Midsize shootout review: Gladiator vs Ranger, Tacoma, Colorado (Autoblog)

[relapsekg]

Just because the basic shape is from 2005 doens't mean they haven't continued to refine the internals. Just as an example, the 2019 model looks noticeably different inside compared to my 2006.

Yes but it is largely unchanged.. same 4.0L and 5 speed auto from 2005.
Also doesn't really compete, you could get a loaded Frontier for what a base Gladiator costs.

Sponsored

 

[MrKnowitall]

Recently I have seen a number of Ranger reviews that complain about the 10 speed, that is is gear hunting.

That’s fair- I haven’t paid that much attention to the Ranger since the initial stuff. I can see the challenge: demand for torque is translated to a gear/engine setting. A 10speed with a turbo engine can probably deliver that in 3 gears at any time.

 

[WXman]

Interesting. I test drove a Colorado ZR2 a few weeks ago and it was terrible. Steering wasn't tight, ride was choppy, seating position wasn't comfortable, dash and steering wheel were too low, visibility was mediocre, transmission felt clunky (6-speed paired with Duramax), and there wasn't a single thing about the truck that made me say "Wow."

The Ranger is 8 years old and has been panned by multiple magazine reviews for it's poor ride quality and brakes and it's lack of modern features like a split folding rear seat, etc. The interior is also terrible and looks like a 2011 Edge. It has turbo lag and consumers avoided it for the first 4 months of the year, presumably because of it's only engine option being a 4-cylinder.

The Tacoma is on a 15 year old platform with only minor updates since then. Drum brakes, plastic bed, weak engine, clunky old trans, bad seating position, worst 2nd row headroom in the class, etc.

The Gladiator is not a perfect truck either. But I don't see the Ranger being in the same league.

 

[ZEN357]

I think I would buy a Tacoma if I was going for a mid-size truck.

 

[lrtexasman]

Good review, other than comparing pricing of Rubicon to Ranger XLT.

 

[Aljeeper]

I do like that Ford is offering the automatic emergency braking as a standard feature, haven't checked all the other manufacturers yet. But this day n age, that just seems like it should be a standard safety feature on every new vehicle. With the Gladiator, they force you to pay for 2 separate packages totaling $1800 MSRP to get to this and I think that's a huge mistake. Obviously these systems aren't perfect, but they will definitely improve your odds of surviving on the road, safety should be standard.

 

[MF Comics]

Gladiator's price would be cheaper if it weren't a convertible, and if it came with a stick with a cloth top

Only other truck I'd look at is the Taco, solely for the manual. If there were no Gladiator, be looking at Taco's for the transmission alone, that would of helped it tremendously.

Ranger is old tech with a flashy but dull look, reminds me of the other appliances they sell and Chubby is the king of cheap interiors and parts sharing.

Sure something will be done about the price eventually, though considering how unique it is, it'll be a long time

 

[jsyn]

This review claims the Colorado is more refined, but I call B.S. I test drove both a Gladiator and a Bison today. If you're looking in this size range and want to be able to drive the desert high clearance roads of the southwest, those two vehicles seem like the best two options. I have no personal investment in "Jeep culture" and never really expect to take the hard top off, so at 13k less I really wanted to like the Bison, or at least to like it almost as much as the JT. But there was no comparison. The Gladiator interior and electronics and even the 'feel' all seemed far more refined than the Bison. It's all so well thought out. The Bison interior doesn't look or feel much different from my old 2001 Tahoe... and that's not a good thing. The stock Bison seats have a hard plastic ridge along the edge that bruised my tailbone every time I got in or out. (And I'm 6', so it wasn't that it's just a problem for short people.) Steering, acceleration, and braking on city streets and the freeway all seemed comparable. The two dealers were next to each other, so the test drives even covered the same roads. Yes, it's noticeably louder inside the cab of the JT, but that was to be expected, and with the headliner it wasn't horrific. It was similar to driving a non-Jeep truck with one inner door panel missing. That was really the only downside. The Bison had so many downsides that as much as I would love to save that extra cash, I loved the JT even more. If only I didn't have to wait 5 more weeks for the Gobi color to be released!

 

[MadMax]

New comparison review:

Full review @ https://www.autoblog.com/2019/06/12...ma-ford-ranger-jeep-gladiator-chevy-colorado/



Second place: 2020 Jeep Gladiator Sport — 243 points

If we were voting solely with our hearts, the Gladiator would have won by a mile. It's hard to beat the truck's cool factor, packing in all the same charm as the Jeep Wrangler with the added utility of a bed. It was also the one we all wanted to spend more time in. "It's the Jeep truck we've all been waiting for," Migliore said, "and it certainly delivers."

Our editors agreed. "From a simple enjoyment standpoint, it's the clear winner — it has a fun and interesting character inside and out, the ride is supple, the powertrain is the most sophisticated we tested," Kierstein said. "You can take the top and doors off! I think this is the most entertaining truck around, save the F-150 Raptor."

The design drew praise, especially inside. Despite being designed to withstand dirt and grime, Migliore called it "best in class" and said that it "felt the most special." It's high on style without compromising functionality. The cabin is narrow and the greenhouse a bit shallow, but otherwise, the Gladiator is comfortable and roomy. The biggest complaint was road noise on the highway, even with our truck's optional hardtop and sound-dampening headliner (a $500 option). Still, it isn't loud enough to warrant earplugs like some Jeeps of the past.

The powertrain was the best of the bunch, thanks to a refined V6 and a buttery-smooth transmission, though we do wish the engine had a bit more grunt. With the Tacoma and Ranger, you're always aware of what the powertrain is doing, especially the transmissions. With the Gladiator, everything just works smoothly and effortlessly. And while it couldn't match the Colorado's refinement, the ride and handling were far better than expected. The long wheelbase might hurt it off-road, but it keeps the truck straight and stable on the highway. The steering is light and numb, but felt direct enough to mitigate constant corrections to keep the truck centered in the lane.

As expected, the Gladiator was a champ off-road. Stepping up to a Rubicon adds equipment such as bigger tires, rock rails, locking differentials and beefier Dana 44 axles, but the base Sport is still plenty good. "It has legit, rugged off-road underpinnings, even in the Sport trim we tested," Kierstein said. "The break-over angle is terrible, but there's enough capability here for forest service roads and mild trails. If you want to go crawling, get a two-door Wrangler."

It does all the truck stuff well, too. "It's much more than a Wrangler with a bed in the back," Migliore said. "Jeep took care to make this a legit truck." The Gladiator had the best tow rating of the bunch, though payload was just third best, and the 35.5-cubic-foot bed was only slightly larger than the Tacoma's.

So why didn't the Gladiator win? It's expensive, and we factored that into the equation — just as any truck buyer would. Unless you find a smoking deal, you're not getting into one for less than $35,000. A base Gladiator is almost $10,000 more expensive than a base Ranger and nearly $13,000 more than a Colorado. You get more capability with the Gladiator out of the box — and lots of stuff that you can't get on any other truck, such as a solid front axle, standard four-wheel drive and removable doors and roof — but even this base Sport needed thousands of dollars in options to meet the other trucks' equipment levels. Its options include a $3,200 package that adds power tinted windows, a power tailgate lock, power heated mirrors and automatic headlights; $995 for heated seats and remote start; $795 for adaptive cruise control; $1,195 for a black hardtop; and $2,000 for an automatic transmission. Most of that is either standard equipment or available at a far lower price point with the other three trucks.

Because of those options, the as-tested price was the highest here, and a loaded-up Rubicon can cost upwards of $60,000. Sure, you could forgo some of the options this particular Gladiator came with, but you'd be driving a comparatively spartan truck.

Kierstein put it well: "This truck's absolute price is hard to swallow, but as I kept reminding myself, it does a LOT that none of the other trucks can do."

Full review @ https://www.autoblog.com/2019/06/12...ma-ford-ranger-jeep-gladiator-chevy-colorado/

well the ranger is ugly so....there ya go. and they talk about price but people aren't paying msrp for gladiators, at least not the smart ones.

 

[Bjeepz]

Why is it that the Nissan Frontier is never looked at with these kind of comparisons? Before the arrival of the JT, their biggest rival was(and might still be), as a fellow japanese manufacturer, the Toyota Tacoma. So it would fit right in with this comparison. It would be interesting to see a ranked comparison between the Rubicon JT, Nismo Frontier, TRO Tacoma, the Z71 GM vehicles (Colorado/Canyon) and whatever offroad package is offered on the Ford Ranger (if any). Of course we all know the JT likely cannot be beat in off-roading capability compared to it's rivals, but it would be interesting to me to see who the runner-ups are.

The Colorado ZR2 is the only real competitor for the JT Rubicon and Mojave. Front and rear lockers, widened track width through fantastic IFS front up dates and a 4 inch wider rear axle assembly and Multimatic shocks.

 

[bakobobby]

I considered a ranger but once you factor in 4x4 and some ok options it just is not worth saving a few thousand. Just het way more with the gladiator especially when upgrading.

Sponsored