While the 2021 Jeep Gladiator and 2021 Chevrolet Colorado are both midsize pickup trucks, comparing the two may feel a little like comparing apples and oranges. As Autotrader points out, the “2021 Chevrolet Colorado offers standout features while the 2021 Jeep Gladiator has [an] off-road heritage.” Autotrader went ahead and compared the Jeep Gladiator and Chevy Colorado anyway and picked one as its preferred choice. Do you agree?

The 2021 Jeep Gladiator

The 2021 Jeep Gladiator offers buyers a fun combination between a Jeep Wrangler and a pickup truck, combining style, ruggedness, and functionality. It still offers a usual midsize truck design with four doors, seating for five people, and a 5-foot bed. It has a removable roof and fold-down windshields, unusual for a pickup truck but normal for a Jeep. It does have a boxy interior, according to Autotrader. The Gladiator is well-suited for off-road driving.

It has excellent towing capabilities, although the Chevy Colorado with its diesel engine can pull more. According to Car and Driver, when properly equipped, the Gladiator can tow up to 7,650 pounds. Even when not equipped, it can still tow 4,000 pounds. The Gladiator can haul up to 1,109 pounds.

Like the Chevrolet Colorado, the Jeep Gladiator also offers a diesel engine. The Gladiator’s engine is a 3.0-liter diesel V6 engine, generating 260 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque, available in the Sport, Overland, and Rubicon trims. Its standard engine is a 3.6-liter V6 that produces 285 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. The truck comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission with the 3.6-liter engine, but an eight-speed automatic transmission is available. The automatic is standard with the diesel engine.

It has full-time all-wheel drive with low range gearing. It does have a bit of a rough ride due to its solid axles and lets lots of road noise into the cabin. The 2021 Gladiator is rated for 17 MPG in the city, 22 MPG on the highway, and 19 MPG overall. It has a starting price of $35,040.

The 2021 Chevy Colorado

The 2021 Chevrolet Colorado offers buyers several powertrains to pick from. Its base engine is a 2.5-liter inline-four, producing 200 hp and 191 lb-ft of torque – a little less than the Jeep Gladiator. Also available are a 3.6-liter V6 and a 2.8-liter Duramax Diesel. It’s the only midsize truck to offer this diesel engine. The Colorado comes with a six-speed automatic transmission.

Autotrader likes that the Colorado has best-in-class towing with the diesel engine and plenty of ways buyers can customize the truck. However, adding features can drive up the price. According to Car and Driver, when equipped with the Trailering Equipment package, the 2021 Colorado is able to tow up to 7,700 pounds with the diesel engine, 7,000 pounds with the V6 engine, or 3,500 with the four-cylinder engine. It can haul up to 1,590 pounds.

Buyers can also choose between two-wheel and four-wheel drive and select the Z71 or ZR2 trims for off-road capabilities. The Colorado has what Autotrader calls “a surprisingly livable ride” that doesn’t have the vibrations of a standard truck.

The 2021 Colorado is rated for 19 MPG in the city, 25 MPG on the highway, and 22 MPG overall. Autotrader does feel the Colorado could use more advanced safety features. The starting price for the 2021 Colorado is $26,395, considerably lower than the Jeep Gladiator’s starting price.

Autotrader likes the Chevy Colorado better than the Jeep Gladiator

After comparing the two trucks, Autotrader decided in favor of the 2021 Chevy Colorado over the 2021 Jeep Gladiator. The Colorado has a nicer ride plus it has best-in-class towing when equipped with the diesel engine. Autotrader points out that the “Jeep Gladiator has legendary Jeep capabilities but typical Jeep drawbacks.” It has plenty of style but less comfort and lower fuel efficiency.