The 2021 Ford Ranger is a solid off-roader with a powerful engine and good towing and hauling capacities for its class. It handles well, offers comfortable seating, and gets good gas mileage. The 2021 Jeep Gladiator is another off-roader that sits between a Jeep and a truck. Classified as a midsize pickup, the Gladiator looks more like a long four-door Wrangler with a 5-foot cargo bed. It also boasts high tow and hauling ratings, and is the only convertible truck on the market.
Design
The 2021 Ford Ranger is a mid-size pickup that comes in two body styles with two bed lengths. The SuperCab provides seating for four occupants and has two smaller half-doors, while the SuperCrew seats up to five and comes with four full-size doors. Its cabin is comfortable, with easy-to-use controls, but the materials inside are mostly cheap plastics with small pieces of trim to make it look upscale. Its trim levels range from the base model XL to the top-of-the-line Lariat. New for 2021 is the Black appearance package which adds black 18-inch wheels and grille, black Ford oval badges, and new bedside decals. Four new exterior colors have also been added: Cactus Bray, Carbonized Gray, Cyber Orange, and Velocity Blue.
The 2021 Jeep Gladiator is a four-door midsize truck that seats five-passengers. It only comes in crew-cab configuration and is available in nine trim levels: Sport, Willys Sport, Sport S, Willys, Overland, 80th Anniversary, Rubicon, Mojave, and High Altitude. All come with a 5-foot cargo bed and four-wheel drive. It offers a spacious and comfortable interior, but also has a firm ride. It features an upscale interior with chunky styling and hard- and soft-touch plastics. Two easily removable roof styles are available – a standard soft top and an optional hardtop. All models have removable doors and a fold-down windshield.
Performance/Fuel and Price
The Ranger features a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 270 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. It comes standard with a 10-speed automatic transmission, providing shifts that are smooth and quick. The Ranger is available with a Terrain Management System that improves the engine’s responsiveness and transmission gearing to optimize the truck’s performance in different types of terrain. There are four drive modes that are offered: Normal, Grass/Gravel/Snow, Mud/Ruts, and Sand. Additional optional packages include special off-road tires, a locking rear differential, skid plates, crawl control, and an off-road-tuned suspension. The Ranger can tow up to 7,500 pounds and haul a payload of up to 1860 pounds. Fuel is estimated at 21/26 mpg city and highway with rear-wheel drive and 20/24 mpg with four-wheel drive. The base Ranger XL has a starting price of $25,000 and ranges to a starting price of $33,000 for the Lariat.
The Gladiator is available with two engines - a 3.6-liter V6 with 285 horsepower and 260 lb-ft or torque, and an available diesel-powered turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 with 260 horsepower and 442 lb-ft or torque. An eight-speed automatic transmission is standard on the 3.0-liter V6. A six-speed manual transmission is standard with the 3.6-liter engine and an eight-speed automatic is available. The diesel isn’t available on the Mojave, but it is available on all other models. It accelerates briskly and provides sufficient passing power, though the ride may feel jittery and handling a little difficult. Gladiator has a maximum towing capacity of between 4,000 and 7,650, with the gas V6 engine reaching the highest tow rating. Its payload ratings range from 1,075 to 1,700 pounds. Fuel estimates 16/23 mpg city/highway for the V6, manual and 17/22 mpg for the V6, automatic. Turbodiesel V6, automatic will get you 22/28 mpg. Pricing starts at $33,545 for the Sport trim and ranges to $51,500 for the High-Altitude trim.
Safety and Technology
Standard advanced safety features on the Ford Ranger include a rearview camera, MyKey that lets you set speed and audio volume limits, forward collision warning, and automatic emergency braking. Available advanced safety features include front and rear parking sensors, cruise control, adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, blind spot monitoring, and rear cross traffic alert with trailer coverage. Standard technology features include an infotainment system with a USB port, Bluetooth, four speakers, and a Wi-Fi hot spot. Available features include a 4.2-inch display, an 8-inch touch screen, navigation, a six- or 10-speaker audio system, a 10-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system, satellite radio, HD Radio, two USB ports, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. A remote start, dual-zone automatic climate control, and push-button start are also available.
Gladiator features a rearview camera for its standard advanced safety feature. Available advanced safety features include rear parking sensors, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, forward-facing camera, ford collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high-beam headlights. The Jeep Gladiator comes standard with a 5-inch touch screen, satellite radio, eight speakers, Bluetooth, and two USB ports. A push-button start is also standard. Available features include 7- and 8.4-inch touch screens, a navigation system, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, HD Radio, and nine speakers. Additional features include a remote start, automatic climate control, and proximity keyless entry.
Conclusion
Two off-road vehicles that are capable on your next adventure. The 2021 Ford Ranger offers more standard features, but lacks interior quality materials. It comes at an affordable starting price. The 2021 Jeep Gladiator has the look and design of an off-road vehicle with a higher price tag and less standard features. Both have the capabilities and performance, but you will have to decide on the style and features you want for your next off-road adventure.