator Mojave has a Rubicon-matching MSRP of $45,370 including $1,500 worth of destination charges. That’s not cheap. And then there are the options. For perspective, though it’s filled with nifty options this exact Mojave costs $57,720. That’s Raptor money.

It might not be cheap, but it is fun and it is capable. If you can justify spending the funds, the Mojave is a fun-saturated way to Gladiate.