2026 Jeep Gladiator Technology, Safety & Tops: Uconnect, TrailCam & More

The 2026 Jeep® Gladiator now ships with the largest standard touchscreen in the mid-size truck class — a 12.3-inch Uconnect 5 display with wireless Apple CarPlay®, wireless Android Auto™, Alexa Built-in, and integrated off-road trail guides. Pair that with available adaptive cruise, blind spot monitoring, an integrated forward off-road camera, and the unique soft-top, hard-top, and Sunrider for Hardtop options that nothing else in the segment offers, and you have a truck that delivers modern technology without losing the open-air experience that defines the Jeep brand.

I’m Jordan Malone-Forst, Assistant General Manager at Jay Malone CDJR in Hutchinson. This guide walks through every meaningful technology, safety, and top option on the 2026 Gladiator — what comes standard, what costs extra, what’s actually worth ordering, and which combinations make sense for central Minnesota driving. For full lineup context, see our 2026 Gladiator buyer’s guide.

What infotainment system does the 2026 Gladiator have?

Every 2026 Gladiator comes standard with a 12.3-inch Uconnect 5 touchscreen — the largest standard infotainment screen in the mid-size truck segment. That’s a notable upgrade from earlier model years and a meaningful selling point against the Toyota Tacoma and Ford Ranger, which don’t match it on screen size at the base trim. Standard equipment with that screen includes:

• Wireless Apple CarPlay® — phone connects automatically over Bluetooth, no cable needed
• Wireless Android Auto™ — same wireless experience for Android users
• Alexa Built-in — Amazon Alexa voice assistant integrated into the dash
• Connectivity for US/Canada — the connected services platform that powers over-the-air updates and remote features
• 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot — turn the truck into a mobile hotspot for tablets and laptops
• SiriusXM Radio Service — trial subscription standard, includes SiriusXM with 360L
• Bluetooth handsfree phone and audio — standard
• Off-road info pages — pitch, roll, altitude, drivetrain status, and trail guides built into the dash

Higher trims and option packages can add Uconnect 5 with NAV (built-in turn-by-turn GPS), an Alpine Premium Audio System, HD Radio, and the integrated off-road camera. Most central Minnesota buyers don’t need built-in NAV anymore because Apple Maps and Google Maps over wireless CarPlay/Android Auto handle navigation, but it’s available as part of the Technology Group if you want it.

What does the Gladiator Technology Group include?

The Technology Group (option AJY, $895 MSRP on most trims) is the package that adds advanced tech features above the standard equipment list. Including the items the 12.3-inch Uconnect already provides, the Technology Group bundles:

• Uconnect 5 NAV with the 12.3-inch display — built-in GPS navigation
• HD Radio — high-definition over-the-air radio
• GPS navigation antenna and mapping
• Connected travel and traffic services — live traffic data overlaid on navigation
• Integrated off-road camera (TrailCam) — forward-facing camera that shows what’s in front of the bumper, critical for crawling over obstacles you can’t see from the seat
• 115V auxiliary power outlet (in cabin) — plug standard household devices into the truck
• 400W inverter — supports the 115V outlet at meaningful power levels
• Integrated Voice Command with Bluetooth
• Rear view auto-dim mirror
• Media Hub with two USB charge-only ports

The Technology Group is included standard on Rubicon X and Mojave X. On other trims, it’s an add-on. The TrailCam (integrated off-road camera) alone is a strong reason to spec the package if you do any off-road work — being able to see what’s under your front bumper is the difference between confidently crawling over a log and accidentally putting a hole in your skid plate.

What does the Gladiator Safety Group include?

The Safety Group (option AJ1, typically $1,495–1,595 MSRP depending on trim) bundles the active safety features most modern shoppers expect:

• Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop — cruise that maintains a set following distance and brakes the truck to a complete stop in traffic
• Blind Spot and Cross Path Detection — lights in the side mirrors warn you of vehicles in your blind spot or crossing behind you when backing up
• Auto High Beam Headlamp Control — high beams turn on and off automatically based on oncoming traffic
• ParkSense rear park assist system — ultrasonic sensors that warn you of obstacles behind the truck
• LED tail lamps — included with the package on trims that don’t already have them

The Safety Group is included standard on Rubicon X, Mojave X, and Shadow Ops. On other trims, it’s a worthwhile add-on, especially if you spend a lot of time on highways or in city traffic. Adaptive cruise alone is the kind of feature that’s genuinely hard to give up once you’ve had it.

What safety features come standard on every 2026 Gladiator?

Every 2026 Gladiator regardless of trim ships with a comprehensive standard safety equipment list:

• Advanced multistage front airbags
• Supplemental front seat side airbags and supplemental side airbags
• Anti-lock 4-wheel disc brakes with HD calipers
• Electronic stability control with electronic roll mitigation — particularly important in a tall vehicle like the Gladiator
• Hill Start Assist — holds the brake when you stop on a slope
• Trailer Sway Damping — detects trailer fishtailing and applies individual brakes to correct it
• Selectable Tire Fill Alert — honks when a tire reaches your target pressure during inflation
• Rear seat reminder alert — reminds you to check the back seat when leaving the truck
• Tire pressure monitoring
• ParkView rear back-up camera
• Sentry Key theft deterrent system
• Pushbutton start with passive entry on most trims
• Security alarm on Sport S and higher
• Full-Speed Forward Collision Warning Plus on Sport S and higher

In short, every Gladiator is well-equipped for safety even at the base level. The Safety Group adds the features most shoppers consider table stakes in 2026 (adaptive cruise, blind spot), but the foundation is solid even on a base Sport.

What does the Convenience Group include?

The Convenience Group (option AJK, typically $1,595–1,795 MSRP depending on trim) is what we informally call “the winter package” at our Hutchinson dealership. It bundles the comfort and convenience features Minnesota buyers actually want:

• Heated front seats — non-negotiable for January in central Minnesota
• Heated steering wheel — pairs with the heated seats; both make a huge difference in winter
• Remote start — warm the truck up from inside the house before you leave
• Air conditioning with automatic temperature control — replaces the manual A/C standard on Sport
• Passive entry, front door locks — unlock the truck by touching the door handle while carrying the key fob
• Universal garage door opener
• Cluster 7.0-inch TFT color display in the gauge cluster
• Daytime running lamp system
• Body color 2-piece fender flares on Sport-based trims
• Corning Gorilla® Glass — reinforced front-row glass that resists chips from gravel
• Emergency assistance call — built-in SOS button

For most central Minnesota buyers, the Convenience Group is the single highest-value option box on the order sheet. It’s included standard on Sahara, Rubicon X, Mojave X, and Shadow Ops. On Sport, Sport S, Texas Trail, Willys, and Rubicon, it’s a check-box add-on. We strongly recommend it for any buyer who’ll drive their Gladiator year-round.

What top options does the 2026 Gladiator offer?

Every 2026 Gladiator comes standard with the Black Sunrider Soft Top, which folds back, slides open, or comes off entirely. From there, you can spec one of several optional configurations:

Top	Option Code	MSRP
Black Sunrider Soft Top (standard)	STA	N/C standard
Black 3-Piece Hard Top	HT1	$1,895
Body Color 3-Piece Hard Top	HT3	$1,895
Dual Top Group (soft + hard top)	AEN	$2,495–3,690
Mopar Sunrider for Hardtop	MHW	$945

The 3-piece hard top has two removable Freedom Panels above the front seats and a removable rear section. Take just the Freedom Panels off for partial open-air with the rear closed for security. Take everything off for full convertible mode. Body color or black is your choice; functionally identical.

The Sahara, Willys ‘41, Shadow Ops, Rubicon X, and Mojave X all come with the body-color 3-piece hard top standard. On other trims, you’re choosing between staying with the soft top or upgrading.

What is the Mopar Sunrider for Hardtop?

The Mopar Sunrider for Hardtop ($945 MSRP) is the most useful top option in the Gladiator lineup, in our opinion. It replaces the front Freedom Panels of a 3-piece hard top with a power-operated soft section. Press a button and the front of the hard top opens up like a giant sunroof, leaving the rear section closed for security and weather protection.

Why we like it for Minnesota: it gives you genuine open-air driving without committing to taking the entire top off. You can be cruising on Highway 7 with the front open in 70-degree summer weather and close it again in 30 seconds when a sudden storm rolls through. The hard top stays installed all year — no swapping tops with the seasons. It’s the closest thing to a convertible experience the Gladiator offers without the soft-top hassle.

The Sunrider for Hardtop requires a hard top to be installed (HT1 or HT3) or the Cargo Group, hard tri-fold tonneau, soft tri-fold tonneau, or roll-up tonneau as one of the prerequisites per the order guide. Standard on the 85th Anniversary Edition.

Are the doors and windshield really removable?

Yes — and the Gladiator is the only mid-size truck on the market with all three open-air features. The doors come off (front and rear). The windshield folds flat onto the hood. The top comes off (soft, hard, or either piece of the hard top individually). It’s the only mid-size truck that does any of those, let alone all three.

A few honest notes:

• You need the Mopar Doors Off Mirror Kit ($195 MSRP) to stay legal driving with the doors off — mirrors are required by Minnesota law, so the kit relocates them to the A-pillar.
• The torx tool kit (XE4) is standard on every Gladiator — you don’t need to buy tools to take the doors off.
• Keep the doors somewhere clean and dry — they’re heavy enough that a basic door cart or padded blanket helps. Mopar sells dealer-installed door storage solutions for the Gladiator.
• Folding the windshield down is a real procedure. Mopar offers a windshield tie-down strap ($40 MSRP) that secures the windshield to the hood when folded.
• Most owners don’t actually take all three off often — but the option is there, and it’s a real differentiator vs every other truck in the segment.

What top configuration is best for Minnesota?

For most central Minnesota buyers, the right answer is one of these three configurations:

1. Body color 3-piece hard top + Mopar Sunrider for Hardtop. The single best year-round combo. Hard top stays on all year (warm in winter, secure, quieter on highway). The Sunrider opens the front for open-air summer driving without committing to a full top removal. About $2,840 in options on a trim that doesn’t already include them.
2. Dual Top Group (soft + hard). The best for buyers who want a real soft-top summer experience and a hard top winter setup. Pricier ($2,495–3,690 MSRP depending on combination), but you get both tops and can swap seasonally. Many central MN customers do this swap once in spring and once in fall.
3. Body color 3-piece hard top alone. If you don’t plan to drive open-air much, just the hard top is a solid choice. You can still take the Freedom Panels off for partial open driving on warm days. About $1,895 to upgrade from the standard soft top.

What we don’t recommend for year-round MN drivers: keeping the standard soft top alone. It works for summer-only buyers (a fun second vehicle), but for primary-driver Gladiators in our climate, a hard top configuration is meaningfully better in cold weather and better for security.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the 2026 Gladiator come with wireless Apple CarPlay?

Yes — standard on every trim. The 12.3-inch Uconnect 5 touchscreen ships with wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto out of the box. No need for a USB cable; your phone connects automatically once paired.

Is adaptive cruise control standard on the Gladiator?

No — adaptive cruise is part of the Safety Group, which is included standard on Rubicon X, Mojave X, and Shadow Ops, but is an option on other trims. If you want adaptive cruise on a Sport, Sport S, Sahara, or base Rubicon, check the Safety Group box.

What’s the difference between the Black 3-Piece Hard Top and Body Color 3-Piece Hard Top?

Functionally identical — same construction, same removable Freedom Panels, same defrosted rear window, same removable rear section. The difference is purely cosmetic: the Black version is finished in black regardless of body color, the Body Color version is painted to match your truck. Same MSRP.

Can I take the doors off myself?

Yes — the Torx tool kit needed is standard on every Gladiator (XE4). Each door uses two bolts on the hinges. Plan on about 5 minutes per door once you’re practiced. Add the Mopar Doors Off Mirror Kit ($195 MSRP) to stay legal driving with the doors off, since Minnesota requires side mirrors.

Is the soft top warm enough for Minnesota winter?

Honest answer: it depends on the day. The standard Sunrider soft top is well-insulated and the Gladiator’s heater is strong. On a 20-degree day, you’ll be fine. On a -20-degree subzero stretch, a hard top is significantly warmer and quieter. Most year-round Minnesota Gladiator owners prefer a hard top configuration. The Dual Top Group lets you swap seasonally if you want both.

Does the Gladiator have over-the-air software updates?

Yes — the Connectivity package includes over-the-air update capability for Uconnect 5 and other vehicle systems. Updates download in the background and install when the vehicle is parked, similar to how a phone updates.

Can I add the Sunrider for Hardtop after I buy the truck?

Yes — Mopar offers the Sunrider for Hardtop as a dealer-installed accessory at any time, as long as your truck has the 3-piece hard top installed. It can be added later without much hassle. Our Mopar-certified service team can install one in a single appointment. Reach out and we can get you a quote.

The 2026 Gladiator is one of the best-equipped Jeeps we’ve sold — the standard 12.3-inch Uconnect, wireless smartphone integration, and a comprehensive standard safety equipment list mean even a base Sport doesn’t feel stripped down. The Technology, Safety, and Convenience groups are well-priced and well-bundled, and the open-air top options give you a level of versatility nothing else in the mid-size truck segment matches. Stop in at Jay Malone CDJR in Hutchinson and we’ll walk you through the option configurations that actually make sense for how you’ll use the truck. We’ll talk you out of paying for tech you won’t use, and we’ll talk you into the Convenience Group for winter. That’s how we’ve done it since 2005.