Compare the2026 Jeep GladiatorVS 2026 Toyota Tacoma

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, Full-Time Four-Wheel Drive is standard on the Gladiator. But it costs extra on the Tacoma.

Both the Gladiator and the Tacoma have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, rearview cameras, available crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Jeep Gladiator is safer than the Toyota Tacoma:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

There are almost 2 times as many Jeep dealers as there are Toyota dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Gladiator’s warranty.

The Gladiator has a solid front axle with a floating power axle for durability that the Tacoma 4x4’s independent front suspension and exposed front driveshafts don’t offer.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Gladiator’s reliability 21 points higher than the Tacoma.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Gladiator first among midsize pickups in their 2025 Initial Quality Study. The Tacoma isn’t in the top three.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Jeep vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Jeep above average in initial quality. With 14 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is rated below average.

The Gladiator’s 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 57 more horsepower (285 vs. 228) and 17 lbs.-ft. more torque (260 vs. 243) than the Tacoma SR’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder. The Gladiator’s 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 15 more horsepower (285 vs. 270) than the Tacoma’s optional 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder. The Gladiator’s 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 7 more horsepower (285 vs. 278) than the Tacoma’s standard 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Jeep Gladiator is faster than the Toyota Tacoma 4 cyl. hybrid gas (automatics tested):

The Gladiator has 3.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the Tacoma (22 vs. 18.2 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Jeep Gladiator higher (6 out of 10) than the Toyota Tacoma (4 to 6). This means the Gladiator produces up to 12.1 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Tacoma every 15,000 miles.

For better stopping power the Gladiator’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the Tacoma:

The Gladiator stops much shorter than the Tacoma:

For better traction, the Gladiator Rubicon/Mojave’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Tacoma (285/70R17 vs. 265/70R17).

The Gladiator has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Tacoma doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Gladiator has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Gladiator flat and controlled during cornering. The Tacoma SR/XtraCab suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The front and rear suspension of the Gladiator uses coil springs for better ride, handling and control than the Tacoma SR/XtraCab, which uses leaf springs in the rear. Coil springs compress more progressively and offer more suspension travel for a smoother ride with less bottoming out.

The Gladiator has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Tacoma doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Gladiator’s wheelbase is 5.4 inches longer than on the Tacoma 5-ft. bed Double Cab (137.3 inches vs. 131.9 inches).

The Gladiator’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (52.8% to 47.2%) than the Tacoma’s (56% to 44%). This gives the Gladiator more stable handling and braking.

The Gladiator handles at .75 G’s, while the Tacoma 5-ft. bed TRD Pro Double Cab pulls only .72 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Gladiator Sport executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.1 seconds quicker than the Tacoma 5-ft. bed Trailhunter Double Cab (28.5 seconds @ .58 average G’s vs. 29.6 seconds @ .55 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Gladiator Mojave has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Tacoma 5-ft. bed TRD Pro Double Cab (11.6 vs. 11.5 inches), allowing the Gladiator to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Gladiator is 5.1 inches narrower on average than the Tacoma, making the Gladiator easier to handle and maneuver in traffic.

The Gladiator has 5.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Tacoma (102.9 vs. 97).

A low lift-over bed design makes loading and unloading the Gladiator easier. The Gladiator’s bed lift-over height is 29.7 inches, while the Tacoma’s liftover is 34 inches.

The Gladiator’s cargo box is larger than the Tacoma’s in almost every dimension:

Both the Gladiator and Tacoma have bed indentations that accommodate 2x4’s for two-tiered loading, but the Gladiator also has indentations to separate the cargo box into three different sections length-wise.

The Gladiator has an all welded cargo box to eliminate possible corrosion spots and to provide better chassis stiffness. The cargo box in the Tacoma is bolted through the bed to the frame with large bolts. These bolts are a prime area for corrosion to start as the normal flexing of the truck’s chassis causes them to eat through the finish; they can also snag cargo as it slides in and out.

The Gladiator’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Tacoma’s (4500 vs. 3500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Toyota Tacoma is only 6500 pounds. The Gladiator offers up to a 7700 lbs. towing capacity.

The Gladiator can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Gladiator can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Tacoma can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Gladiator has a much higher maximum payload capacity than the Tacoma (1720 vs. 1495 lbs.).

The Gladiator’s speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Tacoma’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Gladiator offers an optional center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Tacoma doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

Both the Gladiator and the Tacoma offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Gladiator has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Tacoma doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The Gladiator was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2020. The Tacoma has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Gladiator as the 2020 North American Truck of the Year. The Tacoma has never been chosen.