The Jeep Gladiator has offered a diesel engine since 2021, but that will no longer be the case after 2023, Jeep announced last week.
The automaker will mark the demise of the diesel in the pickup truck with the launch of the 2023 Gladiator Rubicon FarOut, a special edition limited to 1,000 units.
The starting price is set at $71,790, including a $1,795 destination charge, and Jeep dealers are already accepting orders. Deliveries are scheduled to start later this year.
The move isn't a surprise. Jeep announced the demise of the diesel in the Gladiator's Wrangler sibling last fall, revealing at that time a similar 2023 Wrangler Rubicon FarOut special edition.
2023 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon FarOut edition
The diesel in both models is the familiar turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 branded an EcoDiesel and used across a handful of Stellantis products. The engine delivers a peak 260 hp. That power comes on smoothly with little need for revving, and the low-end torque delivery is similar to the feel of an electric vehicle. Paired with an 8-speed automatic, the engine is able to get the Gladiator over a distance of more than 500 miles on one tank.
Jeep said it is phasing out the diesel engine as it turns its focus toward electrification.
The Gladiator Rubicon FarOut gets all of the goodies of the off-road-focused Gladiator Rubicon, including Dana 44 heavy-duty axles, a 3.73 axle ratio, and the Rock-Trac 2-speed transfer case with a 4.0:1 low-range gear ratio. Unique to it is a “Diesel 3.0L” hood graphic, custom budging, and 17-inch wheels with a low-gloss black finish. A steel front bumper and 33-inch mud-terrain tires are also included, among other extras.
The Gladiator will continue to offer a 3.6-liter gas V-6 in future models, and the same 4xe plug-in hybrid option offered in the Wrangler is expected to be made available in the Gladiator starting in 2024.
