Compare the2026 Jeep GladiatorVS 2026 Chevrolet Colorado

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 Colorado.

Both the Gladiator and the Colorado 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 Chevrolet Colorado:

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

The Gladiator’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Colorado’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

Jeep pays for scheduled maintenance on the Gladiator for 2 years and unlimited miles. Jeep will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance (up to 2 visits). Chevrolet only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Colorado.

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

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Gladiator has a standard 240-amp alternator. The Colorado’s standard 170-amp alternator and largest (optional) 220-amp alternator aren’t as powerful.

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 35 points higher than the Colorado.

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

As tested in Car and Driver the Jeep Gladiator is faster than the Chevrolet Colorado:

On the EPA test cycle the Gladiator gets better mileage than the Colorado:

The Gladiator’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Colorado are solid, not vented.

The Gladiator stops much shorter than the Colorado:

The Gladiator has a standard full size spare so a flat doesn’t interrupt your work or a trip. A full size spare costs extra on the Colorado. Without the option you must depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

The Gladiator Rubicon has an active front sway bar, which helps keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnects at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Colorado doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The front and rear suspension of the Gladiator uses coil springs for better ride, handling and control than the Colorado, 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 Colorado doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Gladiator’s wheelbase is 5.9 inches longer than on the Colorado (137.3 inches vs. 131.4 inches).

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

The Gladiator handles at .75 G’s, while the Colorado ZR2 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 quicker than the Colorado ZR2 (28.5 seconds @ .58 average G’s vs. 29.2 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Gladiator Sport has a 2.1 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Colorado (10 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the Gladiator to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Gladiator has .5 inches more front headroom, 2.5 inches more rear headroom, 3.6 inches more rear legroom and 2.8 inches more rear hip room than the Colorado.

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 Colorado’s liftover is 34.5 inches.

A standard locking glovebox, standard locking center console and optional locking underseat storage drawer keeps your small valuables safer in the Gladiator. The Colorado doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

All models of the Gladiator can be flat towed on all four wheels, 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. Only the Colorado Trail Boss/Z71/ZR2 can be dinghy towed.

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 Colorado’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Compared to the Chevrolet Colorado, the Jeep Gladiator eliminates the need for separate garage door openers and associated risks of losing, breaking, or having dead batteries with its optional integrated Homelink® universal remote controlled from the driver’s visor.

According to iSeeCars.com the 2025 Jeep Gladiator retains 64.62% of its original value after 5 years, more than the 57.74% resale value of the 2025 Chevrolet Colorado after five years, which can save the Jeep’s owner.

The Gladiator was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2020. The Colorado 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 Colorado has never been chosen.