The Jeep Wrangler’s legendary off-road prowess has long made it the go-to vehicle for adventurous spirits who like to get far off the beaten path. In 2019, Jeep took the midsize pickup market by storm with the introduction of the Wrangler-based Jeep Gladiator.
The Jeep truck combines all the rugged capability of an SUV with the utility and stout towing and payload capacities of a pickup truck. They’re closely related, but how do the Wrangler and Gladiator compare? Here at Huffines Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram (CJDR) Plano, we’ve put these vehicles under the spotlight for a side-by-side comparison.
2024 Wrangler vs Gladiator: Trims and Features
What’s New?
Jeep has updated both the Wrangler and Gladiator for 2024. They feature a redesigned grille, a larger infotainment touchscreen, and new front and rear side-curtain airbags. The previously available turbo-diesel engine has been discontinued.
Trim Levels
The 2024 Wrangler is available in two- and four-door body styles, each of which has a removable roof and doors and a fold-down windshield for wind-in-the-hair off-road excitement. You can choose from the Sport, Sport S, Willys, Rubicon, and Rubicon X trim levels in a two-door or four-door configuration. Additionally, the Sahara and Rubicon 392 trims come exclusively with four doors.
The Jeep Gladiator truck is only available with a four-door crew cab and adds a 5-foot pickup bed where the Wrangler’s cargo area is. It still offers a removable roof and doors. Its trim lineup differs slightly with a choice of Sport, Sport S, Willys, Mojave, Rubicon, Mojave X, and Rubicon X models.
Exterior Features
The base Wrangler and Gladiator Sport trims offer a premium soft-top roof, a body-color grille, automatic headlights, fog lights, 17-inch steel wheels, and tinted solar control glass. They also come standard with a Class IV receiver hitch and a seven-pin and four-pin wiring harness.
Moving up the models gets you features such as a Corning Gorilla Glass windshield, a three-piece body-color hard top, LED headlights and daytime running lights, LED fog lights, LED taillights, alloy wheels, heated power mirrors, and deep-tinted rear windows. The Wrangler Rubicon X comes standard with steel bumpers and an integrated front winch.
Interior Amenities
In the Wrangler Sport’s tasteful cabin, you’ll find push-button start, cloth upholstery, air conditioning, and ambient lighting. Higher-spec trims offer amenities such as a 7-inch digital instrument cluster, power windows, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, automatic climate control, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and nappa leather upholstery, For the first time, the Wrangler offers 12-way power-adjustable front seats.
Wrangler Cargo Space
Two-door Wranglers have 12.9 cubic feet of cargo space behind the 60/40-split rear seats while folding them down gives you a 31.7 cubic foot cargo area. Four-door models have 31.7 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats in place and 72.4 cubic feet with them down.
Dimensions and Specs
Power and Performance
The Wrangler offers three engine options. The first is a 3.6-liter V-6 engine that delivers 285 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. It comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission, or you can opt for an eight-speed automatic. Certain trims give you the option of a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that generates 270 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. It’s paired only with the eight-speed automatic transmission.
The Rubicon 392 features a mighty 6.4-liter V-8 HEMI engine that pumps out 470 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. When properly equipped, the towing capacity of two-door Wrangler models is 2,000 pounds, while four-door variants can tow up to 5,000 pounds, except for the Rubicon 392, which has a maximum towing capacity of 3,500 pounds.
All Jeep Gladiator trims come standard with the V-6 engine with a manual or automatic transmission. The Jeep truck’s standard towing capacity is 4,000 or 4,500 pounds depending on the trim. Adding the available Max Tow Package gives it a best-in-class maximum towing capacity of 7,700 pounds. It also offers a maximum payload of a class-leading 1,725 pounds. With the V-6 engine, both vehicles return up to 23 mpg for highway driving.
Off-Road Capability
Both the Wrangler and Gladiator have mild manners on the highway and around the city streets, but they thrive off-road, and they’re equipped to conquer the most grueling trails. You have a choice of two part-time and two full-time four-wheel-drive systems to suit your off-road adventures. Front and rear electronic locking differentials help you keep momentum and traction on the toughest terrain.
Wrangler and Gladiator Rubicon models are the most capable with features such as low-range gearing, solid DANA axles, an electronic disconnecting front sway bar, rock rails, heavy-duty skid plates, 33-inch all-terrain tires, and a dual-vented hood. The Gladiator Mojave trims are designed for high-performance desert driving and add a 1-inch suspension lift, upgraded shocks, and a performance hood.
Tech and More
All Wrangler and Gladiator trims now come standard with the Uconnect 5 infotainment system. It features an impressive 12.3-inch touch-screen display, a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay integration, hands-free calling and media streaming, and an eight-speaker sound system with satellite radio. The antenna is now integrated into the windshield.
Standard in the top two trims and available in other trims is a GPS navigation system, integrated voice command, and a nine-speaker Alpine audio system with a 552-watt amplifier. An available forward-facing TrailCam with an integrated washer helps you navigate around obstacles on the trails. Dynamic grid lines help you choose the best path, and Trailer Hitch Zoom gives you a close-up view of the trailer hitch to help line it up with the trailer.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Technology
Helping keep you in control on and off-road are electronic stability control, traction control, electronic roll mitigation, trailer sway damping, and hill-start assist. The Sport S and above have enhanced adaptive cruise control. Available features include blind-spot detection, rear cross-traffic warning, and rear parking assist.
Test-Drive Both at Huffines CJDR Plano
Whether you’re looking for a rugged off-road-oriented SUV or a truck with stout towing and payload capacities and superb off-road capability, the Jeep Gladiator and Wrangler lineups have a model to suit your needs. Contact us at Huffines CJDR Plano in Texas today to arrange a test drive of both vehicles. If you’ve got a vehicle to trade, we’ll make you an instant cash offer.