Compare the2022 Jeep GladiatorVS 2022 Ford Maverick

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive is standard on the Gladiator. But it costs extra on the Maverick.

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

The Jeep Gladiator weighs 919 to 1789 pounds more than the Ford Maverick. The NHTSA advises that heavier vehicles are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

Jeep pays for scheduled maintenance on the Gladiator for 3 years and unlimited miles. Jeep will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance (up to 3 oil changes). Ford doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Maverick.

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

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Gladiator first among midsize pickups in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The Maverick isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Jeep vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Jeep 8th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 13 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is ranked 14th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Jeep vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Jeep 3 places higher in reliability than Ford.

The Gladiator’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 94 more horsepower (285 vs. 191) than the Maverick’s standard 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid. The Gladiator’s 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 35 more horsepower (285 vs. 250) than the Maverick’s optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

The Gladiator’s optional 3.0 turbo V6 diesel produces 10 more horsepower (260 vs. 250) and 165 lbs.-ft. more torque (442 vs. 277) than the Maverick’s optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Jeep Gladiator uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Maverick requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

The Gladiator has 8.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Maverick Hybrid’s standard fuel tank (22 vs. 13.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Gladiator has 5.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the Maverick 2.0 EcoBoost’s standard fuel tank (22 vs. 16.5 gallons).

The Gladiator offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and sportiness. The Maverick doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

The Gladiator’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Maverick are solid, not vented.

For better traction, the Gladiator has larger standard tires than the Maverick (245/75R17 vs. 225/65R17). The Gladiator Rubicon/Mojave’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Maverick (285/70R17 vs. 235/65R17).

The Gladiator offers an optional 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 Maverick doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

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 Maverick doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Gladiator’s wheelbase is 16.2 inches longer than on the Maverick (137.3 inches vs. 121.1 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Gladiator is .7 inches wider in the front and 1.3 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Maverick.

For greater off-road capability the Gladiator Sport has a 1.4 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Maverick (10 vs. 8.6 inches), allowing the Gladiator to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Gladiator Mojave’s minimum ground clearance is 3 inches higher than on the Maverick (11.6 vs. 8.6 inches).

The Gladiator has 2.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Maverick (102.9 vs. 100.3).

The Gladiator has .5 inches more front headroom, 1.2 inches more rear headroom, 2.4 inches more rear legroom, 1.8 inches more rear hip room and .1 inches more rear shoulder room than the Maverick.

The Gladiator has a much larger cargo box than the Maverick shortbed (35.5 vs. 33.3 cubic feet).

The Gladiator’s cargo box is larger than the Maverick’s in almost every dimension:

Both the Gladiator and Maverick have bed indentations that accommodate 2x4’s for two-tiered loading, but the Gladiator also has indentations to separate the cargo box into three different sections length-wise.

The Gladiator’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Maverick’s (4000 vs. 2000 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Ford Maverick is only 4000 pounds. The Gladiator offers up to a 7650 lbs. towing capacity.

All models of the Gladiator can be flat towed on all four wheels, 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 Maverick 2.0 Turbo cannot be dinghy towed.

The Gladiator has a higher standard payload capacity than the Maverick (1700 vs. 1500 lbs.).

The engine in the Gladiator is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Maverick. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

The Gladiator’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Maverick does not have an oil pressure gauge.

Both the Gladiator and the Maverick 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 Maverick doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The Gladiator’s available GPS navigation system has a real-time traffic update feature that plots alternative routes to automatically bypass traffic problems. (Service not available in all areas.) The Maverick’s available navigation system doesn’t offer real-time traffic updates.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Jeep Gladiator, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Gladiator was chosen as one of Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” in 2020. The Maverick has never been a Car and Driver “Top Ten” pick.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Gladiator as the 2020 North American Truck of the Year. The Maverick has never been chosen.