Jeep Gladiator vs Ram 1500

What's the difference?

The Jeep Gladiator Rubicon is a very capable off-roader and it's not as terrible on-road as some people might assume.

But while it's a whole lot of fun to steer around on the dirt, it lacks the versatility, safety tech, and refinement that would shift it from simply being a decent hard-core 4WD ute to a good general-purpose vehicle.

However, by focussing on those factors, you're in danger of missing the Gladiator's point entirely. This is a purpose-built 4WD fun machine, which is perfect for its intended use. But, the problem is, it's not perfect, or even very good, at anything else.

New engine or not, the facelifted Ram 1500 continues the theme of big US pick-ups by being capable of extreme towing feats as well as offering interior and cargo space that the mid-sized dual-cabs can only dream of.

That said, if you don’t need to tow 4.5 tonnes or seat five large adults, then maybe the 1500 and its ilk are overkill. Certainly, that’s the mood among many consumers who simply find them too much of a good thing.

Our pick would probably be the Laramie Sport for its superior ride quality, more sensible 20-inch tyres and reduced price. It can also tow a little more than the Limited, if that’s important to you.

On paper, of course, the Limited with its stonking engine tune should get our vote, but there’s absolutely no way the less powerful Laramie is anything but a powerhouse in its own right. But either version manages to carry off the feeling of being a high-end product, with refinement levels lacking in a lot of diesel-powered alternatives.

Yet, there are still compromises: The Ram is unlikely to be especially compatible with the average Aussie bush track (in width terms, anyway, on tracks formed by Toyota LandCrusiers and Nissan Patrols). And even though efficiency is up with the new engine, this will still not be a cheap vehicle to run day to day. Nor is the purchase price any less scary than its competitors’.

And of course, as with any of these full-sized trucks, buying them for the right reasons rather than a fashion statement is crucial to their viability once the new-car shine has worn off and car spaces begin to look smaller and driveways narrower than they ever have.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with accommodation and meals provided.

The Jeep Gladiator appears built for purpose if your purpose is to head bush and have fun. And in Rubicon form it sure looks like it's capable of tackling hard-core 4WDing.

The Gladiator looks very much like its stablemate, the iconic Wrangler, with its chunky front end and blocky body.

It has more than the inkling of a US-style pick-up's presence at 5591mm long (with a 3488mm-long wheelbase), 1894mm wide, 1909mm high, and with a kerb weight of 2242kg.

There’s not much point releasing a new model if your neighbours can’t pick the difference. So, Ram has revised the front and rear fascias of the pick-up with new grilles and a specific bonnet for the Limited. There are also new head and tail-light assemblies, a new front bumper and alloy wheel designs.

The Limited is a little sportier looking thanks to blacked-out door handles, grille, mirror covers, and the headlights that include an animated welcome when the vehicle is unlocked.

Ram calls this black-out stuff the Night Edition and it’s been made standard on all Australian Limiteds. The flagship version also gets a more sculpted bonnet for a more aggressive look. Strangely enough, though, all those black-outs somehow make the base grade look a little more high end to some eyes.

The rest of the deal remains the usual biscuits and gravy of big pick-ups, including the two-plus metre width and the requirement to often find two adjacent parking spaces before the grocery shopping can commence. What did you expect?

You have to give Jeep's designers credit because they know their outdoorsy stuff. The Gladiator's interior is nothing if not practical.

The ute has a squared-off and action-ready interior that seems up to the task of copping the dirt of an outdoors life.

The cabin feels like it's water- and weather-proof, even if that may not literally be the case. 

It's a snug interior and build quality generally feels solid.

The 8.4-inch multimedia touch screen is clear and easy enough to read while on the go, but it's too small. The Jeep's 'Uconnect' system is simple enough to get your head around and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are easy to get working.

There's also a 7.0-inch LED driver-information display, which shows tyre pressure, tyre-fill alert, digital speed readout and more.

All controls, dials and switchgear are chunky, making for easy operation, no matter how bumpy the terrain you're traversing is.

The reach-and-rake-adjustable steering wheel incorporates audio, voice and cruise control controls.

Storage spaces are few, but at least they're well suited to adventure, such as tensioned mesh pockets on the doors and seat backs and small spaces with textured bases for your bits and pieces.

There are two USB-A ports and a USB-C port up front and two for back-seat passengers. There's also a 230V outlet up front on the centre console.

Seating is decent all-around but anyone taller than Tom Cruise's stunt double has to mind their head so they don't thump it on the unforgivingly hard ceiling of the detachable top.

There's a shallow storage space under the rear seat and, when that 60/40 split rear seat is folded flat, there are LED lights behind to illuminate the narrow storage space in the rear of the cabin, where there are also storage nets.

The tub's load space is 1442mm wide – 1137mm between the wheel arches so not wide enough for a pallet – and it is 1531mm long. Load height is 885mm at the tailgate.

The tray has integrated tie-down points and under-rail LED lights.

Payload is now a claimed 693kg, which is better than its previous 680kg but still rather ordinary when compared to a lot of dual-cab utes available in Australia.

Gross vehicle mass and gross combined mass are listed as 2935kg and 5656kg, respectively.

The Gladiator has a maximum towing capacity of 750kg (unbraked), and its 2721kg braked towing figure is a let-down against the 3500kg capacity of most other rivals.

This is a ute better suited to weekend camping trips than load-lugging work duties.

Another bonus for tourers though: the spare wheel is a full-size steel one.

Inside, the 2025 Ram 1500 is also updated with a larger 14.4-inch infotainment touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto, supplemented by a 10.5-inch passenger screen and dual wireless smartphone chargers.

The passenger’s screen is a big deal, too, as it allows the passenger to upload navigation way-points and destinations, watch a movie, or search the internet via a connected phone. And the driver sees none of it thanks to the blackout screen tech.

Even though Ram has obviously gone to a lot of trouble to make the right-hand-drive conversion seamless and perfect, we still wonder why the indicator stalk wasn’t moved to the right of the column. Cost, probably, and the placement of the rotary dial for gear selection is less than perfect, too. What we’d really like to see would be a column-mounted gear-shift, as well as paddle shifters which are brilliant when towing big loads.

The front-seat area is home to no less than three USB-A and three USB-C charging ports, while there are also two of each in the rear seat.

There’s a storage area under the rear seat which also flips up to form a large load area. There’s even a secret cubby-hole under the carpet in the rear capable of storing a laptop or small bag.

In place, the rear seat is another of the Ram’s big selling points compared with conventional dual-cab utes. The foot and leg room is strides ahead of the mid-sized pack and the seat itself is also a better class of perch. The dual-pane panoramic sunroof keeps it all light and airy, too. Plenty of grab handles and those automatic side-steps make getting in and out a pretty civilised process.

Despite the change in engine, the six-cylinder pick-up retains its 4500kg maximum braked towing capacity – at least in Laramie Sport form. That, however, is contingent on the use of a 70mm tow-ball, while towing drops back to 3500kg with the standard 50mm ball. All Aussie Rams have a tow-bar as standard.

The Ram 1500 Limited drops 300kg in its maximum braked towing capacity rating to 4200kg. That, says Ram, is purely because the Limited is a high-performance vehicle first and a load-lugger second, although one suspects the 22-inch Pirelli Scorpion tyres might be a factor in that as well.

As for payload, the 2025 Ram 1500 Laramie Sport features an 863kg capacity, while the Limited comes in at 782.5kg – 20kg and 17.5kg more than the pre-facelift version.

The tub features a spray-on liner and a cargo divider. There’s also a standard tri-fold tonneau cover for Australian 1500s, not to mention a fold-out step for accessing objects at the bottom of the tray. Powered side-steps are also standard on our Rams, backing up the prestige price-tag.

A powered tailgate is another nice inclusion which can be raised and lowered by touch or via the key-fob.

Fortunately, the twin storage bins along the top of each side of the tub remain, complete with their drain holes just perfect for adding ice and cool drinks.

The first thing to know is that the cut-price, $120,000, Bighorn variant of the Ram 1500 has not made it to the other side of the transition to the facelifted Aussie range. Instead, the range now kicks off with the Laramie Sport which, at $141,950, before on-road costs is exactly the same price as the outgoing Hemi-powered version.

The only other grade in the current line-up is the flagship Limited which now carries a sticker of $159,950, which is $3000 up on the previous Limited. If you can wait until very late this year (according to Ram) there should be a Bighorn replacement available to bring the price of 1500 admission down considerably.

However, it’s worth remembering that the previous Bighorn model missed out on some important safety kit, so until we’ve seen the specifications, we’ll reserve judgment.

There’s no getting around the landed cost of these vehicles (thanks to the typically dreadful exchange rate plus the cost of converting them locally to right-hand drive) puts them at the premium end of the price scale. So, to fit with that, Ram has made a lot of gear standard on Australian examples - gear that is not standard in the US, for instance.

That includes things like the panoramic twin-sunroof, the Night Edition graphics on the Limited, but across the board, these are highly specified vehicles.

For instance, the entry-level Laramie Sport (which uses the standard output version of the new engine) gets all the driving modes and all-wheel-drive functionality, LED lighting, the 14.2 inch, portrait-oriented central screen, Harman Kardon stereo, 20-inch alloy wheels, dual wireless phone charging, wireless connectivity, powered tailgate, reversing camera and parking sensors.

Leather trim is standard and so is the overall interior look that suggests high-end finishes and fittings. Heated and ventilated seats in all five positions are also standard.

Move up to the Limited and things get even swisher. The front seats now have a five-way massage function, there’s extra safety in the form of traffic sign recognition, the headlights feature an animation function, there’s proximity lighting, a switchable digital rear-view mirror, surround cameras and 22-inch alloy wheels. Crucially, there are also mechanical upgrades including the high-output version of the Hurricane engine and air suspension. The fuel tank also grows from the Laramie’s 98-litre unit to a full 125 litres.

What’s missing? At this price-point, an electrically adjustable steering column and a head-up display for the driver, not to mention a network of smart towing cameras and electronic towing-assistance programs that at least one of the Ram 1500’s major competitors boasts as standard.

The Gladiator Rubicon has the Wrangler's 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 petrol engine (209kW at 6400rpm and 347Nm at 4100rpm) and eight-speed automatic transmission.

The V6 has a lot of punch for on- and off-road driving and plenty of low-end torque for low-range 4WDing and, matched with the eight-speed auto, it's a well-proven team-up that consistently works well.

Here’s where the Ram world gets flipped on its head.

The new inline six-cylinder engine for the 1500 measures 3.0 litres which sounds like a relatively small unit for a vehicle this size. But don’t be fooled, because with twin turbochargers it really comes out swinging.

There are two states of tune for the engine dubbed Hurricane, starting with the basic tune that develops 313kW and 635Nm of torque. That’s a good chunk more than the old V8, in fact, 22kW and 79Nm more.

But it gets better. If you pony up for the higher-spec 1500 Limited you’ll find the engine bay now contains what Ram calls the 'high-output' version of the Hurricane. In that form, it cranks out an impressive 403kW and 707Nm. In old-school horsepower terms, those 403kW equal 540 ponies.

The extra power and torque comes from more turbo boost and, to cope with that, the High Output version of the engine sports a little less compression but twice the number of fuel pumps (two) to deliver the fuel.

Both versions of the inline six also use an intercooler with its own cooling system, rather than relying on the engine’s coolant reservoir.

In each case, the turbocharged engine sends its outputs through an eight-speed conventional automatic transmission.

The Ram also features four-wheel drive with a two-speed transfer-case for low-ratio off-road gearing. As well as two-wheel drive and a low-range four-wheel-drive setting, there’s also 4WD auto mode that allows the Ram to be driven on bitumen in all-wheel drive which is a huge bonus when towing in wet conditions.

The updated pick-up also offers five drive models, selectable via the steering wheel buttons. They include Normal, Sport, Towing, Off-Road and Snow.

Mechanically, the main difference between the two grades (engine output aside) is underneath where the Limited gets air suspension rather than the Laramie Sport’s conventional steel coil springs.

The Gladiator Rubicon has listed fuel consumption of 12.4L/100km on a combined cycle. 

On test I recorded actual fuel consumption of 12.9L/100km, from fill to fill.

The Gladiator has an 83-litre tank, so, going by my on-test fuel-use figure, you could reasonably expect a driving range of approximately 643km from a full tank.

Because of the classification the Ram 1500 falls into, there’s no compulsion for the manufacturer to state an official fuel consumption figure in Australia. And in this case, Ram doesn’t.

The most definitive statement we could get was that the 313kW tune is 12 per cent more fuel efficient than the outgoing Hemi V8, and the high-output engine is closer to 3.4 per cent more efficient. Although whether that extrapolates directly to a 12 and 3.4 per cent fuel saving respectively is not clear.

Our test drive included a stretch of gentle highway cruising, during which we saw an average of about 8.5 litres per 100km, which is about the best you can hope for, but remains a decent figure for such a machine.

In normal use, you can expect that to creep up, and seat of the pants says the standard-output engine should be good for a high 10 litres per 100km, and the high-output unit closer to a high-11.

Obviously, that will go to hell during off-road work or when towing any sort of trailer.

With the Laramie’s 98-litre fuel tank, that model should see an easy 700 to 800km between fills, while the Limited’s larger, 125-litre tank, should take it closer to a realistic 1000km range.

Bear in mind, though, that while the Laramie is happy with standard ULP, the higher compression and extra turbo boost of the Limited means it requires the more expensive Premium brew, which might be harder to find in the outback.

It's certainly an experience, but the Gladiator is not as atrocious on-road as you may assume.

This vehicle is a lot of fun to drive because it demands a lot of attention and input to keep it on target.

The steering is floaty, with plenty of play in the wheel and understeer through corners, and there's a fair bit of tyre rumble from the BFG muddies.

The wing mirrors generate noticeable wind noise, but the Gladiator's not as awkward or unrefined as you might expect.

Because it's essentially a stretched Wrangler – with a 787mm longer body and a 480mm longer wheelbase than its stablemate – the Gladiator has a solid stance on the road and, for such an unashamedly off-road-oriented vehicle, it feels even more settled and composed than the Wrangler does on sealed surfaces.

This 2242kg ute is built for tough fun with a body-on-frame design and reinforced chassis, but the Gladiator manages to be nimble around town.

Ride quality is generally impressive with this ute cruising comfortably on live axles front and rear with coil springs and, in 2023 onward versions, Tenneco shocks all-around rather than the previous Fox Shocks set-up.

Aspects of the Gladiator experience will annoy some people. Visibility is compromised in all directions, the throttle is touchy, the 13.6m turning circle may add a degree of difficulty in attempts at fast turnarounds (on a city street or in a busy country pub car park) and all that driver attention and input the Gladiator demands of its steerer will become tiresome for a few drivers.

But, as expected, the Gladiator's true spirit is only ever fully revealed when you head off-road. It's a hell of a lot of fun in the dirt. Drop tyre pressures, do up your seat belt and let the Gladiator off the leash.

The 'Trail Rated' Gladiator is loaded with off-road mechanicals, from a 4X4 system with 4:1 low-range (contributing to a 77.2:1 crawl ratio), front and rear diff-locks, heavy-duty Dana 44 axles (front and rear), sway-bar disconnect and BFGoodrich Mud Terrain tyres, as well as a stack of driver-assist tech aimed at making you feel like Australian 4WD expedition legend Ron Moon.

Shocks engineered for off-roading add a welcome dimension of comfort and handling to the Gladiator on fast dirt and gravel tracks on the way to your chosen off-roading destination.

That 77.2:1 crawl ratio means nothing to most of us until you have the opportunity to experience the feeling of all that terrain-gripping torque for yourself.

In 4WD low-range first gear, and with both diffs locked, the Gladiator feels unstoppable. It climbed with ease a short steep rocky hill where I've seen drivers of modified vehicles opt for the ‘chicken' tracks either side.

The only thing is, because of the Gladiator's 3488mm-long wheelbase and 18.4-degree ramp-over angle, there's a real risk of bellying out or at least grinding the undercarriage on earth when you crest these steep hills, which is why you must drive with concentrated focus.

But that's part of the fun. It really is a driver-direct experience. You need to be aware of everything that's going on, you never feel like you're one step removed from the situation, or the terrain or the consequences of your driving… you feel dialled into the terrain and that's guaranteed to put a smile on any 4WD enthusiast's face.

Besides, the Gladiator does have substantial underbody skid-plates, protecting the fuel tank, transmission and transfer case, as well as heavy-gauge tubular steel rock rails to soak up off-road hits.

With an approach angle of 40.7 degrees, a departure angle of 25.1 degrees and a listed ground clearance of 249mm and a wading depth of 760mm, the Gladiator has decent off-road measures.

Suspension travel is okay, but to get even more stretch, you can hit the sway-bar disconnect button to drop a wheel to the dirt – or as close as possible depending on how deep the ruts are.
 
The Gladiator has 'Selec-Speed Control' (effectively an adjustable low-speed cruise control for 4WDing that can be set between 1.0-8.0km/h), and 'Off-Road+', which tweaks throttle and traction control, among other systems, to best suit the terrain.

It also has a forward-facing off-road camera so the driver has a chance to see any obstacles that might otherwise go unnoticed until it's too late, such as branches, rocks, tree stumps and hard rubbish.

If speed and acceleration were your only metrics, then the new Hurricane six-cylinder engine really delivers. Against a zero to 100km/h time of about 7.5 seconds for the outgoing Hemi V8, the standard-output Laramie Sport takes around 6.2 seconds for the same journey.

Point the high-output version down the same piece of hotmix, and the time to 100km/h falls even further to about 5.5 seconds and maybe even less if you get the perfect launch. Oh, and those figures were recorded with the transmission in 4-Auto, as trying the same thing in two-wheel drive will see the rear tyres turn into smoke bombs.

So, yes, it’s very fast for such a big truck. In fact, it’s fast by any standards, really. But does it feel 'right’ for a pick-up?

While it’s obviously not a V8, there is a huge sense of swelling, cresting performance on tap as well as a feeling that the turbo boost is available pretty much immediately. There’s very little lag, in fact, and, in the traditional manner of inline sixes, the Hurricane feels smooth and sweet all the way across the face of the tachometer.

What you can also feel is the eight-speed transmission really making its presence felt. Obviously, getting this much mass moving requires full use of all those ratios and even though the shifts themselves are crisp and silky, there is more evidence of the transmission at work than in a lighter vehicle with the same sort of torque. File this under `observations’ rather than `complaints’.

The steering is light but accurate and helps create the impression that the Ram is not as big to drive as it is to look at. That’s helped by the ride quality which, frankly, is superior in the base grade with its conventional steel springs. The Limited on its air springs feels a bit more lively and jiggly over patchy surfaces, but part of this is also surely the difference between the Laramie’s 20-inch tyres and the 22-inch Pirellis fitted to the Limited.

There’s a degree of tyre roar on coarse surfaces but, overall, if all you know about American picks-ups is hitching a ride in a 1976 F-100, you’re going to be very impressed at how these things have matured and become refined to the point where they’re a genuine high-end experience in many ways.

As well as all the driver aids seen when this model was originally launched a few years ago, the facelift has brought some important safety upgrades. Those start with a steering assistance system that works in conjunction with the new forward collision warning program.

There’s now also intersection-assist and a driver drowsiness monitor. The Limited adds to that with traffic sign recognition and a surround camera system.

Existing driver aids across the range include autonomous emergency braking (AEB), blind-spot monitoring, lane-keeping assistance and six airbags including curtain airbags.

A tyre pressure monitoring system is also a great safety feature in a vehicle like this that might be frequently hitched up to heavy loads. Throw in a reversing camera and front and rear parking sensors and it starts to look okay.

But the one thing that is missing is the equivalent towing assistant package that is so popular on the Ford F-150. With a range of cameras and electronics to guide the hitching-up process and then monitoring the load en route, the Ford’s system should be standard on all these big tow-rigs.

The Ram also has adaptive cruise control but, for those who don’t like these active cruise systems, a standard cruise control setting is available at the flick of a switch.

Three ISOFIX child restrain mounting points are fitted to the rear seat.

The Ram hasn’t been crash tested and, since there’s no compulsion to do so in this class of vehicle, don’t expect one to be hurled into the crash-lab wall any time soon.

The Gladiator has Jeep's five-year/100,000km factory warranty, five-year capped price scheduled servicing, and lifetime roadside assistance.

The first five services are capped at $399 each and scheduled servicing is due every 12 months or 12,000 km, whichever comes first.

Ram probably needs to do a bit of catching up in this department, as the 1500 seems off the pace warranty wise.

The three-year/100,000km factory warranty might be okay in throw-away North America, but it doesn’t really send the right message here. For reference, the Chevrolet Silverado range also has three-year warranty, while both the Ford F-150 and Toyota Tundra run to five years of cover.

Service intervals are every 12 months or 12,000km, and Ram has no capped-price servicing for the pick-up, although previous experiences tells us that the Hemi version was quite reasonably priced to service. Let’s hope that continues with the turbocharged version.