Best Cold Air Intakes for 2020-2026 Jeep Gladiator 3.6L

A cold air intake is the first bolt-on most owners add to the 2020-2026 Jeep Gladiator 3.6L, and for good reason: the factory airbox is a sealed plastic box with a restrictive paper filter and a narrow snorkel that chokes the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 up top. Swapping it for a high-flow intake frees up airflow, sharpens throttle response, and gives the Gladiator a deeper induction growl under load — without a tune. At NLP Performance in Tampa, FL, the Jeep JL/JT 3.6L intake is one of our most-ordered parts, so we pulled the five best options we stock, compared real airflow and horsepower data, and sorted out which one fits your build and budget.

Does a cold air intake actually add power to the Gladiator 3.6L?

Yes — a cold air intake adds roughly 6 to 12 horsepower to the 2020-2026 Jeep Gladiator 3.6L, along with crisper throttle response and a louder intake note. The 3.6L Pentastar V6 is rated at 285 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 260 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm from the factory, and most of an intake's gains show up in the upper rev range where the stock airbox runs out of breath. K&N's own dyno testing of the Wrangler/Gladiator 3.6L recorded a jump from 178.3 wheel horsepower to 190.8 — an estimated 12.5-horsepower gain — while aFe publishes gains of up to 9 horsepower and 9 lb-ft of torque for its Rapid Induction system.

Set your expectations honestly: an intake alone will not transform a 5,000-pound Gladiator into a different truck. What it does deliver is a measurable top-end bump, faster revs off idle, a more aggressive sound, and a washable filter that saves money over a lifetime of disposable paper elements. Pair it with a tune and exhaust later and the intake becomes the foundation of a real power package. On a trail rig, the sealed-box designs also do a better job of keeping water and dust out than an exposed cone filter.

How we ranked the best Gladiator 3.6L intakes

We judged every intake on four things that actually matter to a Gladiator owner: airflow and power data, airbox design, filter media, and ease of maintenance. Here is what to weigh before you buy.

Sealed airbox vs. open filter

A sealed or closed airbox isolates the filter from hot radiator and engine-bay air, so the intake pulls denser, cooler air for more consistent power — the K&N NextGen aluminum box, the aFe Super Stock, and the Airaid MXP all use this approach. An open roto-molded tube with an exposed cone (the aFe Rapid Induction and K&N AirCharger) flows big numbers and sounds louder, but relies on its heat shield to block underhood heat. For a daily-driven or trail Gladiator, a sealed box is the safer bet.

Oiled cotton vs. dry synthetic filters

Oiled cotton-gauze filters (K&N and aFe Pro 5R) flow the most air and are washable, but they must be re-oiled after cleaning — over-oiling can foul the MAF sensor. Dry synthetic media (Airaid SynthaMax) needs no oil, simply rinses clean, and removes any MAF-contamination worry, at a small flow trade-off. Both are reusable for the life of the truck, so you never buy another paper filter.

Fitment and emissions

Every intake here bolts to the 3.6L Pentastar with hand tools in 30-60 minutes and reuses the factory sensors. One honest caveat: at publish time none of these five performance intakes carried a CARB Executive Order for the Gladiator 3.6L, so they are sold for off-road and non-CARB-state use. If your Gladiator is registered in California or another CARB-adopting state and must pass a visual emissions inspection, verify the current CARB status with the manufacturer before ordering, or keep the factory airbox.

2020-2026 Jeep Gladiator 3.6L intake comparison

*Manufacturer estimates; real-world gains vary with elevation, fuel, tune and vehicle. Confirm the exact part number against your Gladiator's model year before ordering.

The 5 best cold air intakes for the 2020-2026 Jeep Gladiator 3.6L

1. K&N NextGen Aluminum Intake (70-1576) — Best Overall

The K&N NextGen is the intake we point most Gladiator owners to. Instead of the plastic housings everyone else uses, it wraps the filter in a fully sealed cast-and-stamped aluminum airbox that blocks hot engine-bay air and adds a clean, factory-plus look under the hood. K&N rates it for up to 47% more airflow and an estimated 12.5 extra horsepower, and the oiled cotton-gauze filter is washable and reusable for the life of the truck. It installs in under an hour with hand tools, reuses the stock sensors, and is covered by K&N's 10-Year/Million-Mile Limited Warranty — the longest in this group. At around $508 it is the priciest option here, but it is also the most complete.

2. aFe Super Stock Pro 5R (55-10009R) — Best Budget Intake

If you want more airflow and a reusable filter without spending big, the aFe Super Stock is the smart buy — around $222 before its current discount. Rather than a full cold-air kit, it drops a large aFe Pro 5R oiled filter and a sealed one-piece housing into the factory airbox location, so it keeps the stock, stealthy look and installs in about 15 minutes. aFe measures it at 280 CFM at 7 inches of water, roughly 8% more airflow than the restrictive OE setup, and because it stays sealed in the factory box it resists heat soak better than an open cone. For a Gladiator owner who wants the washable-filter upgrade and a bit more breathing without touching the rest of the engine bay, it is the best value here.

3. aFe Rapid Induction Pro 5R (52-10008R) — Most Airflow

The aFe Rapid Induction is the flow champ of the group, rated at roughly 345 CFM at 7 inches of water with gains of up to 9 horsepower and 9 lb-ft of torque. Its trick is a one-piece roto-molded intake tube that eliminates the couplers and seams that create turbulence, feeding a large Pro 5R oiled filter inside an integrated housing. It flows more and sounds a touch louder than the Super Stock, making it the pick for owners who plan to add a tune or exhaust down the road and want maximum breathing. With the current discount it lands near $300, splitting the difference between the budget Super Stock and the premium K&N NextGen.

4. K&N 63 AirCharger (63-1576) — Proven Open Intake

The K&N 63 AirCharger is the classic open-element cold air intake, and it is the exact kit K&N dyno-tested when it recorded a jump from 178.3 to 190.8 wheel horsepower — an estimated 12.5-horsepower gain — on the 3.6L. It pairs a roto-molded intake tube with a heat shield and a washable oiled cotton-gauze filter, cleaned with K&N's Recharger kit, and carries the same Million-Mile warranty as the NextGen. It flows and sounds like a true cold air intake for about $170 less than the aluminum-box version; the trade-off is an exposed filter that leans on its heat shield rather than a fully sealed box. A great middle-ground pick for the K&N faithful.

5. Airaid MXP SynthaMax (315-360) — Best Dry, No-Oil Filter

The Airaid MXP is the pick if you never want to deal with filter oil. It uses a closed MXP airbox and a yellow SynthaMax non-woven synthetic dry media filter — no oil to apply, so there is zero chance of over-oiling and fouling the mass-airflow sensor, and cleaning is as simple as blowing it out or rinsing it. You still get a high-flow, reusable element inside a sealed box that blocks engine heat. It is a true set-and-forget upgrade for a daily-driven or heavily off-roaded Gladiator, priced right alongside the K&N AirCharger at about $340.

Which Gladiator intake should you buy?

Buy the K&N NextGen Aluminum (70-1576) if you want the best all-around package — the only fully sealed aluminum airbox here, the biggest airflow claim, and the longest warranty. Pick the aFe Super Stock (55-10009R) if you want the washable-filter upgrade and a stealthy factory look for the least money, around $222. Choose the aFe Rapid Induction (52-10008R) if maximum airflow and a future tune are the goal, the K&N 63 AirCharger (63-1576) for proven open-intake performance at a mid price, and the Airaid MXP (315-360) if you want a dry, no-oil filter you never have to think about. Every one of them is a bolt-on upgrade over the restrictive factory airbox on your 3.6L Pentastar.