The new Jeep Gladiator is one of the most exciting new releases of 2019. The Fast Lane Truck on YouTube decided to see just how Jeep-like and capable it can be by comparing it to its only real rival: the Chevy Colorado.

In the video, the evocatively named Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison squares off against the equally impressive-sounding Gladiator Rubicon in a battle of high-performance off-road truck supremacy. Best of all, they're testing them together in Moab, Utah, one of the most famous four-wheeling destinations in the world.

There's a good reason for that. Moab is notorious for challenging you and your vehicle in ways you never thought imaginable. While both trucks are evenly matched, it's clear they have their relative strengths and weaknesses.

Even before the actual driving commences, we learn that the Colorado's diesel engine provides prodigious torque, especially compared to the Jeep. However, the Gladiator has the advantage of a solid axle front end with an electronic disconnect on the front sway bar for major articulation.

Surprisingly, the Gladiator has substantially more towing capacity than the ZR2 Bison – even with its big, bad diesel engine, the Colorado can only tow 5,000 pounds, while the Gladiator can tow 7,500 pounds.

The longer wheelbase of the Gladiator does hurt it a bit over obstacles, though, with a less-impressive breakover angle than the Colorado. Rear-seat passengers in the Gladiator would likely say that it's a worthwhile trade-off for the extra legroom, which is better than most trucks in the mid-size class.

Surprisingly, the beefy AEV front bumper on the Colorado ZR2 Bison hampered the truck's approach angle, while the spare tires and trailer hitches on both trucks scraped with similar frequency.

At the end of the day, both trucks seem pretty evenly matched, with each one's relative strengths and weaknesses balancing each other out. In an apples-to-apples comparison, with both trucks having a 3.6 liter gas V6, it would have been even closer. Jeep also says that a diesel Gladiator is coming, so we'll be looking forward to that, too.

Source: The Fast Lane Truck on YouTube

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