The initial excitement of the 2020 Jeep Gladiator truck world debut in Los Angeles is staring to calm down a bit, and it’s a great time to compare the Jeep truck’s specs and feature against the current midsize truck best sellers.
First, let’s take a look at the overall exterior/interior dimensions. Does the Gladiator more or less than the Toyota Tacoma, Chevy Colorado, and others?
Before we dig into it any further, it’s worth saying that the Gladiator is only available as a crew cab 4×4 with a short (5-foot) bed. There is no current plan to make a Gladiator single or extended cab with a longer bed.
| Gladiator | Tacoma | Colorado | Ranger | |
| Wheelbase: | 137.3 in | 127.4 in | 128.3 in | 126.8 in |
| Overall Length: | 218.0 in | 212.3 in | 212.7 in | 210.8 in |
| Overall Width: | 73.8 in | 75.2 in | 74.3 in | 73.3 in |
| Headroom (F/R): | 42.8/42.8 in | 39.7/38.3 in | 41.4/38.3 in | 39.8/38.3 in |
| Legroom (F/R): | 41.2/38.3 in | 42.9/32.6 in | 45.0/35.8 in | 43.1/34.5 in |
Jeep says the new Gladiator is all about combining off-road ability with truck’s towing and payload capability. We have not driven the Gladiator yet, but we can look at the hard numbers.
| Gladiator | Tacoma | Colorado | Ranger | |
| Ground Clearance: | 11.1 in | 9.4 in | 8.2 in | 8.9 in |
| Approach/Breakover/Departure: | 43.4/20.3/26 deg | 35/23.9/26 deg | 17.1/18.6/22.2 deg | 28.7/21.5/25.4 deg |
| Low Range Ratio: | 2.72:1 or 4:1 | 2.57:1 | 2.72:1 | |
| Tires: | Falken Wildpeak LT285/70R17 | Wrangler w/ Kevlar P265/70R16 | P255/65R17 | Hankook Dynapro ATM |
It’s worth saying that the Gladiator is the only truck in the segment with solid front and rear axles, and a disconnectable front swaybar that allows for more articulation.
How about power? The Gladiator launches with one engine option – the 3.6L Pentastar V6. Jeep says a 3.0L EcoDiesel V6 is coming later.
Once again, all trucks listed here are crew cabs with 4×4.
| Gladiator | Tacoma | Colorado | Ranger | |
| Engine: | 3.6L V6: 285 hp / 260 lb-ft | 3.5L V6: 278 hp / 265 lb-ft | 3.6L V6: 308 hp / 275 lb-ft | 2.3L I4 T: 270 hp / 310 lb-ft |
| Transmission: | 6-sp M / 8-sp Auto | 6-sp M / 6-sp Auto | 8-sp Auto | 10-sp Auto |
| Fuel Tank: | 22 gal | 21.1 gal | 21 gal | 18 gal |
| Fuel Economy: | 17/22/19 MPG | 18 / 23 / 20 MPG | 17 / 24 / 19 MPG | 20 / 24 / 22 MPG |
| Rear Diff. Ratio: | 3.73 or 4.10 | 3.91 or 4.30 | 3.42 | 3.73 |
The Gladiator does not have the most horsepower nor the most torque. We like to see torque-rich engines in trucks that allow for moving heavy loads off the line. The Pentastar does not offer much torque, but it’s also about the transmission and the differential gearing. We will have to measure the Gladiator performance in the real world. Perhaps, a couple of fun midsize truck drag races are in order?
Jeep is claiming class-leading towing and payload capability for the Gladiator. We have to remember that the Gladiator is a crew cab with 4×4 and a short bed, so we need to compare it against other crew cab 4×4 trucks. All right, let’s break this down carefully and see what’s what.
| Gladiator | Tacoma | Colorado | Ranger | |
| Max Towing: | 7,650 lbs | 6,400 lbs | 7,600 lbs (diesel) | 7,500 lbs |
| Max Payload: | 1,600 lbs | 1,175 lbs | 1,547 lbs | 1,560 lbs |
What about the price? The Jeep Gladiator pricing will be available on Mar 29th, 2019. All prices listed below are base MSRP for crew cab 4×4 trucks without any incentives or discounts.
| Gladiator | Tacoma | Colorado | Ranger | |
| Starting Price: | $35,040 | $33,060 | $32,045 | $31,875 |
In the end, the Gladiator promises robust off-road ability. The Rubicon has the off-road hardware to enable the truck to tackle some tough terrain. It also has highly competitive numbers for overall cabin roominess, towing, and payload capability. We will have to bring the new Jeep truck to Colorado to put it to our toughest tests: Cliffhanger 2.0 off-road trail, Ike Gauntlet – world’s toughest towing test, and the highway towing MPG loop.
The new 2019 Ford Ranger is not on sale yet in the United States, but most of its specifications are already revealed.
