2025 Ford Maverick vs 2024 Jeep Gladiator

The open-air driving experience you can enjoy with a Gladiator is just one of many appealing things about it. As expected of a Jeep, the Gladiator is also a rock star off-road. And some versions of this crew-cab midsize truck offer substantial payload and towing capacity. Better yet, Jeep has updated the 2024 Gladiator with minor styling revisions, next-generation infotainment technology, added comfort and convenience features, and new range-topping trim levels. A Gladiator 4xe plug-in hybrid arrives in 2025.

Verdict: Though we’re fans of the 2024 Jeep Gladiator, it requires some trade-offs. Fuel economy is poor, the ride can be rough, the interior is loud at higher speeds, and the cabin looks like you can hose it out—because you can. Buy a 2024 Gladiator for what it can do and not for the image it projects, and you’ll more easily accept its inherent flaws.

The Ford Maverick really shook up the pickup-truck market when it arrived as a 2022 model. Ford’s compact pickup utilizes the same basic platform as the Escape and Bronco Sport crossovers, but it offers real truck capability and a hybrid powertrain to boot. The 2025 model features styling and tech updates, but the biggest news is a Maverick Lobo performance variant and an all-wheel drive (AWD) hybrid, so that’s what we focused on for this first drive.

Verdict: The Maverick is still a great vehicle, but it’s not quite the bargain it once was.