Compare the2024 Jeep GladiatorVS 2023 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’ 2023 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 above average in initial quality. With 10 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is rated below average.

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

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

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

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

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

In an emergency stopping situation, many drivers don’t press the brakes with enough force to stop the vehicle in the shortest distance. The Gladiator has standard Hydraulic Assist Braking to detect emergency braking situations (by how hard and how quickly the brake pedal is pressed) and then automatically apply maximum braking immediately in order to help prevent a collision. The Ranger doesn’t offer a brake assist feature.

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. 265/65R17).

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

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 10.5 inches longer than on the Ranger (137.3 inches vs. 126.8 inches).

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Gladiator is 2.2 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Ranger.

The Gladiator’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (52.8% to 47.2%) than the Ranger’s (57.3% to 42.7%). This gives the Gladiator more stable handling and braking.

The Gladiator Rubicon handles at .73 G’s, while the Ranger Lariat SuperCrew 4x4 pulls only .71 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Gladiator Sport executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Ranger Lariat SuperCrew 4x4 (28.5 seconds @ .58 average G’s vs. 29.1 seconds @ .56 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Gladiator Sport has a 1.1 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Ranger SuperCrew (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 1.9 inches higher than on the Ranger SuperCrew Tremor (11.6 vs. 9.7 inches).

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the Gladiator Overland is quieter than the Ranger XLT SuperCrew 4x4 (37 vs. 39 dB).

The Gladiator has 5.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Ranger SuperCrew (102.9 vs. 97.6).

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 35 inches.

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

Maximum trailer towing in the Ford Ranger is limited to 7500 pounds. The Gladiator offers up to a 7700 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. Only the Ranger 4WD can be dinghy towed.

The Gladiator has a higher optional payload capacity than the Ranger SuperCrew 4x4 (1710 vs. 1609 lbs.).

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 Ranger does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The power windows available 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’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 Ranger’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 Ranger’s power mirror 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 Ranger’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Gladiator’s optional power mirror controls are mounted on the door for easy access. The Ranger’s optional 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 Ranger doesn’t offer a heated steering wheel.

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.

Bluetooth wireless connectivity is standard on the Gladiator, connecting the driver and passenger’s cell phones to the vehicle systems. This allows them to use the vehicle’s stereo and hand controls to place calls safely and easily. Bluetooth costs extra on the Ranger.

Insurance will cost less for the Gladiator owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Gladiator will cost $395 less than the Ranger over a five-year period.

The Gladiator will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Gladiator will retain 67.98% to 71.1% of its original price after five years, while the Ranger only retains 60.82% to 66.54%.

Car and Driver performed a comparison test in its May 2019 issue and they ranked the Jeep Gladiator Overland higher than the Ford Ranger XLT SuperCrew 4x4.

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.

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

The Jeep Gladiator outsold the Ford Ranger by 37% during 2022.