Autoblog and Yahoo may earn commission from links in this article.Jeep's Gladiator is not a great truck. It's huge for its class, its bed isn't the largest either, and its engine doesn't offer a lot of grunt. But it is fun. If there's anything Jeep can do well, it's make a car that objectively drives poorly very entertaining. The Wrangler built a whole segment around it, and now has rivals like the Bronco chasing at its heels.Admittedly, I like this kind of car (truck, whatever) because it's not good at stuff. It's charming in a world where everything has to be over-optimized to make that line on the NYSE go up. So, after a week, this is everything I loved about the Gladiator. For everything I hated, see the companion story.The Jeep Gladiator Is A Big, Dumb-Looking TruckChase BierenkovenView the 3 images of this gallery on the original articleAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Gladiator is not a good-looking truck. Honestly, it barely even looks like a truck. It looks like someone drove one into the back of the Wrangler, which I suppose is the point. The rear overhang is monstrous, nearly prolapsed. The front overhang is effectively zero, because this truck also needs to be able to do Wrangler stuff; otherwise, the Wrangler folks would never buy one. The cab looks as if someone stuck moving boxes on top of the wheels, and the whole thing looks in profile like someone pulled the wheelbase to the wrong end of the car. When everything else looks perfect, mean, pretty, or rugged, the Gladiator is a relief.FRESH DARN AIRChase BierenkovenView the 3 images of this gallery on the original articleThis is the item the Gladiator has on all of its competitors. Like a true Jeep, the outside is never very far away. Sure, that means it kind of drives badly, but that also means you can smell something besides your own farts. Unlike the Wrangler, there's also lots of room for the removable roof panels in the bed (which come with their own nice storage bag), and the whole rear section can also be lifted off, just like on the Wrangler, and so can the doors. 2026 models got a new hinge design that makes this even easier.Who Doesn't Like Buttons?Chase BierenkovenView the 2 images of this gallery on the original articleAdvertisementAdvertisementThe Gladiator is also a wonderfully physical car. This is much more common in the truck segment, where automakers see real buttons as a way to signal durability, quality, and value to their buyers. The Gladiator's suite of buttons feels like they've got all of the above going for them, and each has a nice feel to it, especially those you use for the windows and off-road features, which are rubberized and chunky. Outside the segment, though, you just don't get this level of control without a dozen submenus and a screen. Mind you, the Gladiator's latest uConnect software and associated screen are very good. It's crisp, easy to read, and not too distracting.The Bed Has Its PerksChase BierenkovenView the 2 images of this gallery on the original articleThe Gladiator's tacked-on bed may look weird, might get in the way off-roading, might just not be used, but I do actually like it. It's a pretty standard bed size for the segment, at five-ish feet, and will haul toys nicely. I fit a few mountain bikes in the back. As illustrated above, the Gladiator's roof panels fit nicely into their weatherproof bag with room to spare. There are tie-downs, and the fabric tonneau cover provides some added protection without much added bulk.This story was originally published by Autoblog on Aug 15, 2026, where it first appeared in the Features section. Add Autoblog as a Preferred Source by clicking here.