Car and Driver: Would you rather? Gladiator vs GMC Canyon

[Solar Sparky]

My work truck is a Colorado and I am on my second one in 4 years. After driving one every day, I would never buy one a Colorado/Canyon for personal use. Way too many quality issues. Maybe I am just unlucky, but one of the issues plagued our entire fleet and Chevrolet would not fix them even under warranty.

Ditto on the work truck. I have driven my work truck 2018 3.0 V6 Chevy Colorado from Denver to LA every month for the last 3+/- years. I have had an opposite experience. It has been reliable for 125,000 miles, driving some milder trails (not my truck) in Moab, all the way to the Sierras, Death Valley, even up to Mt Hood. It 4 wheels like a champ. But, not like a Gladiator Mojave.
The Mojave goes a shit ton of places in 2wd, with only the extreme needing 4wd. For $55k, and a bleak outlook in the future of manufacturing, I’m not trying to tear it apart either. Changing from the heights of the western mountains to the swamps of the southeast, and looking forward to some new exploring. Not much mudding at 13,000’.
Being my work truck, I likely won’t take it the same places anymore, but the Colorado, with the right package is legit. Just, with top and doors on, and windshield in place ?. Just sayin’. Nephew with a YJ, wheels with some friends in Nevada, and agrees. It’s work to leave a Colorado behind.
Colleague has a 2024 Colorado, and I rode in it yesterday. Different vehicle, warning, this is not the same truck. Funny to hear the turbo whistle. Stay with the Jeep!

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[Loves Em Topless]

In my business, (I'm a boat dealer), I need a lot of trucks. Over the 50 plus years I've had quite a few. The current fleet is a 2003 Chevy 2500 HD LT Crew Cab Duramax/Allison, (was my daily driver for years and has about 250,000 miles on it) , a 2005 Chevy 2500HD LS Reg Cab Duramax/Allison 150,000 or so miles, a 2009 Chevy 1500 Ext Cab 5.3/4L60, has about 180,000 miles on it, and now the Gladiator Rubicon Diesel, that just turned 12,000 miles. I just sold my 2018 Ford Raptor which some of you may know is a V6 turbo with 50,000 miles. It had replaced a 2009 Hummer H3T Alpha Adventure with 100,000 miles, which I loved, (second one, I had the super rare 2010 as well sold with the same 100,000 miles.
Here's my take, the Chevy's have been pretty damn reliable. The reason I replaced the Hummers with a Raptor was I wanted something as rare and unusual as the H3Ts were, and at the time the Gladiator was still not out yet, so the Raptor was the coolest truck at the time and the 2018 Chevy interiors were super cheap looking, like the 2009 is, (The 2003 and 2005 are way nicer), and Ram Rebel was very nice, but I preferred the Raptor.
The Ford did NOT disappoint, I loved it, it was almost flawless for 50K miles, rode great, super good fuel mileage, especially for a jacked up, wide tire truck, was fast, super comfortable, quiet, handled great, my wife loved it, and it could haul a twin engine Chaparral 280 OSX (even though it's not supposed to), like nobody's business. But I still longed for a Gladiator, still missing my old Scramblers and H3T's.
So far, I am very impressed with the Gladiator. Fuel mileage is impressive, again, especially for a jacked up, wide tire truck, rides really nice. It's quiet, especially with the new Toyo AT IIIs, and comfortable. I towed with it the last three weeks, for our boat show, biggest boat I used it for was a 21 footer, about 4500 lbs, and then to bring our sleds in a Hybrid trailer, with a total package weight of only about 2800 lbs , but a crap load of aerodynamic drag, up to the NEK in Upstate Vermont, and even with all the steep hills. I am supper impressed with the diesel's pulling power, especially considering I'm riding on 35's.
So as some of you have said, what other truck can be a truck, and be a Jeep, at the same time? Not even the H3T's, because even as big as the sunroofs were, the doors didn't come off and neither did the roofs. So far, I love the Gladiator, but if I ever decide I don't, It'll be another Raptor for me.

 

[DanW]

I've had a bunch of Chevy trucks...Silverado, Blazer (96), 2 Tahoes, Suburban, 2 vans. All were great trucks and lasted a long, long time.

But there's nothing like a Jeep. I'd take the Gladiator, hands down.

Is the AT4 the equivalent of a Z71, or is it more like a ZR2? I'd love to compare a ZR2 with a Rubicon. That'd be a good article to read and enjoy.

 

[Weldit]

But you have to use a sawz-all to get the top off the Chevy.

 

[StanH]

This seems on-topic.

https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a46583110/2023-gmc-canyon-2022-jeep-gladiator-compared/

On a quite night you can hear a Chevy rust.!!

 

[Sweetums]

But you have to use a sawz-all to get the top off the Chevy.

You can take the roof off any truck. Once.

 

[DanW]

Well dog my cats. Such an aerodynamic truck with a modern, high efficiency turbo 4 and that's the best it can do?

I think it is just shocking that the Gladiator gets better mileage, and I'm talking the 3.6, not the diesel. I think this really tells us that the 3.6 is one hell of an efficient engine to push a barn door around like it does and get the mileage it does. My Rubi can touch 20mpg on the highway and is usually 16.5 at worst. And my numbers are real world, not what is indicated on the dash, which is optimistic by about 1mpg, most of the time.

Of course, above 75mph, it is more like 18, but that still beats the GMC's EPA rating by more than 10%.

 

[Chadp82]

Coming from a Nissan Titan, which serves me very well, I didn’t have a need for a full size truck at this time.

I wanted to stay with a truck, but knew the next one would be a midsize as it suits my needs. I rarely tow anymore, and wanted the maneuverability of a slightly smaller truck. I like a truck bed for piling hunting gear or camping gear in and off for a weekend.

I considered a Tacoma but always wanted a jeep. When I saw gladiator deals last fall, I decided to check them out. I have friends with Tacomas and we picked up a 4Runner a few years back for my wife, so pretty familiar with the Toyota and they are great vehicles.

We test drove the Gladiator and decided let’s go for it! So far so good! It’s been fun to drive, has suited my needs for a truck, and time will tell how it holds up. I enjoy it so far! (4 months and counting).

I am not a new vehicle every few years person, so I expect it to be around for quite awhile. I had the Nissan for 12 years. I expect the Jeep to be around a decade or longer in my driveway.

 

[mjg4xe]

On my personal preference, this is a very general comparison, its like hey lets compare 2 midsize trucks that have 4 wheels to the ground ,and heey I have one of those , lets find another one and compare them. This is not a good material for an average person that don't know about trims, capabilities and prices.

A more balance competition will be to compare a Gladiator Texas Trail/Willys vs a Colorado Z71 or this same Canyon AT4.

It curious that this came up, I was just looking at the Colorado 2024 and comparing it with the Mojave. It just amazing the Jeep high price when it is compared with another vehicle taking in consideration price and features offered . Much of us will said, it is well earned, all its legacy since 1941, the community that they have created, the culture behind it and the unmatchable off road capability, but when can we say it is already too much?

Here is what i consider a fair comparison: Gladiator Mojave vs Colorado ZR2

Here is what you can get for 62k with Chevrolet

ZR2 2024 Bison Edition, 35's Tires and a ton of features

Mojave almost fully loaded, 2023 (because you can't build you 2024 in the website yet)
72k

\\

Is having a 2023 Jeep Gladiator Mojave not fully loaded worth a 2024 Colorado ZR2 Bison Edition Fully loaded + 10k?

We can enter in the field of HELL YEAH is a Jeep, is my money I do what I like with it, and just continue inflating this amazing symbol . But as a 32 year old Jeep owner since 2009, coming from a Jeep owners family, Former Chrysler Dealership Service Advisor, middle class according to the US Census, I would like to have a Mojave fully loaded in the low 60' range, just as Chevrolet can offer a similar vehicle. You want to keep it at 70k? no problem, but at least put some 2 inch kit and 35's or do something not just say ''Its a Jeep Thing''

I know I am not the only one noticing these things between prices vs brands vs features offered, a lot of people are complaining, Jeep is also trying to do something https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a46408936/2024-jeep-gladiator-price/, but still there is a lot of improvement that can be made in order to have satisfy, happy new and current Jeep owners.

I feel like at a minimum they could at least offer the same packages from the Wrangler to keep up with the others - not sure why they come out later, if at all.

 

[Zybane]

On my personal preference, this is a very general comparison, its like hey lets compare 2 midsize trucks that have 4 wheels to the ground ,and heey I have one of those , lets find another one and compare them. This is not a good material for an average person that don't know about trims, capabilities and prices.

A more balance competition will be to compare a Gladiator Texas Trail/Willys vs a Colorado Z71 or this same Canyon AT4.

It curious that this came up, I was just looking at the Colorado 2024 and comparing it with the Mojave. It just amazing the Jeep high price when it is compared with another vehicle taking in consideration price and features offered . Much of us will said, it is well earned, all its legacy since 1941, the community that they have created, the culture behind it and the unmatchable off road capability, but when can we say it is already too much?

Here is what i consider a fair comparison: Gladiator Mojave vs Colorado ZR2

Here is what you can get for 62k with Chevrolet

ZR2 2024 Bison Edition, 35's Tires and a ton of features

Mojave almost fully loaded, 2023 (because you can't build you 2024 in the website yet)
72k

\\

Is having a 2023 Jeep Gladiator Mojave not fully loaded worth a 2024 Colorado ZR2 Bison Edition Fully loaded + 10k?

We can enter in the field of HELL YEAH is a Jeep, is my money I do what I like with it, and just continue inflating this amazing symbol . But as a 32 year old Jeep owner since 2009, coming from a Jeep owners family, Former Chrysler Dealership Service Advisor, middle class according to the US Census, I would like to have a Mojave fully loaded in the low 60' range, just as Chevrolet can offer a similar vehicle. You want to keep it at 70k? no problem, but at least put some 2 inch kit and 35's or do something not just say ''Its a Jeep Thing''

I know I am not the only one noticing these things between prices vs brands vs features offered, a lot of people are complaining, Jeep is also trying to do something https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a46408936/2024-jeep-gladiator-price/, but still there is a lot of improvement that can be made in order to have satisfy, happy new and current Jeep owners.

I agree. When I switched from my fully loaded JTRD that was $70K to my 2023 Ford F150 Raptor with 37" tire/beadlock package, for just $20K more it seemed like I was getting a lot more for my money with the Raptor. The amount of comfort and tech you get in the Raptor makes the Gladiator seem like a tractor.

IMO a fully loaded Rubicon Gladiator should be like $60K tops, not $75K.

 

[Loves Em Topless]

On a quite night you cab hear a Chevy rust.!!

Nope, that's just not true, and I have the trucks to prove it. See above post. White 2003 258K miles, 2005 Blue Plow truck, 157K miles.

 

[texanjeeper]

If I had wanted another truck, I would have bought it. I own the truck that makes me happy, I don't have to covet every shiny new thing that comes down the pike.

 

[Stan H]

If I had wanted another truck, I would have bought it. I own the truck that makes me happy, I don't have to covet every shiny new thing that comes down the pike.

I Really feel similarly. I mean this is a Jeep Gladiator forum. Except for comparison purposes which ultimately show these truck really "tow the line " in the mid size market ,I don't even want to read another truck. I am totally biased toward the Jeep Gladiator. I am nostalgic also about it. It was my mom and Dad's first vehicle in 1964 . With a 4 speed and 260 tornado straight six. Which I actually got to drive when I was young and was instantly in love ?. Good by Ford good by Chevy

 

[jcarbs]

Having sat in a brand new Colorado at the recent Houston Auto Show, I would stay with my '21 Gladiator any day. It's a nice vehicle, it just didn't say buy me and that's the most important thing for me when I look at a vehicle.

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