2025 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon review: Tackling trails in the updated off-road icon

Earlier this year, Jeep Australia announced it was streamlining its Wrangler and Gladiator ranges, limiting each to a single variant – the most off-road-focused model, the Rubicon.

At the same time, the brand also signalled a price drop for both of these off-road icons. That’s great news for those who want the most off-road-capable variants, but not so good for anyone chasing a cheaper Jeep with fewer features. We fall into the first group – we love the Rubicons for their unmatched off-road capability straight off the showroom floor, unlike any other vehicle sold in Australia.

We took the announcement as an opportunity to get back behind the wheel of a Gladiator Rubicon, now fitted with all the 2025 updates.

The price cut on the Gladiator was close to $5K, bringing the MSRP down to $82,990. But when you factor in the value of the extra gear that now comes standard on the Rubicon, it adds up to even more bang for your buck.

Not only is the Gladiator Rubicon the most off-road-ready production ute on sale, but it’s also the only one that offers the open-sky experience of easily removable roof panels – or, if you’re keen, you can take the roof off entirely and fold the windscreen down onto the bonnet for a true open-air drive. You can also remove the doors fairly easily, although Australian authorities don’t look too kindly on doorless cars being driven on public roads.

JUMP AHEAD

• Updates for 2025
• Interior, tech and touring kit
• On- and off-road driving
• Cargo and payload
• Verdict
• Specs

Updates for 2025

The 2025 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon scores a revised seven-slot grille, updated wheels and body-colour flares. The old steel radio antenna has been replaced with a built-in unit on the windscreen, which itself is now made from tougher Gorilla Glass.

Jeep has also added a few safety upgrades, including side-curtain airbags, a rear-seat reminder, auto high-beam assist and a selectable tyre-fill alert.

Under the skin, the 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 petrol engine carries over, producing 209kW and 347Nm, paired with an eight-speed auto. It still runs the formidable Rock-Trac 4×4 system with low-range gearing, an electronic front sway-bar disconnect and a 77:1 crawl ratio. Standard kit includes 32-inch BFGoodrich KO2 muddies on 17-inch alloys, along with steel skid plates and rock rails.

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While the Wrangler Rubicon is now only offered with the turbocharged four-cylinder engine in Australia, Jeep has stuck with the ageing V6 for the Gladiator, saying its characteristics are better suited to the truck application.

Unfortunately, we still don’t get the 35-inch tyres that American Rubicon drivers enjoy. Combined with the Gladiator’s long wheelbase and lower ride height from the smaller tyres, it means those rock rails and underbody protection plates are likely to get a serious workout.

Interior, tech and touring kit

With its roof panels off, the Gladiator Rubicon brings the outside in, letting you truly embrace the great outdoors from behind the wheel.

The interior of the Rubicon ute has a premium feel, going some way to justifying its hefty price tag. The new dash pad now features soft-touch black material instead of the garish red trim from before, while a 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen now dominates the centre of the dash. As well as being larger than before, it also runs the latest Uconnect 5 system with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The front seats are power-adjustable, heated leather units, while the rear pew offers enough space for adult passengers, with plenty of headroom thanks to the absence of a roof lining. Looking up, you can see where Jeep’s engineers have cleverly integrated the new side airbags into the exposed roll bars within the cabin, with another set further back for rear-seat passengers. Add in the front airbags and the Gladiator now has six in total. Running crossways overhead is a set of high-output speakers to make the most of the sound system, while folding the back seat forward reveals a removable Bluetooth speaker – perfect for taking your tunes to camp.

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Jeep is renowned for its ‘Easter eggs’ – little bits of detail scattered around the vehicle that you’ll only spot over time. The removable speaker is one of them; you wouldn’t even know it was there until you fold the seat forward. Another neat touch is the set of mounting points on top of the dash for securing things like trail cams, GPS units or other devices. The threaded holes are concealed under rubber mats when not in use – clever and handy additions.

The Lifestyle Adventure Group used to be an option pack, but it’s now standard on the Gladiator Rubicon. It adds lockable under-seat storage, Trail Rail tie-downs in the tub, an auxiliary switch bank, a 240-amp alternator, the removable Bluetooth speaker and a spray-in bedliner.

Factory options are now limited to premium paint colours for an additional $1145, and a body-colour-matched roof at $1970. Jeep also offers an extensive range of factory accessories, while the aftermarket is overflowing with gear to turn your Jeep into whatever you want it to be – depending, of course, on how far you’re prepared to push the local rules for mods.

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The Wrangler has never been a big vehicle, but the four-door Unlimited model introduced with the JK and JL generations added a proper back seat. The JT Gladiator takes that practicality even further, transforming the Jeep into a genuinely useful ute.

That said, the driver’s compartment is still quite compact and can take some getting used to, but I’ve adapted to it and find it comfortable for long stints behind the wheel. Some drivers might take a bit longer to adjust. The windows are relatively low and the door sills high – again, something to get used to if you’re not familiar with driving a Jeep. Take the time to adapt and you’ll be rewarded by the experience.

Like the Wrangler, the Gladiator remains a body-on-frame vehicle with live front and rear axles, slow steering and high levels of NVH. This is an old-school truck built for off-roading, and we’re thankful Jeep has stuck to its guns to keep it that way. There’s truly nothing else like it in new-car showrooms today.

On- and off-road driving

All these unique traits make driving the Jeep a unique experience in itself.

Think old-school trucks with slow steering that tends to wander, encouraging the driver to stay alert and ahead of the inputs. You soon get used to it, and it’s really only noticeable at higher highway speeds – but get off the blacktop and onto low-speed gravel roads or off-road tracks, and it all starts to make sense.

Disconnect the front sway-bar via the button on the dash and let the live axle do its thing as it slinks over mounds and through wombat holes, keeping those BFGs on terra firma where they can do their best work.

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The transfer case offers rear-wheel drive, 4×4 Auto, locked high-range 4×4 and locked low-range 4×4. Even in Auto mode with the sway-bar disconnected, the Rubicon makes light work of most tracks, with electronic traction control managing grip. Lock the centre diff in high or low range and it becomes even more capable, tackling the tougher stuff with ease – but for full effect, slot it into low range, lock the front and rear diffs, and the Gladiator becomes near-on unstoppable.

While many 4×4 owners fit aftermarket locking diffs to boost their off-road capability, they come standard on the Rubicon. What I find even more useful when driving the Jeep off-road, however, is the control and ability afforded by its ultra-low gearing.

With 4.11:1 gears in the final drive and the same ratio for low range in the transfer case, the Rubicon has an overall gear reduction (crawl ratio) of 77:1. No other production 4×4 comes close to this figure, giving Rubicon Jeeps unmatched torque and throttle control for crawling, climbing and tackling the steepest descents. This gearing is a key factor in the Rubicon’s supreme capability.

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The ultra-low gearing also helps the naturally aspirated petrol V6, which likes a few revs to give its best. The torque multiplication from the gear reduction delivers exactly what the driveline needs when the going gets tough.

That doesn’t mean the Rubicon is perfect off-road. Its low ride height and long wheelbase limit ground clearance and ramp-over angle, really putting the underbody protection plates and rock rails to the test. But that’s nothing a set of taller tyres and a suspension lift won’t fix – and we’re betting those mods will be first on the list for 90 per cent of Rubicon owners.

A smaller gripe is the throttle pedal calibration – it’s long in travel yet still a bit jerky, which can make low-speed manoeuvring on rough ground trickier than it should be. Swapping between the two vehicles we had on the day highlighted the difference in throttle control – it was chalk and cheese, with the Jeep being the poorer performer.

On dirt tracks and open roads, the V6 engine is an old but willing performer, especially when paired with the eight-speed automatic transmission. As mentioned, it needs revs to deliver its best, and that 4.11 final drive gives it lively performance when you put your boot down and it slips through the gears. It’s quite raucous at full throttle and, combined with the NVH from the minimal sound-deadening, makes the Jeep feel faster than it really is. It’s no sports car, but it sure is a fun 4×4 to drive!

Cargo and payload

As a ute, the cargo tub is quite large and deep for a midsize model. It features a spray-on bedliner, internal lighting and four tie-down points positioned low in the tub – something the popular Asian ute brands could learn from. Adjustable tie-downs are also positioned higher on the bed rails, another feature that used to be an option but is now standard.

The payload and GVM figures have crept up a little since we last drove a Gladiator, but at 693kg and 2935kg respectively – with a 2721kg towing capacity – the Gladiator Rubicon is more a lifestyle ute than a load-lugger. It’s a shame, really, as the Jeep’s size would make it well suited to carrying heavier loads.

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Verdict

Even with the price drop, the Gladiator Rubicon is still a high-priced ute, especially when you consider its modest load capacities. 

However, like Ford’s Ranger Raptor, the Gladiator is more about off-road prowess than hauling gear. It’s a lifestyle ute – and when you add in the premium interior, open-air driving experience and sheer fun of travelling in one, it all starts to make sense.

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Specs