2020 Jeep Gladiator North Edition - Interview Reveals Its Secret Winter Formula

We check out the 2020 Jeep Gladiator North Edition to see what winter features it has that other midsized trucks don’t.

The 2020 Jeep Gladiator is a good pick in any trim for driving in the worst of winter weather. Like the Wrangler, the Gladiator is a true 4X4 vehicle with amazing all-road and all-weather capabilities. It has the tires, ground clearance, and drivetrain to get you started in any situation. However, Jeep isn’t the kind of automaker that wants to give you enough. Jeep wants you to have the very best equipment for your particular driving conditions. We spoke to Jeep Product Manager Brandon Girmus to find out what Jeep has created with its North Edition Gladiator pickup. Open the Youtube video below to watch Brandon's overview of the Gladiator North Edition pickup truck.

Jeep selected the Overland trim as the starting point for the North Edition Gladiator. The North is a specific trim, not a package you can add to say, a Rubicon Trim. Jeep adds all of the winter gear one can imagine to its Gladiator North Edition to get you through the worst of winter weather.

Let’s start inside. Every North Edition Gladiator has heated seats and steering wheel. We love these because they allow a driver to throw the gloves and parka in the back seat and be comfortable right away when driving. You will already be cozy as you enter because the North Edition also has a remote start. Your mirrors will stay clear of ice because the North has power heated side mirrors. All that slush, salt, sand and ice your boots dragged into the Gladiator are not going to rot your floors either. The Gladiator North Edition has all-weather floor mats.

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Jeeps’ 4x4 capabilities are not in question, so we won’t dive deeply on how Jeep makes the wheels go round. Jeep opted to stick with the all-terrain tires rather than use winter-specific rubber. We can’t fault that decision. You are not going to get stuck in a Jeep and with a little skill, the turning and stopping will go well.

One set of features the Gladiator North Edition has that almost every winter-focused trim by other automakers lacks is a package to help you extract your neighbor’s sedan from a snowbank. The North Edition comes complete with recovery hooks, and a North Edition trail kit in which you will find gloves, a tow strap, D-rings, a steel carabiner, and a safety kit.

We checked out the North Edition in the flesh at the Boston Auto Show where it took center stage - literally - at FCA America’s massive display of winter-ready cars, crossovers, SUVs and trucks. Despite working overtime in Toledo trying to keep up with exploding Gladiator demand, Jeep is presently sending North Edition Gladiators to every U.S. state. If you are looking for a pickup truck that is winter-ready and has Jeep’s unmatched capability for all-road and off-road adventure, look no further than your local Jeep dealer. Ask for the Gladiator North Edition. Should you prefer a different Jeep vehicle, you may be interested to learn that Jeep has created a North Edition of every one of its models.

John Goreham is a life-long car nut and recovering engineer. John's focus areas are technology, safety, and green vehicles. In the 1990s, he was part of a team that built a solar-electric vehicle from scratch. His was the role of battery thermal control designer. For 20 years he applied his engineering and sales talents in the high tech world and published numerous articles in technical journals such as Chemical Processing Magazine. In 2008 he retired from that career and dedicated himself to chasing his dream of being an auto writer. In addition to Torque News, John's work has appeared in print in dozens of American newspapers and he provides reviews to many vehicle shopping sites. You can follow John on Twitter, and connect with him at Linkedin.