Taking a page from the Wrangler’s playbook, Jeep is offering a special edition Willys ’41 version of its Gladiator midsize pickup for the 2026 model year, featuring rugged styling, a military-inspired olive green color, and unique components.
Essentially a four-door Jeep Wrangler with a pickup bed, the Jeep Gladiator arrived on the market for the 2020 model year. Aside from a minor update in 2024 that brought styling changes, interior upgrades, and some off-road goodies, it has mainly remained the same since its debut.
While the 2026 Gladiator has only a few minor updates, the main highlight is the new Willys ’41 special edition, first offered on the 2025 Jeep Wrangler 4xe. Unlike the Willys ’41 package on the Wrangler that celebrates the original 1941 Willys MB, the Gladiator Willys ’41 honors the original Kaiser Jeep M715, a military truck.
Painted in an exclusive, military-inspired “’41” olive green color, the Gladiator Willys ’41 features a hood taken from the Mojave trim with special decals added, a Mopar grille guard, steel bumpers, and mud-terrain tires on 17-inch Olive Drab-painted wheels. Inside, the seats have tan Willys ’41 inserts, but otherwise, the truck remains faithful to the standard Gladiator specifications.
Beyond the Willys ’41 package, all 2026 Gladiators now have new door hinges that make it easier and quicker to remove the doors. The Sport S trim offers optional all-terrain tires, and several new colors are introduced, including Reign and Goldilocks (late availability).
The 2026 Jeep Gladiator comes in five trims: Sport, Sport S, Willys, Mojave, and Rubicon. All models are equipped with a 285-horsepower 3.6-liter V6 engine, an eight-speed automatic transmission, and standard four-wheel drive (4WD). As a truck, the Gladiator can tow up to 7,700 pounds and haul as much as 1,720 pounds. With 11.6 inches of ground clearance, it can ford water up to 31.5 inches deep.
The 2026 Jeep Gladiator, including the new Willys ’41 special edition, is now available for ordering. Pricing starts at $36,890 for the base Wrangler 2-Door Sport trim, which includes the $1,995 destination charge, while the Willys ’41 is priced at $49,835.
The Gladiator’s long wheelbase, compared to the Wrangler SUV, is both an advantage and a disadvantage. On one hand, it provides a smoother ride on the highway and better stability, which also benefits towing. However, it somewhat diminishes off-road and boulder-scaling abilities. Still, there is no denying that the Gladiator is a capable vehicle, whether you see it as a truck or an SUV with a pickup bed.
The Gladiator competes against a strong lineup of midsize trucks, including the Chevrolet Colorado, Ford Ranger, GMC Canyon, Nissan Frontier, and Toyota Tacoma, each offering dedicated off-road variants to rival the Gladiator. Additionally, Honda sells the Ridgeline, and while it has an off-road-oriented TrailSport version, its car-based unibody design gives it better manners on the road, not the Gladiator’s strength.
Jeep is the source of information in this article. It was accurate as of November 20, 2025, but it may have changed since then. Always confirm product details and availability with the automaker’s website or your local dealership.
Jeff Youngs has over 30 years of experience in the auto industry, including 19 years with JD Power in marketing and editorial management roles. He also spent five years with General Motors as a media relations professional. More recently, as the owner and founder of Blue Line Auto Media, his work has appeared on Autotrader, Autolist, Capital One Auto Navigator, CarGurus, iSeeCars, JDPower.com, and Kelley Blue Book.
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