Compare the2022 Jeep GladiatorVS 2021 Nissan Frontier

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Cargo Capacity
Payload and Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Gladiator offers an optional collision warning system, which detects an impending crash through forward mounted sensors and flashes a bright light and sounds a loud, distinctive tone to warn the driver to brake or maneuver immediately to avoid a collision. The Frontier doesn't offer a collision warning system.

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 Frontier. Four-wheel drive of any type costs extra on the Frontier.

The Jeep Gladiator offers optional Daytime Running Lights to help keep it more visible under all conditions. Canadian government studies show that driving with lights during the day reduces accidents by 11% by making vehicles more conspicuous. The Frontier doesn’t offer Daytime Running Lights.

The Gladiator’s optional blind spot warning system uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. The Frontier doesn’t offer a system to reveal objects in the driver’s blind spots.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Gladiator’s optional rear cross-path warning system uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Frontier doesn’t offer a cross-path warning system.

The Gladiator offers optional SOS Call, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to remotely unlock your doors if you lock your keys in, help track down your vehicle if it’s stolen or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Frontier doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Gladiator and the Frontier have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact 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 and available rear parking sensors.

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 Nissan Frontier:

	Gladiator	Frontier
OVERALL STARS	4 Stars	3 Stars
	Driver
STARS	4 Stars	3 Stars
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	2 Stars

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

Warranty

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). Nissan doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Frontier.

There are over 2 times as many Jeep dealers as there are Nissan dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Gladiator’s warranty.

Reliability

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

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Gladiator’s reliability 51 points higher than the Frontier.

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

Engine

The Gladiator’s 3.0 turbo V6 diesel produces 161 lbs.-ft. more torque (442 vs. 281) than the Frontier’s 3.8 DOHC V6.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Gladiator gets better mileage than the Frontier:

			MPG
Gladiator
AWD	Auto	3.0 turbo V6 Diesel	22 city/28 hwy
		Rubicon 3.0 turbo V6 Diesel	21 city/27 hwy
Frontier
RWD	Auto	3.8 DOHC V6	18 city/24 hwy
AWD	Auto	3.8 DOHC V6	17 city/23 hwy

In heavy traffic or at stop lights the Gladiator’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Frontier doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Gladiator has almost a gallon more fuel capacity than the Frontier (22 vs. 21.1 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

Transmission

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

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Gladiator	Frontier King Cab	Frontier Crew Cab
Front Rotors	12.9 inches	11.1 inches	11.7 inches
Rear Rotors	13.6 inches	11.3 inches	11.3 inches

The Gladiator stops much shorter than the Frontier:

	Gladiator	Frontier
70 to 0 MPH	185 feet	199 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	123 feet	131 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	144 feet	156 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Gladiator Rubicon/Mojave’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Frontier (285/70R17 vs. 265/70R16).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Gladiator has standard 17-inch wheels. Smaller 16-inch wheels are standard on the Frontier.

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 Frontier doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

Suspension and Handling

The Gladiator has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Frontier base model’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The Gladiator has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Gladiator flat and controlled during cornering. The Frontier’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 Frontier 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 Frontier, 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 11.4 inches longer than on the Frontier Short Bed Crew Cab (137.3 inches vs. 125.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Gladiator is 2.3 inches wider in the front and 2.3 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Frontier.

The Gladiator Rubicon handles at .73 G’s, while the Frontier Short Bed PRO-4X Crew Cab 4x4 pulls only .70 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Gladiator Sport executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Frontier Short Bed PRO-4X Crew Cab 4x4 (28.5 seconds @ .58 average G’s vs. 29.4 seconds @ .55 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Gladiator Sport has a 1.1 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Frontier (10 vs. 8.9 inches), allowing the Gladiator to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Gladiator Mojave’s minimum ground clearance is 2.7 inches higher than on the Frontier (11.6 vs. 8.9 inches).

Cargo Capacity

The Gladiator has a much larger cargo box than the Frontier Crew Cab shortbed (35.5 vs. 27.1 cubic feet). The Gladiator has a much larger cargo box than the Frontier Crew Cab longbed (35.5 vs. 33.5 cubic feet).

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 Frontier’s liftover is 31.5 inches.

The Gladiator has bed indentations that accommodate 2x4’s for two-tiered loading to help accommodate diverse loads; the Frontier doesn’t offer two-tiered loading.

Payload and Towing

Maximum trailer towing in the Nissan Frontier is limited to 6720 pounds. The Gladiator offers up to a 7650 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 Frontier can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Gladiator uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Frontier doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

The Gladiator has a much higher standard payload capacity than the Frontier Short Bed PRO-4X Crew Cab (1700 vs. 1020 lbs.).

The Gladiator has a much higher optional payload capacity than the Frontier Short Bed Crew Cab 4x4 (1700 vs. 1360 lbs.).

Servicing Ease

A maintenance reminder system is standard on the Gladiator to save the owner time and money by calculating maintenance intervals for oil changes based on actual driving conditions. This takes the guesswork out of keeping your vehicle in top condition and helps it last longer. Nissan doesn’t offer a maintenance reminder on the Frontier.

Ergonomics

The Gladiator Auto offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Frontier doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The engine computer on the Gladiator automatically engages the starter until the car starts with one twist of the key and disables the starter while the engine is running. The Frontier’s starter can be accidentally engaged while the engine is running, making a grinding noise and possibly damaging the starter and ring gear.

To help each driver find a more comfortable driving position, the Gladiator has a telescoping steering wheel. Much better than just a tilt steering wheel or adjustable seat, this allows a short driver to sit further from the steering wheel while maintaining contact with the pedals. The Frontier doesn’t offer a telescoping steering wheel.

The power windows available on both the Gladiator and the Frontier 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 Frontier prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

The Gladiator’s available front power windows lower with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Frontier’s passenger windows don’t open automatically.

The Gladiator’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Frontier’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

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 Frontier’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Consumer Reports rated the Gladiator’s headlight performance “Fair,” a higher rating than the Frontier’s headlights, which were rated “Poor.”

While driving with high beams on, sensitive light sensors available for the Gladiator detect other vehicles which could be blinded and automatically switch to low beams. The Frontier doesn’t offer automatic dimming high beams.

The Gladiator’s optional power mirror controls are mounted on the door for easy access. The Frontier SV/PRO-4X’s power mirror controls are on the dash where they are possibly hidden by the steering wheel and are awkward to manipulate.

On extremely cold winter days, the Gladiator’s optional heated steering wheel provides comfort, allowing the driver to steer safely and comfortably before the vehicle heater warms up. The Frontier doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

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

To keep a safe, consistent following distance, the Gladiator offers an optional Adaptive Speed Control, which alters the speed of the vehicle without driver intervention. This allows the driver to use cruise control more safely without constantly having to disengage it when approaching slower traffic. The Frontier doesn’t offer an adaptive cruise control.

The Gladiator offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet in the cargo area, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Frontier doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Jeep Gladiator, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Nissan Frontier isn't recommended.

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

The Jeep Gladiator outsold the Nissan Frontier by 89% during the 2021 model year.

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