The 2021 Jeep Gladiator Texas Trail is putting a sparkle in the eyes of truck-loving Texans. Because the Lone Star State we live in is also the largest truck market in the United States, Jeep decided to honor us by creating a truck made especially to capture our hearts. The 2021 Jeep Gladiator Texas Trail 4X4 is equipped to travel on or off road, with 17-inch Mid-Gloss Black aluminum wheels, and 32-inch mud-terrain tires.
I had fun driving a test Gladiator recently. It was sporty looking but very attractive and brightly colored in a Firecracker Red clear-coat paint. It featured black interior and sporty, leather-trimmed bucket seats. Gladiator performs like a champ, operating on a 3.6 liter V6 24V VVT engine with ESS and paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission.
Texas Trail Boasts 1836 Decals
Texas Trail editions boast unique hood and tailgate decals embellished 1836, honoring the year for Texas Declaration of Independence. Standard features include side steps, Trailer Tow Group, black hardtop, and black leather seats embossed with the Texas Trail graphic. Leaving no doubt in anyone’s mind that this is a Texas truck.
The Gladiator has a great rearview camera, plus Technology Group with 7-inch radio and convenience group. There’s even an exclusive Jeep Badge of Honor mobile app that shows two trails in Texas. Plus, a Jeep Wave® customer service program is a standard feature.
“The Jeep brand recognizes that Texas and America’s southwest are the center of the truck universe,” said Jim Morrison, Vice President Jeep Brand North America. “Special editions allow us to connect with our passionate customers, and the Jeep Gladiator Texas Trail further broadens the appeal of the most capable Jeep pickup yet.”
Jeep Badge of Honor Trails
Photo: Jeep
The 2021 Jeep Gladiator Texas Trail also celebrates the addition of two Texas trails to the Jeep Badge of Honor program. Texas is home to two Badge of Honor trails, including the Black Gap 4×4 trail in Big Bend National Park.
My husband and I took an unforgettable ride over the Black Gap with a park ranger in 2017. The Ranger’s older model truck didn’t have the capability of the powerful new Gladiator…and I had bruises for weeks from bouncing around in the back seat. We got t-shirts boasting “I survived the Black Gap,” but new Jeep owners can also get badges!
The MSRP for the Texas Trail 4X4 is $34,960, but Jeep added optional packages to the test Gladiator that brought the price to $51,010 after destination charges of $1,595.
A Customer Preferred Package ($6,545) featured technology group, convenience group, and trailer tow package, plus a glossy black freedom top 3-piece hard top. LED headlights and fog lights ($1,095), Jeep Active Safety Group (995), and adaptive cruise control/forward collision warning ($795) were also added.
An 850RE transmission with select speed control ($2,000) was another optional addition, plus a spray-in bed liner by Mopar® ($495), and a few other additions.
Fuel economy for this feisty Jeep Gladiator Texas Trail edition was estimated at 17 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway, for an average of 17 mpg.
