Off-Road Comparison: Can the Gladiator Rubicon Dethrone the Colorado ZR2?

We put the 2019 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison and 2020 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon through their paces at Badlands Off Road Park in Attica, Ind., to see how they stack up off-road. Watch the video to see how they performed in the sand, on the rocks and more.
Read more about our testing: news.pickuptrucks.com/2019/07...
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[@bh86utid]

This is a terrible comparison. I own a 2018 zr2 Duramax and plan to swap it out for a gladiator diesel if they put it on the market. The reason this review is garbage is bc they were bias and they didn't know how to shut the nanny modes off in the Duramax if they couldn't keep it in the power. I have put over 50k miles on my zr2 with a LOT off-road miles. It's phenomenal. It rattles and the interior is cheap, but it does everything extremely well. Why do I wany the e Jeep? It's a Jeep, the top comes off, and I can run 37's on a 2" lift. The aftermarket for a Jeep is unreal, the platform is unbeatable if you plan to build. But, if you want the one that's most user friendly and well designed for 90% of the population, get the ZR2.

[@easternfrontnh]

Well said.

[@jefflegrand8473]

2021 is supposed to bring a 3.0 turbo diesel to the Gator. (I just said it.. Gator for Gladiator.. will it catch on?)

[@maximilianoluera6679]

I’m a ford guy and i hate that colorado because i want one so bad. it has no business being that cool

[@koopspook]

Maximiliano Luera yes I havent seen one offroad but i see them on the freeway and they have the looks for sure

[@philllsxga.7737]

I'm a GM guy and I refuse to buy one until it has a 5.3 V8!! I smoke those ZR2 racing them at the sand dunes in my Silverado! Plus I averarge 26 MPG on the express way!! Could you imagine a 5.3 in the ZR2?!? Its 1000 pounds lighter!!!

[@lunamaria1048]

@@philllsxga.7737 The ZR2 has supercharger has hefty supercharger options.. Also you are comparing a full size to a mid sized.. Why?

[@philllsxga.7737]

@@lunamaria1048 the Zr2 does not have a factory supercharger. It has a n a 3.6v6 or a turd 2.8 turbo diesel.

[@lunamaria1048]

@@philllsxga.7737 When I said supercharger options, I meant aftermarket options.. As in "options out there"... Not factory options.

[@RyanRKJ]

ZR2 (not Bison) is so much more affordable than the Gladiator Rubicon. I think that should be emphasized a bit more.

[@segwolfxviii2919]

Well if your going cheap buy a Toyota and deck it out and youll still be cheaper then the chevy and better.

[@benwilson7948]

@@segwolfxviii2919 No diesel, no front locking diff.

[@segwolfxviii2919]

@@benwilson7948 you dont need a diesel. Just look at the kings of affroading. Jeeps. They have been doing it with V6's forever. Im not sure if you know but you can put lockers on yourself. Oh but wait? Most of you guys who talk up offroading and like to play weekend warrior dont even work on your own vehicles and dont even know how. You run to your nearest shops and have your lifts, gears, tunes and oil changes done by your guy. I forgot

[@benwilson7948]

@@segwolfxviii2919 You can stop gate keeping, I'm just pointing out why the chevy is more expensive and some may prefer diesel. Kinda freaked out there bud.

[@segwolfxviii2919]

@@benwilson7948 no i didnt lol you just made a stupid comment. I hate Toyota and even ill will say without bias that you can buy a Tacoma and deck it out for way cheaper then that shit. Just a fact bud.

[@jake_mf_lowe9525]

Hold down traction control button 8 seconds.... boom stay in power band without computer interference, diesel or not. The gladiator is a beast but it's a brick and underpowered to be shaped like a brick. The jeeps feel at home offroad but the zr2 feels at home everywhere.

[@rlovell383]

Jeeps are PRIMARILY off road vehicles. They are road vehicles secondarily. People buying them to be soccer mom cars dont understand this.

[@MarkPharaoh]

rlovell383 no, they are not. This is 2019, get with the program.

[@rlovell383]

@@MarkPharaoh Are you a soccer dad? :)

[@MarkPharaoh]

@@rlovell383 gotta find a mate first!

[@jo-vf7rc]

Mine has a hellcat and it seems to do just fine

[@lunamaria1048]

My husband is buying a Gladiator to modify as our overland tourer.. Also the Gladiator is a rock crawler... The Colorado is meant for high speed trail and desert dune blazing.. They are set up for different roles.. This is like comparing a fridge and a oven... Sure you can put food in both of them, but it's for completely different reasons

[@timjenkins7019]

lutz where do you come up with this nonsense?

[@USAFJUNKIE]

Gladiator is not supposed to be a rock crawler, Wrangler is. Gladiator is for overland type trails and towing. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, but it's built for a different purpose than the Wrangler is.

[@joeybonez84]

Did your husband sell you that false statement? 😂

[@ScottyBennitone]

unless you live in an insanely remote area , or go wheelin in your brand new vehicle every weekend , the ZR2 is the better buy given the price ; all day , everyday , twice on Sundays . I actually own a Jeep Wrangler FWIW

[@Jarrow13]

Agree, the ZR2 is suitable to be able to fulfill a much wider use. Good for the road, good for everyday travel ,good long road holiday family vehicle and will get the job done off the road. The Gladiator is more of a specialist off road vehicle. It's more of a vehicle for the guy that can afford a 2nd or 3rd vehicle for a specific use of serious off roading or just wanting one.

[@notmyname4379]

All you really need to know is the fact that they filmed the review while driving in the ZR2.

[@MississipVol]

which I am sure had nothing to do with the roof and doors being off the Gladiator. (Wind noise does not help a video sound better)

[@terrencejones9817]

The ZR2 non bison actually has a better approach angle because the bumper is cut more. ZR2 me for all day everyday.

[@EricBuenoo]

if you get the steel option on the jeep you can remove the corner ends of the front bumper which makes it tiny.

[@kidamere2408]

even on the 5th sunday of every odd month?

[@mikec3454]

I agree... standard ZR2 in V6 is all you need and it’s incredible value IMO. In Canada at least, you can get a ZR2 for around $15k less than the Rubicon Gladiator. For the money, it’s the most capable truck you can get from the factory. I’ll even give it a notch over the Tacoma TRD Pro given it has front AND rear lockers. Those multi-Matic shocks are special too.

[@VictorDeveze]

The Bison is an overlander, not a rock-crawler. The regular ZR2 with the V6 is better for desert running, and with the diesel it’s better for crawling. You basically have 3 specializations on the same truck, it just depends on what you want to do with the truck.

[@anonymousposter6671]

Thank you for constantly showing the vehicle in use while narrating instead of cut too’s of you just standing there talking... far superior style of vehicle review video!!

[@1964robw]

Extremely in depth. Thanks for the work.

[@BIG570S]

Hey guys why don’t we see a comparison with the 3.6 gas ZR2 which is WAY faster and way more responsive than the diesel ZR2. K thanks

[@kennethcurtis1856]

Listen. It was the one they were given to test.

[@HudsonZRoamer]

They are both amazing vehicles. You can't lose going either way.

[@limpunsing224]

ZR2 Bison (V6) is great

[@Grodd70]

Well I am not planning on racing in the Baja 1000 so I dont need a truck to fly and jump. Now "off roading" at slow speeds for recreation, camping hunting in the back country ...Ill take the Gladiator Rubicon ..Dana 44 axls and crawl ratio ...and added to the fact that Rubicons hold their value really well.

[@code23hyper44]

Grodd70 not disagreeing, but Colorado’s definitely hold value. Trucks in general hold value way better than they should

[@Grodd70]

I am not going to disagree that trucks in general hold value better than cars. BUT comparing say a 2010 Colorado 4x4 with 95k and a 2010 Tacoma 4x4 is day and night. A quick Craigslist search shows several Colorados going for $15000 and Tacoma with similar mileage going anywhere in between $19-23k thats a pretty big difference.

[@thehashslaingingslasher]

The problem with the Tacoma's holding their value is people still want 10k for a 90s rust bucket just because it's a tacoma. Yes they're good trucks but to a point they aren't worth it

[@timjenkins7019]

ZR2 is clearly the better vehicle on and off road. The only advantage the Jeep has is the removable top.

[@bryan7821]

Everyone knows the Jeep is the king of offroad, however,,,,,i like the fact that you guys were completely fair to both trucks. I would`ve rather you used the 3.6 liter in the Colorado instead of the diesel, but i understand sometimes you have to take what trucks the dealers will allow you to use to do these video`s. Nice review guys !

[@umadbrew]

Not in this instance...The ZR2 is the better offroad mid-size, IMO. Also, you're right about comparison. Diesel vs. gas is 2 different things. Diesel has a 6 speed compared to that JT's 8 speed too. 3.6L Colorado engine is 23 more HP and 15 more TQ than the Gladiators. While weighing 600 pounds less. With the 8 speed tranny too.

[@BigFrogs4x4]

What bothered me is the cut all that weight from the Jeep by taking the doors and top off. I'm betting most will keep them on to keep their $50k plus truck clean.

[@allenheaps2084]

It drives me nuts that the ZR2 comes with a v6 and all these review guys insist on bringing out the Diesel to compare against another V6. Wish it was more apples to apples.

[@1_Moretime]

Exactly!

[@jayfizzle6184]

Taking the doors and top off makes the Jeep an instant win for me. Don't have a gladiator, but used to have a 2010 jk, and few things compare to the feeling of Sun and wind while your doing donuts at a gravel pit

[@Whiteandsonsgarage]

James M hahaha I’m with you on that mate, it’s the best feeling ever

[@umadbrew]

Got me a nice CJ5 for that. Without all the work. lol

[@bigbenstubbs]

No mention of price in the video. These two trucks are almost in different classes in that regard. A four-door gas V6 ZR2 will cost nearly $20k less at a dealership. At that point there's no question the ZR2 is a better buy. You could get a Raptor for a few grand more than the Gladiator Rubicon.

[@michaelmatthews7682]

I have a Wrangler Rubicon. If I were to get a truck it would be the ZR2. The Gladiator is why to long.

[@g496r500t]

Michael Matthews it’s not that big in person

[@rcud1]

If you want to run the Gladiator in desert, then get the Mojave edition. Much better suspension for that type terrain.

[@MichaelBrown-ke8dn]

I own a Rubicon and a standard ZR2. The standard ZR2 has a better approach angle. Also the ZR2 has a optional front camera as well for off-roading. I'm glad you at least mentioned the ZR2 comes in a 3.6 v6. The throttle response in it is great in off-road mode. No mention of price between the gladiator Rubicon and the Zr2 though. So that was kind of disappointing. Overall the review was good.

[@karlschwaber3329]

I own a 2018 ZR2 and it is a perfect combination of off and on roading.

[@luismolina5641]

So you are telling me i wasted 20 mins watching this so you could say either one...

[@boriscat1999]

Buy the Jeep if you like rust and leaks. But the Chevy if you like replacing random sensors in the first few years. Both brands are notorious for dumb design mistakes. My Colorado is on the second fuel line, it's sees little off road but it managed to suck up every stone and direct it into the line running under the driver seat. But we love our trucks even with their flaws.

[@easternfrontnh]

Shitty video. Play in sand. These guys rely on electronic controls. The colorado stalled multiple times and couldn't get over stuff. They clsim "diffrent line" take the Gladiator and just go.. 🤔 also the "bision" is made for desert style driving.. so obviously it will excel at that. Vs the gladiator is made to go crawling over mountains. Personally these guys have no clue about off road driving and were relying on ecm drive controls via abs and engine derate.. im all in on the Gladiator. Plus the colorado looks like shit in my opinion

[@Bubbles99718]

@@easternfrontnh He's an expert on burgers, he should review those

[@Gunalizer]

Why a comparison against the Bison. What about the regular 4x4 ZR2? The Bison is AEV.

[@yticewolf158]

Gladiator for me. Something about the looks. The feeling of the wind with the doors off and the top off is too great

[@normt5463]

Our neighbor a couple of block over has a black one. It looks like it was built is some high school shop class and finished

[@casTingcall07]

You can take the doors off the Colorado zr2 if you really wanted too! Just need to use the jeep bolt on the a piller mirrors and attach them using magnets! Wouldn’t be that difficult! I might look into doing that this summer and put them in the bed of the truck while on the trails.... Just need Chevy to put t tops on the next generation!!!

[@trevorj79]

You don’t buy a Jeep for the mileage or the power. You buy it because it has solid axles and the doors and roof come off. Until somebody steps up and checks those boxes, a Jeep is a Jeep

[@Bubbles99718]

They never give enough points for that. That's freakin unbelievably huge.

[@markmark3122]

I started with a yj in 1990 and owned a wrangler ever since fun in summer fun in winter. Resale value is crazy. Jeep 4 me 4 ever

[@timjenkins7019]

lulz get back to 1999 with your solid front axles.

[@brando81]

@@timjenkins7019 sure independent, rides better, but for a jeep straight axels are great. Jeeps are easy and cheap to lift, and axels can be completely swapped out

[@bakfixx]

Wouldn't it be great if Ford "checked" those boxes with the new Bronco? Wishful thinking on my part.

[@JacobAndJamal]

The Jeep is Niche, the Colorado is all around . 90% my driving is on a road , spending all that cash for a rock crawler, unless you have the disposable funds to do so, is crazy in my mind . I own both brands, but the Colorado makes more sense for average person

[@poppyneese1811]

Ford guy here, pulling for the Jeep, but gotta say the Bison is an awesome lil truck, not crazy about the Colorado’s rounded off looks and it would probably be the most dependable of the two. Still my heart loves the whole thing of a Jeep with a pickup again! As for prices, I’ll take a full size truck over these like trucks anyway, but I ain’t got the nads to go off reading.

[@g496r500t]

For the price ... why not go full size? Unless you live on the side of a mountain or absolutely HAVE to make it through narrow tree lined trails with huge cliff sides.

[@poppyneese1811]

g496r500t if I struck it big, I’d be broke in no time, buying vehicles, so much I’d want to get

[@trevor108]

Your champ wasn't the Bison. Zr2 has better approach angle and is lighter...should have had Zr2 vs Gladiator.

[@PatrickRich]

It would be interesting to weight all the doors and roof.

[@umadbrew]

That 2.8 Duramax is a different ballgame. To properly test both need the gas Zr2. JT: 3.6L V6 285 HP and 260lb torque -- 4,600 lbs. ZR2: 3.6L V6 308 HP and 275 torque -- 4,000 lbs. I love me some Jeeps, but that Zr2 is a mean machine. Looks better and is probably a bit more capable off the lot. Gladiator will need a lift and some 37's to sway me. That Zr2 you can slap on some 33's and call it a day. I need some real towing capability so I'll have to stick with my '99 XJ and '81 CJ for the Jeep trail fun. GMC AT2 anyone? My Uncle bought one with 6.2L and my god it might be the best thing I've ever ridden in.

[@great0789]

The gasser Colorado has a 47:1 crawl ratio vs the 36:1 for the diesel. Which makes up for torque. If you are staying in 4 HI.... the 8spd auto on the gasser has a very low 1st gear ratio as well which makes up for the lack of torque. That being said... I do not think you guys fully disabled the traction control if it bogged down. I made that mistake when I took my Z71 out on the sand on the Outer Banks. Didn't notice the truck bogging down until I was going up/over the dunes. The second time I went out I disabled it fully... and wow what a difference. 4 LOW was a little much/too low for that situation. Even when just creeping through back/super tight trails looking for wild horses.

[@michaud399]

That's a small truck for such a huge guy!

[@mralphakilo2304]

Who’s High Pitch?

[@infidel24]

To me the video seemed like making so many excuses to not allow the Chevy to win!

[@Cowboy210z]

don198769 why would the Chevy win 😂

[@Sig721Tau]

So, you're a bias Government Motors (GM) lover?

[@lojack816]

that's what "dethrone" means

[@117johnpar]

thats what a comparison means.

[@rgsmith71]

☺😀😁😂😃😄😅😊

[@JoseVargas-mn1ek]

Not a fair test when you remove the doors. Removing all that weight affects everything from ride comfort, ride height, and so on.

[@jasonmolihan6930]

I'm not a fan of how they broke up the brush gaurd to make room for the fuel door on the ZR2.

[@dustinmittel348]

Maybe yall can do the gladiator again when the diesel comes out

[@red6743]

Can't keep the dmax in the power band? It makes peak torque at 2k RPMs. This is my first Chevy and I love my baby duramax.

[@quintili1]

I have no issues keeping my 2.8 in the power.

[@joseamador1539]

I wont change my baby duramax for any uncomfortable jeep. My choice.

[@joseamador1539]

Jeep owner?🤔 that's why gladiator is better. It was a great comparison, but need neutral judges.

[@trevor108]

Both do offroad very well. Gladiator has the edge on rock crawling and ZR2 has the edge in baja. Tie breaker is on pavement. ZR2 is far superior as a daily driver.

[@miguelircontar]

I’ll take a wrangler over a Gladiator any day

[@Whiteandsonsgarage]

Miguel Ircontar yeah I’m probably with on that? I have no need for the back of the gladiator

[@paulofps10]

ZR2 always

[@forrestsautoreviewsofficial]

The gladiator is cool but coming from someone who is filming the Bison as I type this, I'd choose it all day long. The longer wheel base in the Gladiator makes it less capable than the Bison and the diesel has gotten far better fuel economy than advertised! It's incredibly impressive. Hoping to have my version of the review up Monday morning. Would love for anyone to join in to watch if you'd like!

[@morningdrums]

I was thinking of getting a 2023 gladiator rubricon. I like the idea of the ruggedness and off-road capability and having the truck bed I like the feature. So, I'm looking for a daily driver, off road vehicle for real off roading and I want it as my hunting vehicle. So, I'm torn with the new 2023 zr2 colorado or the gladiator. I like you can go over rocks without issues in the gladiator. The new colorado looks amazing to. Please help. Maybe I should look at a different vehicle .

[@swoop-s-7680]

So.........over 20 minutes and you couldn't pick one over the other?

[@117johnpar]

Are these two vehicles really in the same class or market of competition to one another?

[@g496r500t]

Harawanagangsta as a consumer cross shopping these two and the power wagon and AT4/trail-boss I’d say yes

[@shmohsin-lasvegas]

Gladiator Mohave is ideally suited for high speed desert running. But I guess it wasn't available in July 2019.

[@jadenhorne9362]

I find it so stupid that the Gladiator is bacicaly the pickup truck version of the Wrangler, yet it is much more expensive.

[@phrogusmc]

It's not much more expensive. And it's on a traditional ladder box frame, just like a pickup truck, and unlike a Wrangler. It shares front end and cabin appearance with the Wrangler, and that's about it.

[@curtkramer5154]

At some point you have to hook chains...

[@ridgeline006]

ZR2 all day easy to live with most of these vehicle are going to spend 78% time on pave and highway road than off road than alone makes ZR2 better buy

[@Bubbles99718]

Jesus dude, lay off the burgers and pizza

[@madcratebuilder]

I just test drove a loaded Gladiator with lift and 37's, amazing truck, every bell and whistle. I would love to own it but 68K is a bit more than I want to spend. My ZR2 has every mod I want should go anyplace the Gladiator can go and it is 22k less.

[@johnthibodeaux5189]

you dont know how to shop. people are getting 51k to 55k deals for Rubicons, then you put tires on yourself. I'd never buy dealership mods they rape you on the price.

[@madcratebuilder]

@@johnthibodeaux5189 Agreed, you can get in to one cheaper. I like the fact that dealer installed options have a warranty. I'm lusting for 35-37" tires but a 35 or larger can destroy my ZR2 drivetrain. 33's have to get it done along with a 1.5" lift. Tune, gears, skidz, bump stops have made the truck a lot of fun. As long as I pay attention I don't think I'll break anything.

[@johnthibodeaux5189]

@@madcratebuilder well any part you put on should have a warranty regardless if its from the dealer. tires for instance...the dealer will not warranty the tires but the tire manufacturer does. Same with a lift. Dealer is not going to warranty the lift components but the manufacturer will. You will come out cheaper doing it after purchase. Dealerships rape you on labor charges.

[@johnthibodeaux5189]

@@madcratebuilder well the best option, arguably, is the Sport S trim with Max Tow option. And then add modifications as you want, which would be cheaper than buying it already done by the dealership because they rape you in labor charge and dealer installed aftermarket stuff. With Sport s max tow you get almost everything a rubicon has except lockers and electronic sway bar disconnect. And of course cosmetic crap like LED lights. But, you can manually disconnect sway bar before you hit the trail, and you could had lockers later but the BLD system is pretty good, not sayin g better than lockers but will get you pretty much anywhere you need to go unless youre trying to scale the side of a mountain or something.

[@Whiteandsonsgarage]

They are both great off-road, but absolutely love how you can take the roof and doors off the Jeep, makes it a win for me

[@logicalguy488]

Now do a comparison using the Colorado V6 ... it will be interesting to see the difference. But to be honest you are trying to compare 2 completely different vehicles.

[@AZCAj33per]

Being in the market for a midsized truck and considering both of these I've come to the conclusion that this is, in a sense, an apples to oranges comparison. The JL Rubi emphasizes rock crawling capabilities and the classic "Jeep feel" over efficiency and practicality. The ZR2 provides more comfort and efficiency for everyday use but at the cost of some loss in off-road performance (IFS, lower ground clearance, higher crawl ratio). If offered one of these two as a gift it would be the Jeep all day long. But considering a ZR2 can be had at 2/3 the price of the JL I think that makes the decision for me. 20K can go a long way toward mods, a trailer, and adventures.

[@viewchico]

If you hold down the traction control button down for 10sec iT WILL cancel all limited power, on the ZR-2

[@melvinmitchell454]

Why is that seat belt trying to kill him lol

[@apangelinan]

We purchased a new fully loaded Gladiator Rubicon JTu and absolutely love it! It simply elevated the Wrangler line and put it in its own class to compete in the mid-size truck group. Simply said, there is NO other truck out there in the market that will give you the likes and presence of a traditional Jeep Wrangler (convertible options, etc) and with the practicality of a truck. :-)

[@edsil5754]

Al Pangelinan that’s so awesome man, i can’t wait to get one in manual transmission and take it to the beach. It’s a unique vehicle and to me it looks amazing.

[@joseamador1539]

Too long. Looks like a motorcoach.

[@apangelinan]

Ed Sil You’ll enjoy it as soon as you get in one. I love how you feel and get all that we love in a Jeep Wrangler up front and then look in the rear view and you have the practicality of a truck. Pop the top off while cruising the coast and sands and then drop the tailgate all while sipping a brew and enjoying the sunset. :-)

[@chuckcribbs3398]

Agree!!

[@magnacartasamadams8189]

The ZR2 has smaller tires And the bison is the different bumper Which cuts down on approach angle Also the Jeep is way more expensive the money that you save you can modify the ZR2 give it some more power and it will put the Jeep in the dust Hell I got mine for 36K brand new midnight edition diesel I can almost get 2 of these for one Jeep And good luck daily driving a Jeep you can dress up a brick and drive it down the road but you're still driving a brick

[@umadbrew]

More power? The Zr2 V6 has 23 more HP and 15 more torque while weighing 600 pounds less... Plus that baby Duramax you can tune for cheap to get more HP gain it needs. Only thing you're paying extra for Jeep is taking some doors off. Otherwise I think Zr2 is better.

[@VictorDeveze]

The Bison is an overlander, not a rock-crawler. The regular ZR2 with the V6 is better for desert running, and with the diesel it’s better for crawling. You basically have 3 specializations on the same truck, it just depends on what you want to do with the truck.

[@quintili1]

No way I would trade my ZR2 diesel for that overpriced Gladiator. The thing is too long and just looks weird to me. I have no issues keeping my 2.8 in the power, you're doing something wrong.

[@BigSam63]

I'm with you on the looks, I think a 2 door gladiator would like awesome. I was going to buy a gladiator but I'm waiting to see Fords new 2 door bronco first.

[@jerryhetland2682]

They have no idea that torque and power comes with rpm! So they should have known it was going to operate better in low in low speed conditions.

[@jackhook4192]

I got the zr2 v6 with bds lift and 35 tires love it.i own a jeep wrangler Rubicon with lift 40 tires 456 gears and a hemi engine in it that's my baby.i want to modify my zr2 but better half says I need to pay it off first.i thinking v8 in it later.

[@porkchop1343]

Why you got to make the gladiator lighter by taking doors off?

[@gen2-x364]

All that and no winner! Gzzzzz. How many would leave either one stock? Not me. 4.5" lift/37" tires min./full skid plate/etc. Hellephant in the Gladiator!

[@dougnval]

I own a gladiator. Never even looked at the chevy, or the ford, or any of the other mid sized pickups. I bought the gladiator because I wanted a "jeep" and a "pickup truck". And that's what I got. I look at this chevy and ask myself, if it performs better in certain circumstances would I have chosen it instead of the gladiator? The answer is, no. Additionally, the typical off road use for me on the east coast is rock crawling, dirt roads, beach driving, etc. There is no high speed desert running on the east coast. The jeep product is set up perfectly for low speed high articulation off roading. (BTW, I traded a 2016 Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon Hard Rock for this gladiator. I wanted it that much)

[@MichaelBrown-ke8dn]

So basically you did zero research. The zr2 isn't just good at high speeds there saying it can handle it. A standard ZR2 has better approach angles and is 600lbs lighter than the bison. Also comes in a v6 and diesel option. Its your choice on what you want but even in this review they stated the Zr2 did everything the Rubicon did, they just didn't mention how much cheaper it was..

[@dougnval]

@@MichaelBrown-ke8dn Correct. I wanted a truck but did not want to part with my wrangler. The Gladiator gave me a bridge option, best of both worlds (truck/jeep). Now, if Chevy had a jeep type of vehicle that offered a pickup bed, I would have shopped and compared. But the other manufacturers are just building a generic truck product. Jeep is way outside the box with this wrangler truck hybrid. It wildly appealing to a jeep fanboy like me. LOL

[@chrismair8161]

My 2018 BowTie has a Mallet Blower and 3 Inch Cat Back exhaust. 2 inch lift and a panic holy shit bar. 435Hp@5000 Rpm.

[@fredbeiner2620]

People don't really get it! Solid axle is more durable an easier to modify for more suspension travel. Gladiator is the best here obviously. I want to see you guys putting the Colorado on 37s. With a 2 inch lift you can on the Gladiator lol

[@thecampbellshow5813]

9:09 "lots of underbody protection"........ummmmm where???

[@BillSheley]

I said the same thing... and it looked like the cat was all dented up

[@thecampbellshow5813]

@@BillSheley it was! I was like what the hell lol. I'll take my tj or wj for 50,000 cheaper.

[@V.Vaughan]

afterwards I would take the gladiator to a car wash to clean inside and out!

[@Leodakine]

Should of kept all the panels on the Jeep trying to cutting weight and had the 3.6 V6 ZR2 for a apple to apple comparison.

[@dmoney6633]

It’s really the close to the same weight, the doors on the Jeep are aluminum and super light compared to the jk speaking from experience. Wouldn’t make a difference off-roading.

[@beakboi9533]

It is just LONG Wrangler?

[@USAFJUNKIE]

It is not. Totally different frame, amongst other things.

[@chuckcribbs3398]

Open top and Jeep ruggedness wins it for me. Gladiator would be way more fun.

[@jeffriggins3274]

Where is the mud and tight trail test. They just as soon as be in Saudi Arabia

[@RedWingsninetyone]

Thanks for actually doing off-roading and not medium trail driving and calling it an off-road review.

[@Eightball2516]

To many excuses for the Jeep zr2 wins in my opinion

[@johnthibodeaux5189]

I believe there were more excuses for the zr2....did you happen to see where they stalled out!???

[@BigFrogs4x4]

Why did you lighten the weight of the Jeep by running without the top and doors? At least half of people will leave those on the keep their $50k plus truck clean.

[@USAFJUNKIE]

Because it's way cooler than a vehicle that can't take it's roof and doors off. It's honestly a selling point for a lot of people.

[@billgotskillb4308]

Why take the door and roof off when it’s dusty?

[@eyesalooking]

Because you can.

[@boriscat1999]

How will you know you've been off roading if you aren't chewing grit for the next 3 days?

[@BigDThatsMe]

The Rubicon is more set for rock crawling, you should have used the Mojave for "desert running", that's the difference between the two. Rubicon for slow crawling and Mojave format desert running . You should run the ZR2 against the Mojave.

[@hooligantimes9132]

I loved my ZR2 but it wasn't a Jeep. Now I love my Gladiator Rubicon!

[@joeblow3970]

That gladiator isn't a jeep either. Sure it has the jeep name on it but it's really just fiat's sorry attempt at a mid size truck. I would take any other mid sized truck over the gladiator. I would even rather have a shitty Taco.

[@hooligantimes9132]

❤419

[@qball2000able]

Sounds like video sponsored by jeep

[@dave3682]

Too many people complaining about the price. At the end of the day, though, you have to remember that Jeep people don't give a damn about the price. If they did, they wouldn't have bought a Jeep. Jeep isn't even trying to compete in the midsize truck market as far as price is concerned (for the Rubicon, at least, the Gladiator Sport is pretty reasonable, all things considered). The whole entire reason Jeep even made a truck is because they sat down and looked at the numbers and saw that 40% of Wrangler owners ALSO owned a pickup truck and thought to themselves "Hmm. I betcha bottom dollar most of those very same Wrangler owners would be driving a Jeep truck instead of whatever truck they have if there was a Jeep truck to buy!" THAT is the market Jeep is targeting. And it seems to be working. Already the Gladiator has proven extremely popular, so much so that most dealers are only able to get them in 3 colors (Red, White, and Black) in order to keep production up and they sell them for 10-20% above sticker price because there's so much demand for the Gladiator right now that they can charge that much and still sell them like hotcakes.

[@David-kp4gx]

Get to the point. You guys sound like you’re scare to just say it like it is.

[@johnparsons3761]

I've liked some of the geese videos in the past but this one's kinda bullcrap. ZR2 gasser should've been used . The difference in performance is not small . Maybe then they would've pointed out it's one offroad mode allows you to leave the rear locker engaged at any speeds. I have a 17 ZR2 extended cab . It's a sport truck on the tarmac and a high speed fire road pounder too. It would've shamed that jeep in everything but crawling. An honest comparison wouldn't be fair .

[@joshlogan4318]

Both of them have the ability to bend frames look it up tonnes of videos out there already..

[@shiftmotorsports9803]

I only found 1 video of a ZR2 with a bent frame. Got more to share?

[@joshlogan4318]

Shift Motorsports I do it looks to me that they shadowed your comment sorry to hear that. Look bent frame 2020 and it will pull it up fest video on KZbin. If they didn’t take it down.

[@VictorDeveze]

The price makes the ZR2 the winner, not to mention the drive to and from the trails is better in the Colorado That Gladiator is just a bit shy of the Raptor’s price, which is insane for a mid-size truck.

[@JayElement13]

These guys are like a generic TFL

[@truckerrickakamanowar]

😹😂

[@rockymountboy]

If you want a Wrangler with a bed, you get a Gladiator. If you want a smaller Silverado Z71, you get a Colorado ZR2.

[@MrBlazzin101]

That a pretty nice Chevy ford raptor Colorado

[@russelwilson523]

What I wish these guys would talk about is the AMAZING fuel mileage the Diesel Colorado gets. My relative has a 700km range and diesel is much cheaper.

[@whoistheroach136]

Ouch, this remark didn’t age well in the current post covid bs.

[@james2042]

The ZR2 non bison with the v6 is the best off roader in class hands down, this is coming from a jeep owner

[@quityourwaaaaaa]

takes the doors and the roof off to go head to head with the ZR 2. lol

[@mkp1214]

quityourwaaaaaa they did it cause they could, it’s a feature the Jeep has the no other truck does

[@casTingcall07]

Only thing the production on the assembly line the Gladiator has is the removal of doors and top! Otherwise, the gladiator needs a minimum of 37’s to run where I ride. Chevy only has to design t tops into the next generation and give it the avalanche midgate and it’s king! Because the hall truck will result in better parts approach departure etc.

[@kennethcurtis1856]

Where do you ride? Your mom's basement?

[@casTingcall07]

@@kennethcurtis1856 , I've been out west, Drummond island, vinton county Ohio, Slade Kentucky with my zr2. Stock for stock the zr2 will out perform that Gladiator all day.... Now, my AEV jku 456,4.5on 37's...that was better than my zr2....

[@yiyangcheng]

Waiting for someone to say “neither, my Taco or 4Runner TRD pro is gonna smoke those. Besides it last a lot longer than those two” lol -sarcastic moment-

[@edsil5754]

yiyangcheng how do you know it’ll last longer than those two?

[@yiyangcheng]

Ed Sil because of how people think Toyota’s and Honda’s are god and it will just last

[@yiyangcheng]

guy proulx they might be right but I also believe that as long as you take care your car it’s just gonna last

[@yiyangcheng]

guy proulx that’s true, but again it’s whatever floats people’s boat right? The Asian brands are reliable but not everyone wants vanilla right?

[@yiyangcheng]

guy proulx they could depending on what brand you’re comparing to

[@conman8136]

Don’t know why you used a diesel Colorado but the DOHC 3.6 v6 is a much better engine then the pentastar. You can around 360 hp out of it with a $380 tuner

[@connormcgovern1585]

Off-road mood what's that ..... You must mean Torsen differentials and my right foot?

[@Eightball2516]

The v6 does not cut power at all

[@silvershadow4965]

Don Mohring watch the ZR2 Thrilogy video by 420 Motors. The Chevy exec makes it clear early on the ZR2 is a frame specific vehicle...not the stock Colorado frame.

[@kurtgellert9166]

Major down side... have fun cleaning the interior of the Gladiator after a day in the dust with no doors or top!

[@kennethcurtis1856]

Who cares....

[@andyr4653]

Not a problem! Pull the drain plugs and hose it out.

[@traviskimbrell1209]

Jeep Gladiator? Never heard of her...

[@savagestash4354]

Only 1 off road mode!!!! OH you mean like how everybody else drives

[@easternfrontnh]

Off road mode 🤣🤣🤣