The midsize truck segment is red hot at the moment from the recently launched Ford Ranger and Jeep Gladiator's imminent arrival at dealers. The folks at The Fast Lane Truck were able to drive the Gladiator at the media drive event and compared it on video to the Ranger, Chevrolet Colorado, and Toyota Tacoma.
Gallery: 2020 Jeep Gladiator: First Drive
According to The Fast Lane Truck, the Gladiator's 3.6-liter V6 requires lots of revs to make the most of the power. It matches well with the eight-speed automatic, though. This model is a soft top, which makes the cabin noticeably louder than the other hardtop trucks. However, this also makes the Jeep the only offering in the segment capable of open-roof motoring. When towing, the Gladiator is quite stable, but the host dings the model for only offering trailer braking as a Mopar accessory.
See How The Gladiator Puts Up A Fight:
Among the rest of the trucks, the Ranger receives praise for its rapid acceleration and good fuel economy in its class. The Tacoma is a solid all-rounder, and the Colorado offers strong performance with its combination of a V6 engine and eight-speed automatic.
If you missed Motor1.com's earlier specs comparison of the midsize truck segment, here's how they stand up against each other on paper:
| 2019 Ford Ranger | 2020 Jeep Gladiator | 2019 GMC Canyon | 2019 Chevy Colorado | 2019 Honda Ridgeline | 2019 Toyota Tacoma | 2019 Nissan Frontier | |
| Base Price: | $24,300 | $33,545 | $21,500 | $21,300 | $29,990 | $25,200 | $24,500 |
| Trims: | XL, XLT, Lariat | Sport, Sport S, Overland, Rubicon | SL, SLE, SLT, All-Terrain, Denali, | WT, LT, Z71, ZR2 | RT, Sport, RTL, RTL-T, RTL-E, Black Edition | SR, SR5, TRD, TRD-Offroad, TRD Pro, Limited | S, SV, Desert Runner, Pro-4X |
| Cabs: | Supercab, Supercrew | Crew | Crew, Extended | Crew, Extended | Crew | Access, Double | Crew, King |
| Engines: | 2.3L Ecoboost | 3.6L V6
| 2.5L I4, 3.6L V6, 2.8L I4 Diesel | 2.5L I4, 3.6L V6, 2.8L I4 Diesel | 3.5 L V6 | 3.5L V6, 2.7 I4 | 2.5 I4, 4.0L V6 |
| Transmissions: | 10-speed AT | 6-speed MT, 8-Speed AT | 6-speed, MT, 6-speed AT, 8-speed AT | 6-speed, MT, 6-speed AT, 8-speed AT | 6-speed AT | 6-speed MT, 6-speed AT | 6-speed MT, 5-speed AT |
| Hp/Tq (ft-lbs): | 270/310 | 285/260 | 200/191 (I4) 308/275 (V6) 181/369 (Diesel) | 200/191 (I4) 308/275 (V6) 181/369 (Diesel) | 280/262 | 159/180 (I4) 278/265 (V6) | 152/171 (I4) 261/281 (V6) |
| Max Payload (lbs.): | 1,860 | 1,600 | 1,548 | 1,548 | 1,465 | 1,420 | 1,430 |
| Max Towing (lbs.): | 7,500 | 7,650 | 7,700 | 7,700 | 5,000 | 6,800 | 6,690 |
| Off-Road Offering: | FX4 | Rubicon | All Terrain | ZR2 | N/A | TRD-Pro | PRO-4X, Desert Runner |
| Innovations: | 10-speed transmission has 2 more gears than closest competitors | Offers the segment's only removable soft top, fold-down windshield | GMC/Chevrolet offers the segment's only diesel engine | GMC/Chevrolet offers the segment's only diesel engine | Unibody design offers car-like characteristics, front-wheel-drive with full-time AWD available | Crawl Control (configurable cruise control for rock control) | Not innovative, but still popular despite platform that is 15 years old |
Source: The Fast Lane Truck via YouTube
Listen to the Motor1.com U.S. Podcast episode on the Jeep Gladiator:
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