Jeep Gladiator diesel on sale in US, still a no go for Australia
Jeep Gladiator finally has the diesel engine many ute fans are calling for, but there are still no plans to introduce it in Australia: V6 petrol only for now.
The Jeep Gladiator will get the option of diesel power in the US but it is still a no go for Australia.
Despite diesel engines accounting for the overwhelming majority of ute sales locally, the Jeep Gladiator has only been developed as a V6 petrol for right-hand-drive markets such as Australia.
The diesel about to go into the Jeep Gladiator is a 3.0-litre single turbo V6 with an output of 195kW/600Nm – which is more than the 179kW/569Nm version of the same engine fitted to the Ram 1500 Classic. Both are matched to eight-speed torque converter automatic transmissions.
By comparison, the 3.0-litre V6 petrol offered in the Jeep Gladiator locally has a relatively modest output of 209kW/347Nm and an eight-speed auto.
A spokesperson for Jeep Australia told CarAdvice there are no plans to introduce a diesel variant of the Gladiator locally, a company line it has consistently maintained since the model was confirmed for our market.
This is despite the fact that a 2.2-litre four-cylinder turbo diesel (147kW/450Nm) is available in the Jeep Wrangler in Australia, and the 3.0-litre V6 turbo diesel (195kW/600Nm) is available in the Jeep Gladiator in the US.
Jeep executives say Australia doesn't buy enough vehicles to cover the significant cost of developing a right-hand-drive diesel version of the Gladiator for our market. Let us know in the comments below if you think you can change their mind.
MORE: Everything Jeep Gladiator
MORE: Everything Jeep