If you have work to do on your property, and you don’t think your favorite big pickup can do it, what do you do? There’s a better option that could do just about as much as your truck, but it’s small enough to get into areas your pickup can’t. John Deere’s Gator UTV is the solution many landowners need when their trucks aren’t up to the job. 

MotorTrend showcases the UTV model they tested belonging to John Deere. Their review shows what it can do that a truck can’t. Let’s see what they had to say about the usefulness of the Gator over the Ram truck. 

What tasks can the John Deere Gator UTV do?

The MotorTrend reviewer owns beach land located by Lake Huron. The area was perfect for some pretty rigorous testing of the unit. During the time he had it, he performed at least 10 different work tasks throughout his property on narrow paths, in tall grass, up fairly steep inclines, and around tall trees. 

On one occasion he dragged a heavy water tank and some beach debris up a 36-stair incline where he could move it to an area to dispose of it. He could accomplish this by using a 4,500-lb winch attachment, a 50-ft line, and a remote control to haul it up the incline where they could relocate it somewhere else.  

He could also haul a large pile of plank wood, some with long lengths in the back of the UTV. The bed that the Gator came with measures 45-inches long, 52-inches wide, and 12-inches deep, which is big enough to haul long bundles of wood or other items to wherever you need them. All you would have to do is strap them down in the front and you’re good to go.

The Gator maneuvered tall grass, narrow paths, and around densely packed trees with ease. The reviewer could hook up to a dead tree that still had branches on it and drag it to the driveway area. He could then push and pull the tree into the position he needed it to be all using an ATV or UTV. 

Why can’t you just use a pickup, like the Ram 2500?

In most cases, a pickup, like the Ram 2500, would do some of these jobs and it probably would do them quicker. However, there are some situations where the Ram truck would not be up to the task like the Gator UTV would. 

When you’re navigating narrow paths, or around densely packed trees, the pickup is just too large and clumsy to maneuver into the areas you’re trying to get to. The UTV is much smaller and can drive through smaller spaces much easier than a full-size truck.

Sure, a pickup could haul heavy items from one area to another, but sometimes, the truck can’t reach the item you want to relocate. For example, the reviewer used the Gator to move a heavy ramp up a fairly steep incline. A Ram Pickup could not drive up or down the slope. It could pull the ramp up, but you would have to do it using an extremely long tow-rope tied to the rear of the truck. Then you would need a sizable amount of room to move the truck around to pull the ramp to level ground. Since the reviewer didn’t have that, he used the UTV with a hefty winch attached to the front, and he pulled it up the incline with no issues. 

How do the UTV prices compare to the Ram 2500?

A 2021 model of the Ram 2500 comes in a wide range of prices. On the low end, you can expect to pay around $35,000 for a basic version and little to no extra features. If you want to add a ton of items to it, you may need to upgrade to the top-tier package, which could cost you around $55,000. If you’re looking for more specific items, it could cost you even more than that. 

The John Deere Gator isn’t exactly cheap either, but it still comes in quite a bit lower in price than the Ram 2500. The starting price for the Gator will run you about $26,000. There are a ton of attachments available, though, so expect the price to go even higher. 

The John Deere Gator performs much like a Ram 2500, only it comes in a small size utility vehicle. When a tough pickup can’t help you get a job done, the UTV can easily come to your rescue.