2021 Jeep Gladiator vs 2021 Ford F-350 Super Duty

The 2021 Ford F-350 Super Duty Limited, gleaming in Iconic Silver paint, exuded a stately yet purposeful aura. Its chrome grille and polished wheels added to its luxurious appearance, while the plush leather seats and high-end audio system made it feel ready for any task, from pulling a cattle trailer to arriving at a steakhouse. The power-deploying running boards facilitated easy access to the cab, revealing a spacious interior with large seats, ample storage, and a sensible layout. The Limited trim, with its soft two-tone leather, real wood, and aluminum trim, along with a panoramic glass sunroof, justified the truck’s high price tag by combining luxury with sheer capability.

In contrast, the 2021 Jeep Gladiator, derived from the Wrangler, featured a stretched and fortified frame for serious towing and hauling. Its design, though initially causing cognitive dissonance due to its tall, long, and narrow appearance, grew on drivers, especially when taken to remote places. The Gladiator’s interior, nearly identical to the Wrangler’s, emphasized utility and purpose with durable materials. The Overland trim of the test truck included heated front seats, leather upholstery, and top-shelf infotainment, making it as luxurious as a Gladiator could get while retaining its rugged nature.

The 2021 Ford F-350 Super Duty, powered by a 6.7-liter turbodiesel V8, delivered an impressive 475 horsepower and 1,050 lb-ft of torque. Despite its power, the truck averaged 15.4 mpg on a testing loop and 16.5 mpg during a week of heavy highway use. The Powerstroke diesel, while emitting a characteristic clatter, did not visibly belch smoke, though it earned the worst possible rating for greenhouse-gas emissions from CARB. The diesel engine, paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission, effortlessly motivated the F-350, making it capable of hauling loaded trailers and tackling off-road challenges with the Tremor off-road package. However, its size made parking and navigating tight spaces challenging, though features like adaptive steering and a front camera helped mitigate these issues.

The 2021 Jeep Gladiator introduced a new 3.0-liter turbo-diesel V6 option, producing 260 horsepower and 442 lb-ft of torque. This engine offered substantial low-end grunt and better fuel economy, averaging 22.6 mpg during testing. The Gladiator Sport could tow up to 7,650 pounds with the standard engine, while the diesel variant managed 6,000-6,500 pounds due to engine-cooling restrictions. The diesel engine shined in off-road conditions, providing ample torque at low speeds, making it ideal for challenging trails. On paved roads, the Gladiator exhibited slow and sloppy steering, a stiff ride, and plenty of wind noise, but these characteristics added to its charm for those who appreciated its rugged nature.

The 2021 Ford F-350 Super Duty’s high ground clearance made accessing the cargo bed challenging without the integrated tailgate step or retractable bed step. Once inside, the configurable BoxLink system and optional spray-in bedliner made securing cargo easy. The crew cab offered ample space for five people, with power-adjustable, heated, and ventilated front seats in the Limited trim. The interior featured a large center console, dual glove compartments, and door panel bins for storage. Rear-seat comfort was impressive, with heated outboard seats, air conditioning vents, and numerous power ports, though the seat cushion was slightly lower than expected.

The 2021 Jeep Gladiator’s interior focused on utility rather than comfort. The seats provided proper support, but the small door openings, snug seating positions, and cramped rear legroom required acclimation. Side steps or rails, mounted high to preserve breakover angle, made entry and exit more challenging. 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 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.

The 2021 Ford F-350 Super Duty featured an 8-inch touchscreen running the Sync 3 infotainment system, which, while functional, was losing its competitive edge. The system included smartphone integration, wireless charging, navigation, FordPass Connect services, and a B&O premium sound system. The small screen size was a liability when parking and using trailer-related technologies. Despite occasional loading issues and unresponsive inputs, Sync 3 was generally agreeable, with separate stereo and climate controls limiting screen interaction. The driver information display offered extensive menus for safety, towing, off-roading, and efficiency, providing plenty of control over configuration.

The 2021 Jeep Gladiator, though inherently old school, offered modern technology. The standard Uconnect 3 system with a 5-inch display included Bluetooth, voice text reply for Android, and SiriusXM satellite radio. The optional Uconnect 4 system with a 7-inch touchscreen, standard from Sport S trim, added Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The top-shelf Uconnect 4C system, with an 8.4-inch touchscreen and navigation, included SiriusXM Guardian services, an Alpine premium sound system, and an Amazon Alexa skill. Despite its aging technology and slow response times, Uconnect 4C remained intuitive and straightforward. The forward-facing Trail Cam, available with Overland trim, assisted drivers in navigating off-road obstacles.

The 2021 Ford F-350 Super Duty, weighing about 7,300 pounds, likely offered decent protection in collisions with smaller vehicles. It featured adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring with trailer coverage, and rear cross-traffic alert. The adaptive cruise control performed unevenly in traffic, and the lane-keep assist operated subtly. Despite blind-spot monitoring, proper mirror positioning was essential to avoid blind spots. The Sync 3 system’s 911 Assist feature could automatically contact emergency responders following a collision if a paired smartphone had a signal.

The 2021 Jeep Gladiator, in standard specification, included a reversing camera and little else. Depending on the trim level, it could be upgraded with 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 blind-spot monitoring being particularly useful due to narrow side mirrors. The adaptive cruise control worked well, and Jeep offered both adaptive and standard cruise control. The NHTSA gave the Gladiator a four-star frontal-impact rating with the standard gasoline engine and a three-star rollover resistance rating.