2021 Jeep Gladiator vs 2022 Nissan Titan

The 2021 Jeep Gladiator was essentially a stretched and fortified Wrangler, designed for serious towing and hauling. It featured a short 5-foot cargo bed to maintain a good departure angle while providing utility. Despite its odd appearance, with a tall, long, and narrow body, the Gladiator was loved for its driving experience, especially in off-road conditions. The new Willys special edition added a blacked-out grille, limited-slip rear differential, rock rails, and 32-inch all-terrain tires. The 80th Anniversary Edition and High Altitude luxury model introduced special badges, finishes, and premium materials.

Pricing for the Gladiator started at $33,545 for the base Sport model, but our test truck, an Overland trim with nearly every option, including a new turbo-diesel engine, came to $58,525. The interior, equipped with heated front seats, leather upholstery, and top-shelf infotainment, was as luxurious as a Gladiator could get. However, it remained a rugged vehicle with durable materials, a cabin similar to the Wrangler’s, and Jeep Easter eggs throughout.

The 2022 Nissan Titan, a relative newcomer in the full-size truck market, boasted a rugged yet elegant exterior with strong lines and an expressive face. It had a clean, clutter-free interior with excellent material selection and build quality. Our test vehicle, a loaded Pro-4X model, featured a dual-panel panoramic moonroof and a power sliding rear window, enhancing the cabin’s roominess and airflow.

Inside, the Titan continued its theme of clean lines and generous proportions. The Pro-4X model came with an optional moonroof package, adding a dual-panel panoramic moonroof and a power sliding rear window. The cabin was airy and well-appointed, making it a comfortable daily driver or family vehicle, provided the optional step boards were installed to ease the climb into the cabin.

The 2021 Jeep Gladiator introduced a new 3.0-liter turbo-diesel V6 engine, costing an additional $4,000. This engine produced 260 horsepower at 3,600 rpm and 442 pound-feet of torque from 1,400 to 2,800 rpm, offering substantial low-end grunt and better fuel economy than the standard 3.6-liter gasoline V6. During testing, the diesel engine averaged 22.6 mpg, slightly below the EPA’s estimated 24 mpg in combined driving. The standard V6 returned 20.3 mpg in a previous test.

A Gladiator Sport with the standard engine could tow up to 7,650 pounds and haul up to 1,700 pounds of payload. The turbo-diesel powertrain, while not matching these figures due to engine-cooling restrictions, could still tow 6,000-6,500 pounds and had a similar payload capacity to other Gladiator configurations. Off-road, the diesel-powered Gladiator Rubicon excelled, with its low-end torque making it easy to tackle tough trails. On paved roads, the Gladiator exhibited slow and sloppy steering, a stiff ride, and plenty of wind noise, but these quirks added to its charm.

The 2022 Nissan Titan featured a 5.6-liter gasoline V8 engine with 400 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. RWD was standard on the S, SV, and Platinum Reserve models, while 4WD was standard on the Pro-4X and available on other trims. Fuel economy for RWD models was estimated at 16 mpg city/21 mpg highway/18 mpg combined, with 4WD models rating at 15 mpg city/21 mpg highway/18 mpg combined. The Pro-4X model slipped to 15 mpg city/20 mpg highway/17 mpg combined.

The Titan’s fully boxed, full-length ladder frame, independent double-wishbone front suspension, and leaf springs in the rear provided a stable ride. The Pro-4X model, with its 4WD system, electronically locking rear differential, 18-inch alloy wheels, and Bilstein off-road shocks, handled well on both pavement and off-road. The Titan’s maximum towing capacity was 9,310 pounds, and the maximum payload was 1,710 pounds, making it a capable truck for towing and hauling.

The 2021 Jeep Gladiator was not designed for comfort. The seats were supportive, but the small door openings, snug seating positions, and cramped rear legroom required some 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 2022 Nissan Titan came in King Cab and Crew Cab body styles, both with two rows of seating. Base models featured a 40/20/40-split-folding front bench seat, while higher trims had dual power-adjustable bucket seats. The King Cab’s second row had tight legroom at 24.8 inches, accessed via rear-hinged clamshell doors. The Crew Cab offered 38.5 inches of legroom and full front-hinged doors. The King Cab had a 78.7-inch bed, while the Crew Cab had a 67-inch bed. Both body styles shared a 139.8-inch wheelbase and 228.2-inch overall length. The Titan’s bed featured four fixed tie-down hooks, with moveable cleats available through the Utili-track Channel system. The tailgate was nicely damped and could be opened and closed with one hand.

The 2021 Jeep Gladiator, while inherently old school, offered modern technology. The standard FCA 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 forward-facing Trail Cam, available with the Overland trim, helped drivers navigate off-road obstacles.

The 2022 Nissan Titan featured an upgraded infotainment system with an 8-inch center display screen, while a 9-inch touchscreen interface was available. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, along with a WiFi hotspot, NissanConnect, Bluetooth hands-free phone connectivity, audio streaming, and a hands-free text-messaging assistant. The standard audio system included six speakers, while the upgrade system featured a Fender-branded 12-speaker setup with a subwoofer. NissanConnect with navigation was available on SV models and standard on Pro-4X and Platinum Reserve trims, offering a 9-inch touchscreen, door-to-door navigation, over-the-air map updates, and online POI search.

The 2021 Jeep Gladiator, in standard specification, included a reversing camera. Depending on the trim level, advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) such as adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and automatic high beams were available. The Gladiator received a four-star frontal-impact rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and a three-star rollover resistance rating.

The 2022 Nissan Titan came standard with Nissan Safety Shield 360, which included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, high-beam assist, and rear automatic braking. The Titan also featured intelligent forward collision warning and eight airbags. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the Titan top “Good” ratings in most crash tests and “Superior” ratings for front crash prevention tech. However, the standard halogen reflector headlights received a “Poor” rating. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) had not published crash-test ratings for the 2022 Titan at the time of this review.