2021 Jeep Gladiator vs 2020 Honda Ridgeline

When the 2020 Honda Ridgeline arrived for evaluation, it was clear that its design was a point of contention. My 12-year-old daughter remarked that it looked like a minivan in the front and a pickup truck in the back, highlighting a potential design and image problem for Honda. Trucks are traditionally expected to look rugged and tough, but the Ridgeline's second-generation design seemed to swing too far towards a more suburban aesthetic. Despite this, Honda made several updates for the 2020 model year, including a new nine-speed automatic transmission, standard Honda Sensing ADAS, and an upgraded infotainment system with an 8.0-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The lineup was simplified to Sport, RTL, RTL-E, and Black Edition trims, with the base price rising to $33,900 due to the added standard equipment. The test truck, an RTL-E trim, came in at $43,140 MSRP.

The interior of the Ridgeline was a standout, featuring perforated leather upholstery, gloss-black trim, metallic accents, and soft-touch surfaces, exuding a quality feel uncommon in midsize trucks. However, the dashboard was nearly identical to the Honda Pilot, a vehicle more associated with suburban school runs than rugged adventures.

In contrast, the 2021 Jeep Gladiator was crafted by starting with a Wrangler, stretching and fortifying the frame for serious towing and hauling, and adding a short 5-foot cargo bed. The result was a unique vehicle that looked a bit odd at first, with its tall, long, and narrow proportions. However, driving the Gladiator, especially in off-road conditions, revealed its true charm. For 2021, Jeep introduced new editions like the Willys special edition and the 80th Anniversary Edition, along with a High Altitude luxury model. Pricing started at $33,545 for a basic Gladiator Sport, but our test truck, an Overland trim with almost every option and a new turbo-diesel engine, came in at $58,525.

The Gladiator's interior, while not as luxurious as the Ridgeline's, was designed for durability and off-road utility. It featured heated front seats, leather upholstery, and top-shelf infotainment and sound systems. The cabin was nearly identical to the Wrangler's, with modifications to the rear seating area and plenty of Jeep Easter eggs, adding to the vehicle's unique charm.

The 2020 Honda Ridgeline was powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine, producing 280 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 262 pound-feet of torque at 4,700 rpm. This engine was paired with a new nine-speed automatic transmission, which had undergone continuous improvements to enhance shift quality. The Ridgeline offered front-wheel drive in Sport and RTL trims, with all-wheel drive (i-VTM4) optional for those trims and standard for RTL-E and Black Edition versions. The i-VTM4 system could transfer up to 70 percent of the engine's power to the rear axle, providing added traction and a torque-vectoring effect for enjoyable driving. The Ridgeline also featured Eco, Normal, and Sport drivetrain modes, along with Snow, Mud, and Sand driving modes. The all-wheel-drive Ridgeline had a ground clearance of 7.9 inches and a fuel economy rating of 21 mpg combined, with a towing capacity of up to 5,000 pounds and a maximum payload of 1,580 pounds.

The 2021 Jeep Gladiator introduced a new 3.0-liter turbo-diesel V6 engine option, producing 260 horsepower at 3,600 rpm and 442 pound-feet of torque from 1,400 rpm to 2,800 rpm. This engine provided substantial low-end grunt and better fuel economy, averaging 22.6 mpg during testing. The standard 3.6-liter gasoline V6 engine returned 20.3 mpg in previous tests. The Gladiator Sport could tow up to 7,650 pounds with the standard engine and haul up to 1,700 pounds of payload. The turbo-diesel powertrain, while not matching these figures, still offered impressive towing and payload capacities. The diesel-powered Gladiator excelled in off-road conditions, with its low-end torque making it easy to tackle tough trails. On paved roads, the Gladiator exhibited the same charms and quirks as the standard gasoline version, with slow and sloppy steering, a stiff ride, and plenty of wind noise.

The 2020 Honda Ridgeline offered the comfort and utility of a Honda Pilot with an open 33.9 cubic-foot cargo bed. The front seats were comfortable, with adjustable armrests and heated front chairs in all trims but the Sport. The rear seat, while short on legroom, was comfortable and featured air conditioning vents. The Ridgeline's in-cab storage was generous, with plenty of weather-tight, locked storage behind the rear seat. The composite cargo bed included a locking 7.3 cubic-foot in-bed trunk with a drain plug, a tailgate that dropped and swung to the side, a 150-watt/400-watt power outlet, and a truck-bed audio system.

The 2021 Jeep Gladiator, while not focused on comfort, offered proper support in its seats. The truck's small door openings, snug seating positions, and cramped rear legroom required some acclimation. In-cabin storage included netting on the door panels, a small center console bin, cupholders, a dash-top tray, and an undersized glove compartment. The Gladiator's 5-foot steel cargo box held 35.5 cubic feet of cargo and featured multiple tie-down hooks, an adjustable tailgate, and optional accessories like a spray-in bedliner and Trail Rail cargo organizer. Payload ratings ranged from 1,075 pounds to 1,535 pounds, depending on the trim level, engine, and transmission.

The 2020 Honda Ridgeline came with Honda's Display Audio system, featuring an 8.0-inch touchscreen display. The system lacked knobs and buttons, and its voice-recognition technology was often slow to respond. The steering wheel had stereo volume and tuning controls, and the system included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Higher trims added SiriusXM satellite radio, HD Radio, navigation, and an eight-speaker premium sound system with a truck-bed audio system, but user experience issues persisted.

The 2021 Jeep Gladiator, while inherently old school, offered modern technology. The standard Uconnect 3 system with a 5-inch display included Bluetooth, voice text reply for Android devices, and SiriusXM satellite radio. The optional Uconnect 4 system with a 7-inch touchscreen added Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The top-shelf Uconnect 4C system, with an 8.4-inch touchscreen and navigation, included SiriusXM Guardian connected services, an Alpine premium sound system, and an Amazon Alexa skill. The system was user-friendly but showed signs of aging with slow load and response times. The forward-facing Trail Cam, available with the Overland trim, was useful for off-road adventures.

The 2020 Honda Ridgeline came standard with Honda Sensing, which included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lane-keep assist. Higher trims added automatic high-beam headlights, blind-spot warning, and rear cross-traffic warning. The Ridgeline earned top marks in most crash tests from the IIHS and received five-star ratings from the NHTSA, except for a four-star rollover resistance rating.

The 2021 Jeep Gladiator, in its standard form, included a reversing camera and little else in terms of safety systems. Depending on the trim level, it could be upgraded with ADAS such as adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and automatic high beams. The test truck had all these features, with the adaptive cruise control working well during freeway tests. The NHTSA gave the Gladiator a four-star frontal-impact rating and a three-star rollover resistance rating.