The Jeep Gladiator may look like it is just a Jeep Wrangler SUV with a bed strapped to the back of it, but there’s more to it than that.

The midsize pickup was updated for 2024 and it does share its passenger cabin and body with the Wrangler, but is built on a stretched frame that borrows bits and pieces from the Ram truck parts bin.

Like the Wrangler, its doors and roof are removable, which makes it the only pickup aside from the GMC Hummer EV that can haul your stuff home from Ikea topless.

It’s a very old-school truck in a lot of ways. It has both front and rear solid axles and comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission … for now.

Jeep is dropping the stick shift for the 2025 model year. It is also making power windows standard in the Gladiator and the Wrangler, which were the last two new vehicles available with hand crank windows.

The Gladiator is offered in a range of models at starting prices from $39,790 to $58,230. They are all powered by the same 285 hp V6 engine and feature four-wheel-drive systems with various levels of capability.

One of the high-end trims is called the Mojave and, after spending a week with one equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission, I think it is the best all-arounder in the lineup.

Just as the similarly priced Rubicon is optimized for driving on extreme rocky surfaces like those found on its namesake Rubicon Trail in California, the Mojave is designed with the Golden State’s desert terrain in mind.

The Gladiator Mojave rides on tall 33-inch all-terrain tires and has a suspension upgraded with high-performance off-road Fox brand shock absorbers and devices called hydraulic jounce bumpers that fit inside the front springs to offer a last layer of impact absorption before they bottom out. The front of the truck is lifted one inch for improved clearance and there is extra steel underbody armor in case you still manage to bash it into something. Stepping up to the Gladiator Mojave X swaps the part-time four-wheel-drive system to a full-time version and adds steel bumpers.

It’s similar in spirit to the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 and Ford Ranger, Raptor which are its closest competitors on sale today. As with many of these types of trucks, the upgrades also improve the ride on pavement, and the Wrangler Mojave is more refined than its brutish looks might suggest. Among the changes this year were the addition of side curtain airbags for improved safety, a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system and the first power-adjustable front seats ever offered in a Gladiator or Wrangler, which are leather upholstered on the Mojave X.

You can also get it with electronic driver aids, such as adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree camera system to help with parking. When the four-wheel-drive system is set to its low range and a special Off-Road+ mode engaged, there’s a front-facing camera that remains on at high speeds and is very handy when driving on tight trails or cresting hills.

Having a clear view of the runway ahead is nice, because the Gladiator Mojave can be driven comfortably on rough roads at speeds that are fast enough to get it airborne when you hit a big bump. I had all four wheels off the ground for the length of the vehicle several times and neither I nor it were any worse for wear after sticking the landings.

Regardless of how you drive it, just being in it is fun, doubly so when you open the top. This has long been the Wrangler’s appeal to many owners and that same vibe carries over in full.

The Gladiator Mojave’s 18 mpg combined fuel economy rating won’t win it any environmental awards but is a little better than those of the more powerful Colorado ZR2 and Ranger Raptor. If you’re looking for a truly green machine, you’ll have to wait until next year, when the recently confirmed plug-in hybrid Gladiator 4xe is revealed.