Compare the2024 Jeep GladiatorVS 2024 Toyota Tacoma

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 Tacoma.

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

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

The Gladiator has a solid front axle with a floating power axle for durability that the Tacoma 4x4’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 2023 Initial Quality Study. The Tacoma isn’t in the top three in its category.

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 Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Jeep above average in initial quality. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is rated below average.

The Gladiator’s 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 57 more horsepower (285 vs. 228) and 17 lbs.-ft. more torque (260 vs. 243) than the Tacoma SR’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder. The Gladiator’s 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 15 more horsepower (285 vs. 270) than the Tacoma’s optional 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder. The Gladiator’s 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 7 more horsepower (285 vs. 278) than the Tacoma’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder.

In heavy traffic or at stoplights 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 Tacoma doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

The Gladiator has 3.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the Tacoma (22 vs. 18.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

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

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

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 Tacoma 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 Tacoma SR/XtraCab suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The front and rear suspension of the Gladiator uses coil springs for better ride, handling and control than the Tacoma, 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 5.4 inches longer than on the Tacoma 5-ft. bed Double Cab (137.3 inches vs. 131.9 inches).

For greater off-road capability the Gladiator Mojave has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Tacoma 5-ft. bed TRD Off-Road Double Cab (11.6 vs. 11 inches), allowing the Gladiator to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

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

Both the Gladiator and Tacoma 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 Tacoma’s (4000 vs. 3500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Toyota Tacoma is only 6500 pounds. The Gladiator offers up to a 7700 lbs. towing capacity.

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 Tacoma does not have an oil pressure gauge.

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 Tacoma’s passenger windows don’t open automatically.

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

The Gladiator offers an optional center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Tacoma doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

The Gladiator was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2020. The Tacoma 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 Tacoma has never been chosen.