The USA lifestyle ute is priced from $89,900 and is powered by a 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine.

It wasn’t the warmest of welcomes for the Jeep Gladiator ute at Parihoa farm; plans for a jaunt along the sunny cliff top paddocks followed by a picnic at the maimai by the wetlands were cancelled when fog rolled in, enveloping the farm in damp dreariness.

But Jeep’s first ute for 27 years isn’t just a plaything. Sure, it’s the ultimate lifestyle ute but our Rubicon model is also

Jeep USA decided in 2017 to add a ute to the medium-sized pick up truck segment and it took just a year to create the Gladiator, using the double cab four-wheel drive Wrangler JL as the base for the ute.

Jeep extended the Wrangler’s tail-shaft, brake and fuel lines, and exhaust system to fit the 5669mm long Gladiator.

Compared to the Wrangler Unlimited, the Gladiator’s wheelbase is 492mm longer and an increase in 787mm in overall length. But it shares the Wrangler’s water fording of 763mm and 282mm ground clearance.

The Gladiator’s 1525mm long tray is constructed of steel. It features under-rail lighting, an 115V/400W power outlet, and built-in tie-down points.

This tray makes it ideal for the recreational market — and that’s where Jeep is aiming for, whether it is mountain bikes, kayaks, surfboards or off-road bikes. 

From launch, the Gladiator range will be powered by Chrysler’s 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine with 209kW of power and 347Nm of torque and paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. But Jeep last week announced a 195kW Fiat-sourced 3-litre EcoDiesel V6 engine will be available in the USA later this year.

It has a towing capacity of 3470kg, and payload of 745kg, while in true Jeep style it comes with the same Command-Trac and Rock-Trac 4x4 systems as the Wrangler JL. That means third-generation Dana 44 axles, Tru-Lock front and rear diff locks, Trac-Lok limited-slip rear diff and Jeep’s segment-exclusive sway bar disconnect system.

There are two models — the Overland ($89,990) or Rubicon (an extra $3000) — and all are five seaters. Jeep will also offer its accessory Trail Rail Cargo Management System, spray-on bed-liner, bed divider and tonneau cover as part of its 200-part MOPAR accessories catalogue. The Gladiator Rubicon variants have 33in off-road tyres plus underbody bash plates, front and rear recovery hooks, a steel rear bumper and winch-compatible front bumper.

From the front, the Gladiator could be mistaken for a Wrangler and carries over a similar interior. Inside, the cabin of the Gladiator comes with cloth or leather upholstery, heated seats and steering wheel, and a rear bench. In-cabin storage comes via a 60:40 split-fold rear seat (with lockable under-seat storage) plus USB and 12V power outlets. It has front and rear cameras (while the front has its own washer) plus blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control and electronic stability control.

It’s not the first Gladiator for the brand. The nameplate was on the J-series from 1963 to 1987. But the latest Gladiator isn’t made for the tradies.

What makes the Gladiator stand out in New Zealand’s busy double cab ute segment is that it comes with two convertible variants. One is a soft top that folds behind the rear passengers, and the second one has removable roof panels and a fold-down windscreen.

Like the latest Wrangler JL, the doors of the Gladiator are also removable, making it the only ute with open air driving.

Our Rubicon had the latter, so I needed help from some of the builder’s working on the main house’s jewel box garage to lift the two panels off the roof (a simple one minute effort) then place them in a special padded cover. 

Then it was off to see if we could make it to the maimai following the eastern track.

And this is where the Gladiator came to the fore. Coming off the dirt track, we moved onto grass so it was time to engage automatic four-wheel-drive high. This gave us stability over the wet grass that could prove tetchy and slippery if we drove at speed. 

Parihoa’s owner, and AutoMuse co-founder Matt Chapman knows first-hand what the wet grass can do; visiting a neighbouring farm in an older ute, the vehicle began sliding and Matt knew he couldn’t gain control back as it was in two-wheel-drive. Instead he jumped out of the ute – just as it rolled down a steep bank and crashed at the bottom

With this cautionary example, I engaged low four-wheel-drive as we reached the paddocks that the cattle had just been, turning the usually sturdy clay underground in a mud bath. 

There’s an important saying when you are doing off-roading on sand or mud: momentum is my friend. That means don’t stop! Once you commit to a path, keep going or else you’d find yourself stuck in the mud.

Noting the path ahead; the mud bath by the dip at a gate created by the cattle, then the muddy and rocky track up to the top of a hill I knew what I needed to do: chant “momentum is my friend” as I let the Gladiator Rubicon do when it was built for. 

I’d also experienced driving the Jeep ute at the global launch in Sacremento and then in Wanaka, so I knew its capabilities. So as I guided the ute up the track, it bumping over the rock then as I crested to the track slowed momentum down slightly as I entered the wet paddocks – much to the surprise of the cattle.

Waiting for Parihoa’s team of Ema and Paul to catch up from their photography duties (as I couldn’t stop mid-track for them), the fog turned to rain, so without the help of builder Sam I had to place the two panels back over the driver and passenger side. Here’s a tip. Right panel first, then left panel to lock them into place. It saves you getting wet.

Our trip to the maimai was cancelled as the rain increased, and a cup of tea at the main house was more appealing. 

With the ute still in low four-wheel-drive, we headed into the forest track that had gravel underfoot, making it an easier path. But coming up to a sheep filled paddock, again we encountered the slippery grass. So poor Ema and Paul faced another trek up to meet me as my slowly navigated up two hills past our woolly lookers-on and to a flat area.

A quick dash across the top the hill and we were back to the main drive to Chapman house - with two-wheel-drive engaged.

The builders, with their fleet of utes, were impressed with the mud-covered Gladiator. And I mean mud-covered. From the wheels to under the body, to the foot sils and inside there was mud. 

But it was worth it. It showed that this isn’t a brash ute, taking on the likes of Toyota Hilux or Ford Ranger. It could handle the tough stuff with the best of them. 

PS: Yes I hosed the Gladiator down many times (at special car washes that have bought in water) before I handed to back clean to Jeep’s NZ distributor Ateco.