The Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Gladiator: Which One is Right for You?

Off-road enthusiasts looking to explore Northeastern Illinois have two great Jeep vehicles to choose from. When you’re in the cockpit of a Jeep Wrangler 4×4 or Jeep Gladiator pickup, you’ll feel ready to take on hundreds of nearby highways, trails, parks, and forest preserves. As the leading Jeep dealer near Sycamore, Jeff Perry Chrysler Jeep offers the latest Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Gladiator for getting out there and discovering the world.

The modern Wrangler and Gladiator share more than the Jeep nameplate. Less than 18 months after the fourth-generation Jeep Wrangler JL went into production, the Jeep Gladiator JT followed suit. As Jeep’s first pickup in over 25 years, it took the name of the original Gladiator SJ, which was made from 1962 to 1968. It took its powertrain, visual styling, and more from the iconic Wrangler.

It’s easy to call the Jeep Gladiator a Wrangler — specifically, a Wrangler Unlimited four-door — with a truck bed. But there’s more to it than that. Picking the right vehicle will go a long way towards fueling your latest adventure. We’ve put the Jeep Wrangler JL and the Jeep Gladiator JT head-to-head to see where each hits the mark for Sycamore’s swashbucklers.

We’ve already mentioned a common powertrain between the Wrangler and Gladiator. The Gladiator operates on the same 3.6L V6 Pentastar engine that is standard equipment in the Wrangler. This powerplant gives you 285 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque with four-wheel drive, enough for most light and medium off-roading needs. It’s worth noting the Gladiator weighs about 700 lbs more than the two-door Wrangler and 300 lbs more than the four-door Wrangler. This reduces acceleration and fuel economy slightly but will improve traction on slippery trails or snow-covered winter Sycamore roads. You can get a six-speed manual transmission or an eight-speed automatic on both vehicles, though on the Wrangler, the manual transmission is only available with the standard 3.6L V6.

This powertrain is the only one available for the Gladiator, whereas the Wrangler has three other powertrains available. There’s the 2.0L turbocharged I-4, the massive 6.4L V8 in the Rubicon, and the 4xe hybrid with the 2.0L I-4 and electric motor combination. Each offers more horsepower and/or torque than the V6 while giving drivers that legendary Jeep customizability. The Gladiator 4xe is expected to be available as early as 2025, while the Wrangler turbodiesel engine has been discontinued as of the 2024 model. Still, in terms of the number of options, the Wrangler is the winner here.

Adventure isn’t just about getting off the beaten path. It’s also about getting the right toys and goodies there with you. In this regard, the Gladiator has some advantages over the Wrangler. On the baseline Sport trim, the Jeep Gladiator doubles the Wrangler’s towing from 2,000 to 4,000 lbs, so you can get a boat to Sycamore Lake, bring your ATVs to the nearest park, or lug equipment to a job site. When you add the Max Tow Package, capacity increases to as high as 7,700 lbs on certain trims. For the Wrangler, the best you can do is 5,000 lbs.

As for cargo, the Gladiator tops out at a best-in-class payload of 1,710 lbs. The bed includes tie-downs to secure large tools or mount bicycles, and you won’t get the interior all dirty. With a 35.5 cu.ft volume, the truck bed is slightly bigger than the 31.7 cu.ft. cargo area in a two-door Wrangler. A four-door Wrangler Unlimited bumps interior cargo space up to 72.4 cu.ft. when you put the 60/40 rear seat down. Though the Gladiator’s rear seat is also foldable, you don’t get the same continuous cargo area, making the Wrangler better for packing long items.

The pickup bed adds to the utility of the Jeep Gladiator, but it also changes the game when you get to hills and rocky terrain. Since the bed is essentially being added onto an existing Wrangler four-door, it means a much larger vehicle. The Gladiator is nearly three feet longer than the Wrangler Unlimited, and the wheelbase is almost 19 inches longer (137.3 vs. 118.4 inches). Being shorter makes the Wrangler more maneuverable around tight turns than the Gladiator and less likely to bottom out or get hung up on sharp crests. This is not as big a deal in the relatively flat Midwest, but it is something to consider if you want to truly go anywhere. You can get the Gladiator with up to 37-inch tires to increase the breakover angle, though this will require an added investment.

Both the Wrangler and Gladiator are available in seven trims, including off-road-minded trims like the Willys, the Rubicon, and the Rubicon X reintroduced for 2024. The Wrangler’s top off-road trim is the Rubicon 392, while the Gladiator lineup offers the Mojave and Mojave X. Each has a variety of added features to make tough terrain feel like child’s play, including a full-time transfer case, a redesigned suspension, all-terrain tires, steel bumpers, an off-road camera, and an available winch. All trims can be purchased with a hard top, a premium Sunrider soft top, or even no top to let in the sun.

Inside, the Wrangler Unlimited and the Gladiator are pretty much identical. The total passenger volume is roughly the same at 104 cu.ft. to 103. You have the exact same amount of headroom, shoulder room, and legroom, the latter of which outshines other 4x4s.

As part of the 2024 model year refresh, Jeep has overhauled the technology on both vehicles. This includes supersizing the infotainment touchscreen to 12.3 inches on all trims. (Previous model years had a choice of seven- and 8.4-inch screens.) They’ve also added the Trails Offroad app with integrated trail maps and guides to the navigation system. Everyone gets a basic subscription, and you can get a premium subscription with more than 3,000 maps, including some of your favorite Sycamore, IL off-roading spots. Safety has been upgraded substantially with automatic emergency braking, side curtain airbags, and adaptive cruise control.

Again, these interior features are identical in both the Wrangler and Gladiator. No matter which you choose, you’ll have great creature comforts.