JT v. Taco: Which is objectively built better? 2021 Gladiator vs 2021 Tacoma comparison review by owner

[soupbill]

long time Taco & jeep owner over 36 years, I traded my 2019 Off Road Premium pkg Taco for a 2022 Gladiator. the reason was the gutless engine(low end), crappy shifting transmission & drum brakes. They get the same MPG for me between 17, 18 if I drive normal and 21, 22 if I baby them. No serious off roading fire roads etc. by the way all my past jeeps were old c-j's or Cherokees Tacos were new purchase's.

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[Timoleon]

Have had both. Now I only have the gladiator. That says it all.

That being said, the Tacoma like the 4Runner is dated, and you can tell. The engine is slow, and still has rear drums, which in icy conditions are very unsafe imo. Once the front lock up your Fucked on stock tires. but it’s a simple, good reliable rig. My wife’s sister wanted a small pickup. Recommended a Tacoma. She’s not gonna Jack it up and make it more than it was out of the factory, she wants to turn it on and go for 10 years.

That said, there’s nothing like the jeeps. You can really make it yours, how you like it, and it’ll still last a long time. Take the doors off, roof, put 37’s, tow, fill the bed, whatever and it’ll continue. My only complaint is I wish the gladiator had a hemi, the 5.7 would have been perfect with the right tune.

Love my gladiator.

I get it. When my daughter wanted to trade in her Nissan Frontier, I recommended a Tacoma for her. I know I will not get that phone call late at night to come over and help her with her truck because of.....

Well, she moved to Cape Cod and she is far away from me, but she is driving a 2021 TRD Sport Taco. I am not going to worry about "car troubles" with her. And she has a capable vehicle for local driving conditions. So, for chick, mission accomplished! Toyota's are great for the daily driver like her. Us guys like to tinker so the Gladiator is the ultimate "erector set" build.

 

[Imbuere]

I would disagree. They're competitors, they're made to be compared.

They’re made to be used. Comparing the tiny details is for keyboard jockeys.

 

[controller]

I value being able to take the top and doors off.

 

[Barnaby’sdad]

I would agree that you're mostly right. I've owned five Tacomas, the last a 2018 TRDPro. The TRDPro is a capable off-road vehicle (I'm a geologist and use them in the field), but my JTR is by far a more capable off-road vehicle bar none. I have an MT (all my Tacomas were MTs), and the gearing is so much better, and with dual lockers and the ability to disconnect the stabilizer bar, there is no comparison off-road. The seating on the JTR is way better, the sound system excellent, and being able to take off the doors a great option. I wouldn't go back to a Tacoma. Little things like more read seat room, higher clearance etc. make it for me.

This was really what it came down to for me. My finalists were the Tacoma TuRD, 4Runner TuRD, and JTR.

I’m 6’3” and change and I’m a big guy. The seating position in the two Toyota’s were an absolute no-go for me. Yes…I researched seat track extensions, seat lowering kits, etc. At the end of the day, I just wasn’t going to be content spending that kind of money for a vehicle that I had to shoehorn myself into.

Seeing countless threads of tall owners whining on Toyota message boards about how uncomfortable they were this past time was the last straw (the rationalization hamster was working on overdrive to get me into a 4Runner Pro).

I’ve wanted a Tacoma or 4Runner off and on for about 20 years. I had multiple occasions where I went through this same realization. Sit in them on the lot…ask the salesman “is this as far down and back as the seat goes?” and then move on to whatever I end up buying.

 

[Geoarch]

This was really what it came down to for me. My finalists were the Tacoma TuRD, 4Runner TuRD, and JTR.

I’m 6’3” and change and I’m a big guy. The seating position in the two Toyota’s were an absolute no-go for me. Yes…I researched seat track extensions, seat lowering kits, etc. At the end of the day, I just wasn’t going to be content spending that kind of money for a vehicle that I had to shoehorn myself into.

Seeing countless threads of tall owners whining on Toyota message boards about how uncomfortable they were this past time was the last straw (the rationalization hamster was working on overdrive to get me into a 4Runner Pro).

I’ve wanted a Tacoma or 4Runner off and on for about 20 years. I had multiple occasions where I went through this same realization. Sit in them on the lot…ask the salesman “is this as far down and back as the seat goes?” and then move on to whatever I end up buying.

Well, I'm only 5'8" (and shrinking), so it looks like the seating is good for all of us.

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