The Jeep Gladiator dropped its manual transmission option in 2024, but it now appears that stick-shift buyers won't have to wait long for it to return. According to CarBuzz, the Wrangler-derived pickup truck will soon be reoffered with a manual gearbox — citing remarks made by Jeep's global head of off-road, Aamir Ahmed.
Ahmed stopped short of naming the Gladiator directly, but his meaning was evident enough. "We have another car that looks like a Wrangler that's getting its manual back. Stay tuned," he told CarBuzz.
The reasons behind the Gladiator's original manual-transmission deletion aren't entirely clear, but Jeep now appears committed to keeping the three-pedal experience alive. The off-road brand has offered a manual in the Wrangler lineup ever since the model's 1987 debut. Today, stick-shift models are available only in V-6 Wrangler configurations; the Jeep Wrangler Laredo Concept, shown at the brand's 60th annual Easter Safari in Moab, Utah, was built around a manual transmission — reinforcing that Jeep still values the driver-engagement it provides. Should the Gladiator recover its manual-shift capability, it will almost certainly be limited to the V-6 models.
If Jeep does restore the manual option in the Gladiator, the number of stick-shift pickup trucks available new in the U.S. would climb from one to two. The only other manual-transmission truck currently on sale domestically is the Toyota Tacoma. That gives die-hard three-pedal truck buyers a bit more to consider when shopping.