Jeep’s New Gladiator Wants to Conquer the Pickup Truck Market

Americans bought 524,000 small, starter pickup trucks last year—about 1,400 a day—but not one of them had removable doors.

In a few weeks, that small but noteworthy gap in the market will be filled by the Jeep Gladiator, an all-new rig that represents Fiat-Chrysler’s initial bid to buccaneer its way back into one of the industry’s hottest segments.

The long awaited Gladiator is drastically different from rival trucks—and it’s not just the doors. To further motor en plein air, the windshield folds down and the hardtop comes off. The tailgate can be locked at a half-lowered position to better support a stack of plywood. And ...