2020 Jeep Gladiator vs 2020 Chevy Colorado – Costa Mesa, CA

Trims of the Jeep

The 2020 Jeep Gladiator has four main trims. There is the Sport ($33,545 MSRP), the Sport S ($36,745 MSRP), the Overland ($40,395 MSRP) and the Rubicon ($43,875 MSRP). Aside from certain cosmetic design modifications and active safety features between the trims, the key differences relate to the wheel sizes. The Sport, Sport S, and Rubicon trims have 17-inch wheels, while the Overland and North Edition have 18-inch wheels, and the Mojave has enormous 33-inch wheels. What they have in common, though, is that all 2020 Jeep Gladiator models are four-wheel drive, which is fantastic. 

Colorado Trims

The 2020 Chevy Colorado has five trims; however, not all are comparable to the Gladiator. The Colorado Base trim, with an MSRP of $21,300, only comes in a two-seat cab. That being said, the Colorado trims that are comparable with five-passenger seating are the WT, with an MSRP of $24,800, the LT, with an MSRP of $27,700, the Z71, with an MSRP of $33,900, and the ZR2, with an MSRP of $41,400. The Z71 and ZR2 sport several off-road features, with the ZR2 offered in four-wheel drive only. The Z71, WT, and LT are rear-wheel drive standard with all-wheel drive available as an extra option.

There is no denying the fact that performance is one of the most things when looking to buy a truck. Both the Jeep Gladiator and the Chevy Colorado have a lot to offer in terms of engines, transmission, and fuel economy. Let's look into how they compare.

Engine vs Engine

While there has been talk of Jeep adding a diesel engine option to the Gladiator, as of now, there is only one engine option on the 2020 Jeep Gladiator. This engine is a 3.6-liter V6 24 valve VVT (variable valve timing) gas engine with ESS (engine stop/start) technology. This engine produces up to 285 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. This is a very powerful engine, providing the Gladiator with the power to tow large trailers and carry heavy cargo in the truck's payload bed. 

The 2020 Chevy Colorado has three engine options. The standard engine is a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder gas engine that can produce up to 200 hp and 191 lb-ft of torque, which is somewhat underpowered for a truck of this size. The Colorado equipped with this engine suffers as a result in terms of speed and power and is not nearly as good as the standard for the Gladiator. The second option is a 3.6-liter DOHC V6 gas engine, capable of 308 hp and 275 lb-ft of torque, and it costs some more money. The final engine option is a Duramax 2.8-liter Turbo Diesel that can produce 181 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. The 2.5-liter 4-cylinder is standard on the WT and LT, while the 3.6-liter V6 is standard on the Z71 and ZR2. The Turbo Diesel is an added option for the Z71, ZR2, and LT, while you can get the WT and LT with the larger 3.6-liter V6 gas engine. While both the 3.6-liter V6 provides better power than the 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, the fuel economy of the Colorado suffers as a result.

Transmission

The 2020 Gladiator is offered with a 6-speed manual transmission. Drivers have the option of upgrading to an 8-speed automatic 850RE transmission. Either option is a solid choice, as the manual transmission gives you greater control when you are off-road, while the 8-speed automatic is more efficient. The 2020 Colorado is offered with a standard 6-speed automatic transmission. There is also an 8-speed automatic transmission option on the 3.6-liter V6 gas engine and comes standard with the Turbodiesel engine option. While the 6-speed transmission on the Colorado is sufficient, it will not match the overall performance of the transmission options on the Gladiator.

Fuel Economy

The 2020 Jeep Gladiator has decent fuel efficiency, providing 16 MPG in city driving and 23 MPG in highway driving with the 6-speed transmission. When equipped with the 8-speed transmission, these figures change a little bit with 17 MPG city and 22 MPG highway. 

For the 2020 Chevy Colorado, a great deal depends on the choice of engine and drivetrain. When equipped with a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder gas engine and rear-wheel drive, drivers can expect 20 MPG in the city and 26 MPG on the highway. This figure drops to 19 MPG in the city and 24 MPG on the highway when you opt for the 3.6-liter V6 engine on the Colorado. The most fuel-efficient figure is probably with the turbodiesel on the Colorado, fully 20 MPG in city driving, and 30 MPG on the highway, however, the is with 2WD. When jumping to 4WD, as standard on the Gladiator, the Colorado with the turbodiesel engine gets 18 MPG in the city and 22 MPG on the highway. Meaning, it is about the same as the Gladiator. 

Inside the Gladiator

The 2020 Jeep Gladiator has 103 cu.ft. of passenger space in its cab, configured in such a way as to maximize the roominess of its two rows of seats. As a result, the two front-row passengers will enjoy 41.2 inches of legroom, 40.8 inches of headroom, 55.7 inches of shoulder room, and 53.9 inches of hip room, while the three rear-seat passengers have plenty of comfort with 38.3 inches of legroom, 40.8 inches of headroom, 55.7 inches of shoulder room, and 55.9 inches of hip room. 

Colorado Interior

It appears that Chevrolet has put a great deal of emphasis on the front row passengers in its Crew Cab to the detriment of its three rear-seat passengers. While the two front-row passengers have 45 inches of legroom, 41.4 inches of headroom, 57.5 inches of shoulder room, and 55 inches of hip room, the three rear-seat passengers seem an afterthought. There are only 35.8 inches of legroom, 38.3 inches of headroom, 56.2 inches of shoulder room, and 53.3 inches of hip room. With this difference in space with the Chevy Colorado, don't be surprised if your passengers get into a big argument over who gets to ride shotgun. Luckily, you can avoid that unpleasantness with a 2020 Jeep Gladiator.