The Moab Easter Jeep Safari draws thousands of visitors annually. Some come to bash their custom 4X4 builds against the rocks, trying their best to conquer the various popular trails around Moab. Then there are those who come to check out and be awed by the latest Jeep Concepts on show.
Each year for as long as we can remember, Jeep has made a point of attending the Moab Jeep Safari with an amazing assortment of concept vehicles that showcase their long history of merging technological advancements with outstanding vehicle builds. What we at Dixie 4 Wheel Drive love about Jeep is that they never disappoint. They always listen to their customers and have no problem delivering sturdy reliable vehicles that perform just as well on the tarmac as off-road.
This year’s Jeep Safari was no different. After taking a hiatus in 2020, due to the pandemic, the event we all love was back. It was obvious from the onset that Jeep was out to make up for lost time. This year featured 7 different concept vehicles, each with something unique to offer Jeep enthusiasts.
While we’d love to spend time dissecting each of these fascinating concept vehicles, we’ll focus on the one that captivated us most – the Jeep Farout.
Jeep Farout: The Diesel-Powered Overland Gladiator
There are several reasons why the Jeep Gladiator Farout captured our full attention. To start with, this vehicle is inspired by the hugely popular Jeep Wayout overlanding concept – another Gladiator overlanding build debuted at the 2019 Easter Jeep Safari. Overlanding seems to be one off-roading hobby that’s gathering plenty of fans. It seems that the pandemic inspired people to try and get as far from civilization as they can and it’s clear that Jeep wants to capitalize on this trend.
What’s up with the name? We too were asking ourselves this until Jeep’s head of design let everyone know that it was named Farout because this gladiator is intended to take you as far out into the wild as you’re willing to go, thanks to its fuel range.
That brings us neatly back to the vehicle and its capabilities. Looking at it, you can’t help but love what Jeep has done with the color. The Gladiator Farout wears a new upcoming production color known as Earl. It also spots chartreuse accents on the shocks, badging, tow hooks, and hood. These are subtle enough not to be noticed from afar but they can’t be missed up close. It’s definitely hard to miss the work “Farout” emblazoned on the hood.
Jeep Gladiator Farout Specifications
Speaking of the hood, let’s see what this overlander is packing.
Jeep’s claims of the Farout taking you further than before aren’t unfounded. This rig is powered by a 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V-6 engine backed by an 18.3-gallon diesel tank which Jeep claims will get 28 mpg on the highway with about 425 miles of range. If that’s true then you’ll have the ability to cover some decent ground off-grid without thinking about refueling.
As for the power, the Farout packs 226 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque with engine stop-start (ESS) technology standard. This is impressive and we’d gladly volunteer to test out this machine to see how well it does off-road.
It turns out that the Jeep Farout has no problem holding its own off-road. If the rugged stature didn’t clue you in, this vehicle comes with a 2-inch lift thanks to a Jeep Performance Parts kit. This coupled with Fox performance shocks means that it not only has sufficient clearance to make short work of most of the obstacles you’d encounter, but also give you a smooth ride while at it.
It sits on meaty 37-inch Falken Wildpeak mud-terrain tires that are wrapped around gray 17-inch Fifteen52 wheels. At the front, it’s equipped with a 12,000-pound Warn winch mounted on the modified Gladiator Rubicon steel bumper. This ride will clearly have no problems towing and getting you out of sticky situations on the trail. To complete the off-road worthiness, there are custom front and rear rock rails and an integrated roof rack system for hauling any additional gear you have.
Overlanding Amenities
While poking around the hood and discovering what makes the Farout an off-roading powerhouse is fun, its overlanding amenities from AT Overland Equipment Habitat take things up a notch. The massive 16-ft long and 7.5ft tall tent neatly contained and mounted on Jeep’s integrated roof rack system takes the prize. This tent easily opens and retracts in seconds thanks to a hinge over the tailgate and even comes complete with awnings that can be opened on both sides of the vehicle. The tent is roomy enough to comfortably sleep four people and the insulated weather-proof walls are guaranteed to keep you cozy.
Additionally, there are more features in the truck bed- which is sprayed orange. There is a pullout mini-fridge and stove. These fold back into a bolted-down wooden table. There’s also a wooden bench with enough seating space, some hanging storage racks, and the side windows fold down into tables.
There are also constellations designed on the underside of the tent when it’s open (what becomes the roof when closed) that we felt was a nice touch.
The Interior
To complete the Farout look, Jeep decided to outfit this vehicle with blue leather and orange stitching in the interior. The seats have a unique look thanks to the plaid inserts and the ambient lighting really brings the wood-lined interior to life.
The only negative thing we can say about the Gladiator Farout is that the added equipment at the back makes your rearview mirror pretty much useless. Of course, you can always bring it to the Dixie 4 Wheel Drive auto shop and we’ll rig a digital rearview camera for you so that’s not much of an issue.
If you’ve been thinking of giving the nomadic lifestyle a try or simply want a truck that will make your overlanding adventures come true, check out the Jeep Gladiator Farout.
