My Major Question about the Gladiator

[ShadowsPapa]

Ranger was on my list as well. Test drove it the same day I did the Gladiator. Honestly came away disappointed with it. The powertrain felt odd to me with the Ecoboost engine. It was pretty loud in the XLT I test drove (and yes, I know the JT is loud on the road too). For the first time in my life, I felt the coolness of a modern cabin, something I didn’t use to care much for (and something the Ranger felt like it was lacking).

Like others are saying, test drive everything on your list and make the decision you feel best. That’s how I ended up in a Jeep for the first time in my life.

Curious - you thought the JT was loud? Granted, it's louder than my Silverado, but then that truck was thick, solid, fat, well-insulated and quiet as a Lincoln Town Car inside.
I find the JT only loud inside when it's windy (which is almost all the time here, but that's a different story) or when it rains - then that baby is not exactly quiet. But I find it to be a truck I could drive for hours.
The wind the last few days did drive me nuts in there - and the huge rain we had a while back was like someone smacking the cab with a thousand little hammers, but otherwise, weather aside, it's nice.
OK, I guess since it's almost always windy here, and the weather is rarely windless and calm, maybe it's not real quiet.........

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[saintpauljeff]

Curious - you thought the JT was loud? Granted, it's louder than my Silverado, but then that truck was thick, solid, fat, well-insulated and quiet as a Lincoln Town Car inside.
I find the JT only loud inside when it's windy (which is almost all the time here, but that's a different story) or when it rains - then that baby is not exactly quiet. But I find it to be a truck I could drive for hours.
The wind the last few days did drive me nuts in there - and the huge rain we had a while back was like someone smacking the cab with a thousand little hammers, but otherwise, weather aside, it's nice.
OK, I guess since it's almost always windy here, and the weather is rarely windless and calm, maybe it's not real quiet.........

Ehh it’s a little louder than my Hummer H3 was, but especially so on the highway on a windy day. I sort of expected it due to the way it’s designed- removable doors & top, fold down windshield, etc. Around town at slower speeds it’s pretty unnoticeable, however.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Ehh it’s a little louder than my Hummer H3 was, but especially so on the highway on a windy day. I sort of expected it due to the way it’s designed- removable doors & top, fold down windshield, etc. Around town at slower speeds it’s pretty unnoticeable, however.

I expected it as well - the dealer said more than once, knowing we had my big silverado and my wife had her Grand Cherokees - I think he was really concerned we'd freak at the sound. I reminded him I drove "hard tops" most of my life - and trust me, you want to feel the wind, hear the wind, feel cold air on your face in the winter - drive a 1960s or 70s hard top. The JT is a Caddy compared to those. Windows rarely sealed well, a strong wind blew in one side and out the other, literally pushing the window out a tad.
I did tell him - hey, I drive a car with headers, 2 1/2" pipes and flowmasters........
Anyway, I knew anything with removable panels and a fiberglass top wasn't going to be sound proof. But it actually exceeded my expectations in a good way. Jeep did a good job making this thing comfortable on the road.

 

[ChapEJF]

Ranger was on my list as well. Test drove it the same day I did the Gladiator. Honestly came away disappointed with it. The powertrain felt odd to me with the Ecoboost engine. It was pretty loud in the XLT I test drove (and yes, I know the JT is loud on the road too). For the first time in my life, I felt the coolness of a modern cabin, something I didn’t use to care much for (and something the Ranger felt like it was lacking).

Like others are saying, test drive everything on your list and make the decision you feel best. That’s how I ended up in a Jeep for the first time in my life.

Thanks and I am also unsure of getting a turbo-charged engine. The Wrangler that I had this weekend had the 2.0 and I was not impressed. It was laggy at times and my daughter was in the back seat for a while and not very happy. I like the uniqueness of the Jeep interior and it is one of the questions I have for myself as I go forward. I did have a short test ride in the Ranger which went ok, but the interior, as you said was not impressive. Many Thanks,

 

[Hootbro]

Given what you have said of where you are coming from, I would say test drive one but I am betting you will probably be happier in a Ranger for day to day use.

Gladiator rides better than a JL, but still has quite bit of the quirks the Wrangler JL has and you really have to be ready for a lifestyle change to appreciate the Gladiator IMHO.

 

[madduck]

are you a AAA member? AAA has a car buying program. here in AZ if you're invested in a vehicle they will bring it to their office so you can test drive without any sales pressure.

 

[WXman]

I went from the Wrangler JL Unlimited to the Gladiator JT and the ride quality was immediately noticeable on the JT. Much softer and more compliant. Felt very much like all the other pickup trucks I've had before. The Wrangler was choppy and stiff. There is a definite difference. Gladiator is over two feet longer and 500 lbs. heavier, so naturally it rides better.

Do some research on the "new" eight year old Ranger and you'll find lots of bad reviews on ride quality, braking, and turbo lag. Ford basically did some last second styling refreshments to bring that truck over to the U.S. and it's very outdated by today's standards in our country. I had high hopes for that truck, having been a lifelong Ford guy, but it turned out to be a miserable failure of a truck.

 

[ChapEJF]

I went from the Wrangler JL Unlimited to the Gladiator JT and the ride quality was immediately noticeable on the JT. Much softer and more compliant. Felt very much like all the other pickup trucks I've had before. The Wrangler was choppy and stiff. There is a definite difference. Gladiator is over two feet longer and 500 lbs. heavier, so naturally it rides better.

Do some research on the "new" eight year old Ranger and you'll find lots of bad reviews on ride quality, braking, and turbo lag. Ford basically did some last second styling refreshments to bring that truck over to the U.S. and it's very outdated by today's standards in our country. I had high hopes for that truck, having been a lifelong Ford guy, but it turned out to be a miserable failure of a truck.

Thanks so much for your description of the difference in the ride between the Wrangler and the Gladiator, it was very helpful. I think I am going to break down and test drive one soon to satisfy my curiosity. The Ranger is also due to be overhauled in the next few years and I don’t want a dated design. Many thanks.

 

[noside85]

just go drive one, who cares if the dealer thinks they got a sale?

 

[madduck]

car salesmen have a bad rep for a simple reason, they deserve it. i usually dont paint with such a broad brush but i make an exception when dealing with this group.

go test drive one, regardless of what you think of it tell 'em you dont like it and youre heading over to the ford dealer. you wont be worth their time and they, hopefully, will not contact you.

 

[Jimmy-]

Greetings! First time poster who is highly considering the Gladiator. My Bottom Line Up Front Question is: How much better (or not) is the handling and ride of the Gladiator compared to the JL Wrangler Unlimited?
Background:
* Never owned a Jeep
* Just rented a JL for the weekend and I was highly considering it or the Gladiator but the ride and handling of the JL are not sustainable for me.
* I have not yet driven the Gladiator; my delay is due to being in Hawaii and I will not purchase here (I move in 5 months). I may try to do a test drive here if it sounds promising.
* In the market for a replacement for my Volvo, which I love but it is getting dated. I know the ride and handling on anything that Jeep has cannot touch my Volvo.
* One of my bucket list items is to navigate the Trans America Trail. Getting too old to do it on a motorcycle but want a little bit of adventure before I go to the "Old Soldier's Home."
* My other candidates are Ford Ranger FX4, updated Frontier out soon and maybe the new Bronco (no rock throwing thanks).
I appreciate any insight that anyone can provide. Many Thanks, ChapEJF

IMO, the gladiator rides better than the JL, but it still feels like a Jeep. Take one out for a test drive like everyone else said and see if it fits. I've owned 5 wranglers, a Chevy 1500, a Ford F250, and a Nissan Frontier. The gladiator is my favorite.

 

[smlobx]

My wife just rented a Gladiator Sport on a business trip through Enterprise... You should have seen the guys on the job site as she rolled up!
So you might want to rent one for a couple of days to make sure it works for you.

 

[PanhandleChuck]

As mentioned, rent a JT or test drive. The cheapest way to your decision. Just be aware the lava rock used in paving roads of Hawaii might make the Jeep roar and wonder a little more. I did a tour at KBay (98-01). My JT Mojave is my fifth Jeep (CJ, TJ, JKU, JK, JT). My previous vehicle was a ‘19 RAM Laramie 4x4, all creature comforts. Jeeps are unique and have a soul. I say the same thing about BMW Moto Boxer motors. You’ll either get one, love it, and be a life long driver or move past it. Modern Jeeps have blurred the lines of predecessors. More refined, more daily drivable, etc. I’m not an off-road Jeeper. I grew up off-roading vehicles and it may explain some of my admiration. However, I don’t spend 55K on a new vehicle, remove 20K in materials, and add 30K more. I like Jeeps for their character and accept their drawbacks. You’ll have to determine your individual acceptance.

Don’t know your budget, but drive a higher end JT (Mojave, Rubicon, Overland) before reaching a final verdict. Any JT can be configured to meet your needs, some just come out of the box ready.

 

[texanjeeper]

A Ranger....I've never even sat in a Ranger, but I owned a Ford Escape SUV that was built on the Ranger frame. It was a solid vehicle, but when I would highway drive in the rain, it was a white-knuckle truck. I mean, the thing moved all over the place, like you were hydroplaning for miles. Sometimes scared me to death, if it was raining particularly hard. I guess I'd want to really check that out before I even considered a Ranger. Maybe it was an anomaly with the Escape, maybe not.

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