You don't drive a Gladiator at 80 mph. You herd it like cattle or even cats at times.
Sponsored
I recently rented a Gladiator in Philly and came away with the same observation. I'm just glad my travels only took me to Delaware City!I rented a Gladiator this week for work. Figured it would be fun to drive and an opportunity to compare it to my Bronco after 3 months of ownership and 4,500 miles.
This isn't meant to trigger the Jeep folks, because the Jeep brand deserves a ton of credit for continuously offering the Wrangler and its variants as an interesting alternative to boring vehicles for decades.
With that said, I'm not joking when I say I would have returned this thing and grabbed a different vehicle if I had the time. The driving characteristics of a Gladiator vs. a Bronco are literally night and day, and being in the Gladiator gave me a whole new level of appreciation for the Bronco's road manners.
Gladiator steering at 75MPH is like giving vague suggestions as to what direction the truck should go. As a driver who represents the majority of buyers (someone who uses the vehicle as a daily driver and goes off road occasionally), I can confidently say I would have sold a Gladiator almost immediately. I'm glad they exist and think they look great, just surprised at the wildly unrefined on-road characteristics!
I feel like Ford has enough trucks in their fleet to ever consider another one, especially so soon after the Maverick. But I hope to eat my words one day because a King Ranch crew cab Bronco truck? That would be pretty sick.I know I am not the only one(even if its a small group) that would love to see a bronco with a bed seeing how many gladiators I see out. I am still hoping for bronco with a bed one day
They have a full size truck based on a 20 year old design, the homelist looking compact since the Chevy Luv, and the tree hugger edition. A halfcab, would be a much appreciated addition.I feel like Ford has enough trucks in their fleet to ever consider another one, especially so soon after the Maverick. But I hope to eat my words one day because a King Ranch crew cab Bronco truck? That would be pretty sick.
Honestly, I have no idea what any of that means, and I really did try.They have a full size truck based on a 20 year old design, the homelist looking compact since the Chevy Luv, and the tree hugger edition. A halfcab, would be a much appreciated addition.
After driving the Jeep 392 and Bronco Raptor and comparing both. The Bronco Raptor was my choice and in my view was night and day comparison. Comparing what I’d say is top of the line both have to offer. I waited awhile but now have the Bronco Raptor and have enjoyed every minute of it. The 392 was way too small area on the inside for comfort, also seemed like turning a corner at high speeds wouldn’t be smart, the wind noise ridiculous! Yeah no comparison to the Bronco. Bronco rides smooth, plenty of room, handles very smooth on the Highway, turns corner and easy doing donuts without feeling like you’ll flip it. So yeah definitely glad I drove both before making the purchase. And the 392 I believe is priced higher..I rented and drove a convertible sport Gladiator just prior to my reservation in 2020 just to be sure I was correct in my gut for wanting the Bronco. As a 6'2, slightly meat/potato/Cheeto/Girl Scout cookie enhanced individual, it was average for my comfort level...and the 4x shifter was in a poor spot for me. My knee would lean against that creating a tight feeling in the truck. Agree with OP, road manners are definitely better for the Bronco (even with 35's versus stock Jeep tires on the Sport), just minor wind noise from the roof bars. TX has some beefy wind at times and my old TJ would like to wander on the highway in high winds. The 2 door Bronco seems to hold its own somewhat better in windy conditions due to added weight I am assuming.
I am fortunate to have a PU and the Bronco but if I was in a situation where I could only have the one box checked, the Glad Rubi could be a viable solution...and is to many folks.
Renting that Gladiator was money well spent to confirm the Bronco was the correct choice for me, even before I/we could see, sit, touch or drive one.
We bought an ‘18 Wrangler JL new and owned it for 4 1/2 years, traded it on my new 2 door Bronco. After owning the Bronco a few weeks now, I can say the on road driving experience is far better than the Jeep. It drives far closer to my ‘11 Tahoe than the ‘18 Wrangler, which is a good thing.I rented a Gladiator this week for work. Figured it would be fun to drive and an opportunity to compare it to my Bronco after 3 months of ownership and 4,500 miles.
This isn't meant to trigger the Jeep folks, because the Jeep brand deserves a ton of credit for continuously offering the Wrangler and its variants as an interesting alternative to boring vehicles for decades.
With that said, I'm not joking when I say I would have returned this thing and grabbed a different vehicle if I had the time. The driving characteristics of a Gladiator vs. a Bronco are literally night and day, and being in the Gladiator gave me a whole new level of appreciation for the Bronco's road manners.
Gladiator steering at 75MPH is like giving vague suggestions as to what direction the truck should go. As a driver who represents the majority of buyers (someone who uses the vehicle as a daily driver and goes off road occasionally), I can confidently say I would have sold a Gladiator almost immediately. I'm glad they exist and think they look great, just surprised at the wildly unrefined on-road characteristics!
I hope it wouldn't look like that...looks like a Honda.
I still own my jeep but every time i see a bronco on here it makes me want to make the switch... hmm..I rented a Gladiator this week for work. Figured it would be fun to drive and an opportunity to compare it to my Bronco after 3 months of ownership and 4,500 miles.
This isn't meant to trigger the Jeep folks, because the Jeep brand deserves a ton of credit for continuously offering the Wrangler and its variants as an interesting alternative to boring vehicles for decades.
With that said, I'm not joking when I say I would have returned this thing and grabbed a different vehicle if I had the time. The driving characteristics of a Gladiator vs. a Bronco are literally night and day, and being in the Gladiator gave me a whole new level of appreciation for the Bronco's road manners.
Gladiator steering at 75MPH is like giving vague suggestions as to what direction the truck should go. As a driver who represents the majority of buyers (someone who uses the vehicle as a daily driver and goes off road occasionally), I can confidently say I would have sold a Gladiator almost immediately. I'm glad they exist and think they look great, just surprised at the wildly unrefined on-road characteristics!