The state of Florida is a strange place full of swamps, gators, and climate change deniers, so the irony of Jeep’s latest Florida-only special edition Gladiator called the High Tide Edition will be lost on any Floridian who buys one. Jeep has released Wrangler High Tide Editions in 2022 and 2023, but this is the first time the increasingly ironic High Tide Edition package has been bestowed upon the brand’s pickup truck.
Gladiator High Tide editions are based on Sport S trims, but add standard features like unique hood and rear badging, 32-inch mud-terrain tires, keyless entry, power windows and locks, adaptive cruise control, and remote start. Oddly enough for a Florida-only package, Gladiator High Tide Editions come standard with a heated steering wheel, heated seats, and heated side mirrors. I’m sure those will come in handy in Florida.
According to the Florida State University’s Climate Center, Florida is among the most exposed states in the U.S. to sea level rise, and sea levels across the state are already as much as eight-inches higher than they were in 1950 with the rate of sea level rise accelerating. Jeep Gladiator 4x4s with the popular gasoline V6 and automatic transmission powertrain configuration are EPA rated at 17 mpg city and 22 mpg highway, making it significantly less efficient than the average new car. Each Gladiator produces an estimated 7.7 tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually, which is about the same as a 4WD Ford F-150 with the Coyote 5.0-liter V8, despite the Gladiator’s smaller size and much less powerful engine. You can take the roof and doors off the Gladiator to soak up some of those increasingly intense UV rays, though, which you can’t do in most other trucks.
Jeep debuted the Gladiator’s dystopian new sunshine-state-specific package just after Florida’s annual Jeep Beach event in Daytona, Florida where 250,000 people and 40,000 Jeeps celebrated the brand’s legendary legacy of producing lovable 4x4s. 2024 Gladiator High Tide Editions start at $50,170 including $1,895 destination, and are available to order now at Florida Jeep dealerships. If you are interested in a Jeep Gladiator High Tide edition, act fast before sea levels rise too high.
