2019 Ford Ranger vs 2020 Jeep Gladiator – Cincinnati, OH

• 2019 Ford Ranger

  

  Starting at

  $24,300

  2020 Jeep Gladiator

  

  Starting at

  $33,545

  1,860 LBS	Maximum Payload	1,600 LBS
  310 lb-ft	Torque	260 lb-ft
  21/26 MPG	Fuel Efficiency (city/highway)	16/23 MPG
  Standard	10-Speed Transmission	Unavailable

  A great pickup truck is an absolutely essential piece of machinery for a lot of people: from hikers and backpackers that love hitting the trail or doing some camping, to trade professionals that rely on their pickup to get their jobs done. Choosing the right truck can be tricky since there are so many different options out there available from various manufacturers. It can be helpful, therefore, to compare two different models and see how they stack up, such as the 2019 Ford Ranger vs 2020 Jeep Gladiator.

  Right off the bat, you might expect the Gladiator to blow the Ranger away – it is a later model year, after all, and a brand new vehicle that Jeep expects to make a big splash. In reality, however, there are numerous ways in which the 2019 Ford Ranger pulls ahead and proves to be the better option. One of the most noticeable of those happens to be the price – the Ranger comes in at nearly $10,000 cheaper in terms of the starting prices on these two trucks. And, of course, the Gladiator only gets more expensive from there.

  Despite its mid-size design, the 2019 Ford Ranger nearly matches the 2020 Jeep Gladiator’s towing capacity and beats it in terms of maximum payload. You might expect the Gladiator to have a more powerful engine, and while it does slightly push ahead in terms of horsepower, the engine in the Ranger provides much more torque while offering superior fuel economy and a 10-speed automatic transmission. The 2020 Jeep Gladiator might be an attractive prospect purely for its off-road potential, but overall the 2019 Ford Ranger simply will not be beat.

• Performance

  

   

  When looking at a couple of impressive trucks like the 2019 Ford Ranger and the 2020 Jeep Gladiator, the engines are a great place to start. While these are not full-size heavy-duty pickups, you still expect them to have engines that can handle a lot and get the job done. After all, a pickup can be a lot of fun to own for going off-road or tailgating on the weekend, but when Monday rolls around you want to know it will show up for work just like you do.

  The 2019 Ford Ranger has a solid engine – there is only one option for both of these trucks – that can get a lot of work done for you. It is a 2.3L EcoBoost Turbo-Charged engine that provides up to 270hp and 310 lb.-ft. of torque. Admittedly, that is not a huge amount of horsepower, but it is plenty for a mid-size truck like this, and the torque is exceptional for a gas-powered engine. The fact that it comes with a 10-speed automatic transmission standard creates a perfect combination of power and performance that can push you uphill and haul a heavy load behind you.

  The 2020 Jeep Gladiator has a good engine too, but it falls short in a couple of very important ways. The Gladiator comes with a 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine that provides up to 285hp and 260 lb.-ft. of torque. As you can see, that is slightly more horsepower than the engine in the Ford Ranger, but the torque falls well short – about 20% less torque than the Ranger. This difference could definitely create some issues when pushing up a steep incline, especially while towing.

  It is also worth noting that the Gladiator comes with a 6-speed manual transmission standard, with an option for an 8-speed automatic transmission. While the presence of a manual option will be welcome by some, the lower maximum speeds can leave the driving experience rougher overall than what the 2019 Ford Ranger offers. Not to mention the fact that an automatic transmission is an option that will push the price up even higher.

• Towing and Payload Capacity

  

   

  You cannot look at a pickup truck and not consider how well it can handle weight, either pulled behind it or piled into its bed. Even with something like the 2020 Jeep Gladiator, which is designed with a heavy focus on off-roading, you still need to consider how much payload and towing it can handle. The good news is that both of these vehicles are quite similar and put up excellent numbers in this area.

  In terms of maximum towing capacity, the 2019 Ford Ranger can pull up to 7,500 lbs. behind it in any cab configuration and whether you choose 4x2 or 4x4. By comparison, the 2020 Jeep Gladiator pushes just slightly ahead, with a maximum towing capacity of 7,650 lbs. To be fair, that is a very minor difference – ultimately you have to decide on if you will ever use that extra 150 lbs. If not, then they basically have the same impressive level of towing.

  When it comes to the payload that can be piled up on the truck itself, they are quite similar again, though the Ford Ranger pulls ahead. The 2019 Ford Ranger has a maximum payload of up to 1,860 lbs. with the proper configuration, though this amount is lower with other configurations. By comparison, the 2020 Jeep Gladiator has a maximum payload of just 1,600 lbs. As you can see, there is a greater difference here than in terms of towing capacity – and if payload is more important to you, then the Ranger is likely a better option.

• Cost and Fuel Economy

  

   

  It is always a good idea to consider your pocketbook when you look at different trucks for sale and compare them against each other. The mid-size pickup market is quite broad with a lot of different options and models available. That means that you would expect to see them all priced competitively, since you have so many choices available to you.

  When looking at the starting MSRP for these two trucks there is a stark difference, and probably a bit of sticker shock involved. The 2019 Ford Ranger starts off at just $24,300, which is an excellent price for a starting mid-size pickup – especially one with such impressive beginning features. By comparison, the 2020 Jeep Gladiator comes in at $33,545 to start off.

  That is incredibly high for a starting pickup in this category – and when you consider the fact that you could get a more powerful full-size model for less than that, it is hard to justify that price. After all, you can get a 2019 Ford F-150 (the bestselling truck in America) starting at just $28,155. You could also upgrade the Ford Ranger to the Lariat trim level, with incredible features such as 8-way power-adjustable heated front seats, leather-trimmed interior, and dual 4-inch driver displays and still have a lower starting price than the beginning trim level of the 2020 Jeep Gladiator.

  As you consider the cost of a pickup truck, fuel economy also comes into play. Not only will better gas mileage help reduce your impact on the environment, but it also makes driving your truck less expensive overall. The 2019 Ford Ranger has an estimated fuel economy of 21mpg in the city and 26mpg on the highway. By comparison, the 2020 Jeep Gladiator has an estimated fuel economy of 16mpg in the city and 23mpg on the highway.

  As you can see, the difference between them can be substantial, especially if you do most of your driving in the city. An extra 5mpg in the city can add up over time to put a lot of money back into your pocket – and even if you do a lot of highway driving, the difference there is still noteworthy. This means the 2019 Ford Ranger not only costs substantially less up front, but will also save you money at the gas pump over time.

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