Gladiator vs. Wrangler Unlimited

[WXman]

I've seen you quote this $7700 difference and I'm confused how you got such a wide range. Every time I spec out a Sport S w/ features and then the Rubicon with the same features, the difference is $3500 (I'm always comparing Invoice on each.) Mind you I'm going fairly spartan in feature selection, but feature for feature it seems like the delta would always be around $3500. Maybe you're making a super spec'd Rubi vs a basic Sport S?

This is the closest to being equipped like mine that there is in my area:

https://www.jeep.com/new-inventory/...BM,RC4,SDD,UAG,AM2,ADE,ABR,DMF,X9,PRC,24R,APA

Granted, it does have Active Safety and the LED light package, but those two things are less than $2k combined.

Rubicon is several thousand more than Sport S when equipped similarly.

You forgot the price difference is even less at or below invoice pricing when the Rubicon and Sport S w/ Max Tow are optioned similarly. Around $3,700. I hope everyone is buying their JT's below invoice.

And when equipping both trims with 35s, the difference in payload capacity is only 275lbs in Favor of the Sport S. I've been researching religiously comparing the 2 trims and the longer I wait, the more I'm convinced the Rubicon is the better buy.

Actually, the payload capacity doesn't change. Wheels/tires are "unsprung weight" and do not subtract from the legal payload stamped on the door placard. So, the difference is still a full 400 lbs. between my truck and a Rubicon, which could potentially equal up to 4,000 lbs. of potential towing capacity if I'm carrying a family and/or gear.

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[UglyViking]

I know this is a pretty old post but I think since the topic already exists I'll ask here.

How do you feel about the decreased turning radius? I'm currently daily driving a lifted 1500 and the turning radius wasn't great before but with the lift (that pushes out the wheels 1.5" on each side) it's gotten horrid. Every time I drive my wifes JLU I fall in love with how easy it is to drive around town or anywhere "tight". Curious if you can compare it to a full sized truck or vs the JLU. As detailed as you want to be

 

[txn]

The dash cluster display is faster and more responsive, though it has the exact same information and layout. The dyslexic brain-bending is still present in the JT; you must press up arrow to go down in the menu, down arrow to go up. Same with the shifter for the trans. in manual mode...pull down to upshift, push up to downshift. It's maddening and stupid. And I don't care that they do it this way in race cars; this isn't a race car.

The computer works that way because that’s how computers work. It’s a familiar operating system for people used to using computers. When you’re writing bullets, the bullets get larger as you go down. They don’t start at 8 and descend to 1 as you scroll down the page.

Literally every automatic car that has a manual option I’ve ever driven has the same format for manual shifting. Push to down shift, pull to up shift. It’s not down to upshift, it’s pull to upshot. From a 2005 Saturn aura to my wife’s old mini, to my neighbors M3, to my wife’s 14 Trailhawk, to my brothers F150. They all shift the same way.
Sorry, i keep Seeing this complaint but it makes zero sense.

 

[Nevadabackroad]

We've had a Rubicon Wrangle U since 2017, and just picked up a Gladiator (photos of each attached). We kept the Wrangler. Wrangler was my wifes, not she has the Gladiator and I'll keep the Wrangler as a project.

Some initial comparisons and contrasts which jump out at me:
Gladiator doors close with much more solid feel. Over all build is more like a truck than ATV.
Dash and passenger compartment are very much improved with Gladiator. I like the instruments and controls much better in the Glad. However, my wife misses all the little mesh storage areas which the Wrangler had. I'd happily sacrifice those for the more substantial look and feel of he new design.

We have the Alpine Premium in both vehicles, and the Wrangler sounds much better than the Gladiator (I've started another thread on this).

Driving on the highway, no comparison. Wrangler is a handful at highway speeds, always was. Highways is not where this vehicle was designed to excel. Gladiator is surprisingly very comfortable on the highway, with unexpected quality of road feel and 'drivability'.

Highway wind noise is about the same for the two.

Off road, I haven't done much with the Gladiator yet, so I'll report later. We two a 19 foot travel trailer. The Wrangler was maxed out with the trailer, but handled it. We plan to take the trailer out with the Gladiator this weekend. I'll post my observations.
Driving

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