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

[SergioGmz]

Does that include rebates?

No, just right out of their websites

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[BourbonRunner]

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

Methinks you spelled Toyota wrong!

That's the thing that gets me: these smaller displacement motors get inherently better mileage but only in the strictest testing protocols.

Real world use, IE carry a dog or two, a weekend's worth of luggage, a kayak on the rack and a cooler of beer, that 16MPG goes down dramatically and the smaller displacement turbo motors feel it, where their bigger displacement cousins don't bat an eye. That's the real world testing I want to see: the delta between the motors loaded and unloaded.

 

[BourbonRunner]

Having had a large number of vehicles over the years, tires absolutely make a difference in handling and MPG... but as much as they did on early Ecoboosts was alarming.

I'd easily, regularly, and willingly trade MPG for being able to accelerate to merge into traffic with a load and not have to worry about getting creamed by a semi in the right lane barely keeping up with the flow of traffic.

 

[GetnLostnCO]

I have a 2020 Rubicon and this is our first Jeep and truck that we have owned. We bought this used from out of state as it was thousands less than buying in state (Colorado); we could not justify spending over $70k for a brand new one. It is our mountain toy; our previous was a 2011 Honda CR-V, which is a 4-cylinder beast by the way. As our family and needs grew, so did our rig. Since I don't have any previous truck ownership to compare to, I'll say that our Jeep is almost perfect. Fully loaded, I can average 20 mpg in the mountains. It's been a blast to hit the trails with other Jeeps and learn. I love the Jeep community and can see why Jeep owners are loyal. I can't imagine owning a Chevy or GMC, aside from a Corvette for my wife. No vehicle is perfect, but our Jeep is damn near close.

 

[redriderjf87]

I don't think many of you know what the word anecdote means.

That being said, no more manual in the Colorado means no thanks.

 

[PackMule]

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

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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 think you are right... ...and the sales numbers for 2023 are in the tank (possibly also due to high financing rates).

MAYBE Jeep is finally taking note... 2024 prices just came out this week and they are DOWN from 2023.

 

[PixelWelder]

I hate when these car magazines compare trucks/cars that aren't the comparable models from the factory. Let's compare a diesel to a gas truck, yeah they're very different, big surprise. It's like other reviews where they take the TRD Off-raod, the Colorado Bison and compare it to the base Sport Gladiator model.

 

[BillF6531]

I drove a Gladiator and know that the solid front axle requires constant steering correction. This one was horrible. I quoted the TSB/recall to the sales droid, and of course he was clueless. They eventually did the steering box upgrade and a week later I took it for another spin. No noticeable difference. Tried another new one. Same thing. Bought a new 2022 GMC Canyon extended cab, RWD, long box V6. I know it's not an off-road mud monster, but personally I think I dodged (pun) a bullet.

 

[porsharman]

I traded my Canyon for Gladiator as soon as I could…

I too owned(leased)a 2017 GMC Canyon with the 2.8liter “baby” duramax with the hope that by the end of my lease Jeep would release the JTRD. They did and I purchased a 2021 JTRD. The GMC with the baby duramax was okay but it can’t hold a candle to the Jeep. IMHO the Jeep Gladiator diesel platform is the best. It is just the best overall mid sized truck period. The drive train is smooth as silk far superior to the Canyons drivetrain that could never settle on the right gear. The JTRD certainly checks all the boxes for me.

 

[Loves Em Topless]

I drove a Gladiator and know that the solid front axle requires constant steering correction. This one was horrible. I quoted the TSB/recall to the sales droid, and of course he was clueless. They eventually did the steering box upgrade and a week later I took it for another spin. No noticeable difference. Tried another new one. Same thing. Bought a new 2022 GMC Canyon extended cab, RWD, long box V6. I know it's not an off-road mud monster, but personally I think I dodged (pun) a bullet.

But you still hang out here Bill, because let's face it, Jeeps are way cooler than GMC's LOL

 

[Loves Em Topless]

I too owned(leased)a 2017 GMC Canyon with the 2.8liter “baby” duramax with the hope that by the end of my lease Jeep would release the JTRD. They did and I purchased a 2021 JTRD. The GMC with the baby duramax was okay but it can’t hold a candle to the Jeep. IMHO the Jeep Gladiator diesel platform is the best. It is just the best overall mid sized truck period. The drive train is smooth as silk far superior to the Canyons drivetrain that could never settle on the right gear. The JTRD certainly checks all the boxes for me.

As a JTRD owner, that has hauled a couple of good loads already, I 100% agree, and the roof and doors come off, AND go back on, more than once! LOL

 

[BearFootSam]

I'm not sold on the long-term reliability of these highly tuned 4-pots in a truck. Just yesterday I was appreciating the 3.6 powertrain coming up my steep gravel driveway. At 10 mph it stays in second gear (8-speed) and just chugs up at 1100 RPM. It's not a class leading powertrain by the numbers but in the real world it is predictable, easy to modulate and hasn't failed to do what I ask of it.

For the truck's size the 3.6 is perfectly adequate without having to contend with the woes of direct injection or turbo quirks. When power is called for and it downshifts, the 3.6 is still smooth at 5k rpm and has yet to sound like it hates me unlike my Subaru that sounded very unhappy at even 4,500 rpm. I would happily take our unremarkable v6 over a high strung turbo four any day of the week.

 

[ScarabMike]

I purchased a new 2023 Canyon Elevation with the high output version of the 4 cyl with 430lbft of tq. I can tell you guys the powerplant is awesome and sounds like a mini diesel engine. That thing would scoot down the road.

Unfortunately I had to lemon law it within 5000 miles because the same bugs with the 8 speed transmission that have plagued it since before its revision. The trucks interior was very pretty and full of tech, but the quality of the materials was sub par. But it was a $40k vehicle and in these days that is very economical.

Its unfortunate because I loved that truck, and if they would have just installed the ZF transmission it would have made it the perfect mid size truck.

But I'm back to a 2020 JTR that was CPO and couldn't be happier.

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