There’s A Good Reason the Jeep Gladiator Costs More Than the Ram 1500

• The Jeep Gladiator costs more than the Ram 1500
• The Jeep Gladiator can tow as much as the V6 Ram 1500
• The Jeep Gladiator costs more than most full-size pickup trucks

Ram’s parent company–Stellantis–is back in the midsize pickup trucks market. Not with a Ram Dakota or D50, but with a Jeep truck: the Wrangler-based Gladiator. The midsize 2023 Jeep Gladiator has a $38,775 MSRP ($40,570 with destination fee). It is more expensive than the half-ton Ram 1500 ($37,410/$39,305). Why the disparity? Because the Jeep Gladiator comes with many standard features that cost Ram buyers extra. In fact, I’d argue that the Jeep Gladiator Sport offers more value–and capability–than any V6-powered Ram.

The Jeep Gladiator costs more than the Ram 1500

Ram 1500 | Unsplash

Pickup truck makers have a history of advertising extremely low MSRPs, but for stripped-down models with little work truck capability. Heck, the entry-level Ford F-150 didn’t get electric windows until 2023!

Ram may advertise an entry-level MSRP of $37k for its 1500. But this is for a 2WD with a “Pentastar” V6 engine and without creature comforts such as cloth seats and carpets.

Jeep, on the other hand, advertises a $38k MSRP for its midsize Gladiator pickup truck. This truck comes with the same engine, but a manual transmission and Jeep’s signature solid front axle. It is a full-frame based on the Wrangler.

Every Jeep Gladiator comes with 4WD. But adding this option to the Ram 1500 will cost you nearly $2k.

In addition, every Jeep Gladiator has a full crew cab engineered for two rows of adults. Admittedly, the Gladiator is narrower than the Ram 1500. A crew cab Ram 1500 has two bench seats and six-seat belts. A Gladiator is better suited for four adults, though it technically has five seatbelts. But for comparison’s sake, upgrading that Ram 1500 from its small four-door “quad cab” to a crew cab will add another $3,700 to its price.

Finally, if you want the Ram 1500 with cloth seats and carpets–comparable to the entry-level Jeep Gladiator–you’ll need to purchase a comfort package. This adds another $1,700 to your total.

See how the cost of the two trucks stacks up in the table below:

The Jeep Gladiator can tow as much as the V6 Ram 1500

A silver 2021 Jeep Gladiator pickup truck tows a boat up a mountain road to show its Ram 1500 levels of capability.

Finally, let’s take a look at towing capacities. With the V6, the Ram 1500 towing capacity can be as low as 6,180 pounds when outfitted with heavy options such as the crew cab and 4WD. The Gladiator shares the same engine, but Jeep has engineered a towing package that improves cooling and increases its trailing capacity to 7,700 pounds.

Upgrading the Gladiator’s towing capacity will cost you $4k, requiring an automatic transmission and a rear axle ratio upgrade. But overall, the Jeep Gladiator can keep up with–or surpass–any Ram 1500 without the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 upgrade.

The Jeep Gladiator costs more than most full-size pickup trucks

2021 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon | Stellantis

As I said, most pickup truck manufacturers advertise low MSRPs thanks to small cabs, small entry-level engines, and stripped-down features. For this reason, the Ram 1500 is not the only half-ton truck with a lower MSRP than the mid-size Jeep Gladiator. You can see how the Jeep Gladiator compares to other trucks in this final table:

Next, learn what will make the diesel Jeep Gladiator a collectors truck or see how the upper trim Jeep Gladiator stacks up to the Ram Rebel in the video below:

Keyword: There’s A Good Reason the Jeep Gladiator Costs More Than the Ram 1500