2020 Jeep Gladiator Mojave Is a Cool Desert-Prepped Pickup, Says Doug DeMuro

The Mojave sits alongside the Rubicon in the range. But where that version of the Gladiator pickup is designed to climb trails, this one is what Jeep calls "Desert Rated." The formula is almost unique, though you can draw a parallel with the Colorado ZR2 or the Raptor; sounds just like something Doug DeMuro would want to check out.

Available from $45,000, the Mojave carries a number of goodies that make it better than a normal Gladiator - factory tuning, if you will: the headline-grabbers area set of 2.5-inch external reservoir dampers made by Fox, Fox front hydraulic jounce bumpers, a one-inch suspension lift, and heavy-duty Dana 44 axles shared with the Rubicon model. Considering you have 33-inch all-terrain tires as standard and the best approach angles, this shouldn't be called a mall crawler, even though it's probably going to be used as one.

It's built to tackle dunes at high speed, able to hit 50 mph (80 kph) in 4-Low, as opposed to a Rubicon, which has the ability to crawl or disconnect its sway bars for more articulation. On the engine front, we have the familiar 3.6-liter V6 making 285 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. This can be paired with either a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic, which will set you back another $2,000.

The Mojave does have some quirks and features that Doug likes, but most of them are serious when it comes to the exterior. On the inside, the desert-ready Gladiator is made up completely out of durable materials that can take a beating, and we know from the Land Rover Defender review that Doug is a sucker for stuff like that. It turns out that it's also not as bad on the highway as some people say.