Wrangler vs. Gladiator: Spotting the Differences Between Them

Jeep is celebrating the immediate success of the 2020 Gladiator, the brand’s first pickup in almost three decades. One look at the Gladiator is enough to get prospective buyers’ minds reeling given that the pickup is heavily-based on the Wrangler JL. Let us highlight for you the areas where the Wrangler and Gladiator are similar and where they are not.

Trim Levels

Both the Wrangler and the Gladiator are offered in the same amount of trims, all essentially the same trim levels with one diverting exception. The Wrangler and the Gladiator offer a “Sport” base along with a “Sport S” trim that adds commodities such as air conditioning, power equipment and an enlarged infotainment screen. The Wrangler “Sahara” trim is widely recognized as the luxury tier, while the Gladiator offers the “Overland” trim as its luxury trim. The top-tier trim for both the Wrangler and the Gladiator is the “Rubicon” trim, featuring a perfect vehicle for off-road use and one-of-a-kind accents.

Exterior

The difference between the two vehicles is obvious, the Gladiator features an actual truck bed, while the Wrangler retains its iconic boxy SUV design. Removable doors, a windshield that folds down, available hard tops and soft tops – these are all features available to both the Wrangler and the Gladiator. Although experts disagree on the following, it seems that the Gladiator is nearly identical to the Wrangler minus the truck bed. According to critics, the Gladiator does indeed feature a classic grille with wider slats to promote better cooling as the Gladiator performs those duties expected from a truck.

Interior

On the inside, the cabin of each vehicle is quite similar to the others. The biggest difference between both interiors is the fact that there’s a particular area underneath the Gladiator’s second-row seating. Beneath the second row seats, buyers can find a lockable storage area and an optional Bluetooth speaker intended to keep the adventures going once outside the Gladiator.

Powertrain

For the time being, the Gladiator is only offered with a single engine option under the hood. There’s a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 as the only option, while a diesel engine is in the works for the Gladiator and is expected to hit the market towards the last quarter of 2019. The Wrangler, on the other hand, offers not only the same 3.6-liter V6 engine but a 4-cylinder turbo as well. In the coming months, the Wrangler is expected to get its diesel-powered powertrain just like the Gladiator. A plug-in hybrid variant is expected down the line for both vehicles as well.

Off-Road

Both Rubicon trims are ideally the best way to compare the off-road prowess of the Wrangler and the Gladiator. The Wrangler Rubicon comes standard with an off-road-oriented transfer case, rock sliders, 33-inch all-terrain tires, underbody skid plates, locking front and rear sway bars, enhanced fenders, and an off-road suspension. Meanwhile, the Gladiator Rubicon offers all of the aforementioned features plus additional rock protection that extends to the corners of the truck bed – parts especially vulnerable to damage due to their length.

Now that you know how to differentiate the classic Wrangler from the incoming Gladiator, we invite you to get behind the wheel of both here at Miami Lakes AutoMall. Browse our Jeep inventory at Miami Lakes Jeep and schedule your test drive today!

Photo Source/Copyright: Autotrader.com

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