Compare the2025 Jeep GladiatorVS 2025 Ford Ranger

Full-time four-wheel drive is optional on the Gladiator. Full-time four-wheel drive gives added traction for safety in all conditions, not just off-road, like the only system available on the Ranger. Four-wheel drive of any type costs extra on the Ranger.

Both the Gladiator and the Ranger have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, rearview cameras, available crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Jeep Gladiator is safer than the Ford Ranger:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Jeep pays for scheduled maintenance on the Gladiator for 2 years and unlimited miles. Jeep will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance (up to 2 visits). Ford doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Ranger.

The Gladiator has a solid front axle with a floating power axle for durability that the Ranger 4x4’s independent front suspension and exposed front driveshafts don’t offer.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Gladiator has a standard 180-amp alternator (240-amp - Gladiator optional). The Ranger’s 150-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Jeep vehicles are more reliable than Ford With 49 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Jeep higher than Ford.

The Gladiator’s 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 15 more horsepower (285 vs. 270) than the Ranger’s standard 2.3 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Jeep Gladiator is faster than the Ford Ranger turbo 4 cyl.:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Jeep Gladiator uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Ranger requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Gladiator has 4 gallons more fuel capacity than the Ranger (22 vs. 18 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Jeep Gladiator higher (6 out of 10) than the Ford Ranger (5 to 6). This means the Gladiator produces up to 6.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Ranger every 15,000 miles.

For better stopping power the Gladiator’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Ranger:

The Gladiator stops much shorter than the Ranger:

For better traction, the Gladiator Rubicon/Mojave’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Ranger (285/70R17 vs. 255/70R17).

The Gladiator Nighthawk’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Ranger Lariat’s 65 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Gladiator Nighthawk has standard 20-inch wheels. The Ranger’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

The Gladiator has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Ranger doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Gladiator has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Gladiator flat and controlled during cornering. The Ranger’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Gladiator Rubicon has an active front sway bar, which helps keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnects at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Ranger doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The front and rear suspension of the Gladiator uses coil springs for better ride, handling and control than the Ranger, which uses leaf springs in the rear. Coil springs compress more progressively and offer more suspension travel for a smoother ride with less bottoming out.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Gladiator’s wheelbase is 8.6 inches longer than on the Ranger (137.3 inches vs. 128.7 inches).

The Gladiator’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (52.8% to 47.2%) than the Ranger’s (56% to 44%). This gives the Gladiator more stable handling and braking.

The Gladiator Overland handles at .75 G’s, while the Ranger XLT 4x4 pulls only .74 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Gladiator Sport executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Ranger Lariat 4x4 (28.5 seconds @ .58 average G’s vs. 29.1 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Gladiator Sport has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Ranger (10 vs. 9.3 inches), allowing the Gladiator to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Gladiator Mojave’s minimum ground clearance is 2.3 inches higher than on the Ranger (11.6 vs. 9.3 inches).

The Gladiator has 4.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Ranger (102.9 vs. 98.3).

The Gladiator has 2.5 inches more rear headroom, 3.7 inches more rear legroom and 1.8 inches more rear hip room than the Ranger.

A low lift-over bed design makes loading and unloading the Gladiator easier. The Gladiator’s bed lift-over height is 29.7 inches, while the Ranger’s liftover is 34 inches.

Maximum trailer towing in the Ford Ranger is limited to 7500 pounds. The Gladiator offers up to a 7700 lbs. towing capacity.

The Gladiator can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Gladiator can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Ranger can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The power windows standard on both the Gladiator and the Ranger have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Gladiator is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The Ranger prevents the driver from operating the rear windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Gladiator has a standard Push Button Start that allows you to start the engine without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Only the Ranger Lariat offers Intelligent Access.

The Gladiator’s speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Ranger’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Both the Gladiator and the Ranger offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Gladiator has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Ranger doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

Compared to traditional radio, the Jeep Gladiator’s standard SiriusXM satellite radio provides an unmatched listening experience. Its extensive coverage guarantees consistent, crystal-clear reception across the continental U.S., and access to over 100 channels dedicated to a multitude of genres, including music, news, sports, talk shows, and comedy, many with only limited commercial breaks. Satellite radio is only offered on the Ranger XLT/Lariat.

The Gladiator was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2020. The Ranger has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.