Anyone here coming from a different midsized truck?

[Cansberry]

I traded my 2019 Colorado ZR2 (95,000 miles)(V6) for a 2025 Mojave X which currently has 3500 miles. I loved my ZR2 and do miss it some. One of the biggest reasons I went to the Gladiator was to get the removable top and doors, mostly the top. Also, the Jeep was only truck with a V6. I admit that I didn't drive the new ZR2 with the Turbo 4 so I can't really compare the two. I just like the longevity of a V6. Now I will say that my 19' ZR2 had more power than this Mojave. That's the only gripe I have is that the engine in the Jeep seems under-powered, but it's not terrible. I don't regret my decision at all...love my Mojave X. I also chose the Mojave model because it was similar setup to the ZR2 suspension wise, etc. I got an excellent deal on my trade in and the Jeep dealer sold my ZR2 in 3 days. Good luck on your decision....

A Mojave X would be my choice of the Gladiator lot. And it looks slick in 41. Solid axles plus 37s would also probably outshine a ZR2 Bison. How's the road comfort in comparison to your old ZR2?

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[davesparky6]

Came from a 21 Colorado ZR2, now in a Mojave.
Things I liked better about the Zr2:
Suspension
On road dynamics
NVH
Found it overall better looking
Faster than the glad

things that made me sell the ZR2:
Reliability, 19 unscheduled dealer drop offs, not including near weekly test drives with a tech trying to pinpoint one issue or another. (In 2 years, jeep has only had one )
Interior was much smaller, rear seats especially
Every mod was a big job, usually requiring other changes to be made, 33’s? Lift it and cut fenders
Steebumper? Get out the sawzall to cut the old one.

the 23 plus models fix the mod issues I think, but I’ll never buy another gm…

 

[tysongladiator]

Is your 2019 actually listed as a 2020 model ?

Yes it is. I got it in June 2019 when they first hit the dealerships. I tell people I have a 2019 only to confuse them. Lol

 

[AustinKalb]

I just bought a full size truck. GMC 3500 HD Sierra 4WD drw. I used to think my gladiator/ alucab was large, but I did eventually get used to the size. Here we go again…

I’ll be putting a truck camper on it next week

 

[Blade1668]

Not sure coming from.... Since I still have my Comanche. More leg room and many things I like along with many things I don't. My MJ would freeze or cook you out depending use of AC or heater. I hope better metal in the Gladiator. Definitely not as reliable as my MJ. A straight up fact, only time for it on a rollback / trailer was to move. The JT seems to be a good transmission but the AW-4 is solid one, better T-case option 231 vs 241 damn sure better axles JT. The MJ on motor and electronics, I've got around a million miles from my 4.0 motors, yeah more often oil changes and seal leaks ect but you don't have to disassemble it to change the damn plugs or hidden fail points, need to look for redline for what the 4/0 just idles though. A tractor motor for a easy 300 k.
I don't have to high opinions of most others, to small other than the Dakota otherwise, on the Nissan IF I was given one brand new it would be for sale before I got home with it. Nothing else has real axles until you get Super Duty or HD RAM. If you want / need the car like ride you need a ####### car and a light trailer. Old Toyotas and few others started building their vehicles for short life cycles and car like ride. I'd like to be able to go back on time and beat the #### out of the people who started the car like ride crap in trucks.
O.T. drift
A few years back I did think about my converting a Comanche to a EV. The battery pack is the concern, several years ago (many now) there was a forum / board by some who had converted several trucks and delivery vehicles to electric on the D/L the concern then was road taxes that was when Optima batteries were about the only option. One had converted a S-10 used as parts delivery truck.

 

[Jrgunn5150]

If I only had one truck, it wouldn't be a Gladiator.

If you only need a mid sized truck, the Gladiator is as good as any.

 

[fastfreddie]

A Mojave X would be my choice of the Gladiator lot. And it looks slick in 41. Solid axles plus 37s would also probably outshine a ZR2 Bison. How's the road comfort in comparison to your old ZR2?

Ride quality/comfort is every bit as good in my Mojave as my ZR2. ZR2 felt a little more spacious in the cockpit but I love the interior and layout in the Jeep. Again I’m comparing to a 2019 ZR2. My advice would be to drive both and you’ll know which one is right for you. Can’t go wrong with either in my opinion. There is one other thing to consider and that’s the Jeep community is bigger and more aftermarket parts availability if that’s important to you.

 

[ChrisNLA]

I did not come from another midsize truck, but I was looking at all mid-sizes when I ordered the Gladiator in '22.

I was considering the Ranger, but it was practically unavailable at that time.

The GM twins were on the way out, and the new one had not been released.

The new Nissan Frontier was too small interior wise. Otherwise, it was a nice enough truck.

The Tacoma was outgoing and the one that I test drove was laughable at best. Passed on it.

Had the new Colorado / Canyon been available I would have strongly considered it over the Gladiator. Mostly for the extra power and a little bit better daily driving manners (less wind noise, IFS, etc). I do not wheel heavily, I do not take the doors or roof off, etc. I use it like a typical midsize truck would be used. Now, I do like the aftermarket options on the Gladiator and it had more back seat space than the other midsize trucks, which was a plus with the kiddos. I was familiar with Jeeps (coming from a JK) so that was nice, too.

Buy the Jeep if the doors and roof coming off are a must have, or if you are going to exceed what IFS can comfortably handle. If not, no harm in branching out and exploring options...

 

[Shibbyjeep]

Well, with this 4xe thing going down, I don't think I'll be keeping the Wrangler that replaced my Gladiator. And with the wife downsizing from her Grand Cherokee to an Ioniq 5, I'm feeling the itch for something with a bed.

That said, I'm feeling burned by Stelantis on this one and am heavily considering a Colorado ZR2. A Bison if I can swing it. Or maybe go tried and true Tacoma? But I like crawling. And nothing crawls like a Jeep.

So what about y'all? Anybody coming from some other midsize truck? If so, what was the decision point for you to go Gladiator?

I still have a 2nd gen Tacoma along with my Gladiator. The Taco has been built and complete for 10 years now and took tons and tons of work to get it to where it is. That being said, it will do ALOT of trails and offroady stuff, but compared to my Gladiator its not even close. Tacoma has a 3" lift, cab mount chop, UCAs, High Clearance rear bumper and high clearance front bumper all to allow 33's. The Gladiator on the other hand only needed 2.5" lift to achieve 37's and easily can walk the dog on my Tacoma anywhere I want them to go and then goes all the places my Tacoma wont. IFS just inst a great substitution for a solid front axle. The Taco will be for sale here soon, but if I hadnt gone with my Jeep I was looking to do a SAS and lots more lift(which requires ALOT more work to do) to get to 37's.

To me if you like to go offroad and dont want to be limited then the Jeep all day. If you care more about maybe getting better MPG's(my tacoma gets the same as my Jeep due to all the added steel its carrying around) and care more about how it feels on the road then go Tacoma. The Tacoma just barely edges out my Jeep in on road manners, in the feel of how it drives. When it comes to power the Jeep wins all day as the Tacoma can sound like its screaming and its barely going to pull ahead of a guy on a Razor scooter.

 

[DirkG]

I guess the point is, you have to purchase for your purpose. You can't go wrong with a full size or mid size as long as it fits your purpose.

If I only had one truck, it wouldn't be a Gladiator. If you only need a mid sized truck, the Gladiator is as good as any.

@Cansberry, we have a '25 4xe and a '24 JT. We know there's been 4xe challenges, but it seems every brand has their warts nowadays. We have an Acura MDX (5 of them in total over the years) and it's had a rod bearing recall, fuel pump recall, and a start/stop idle recall.

That being said, from what I'm reading, I think you'd be happier outside of the Jeep camp. You're already a little jaded towards the brand and I think even small things will become major annoyances because of this. I think you'll sleep better at night.

 

[cb4017]

I have. Here is what I've owned in the last 6 or so years, in this order.
2019 Ranger FX4. I traded a 2019 JLU in on this because I wanted a truck.
2021 Gladiator Sport Max Tow.
2023 F-150 Rattler with 3.5L EB engine.
2023 Colorado ZR2.

Now currently own a 25 Gladiator Mojave.

So here are my thoughts. The Ranger was a decent truck and I had no issues with it. I didn't care for the 10-speed auto. It was okay off road but did not articulate well. No back seat room. A little hot rod but never really bonded with it.

The 21 Gladiator I had the longest of the group. Great off road. Not so much on road trips but usable. Loved the ZF 8-speed auto. Only issue was a leaking rear axle seal. I traded it for the F-150 because I thought I needed a larger truck to haul a 3,250 pound rPod TT. I missed it.

The F-150 had awesome power and roomy. Great for road trips. Hated it. Felt like I was driving a bus and was afraid to take it off road in a lot of the places I like to go. PITA in parking lots and would barely fit in the garage. I avoided driving it. Traded it for the ZR2.

The ZR2 was a stretch for me because up until then I hated GM products. Last new one I bought was in 1984 and that was a POS. To be fair the ZR2 was a pretty nice truck. The 2.7L TurboMax had great power. The transmission was ok but not on the level of a ZF. The electronics was sometimes glitchy. You're forced to do a lot of things through the infotainment screen, for instance reset the odometer. No light switch, also done on the screen. A lot of electronic Nanny crap. A lot of the electronic features were unusable unless you subscribe to OnStar data plans or whatever. Navigation was useless for the same reason. No back seat room unless you put the front seats forward. No real issues. Very capable on and off the road. Great suspension. I probably should have kept it but I always missed my Gladiator.

And finally my current 25 Mojave. When I saw I could get a high end Gladiator for after discounts, well, I couldn't help myself. It's good to be back in a Gladiator. Fun to drive. Plenty of back seat room. Great off road and decent road manners. Hauls my trailer just fine. Will get a solid 19 mpg if I'm not hauling the trailer. No complaints so far. Only thing I would wish for is a 5.7L Hemi option.

If I couldn't have the Gladiator I would probably look at the new generation Ranger. An XLT FX4 with the 2.7L V6 would probably be a pretty nice truck.

 

[ChrisNLA]

I have. Here is what I've owned in the last 6 or so years, in this order.
2019 Ranger FX4. I traded a 2019 JLU in on this because I wanted a truck.
2021 Gladiator Sport Max Tow.
2023 F-150 Rattler with 3.5L EB engine.
2023 Colorado ZR2.

Now currently own a 25 Gladiator Mojave.

So here are my thoughts. The Ranger was a decent truck and I had no issues with it. I didn't care for the 10-speed auto. It was okay off road but did not articulate well. No back seat room. A little hot rod but never really bonded with it.

The 21 Gladiator I had the longest of the group. Great off road. Not so much on road trips but usable. Loved the ZF 8-speed auto. Only issue was a leaking rear axle seal. I traded it for the F-150 because I thought I needed a larger truck to haul a 3,250 pound rPod TT. I missed it.

The F-150 had awesome power and roomy. Great for road trips. Hated it. Felt like I was driving a bus and was afraid to take it off road in a lot of the places I like to go. PITA in parking lots and would barely fit in the garage. I avoided driving it. Traded it for the ZR2.

The ZR2 was a stretch for me because up until then I hated GM products. Last new one I bought was in 1984 and that was a POS. To be fair the ZR2 was a pretty nice truck. The 2.7L TurboMax had great power. The transmission was ok but not on the level of a ZF. The electronics was sometimes glitchy. You're forced to do a lot of things through the infotainment screen, for instance reset the odometer. No light switch, also done on the screen. A lot of electronic Nanny crap. A lot of the electronic features were unusable unless you subscribe to OnStar data plans or whatever. Navigation was useless for the same reason. No back seat room unless you put the front seats forward. No real issues. Very capable on and off the road. Great suspension. I probably should have kept it but I always missed my Gladiator.

And finally my current 25 Mojave. When I saw I could get a high end Gladiator for after discounts, well, I couldn't help myself. It's good to be back in a Gladiator. Fun to drive. Plenty of back seat room. Great off road and decent road manners. Hauls my trailer just fine. Will get a solid 19 mpg if I'm not hauling the trailer. No complaints so far. Only thing I would wish for is a 5.7L Hemi option.

If I couldn't have the Gladiator I would probably look at the new generation Ranger. An XLT FX4 with the 2.7L V6 would probably be a pretty nice truck.

I like that F150 - that's what I'm leaning toward if I move out of the Gladiator one day. They're just the best looking for what's on the market today at my price point (STX trim).

 

[Cansberry]

I have. Here is what I've owned in the last 6 or so years, in this order.
2019 Ranger FX4. I traded a 2019 JLU in on this because I wanted a truck.
2021 Gladiator Sport Max Tow.
2023 F-150 Rattler with 3.5L EB engine.
2023 Colorado ZR2.

Now currently own a 25 Gladiator Mojave.

So here are my thoughts. The Ranger was a decent truck and I had no issues with it. I didn't care for the 10-speed auto. It was okay off road but did not articulate well. No back seat room. A little hot rod but never really bonded with it.

The 21 Gladiator I had the longest of the group. Great off road. Not so much on road trips but usable. Loved the ZF 8-speed auto. Only issue was a leaking rear axle seal. I traded it for the F-150 because I thought I needed a larger truck to haul a 3,250 pound rPod TT. I missed it.

The F-150 had awesome power and roomy. Great for road trips. Hated it. Felt like I was driving a bus and was afraid to take it off road in a lot of the places I like to go. PITA in parking lots and would barely fit in the garage. I avoided driving it. Traded it for the ZR2.

The ZR2 was a stretch for me because up until then I hated GM products. Last new one I bought was in 1984 and that was a POS. To be fair the ZR2 was a pretty nice truck. The 2.7L TurboMax had great power. The transmission was ok but not on the level of a ZF. The electronics was sometimes glitchy. You're forced to do a lot of things through the infotainment screen, for instance reset the odometer. No light switch, also done on the screen. A lot of electronic Nanny crap. A lot of the electronic features were unusable unless you subscribe to OnStar data plans or whatever. Navigation was useless for the same reason. No back seat room unless you put the front seats forward. No real issues. Very capable on and off the road. Great suspension. I probably should have kept it but I always missed my Gladiator.

And finally my current 25 Mojave. When I saw I could get a high end Gladiator for after discounts, well, I couldn't help myself. It's good to be back in a Gladiator. Fun to drive. Plenty of back seat room. Great off road and decent road manners. Hauls my trailer just fine. Will get a solid 19 mpg if I'm not hauling the trailer. No complaints so far. Only thing I would wish for is a 5.7L Hemi option.

If I couldn't have the Gladiator I would probably look at the new generation Ranger. An XLT FX4 with the 2.7L V6 would probably be a pretty nice truck.

That's a great write up. It hits some of the things on my mind on the head!

 

[NC_Overland]

The Colorados are nice. I had a Canyon and my dad had a Colorado. I sold mine years ago to buy my Gladiator. I love my gladiator, but I miss the power and handling of my Canyon. It was very quick (6.1 0-60)) and handled surprisingly great after I put some quality a/Ts on it to replace the sub par OEM a/ts. It towed and hauled fine too, the gladiator does it a little better, but both do an admirable job.

 

[SummertimeCarl]

Came from a full-size 2019 Silverado which I loved but was foreseeing sizeable upcoming maintenance issues.

When shopping I was looking for a "truck" more than a "jeep." I wanted a naturally aspirated body-on-frame 6cyl or 8cyl within a pricepoint.

Narrowed it down to...

Nissan Frontier Pro4X
Gladiator High Tide
Ram 2500 Tradesman

Wish the Nissan would've worked out for me but I'm 6'3" and there wasn't enough headroom, I had to take my hat off and my hair was still touching the ceiling. The Ram was the priciest, hardest to park, and most primitive.

Gladiator filled a nice middle spot and I'll admit, the charm really sold me.

I do miss the comfy road trips in my Silverado but love having an affordable truck under warranty. Really like how Jeep utilized the space in the Gladiator over other mid-sized trucks.

If I could do it again I'd stick with the Gladiator. If a friend asks me for a recommendation I point them towards the Frontier if they're under 6ft.

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