Auto Show Face-Off: 2020 Jeep Gladiator Vs. 2019 Toyota Tacoma
The mid-size pickup truck class is getting lots of attention because of two new additions: the 2019 Ford Ranger and 2020 Jeep Gladiator. The all-new returning Ranger is on sale now, but the Gladiator won't go on sale until early spring. The 2019 North American International Auto Show in Detroit gave us a chance to take a closer look at the long-anticipated Jeep Gladiator dressed in Rubicon trim and compare it to the mid-size pickup sales leader (by a factor of 2 to 1), the 2019 Toyota Tacoma decked out in TRD Pro trim to keep things on an apples-to-apples off-road basis. Once we're able to drive the Gladiator, we hope to do an actual head-to-head test between the two like we did with the Ranger and Tacoma not too long ago.
Related: More 2019 Detroit Auto Show Coverage
While there are myriad ways to compare these two trucks, we're going to focus on the beds to see how they're similar and different. It's worth noting the Tacoma offers multiple cab choices, wheelbases, bed lengths and engines, while the Gladiator offers only one configuration in each of those categories — although there will be a diesel engine option early in 2020.
Here's how the two beds compare.
Bed Access
During the reveal of the Jeep Gladiator, we were told the lead designer wanted to make sure it wasn't difficult for an average person to reach over the bedside to grab anything stored or loaded in the bed. The bed is only 5 feet long but given the 31-inch tall tires (Falken WildPeak 285/70R17), it was easy for our 5-foot, 8-inch colleague Saiorse O'Malley to reach into the bed and touch the bed floor. The Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro has smaller tires (Goodyear Wrangler 265/70R16), making it even easier to grab bed gear in the Tacoma's 5-foot bed.
Bed Features
Bed storage strategies in the mid-size class are all over the map, but the Jeep's focus is pretty basic with good LED lighting, a 115-volt (400 watts) three-prong power outlet and three separate bed rails to accommodate cargo tie-down cleats. This allows owners more options for securing their valuables. The Toyota's composite bedliner offers the same kind of rail setup but does not offer a third rail for the back of the bed, limiting its tie-down points. Toyota was the first to offer a weather-sealed three-prong outlet in the bed, and it offers a class-exclusive sidewall cubby for gloves and tools.
Rear Suspension
The suspension strategy for these two pickups is quite different, with the Gladiator using a set of coil springs and control arms to keep the axle located but flexible. The Tacoma offers a more traditional multileaf spring pack that locks the rear axle to the frame. Neither type of suspension offers a lot of payload capacity. Bump stops on both trucks are designed to progressively distribute weight during possible overload situations.
Payload Capacity
The Tacoma TRD Pro we saw in Detroit had 1,000 pounds of payload capacity, according to the federally required label on the driver-side doorjamb. For a mid-size pickup, that's a little on the light side. As to the show-floor Gladiators, they were preproduction models so the doorjamb label lacked that information. Looking at specification information from Jeep, the Rubicon is listed as having a 1,200-pound payload capacity with the manual transmission and 1,160 pounds with the automatic. However, in our experience, manufacturer numbers are usually optimistic. We won't know the Gladiator Rubicon's actual payload until we can take one to a certified truck scale to do our own calculations.
Cars.com photos by Christian Lantry
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