As the owner of a 2021 Tacoma and a 2021 Gladiator I'm uniquely qualified to speak on these trucks. 2 years of ownership, building them for 39s and lots of hard use has made it very obvious which truck is better build... it's the one with the best parts. As much as I wanted this Tacoma to be better than the Gladiator, it just isn't. There are still so many more ways that the Gladiator is superior to the Tacoma, I didn't even bring up that the Taco comes with leaf springs 🤦♂️ but I decided while shooting this video that enough was enough. If you have hard data on reliability please post that in the comments so we all can finally find a reliable source of these statistics. Until then, the reliability of one vs other is purely speculative. My Taco has had plenty of problems in the last 20k and the Gladiator has only had a cracked windshield but is that typical? This is anecdotal at best, so until we can find some real numbers, I don't want to pretend one is more reliable than the other. I hope you enjoy the video! This will no doubt be controversial!
Nate, thanks for the video. I have 3 Jeeps, a 2nd Gen Yota, and a 6.2L GMC. No brand loyalties or hurt feelings here. I have a major issue and a minor issue with the content though. Your commentary on the frames is off base. Almost 100% of commercial trucks on the planet are riveted C-channel because it is a superior design for truck applications. It is not as simple as comparing a width & height or boxed vs open without consideration for materials or designed flexture. Yes, tacoma frames rust, but my boxed-LJ frame is rotted too. As for the minor issue, comparing the diameter of a disc with the diameter of a drum is numerically meaningless; It is only about swept area, pressure, and friction coefficients. Those factors govern the friction force and the 'diameter' the resulting torque.
@Distraught Cruiser Owner announced officially in March. It's for a build off I'm doing with some other RUclips channels. We each got 15k to buy and build a 4x4 into a rock crawler. The only think I was interested in was a 80s series... 😁
@viperstd I do appreciate the comment, and I respect your perspective. But as someone who makes videos every week, I've learned not to muddy the waters too much. Modern commercial trucks do have c channel frames. So do RVs. But that is not relevant to a conversation about trucks in this class. Commercial trucks are not designed for offroad, so having a flexible frame is not a big of a deal on the hwy. But with trucks of this smaller size, it is a huge deal. The construction method for Tacoma was to be as cheap as possible. That's why it's a c channel frame, not because it was designed to be flexible. It's flexible as a result of cost, not engineering. Look at all the taco owners that pay really good money to box these frames in. The frames are a problem. As far as the brakes, I agree. I almost didn't include it, but I think it's important to consider that this truck has drum brakes, and since I was measuring the gladiator, it made sense to toss some measurements of the Tacoma. The reality is that drum brakes are terrible in an off-road environment, and I should have pointed out why instead of just using measurements. That was absolutely my mistake. I do feel it's important to make things as simple as possible in these videos but you are absolutely right, the size of the drum is not relevant. 👍
As someone who has wrenched on all brands of trucks. Fords drove me nuts the most. Wranglers werent difficult, but you ended up using way more sockets to do any task over the other brands, it was odd as the Grand Cherokees werent that way. Toyotas were my absolute favorite though, they just made sense and were easier to work on. But yes, for actual off roading the Jeep all day long. But for a daily, I would take Tacoma any day.
Older jeeps needed a mix of standard and metric sockets which drove me nuts (and bolts ). Haven't worked on newer Grand Cherokees so maybe they standardized
@@jeepstertj556 Modern Fords definitely, but I'm biased against most modern vehicles. My first truck was a 1960 Ford 1/4-ton, straight six, three-speed with the shift lever on the steering column. I could climb over the fenders, straddle the front axle and stand on the ground while working on the engine. A very simple set of tools was all I needed.
@@theeddorian I second this. I used to hate Fords, but after wrenching on even just 90s trucks, I have more respect for Ford. Modern Ford is just annoying.
I recall my 1993 F-250 was more difficult to repair than my Toyota trucks, the Toyotas we’re definitely easy to repair, ironically the three Toyotas I owned all new and put high mileage on all the trucks including the ford 250 and my current 2015 Silverado 1500, my Toyotas had the weakest front ends, almost like clockwork every year I’d be doing ball joints and brakes, my F-250 went 120,000. Km before I had to replace the callipers, my Silveradohas 170,000. Km and just replaced the callipers to be safe, im not happy with the Silverado transmission, absolute junk, I love and hate them all, although for a daily driver I drive my civic, lol. Way better on fuel, I used to daily drive my 2015 Silverado with 33” tires with a 2” lift.. the fuel economy is extremely expensive, lol
I usually don't take time to comment on these, but you are right, this is the only one I've seen that took a factual look. I'm a Jeep jockey with a CJ2A in the garage. I have to say, having heard all the Toyota hype from a neighbor and others, I really didn't expect the outcome you came to. I really appreciate factual reviews like this. If you did reviews for products in my industry, I would definitely put you on the aproved list. Thanks again.
Can’t stand the haters. It’s an off road community. We’re all here to lift up, help one another, and have the most fun on the trail. Proud Xterra owner and I have never wanted for another vehicle or made fun of another persons rig. P.s. You wanna talk about difficulty sourcing mods !!? 😂
@@DirtLifestylereally dude you’ve wanted one but got these instead? Surprised you didn’t end up with a d40 pro4x seeing as it falls perfectly between these two trucks. Not to mention the whole titan swap thing speaking of front end build cost.. +6” long travel from the Nissan oem catalog (tie rod extensions aren’t oem if you want to split hairs but)
As a 3rd gen Tacoma owner, I am fully aware the Gladiator is better by the numbers as you've pointed out. For myself--and I suspect many others--it comes down to price. I got my fully loaded Off Road for $39k out the door in 2020. The fully loaded Gladiator (which is what you're comparing it against) was $65k at the time before TTL. After TTL we're talking about it being more than 70% higher in cost so it better damn well be better. I guess what I'm saying is, I'm not flustered by this comparison because to me it isn't apples-to-apples.
@@MyLonewolf25 hmm I bet there is a lot of cash 💵 in the taco 🌮 front end , as to me the taco is a toy 🧸. The frame alone is a do not pass go mistake , Why would I wanna buy a Taco pretzel truck 🛻? But most people don’t really care, for Soccer mom /dad duty . But when you start off roading , as the presenter is alive due to Jeep yj roll cage . Note he said Rolled the Jeep is still square, and still in use #10 years on . The old adage is true you get what you pay for 0iiiiiii0
@@andrewp1427 1. It all comes down to application. For 95% of people, the stock Tacoma with some mild mods is plenty for their purposes. If you’re in the 5% (or less), Gladiator is the better choice. 2. The frame issues, providing you don’t ignore the payload capacity, aren’t really an issue anymore. Again, back to the 5% (or less). Application is key here. Again. all about application. 3. As previous commenter said, apples and oranges with cost 4. I wouldn’t trust the eco diesel, whatever generation, long term. Sad a gas engine would last longer than a diesel, but that’s where we are at with those Italian designed 3.0 diesels. 5. Toyota has a reputation for reliability and longevity that is unmatched. All the specs in the world don’t matter if the expensive vehicle doesn’t last remotely as long. That was earned over the last 40+ years. Almost all people don’t have dedicated trail rigs. They daily drive their rig and put lots of miles on them. Personally, I can think of 20 Toyotas my family has owned, putting between 150,000-220,000 miles on them, there have been no major issues, 99% routine maintenance. FCA has the opposite reputation. In summary, the Tacoma has plenty of flaws that were called out in this video correctly, but your snide comment tells about 20% of the story.
@@MyLonewolf25 never mind that for the price of the gladiator i could buy a taco a quad and a small trailer to tow it LOL THEN whos making it furthur down the trail??
I believe you've been the only one to actually measure the interior of a truck, where it makes sense, and did it with confidence. No big dashes or little dashes! That's what I like about your channel, you keep it simple, straight and with a fair amount of know how! This one was a winner!
I have owned two 3rd gen Tacoma’s. My current is a 2021 TRD off-road and I absolutely love it. You’re not losing me as a subscriber. What you are saying is undeniable. I’m not doing super hardcore rock crawling and I have no desire to put 39s on my truck so it works great for me. If I did though, I would absolutely be looking at a jeep. Great video, thanks Nate!
As a 3rd gen Tacoma owner I agree with you. If I was a serious off-road guy I'd have definitely went with the jeep. I live in southwest Louisiana so mostly flat roads driving to the hellaport for work, so looks and handling works for me! That's the problem with people these days, they're not willing to let people have there own opinion anymore without hating them in the process. Love your channel, keep up the great work!
TL;DR version: - Jeep is better offroad. Tacoma is better onroad. - Diesel is better for towing and torque than gasoline. He does not compare gas to gas engines, which is silly since most people don't buy diesels. And well, everybody knows how "great" Jeep's gas engines and transmissions are. - Tacoma rear drum brakes are much weaker. - Jeep's air filter on the diesel causes the engine to run hot through EGR because it's undersized. His Tacoma body mods make his air filter clog too fast. - Jeep has a better drivetrain (post-transmission). See 16:39 for his page. - Jeep has a good roll cage. Not comparable with Toyota since Toyota has airbags. - Tacoma handles much better. Criticism: - Diesel as a whole is a downside for most people. Not an upside. - 39s as a whole is a downside for most people. Not an upside. - He does not mention at all the most important feature regarding interior ride quality, ambient sound level. For anyone that doesn't know: Look up the video "Jeep Hard Top vs Soft Top Sound Level Comparisons". Jeeps are hearing-damage inducing on the inside (90db+). Tacomas are not. Not relevant if you already have severe hearing damage, but it is relevant. - He's wrong about where the Toyota frames fail. They generally fail on the upward arcing section on the rear end, or on the section just before the middle brace. Not where they are riveted. Source: Am a Toyota tech at a Toyota dealer. All truck frames rust exactly the same up here in salt hell. Box frames are just easier to spray paint and hide the rust cancer. The main difference is that Toyota actually had a customer service program for dealing with it as a form of PR. All other brands just tell you to get bent. Plus, most brands don't sell Tacoma sized trucks in any volume (which is why nobody talks about Colorados or Rangers), so everyone compares apples to oranges (F150 to Tacoma) instead, and obviously heavier duty vehicles will have more meat before the rust becomes severe. - Toyota frames are hot dipped the same way as the jeep frame is. This is standard industry procedure from trucks to unibodies. He's wrong here. - Gladiator is only 2 years old. "They don't make x for y issue because y doesn't happen" is pretty moot. The real truth: Buying a truck for "investment" value is dumb. Any truck you buy for resale value is going to lose all that value with the money you spend in fuel to run it. Who cares if a truck nets you $5k more after 5 years if you spend $2k more each year to drive it.
Speaking about jeep wrangler cages, i have a similar story. I rolled several times off the side of a Colorado mountain road and had a direct impact on the driver a-pillar. The cage did its job and would not wheel another vehicle without one, Ill personally vouch for the stock wrangler one.
Great video with good info on both vehicles. I have a 87 toyota pickup with a 4-linked SAS. It would be great to see Toyota go back to the tougher older trucks and bring back the removable top 4runner. I appreciate what Jeep has done with the Gladiator. Hopefully Toyota will follow suit. Keep up all the great work on your builds and videos.
Thanks Nate! I don’t even own a off-road rig and I watch every “episode” of Dirt Lifestyle. Home mechanics and fabricators can learn a lot from your content.
Taco guy here but also love the Gladiator. They both seem great and I did get my Toyota for its reliability - which also comes down to how you maintain the vehicle. Loved this video, enjoyed hearing the facts and that is what matters to me. Cheers
I came for the Disco 2 content. I know damn well you're not getting paid for that. This is the type of video that makes some of us more loyal. I won't be buying either these vehicles anytime soon, but I appreciate your willingness to put out an honest comparison at your expense, both in monetary terms as well as your reputation (among the haters Toyota/Jeep).
I noticed the rust with the Tacoma and I was wondering why as the Gladiator looked very rust free (underneath both), but Nate gave a very good explanation why, and for me faced with a choice of the two I would go with the Gladiator just for frame difference.
The government came down pretty hard on jeep Chrysler Fiat for their bad welds on the frames they wouldn’t fix and the government made them. I don’t trust Chrysler Jeep Fiat
Drive an old beater in the snow. Why get wet salt all over a $50,000 plus truck? When I build my rig, I'm going to be keeping my GTI for winter driving, not that my GTI is a beater but its probably only worth $7-8 grand.
I had an overlanding buddy back in the midwest do a trip to Drummond Island a month ago in his tacoma and he bent the frame going through some mud pits. He is currently bending the frame back and building frame stiffeners for it. Having a boxed frame is a game changer even though it is a small thing to think about. Great video!
If you remove the brands it was basically a break down of why solid axils are better for DIY budget minded 4x4 builds. Your money and time goes further with solid axils. IFS is more for going fast and spending big money to do it where better handling is more important. Basically for general 4x4 trails or rock crawling get a Jeep. If you want to go fast in the desert 2x4 Tacoma and lots of money.
Don't overlook the fact the the Toyota's are underpowered. Nothing more annoying than driving a truck that can't keep up without downshifting constantly.
Having owned a JK and 2.5 gen Tacoma I’d like to stay the same. Jeep for rock crawling, more aggressive off roading at slow speed, modification variety Tacoma for more faster speed off roading and a more comfortable on road driving vehicle
Being a mechanic for multiple brands of vehicles, mainly four-wheel-drive. Diesels can be awesome for the right driver. There’s facts where I live that change the who’s best scenario salty highways. the slush and salt gets inside of a box frame unless it’s metal thickness overkill or coated properly or built with material that helps fight corrosion. The old style Toyota box frame holds more corrosive material. The 79 style toy pickup only four-wheel-drive pick up was a nightmare of frame rust. I’m talking pre-Tacoma. I also found Dana axles the same size axle shaft we’re stronger than Toyota axles. Because of the material. Thickness alone of material isn’t the whole story. Mild steel isn’t mild steel. What I did notice Toyota does a great job with is wiring. Older dodges used Bosch connectors. They quit doing that it was expensive and boy did corrosion start in the wiring. All kinds of issues after that. Toyota does a good job on their engine. They don’t have phaser problems like Fords, every manufacturer has positives and negatives. If you’re going to modify your vehicle ease of modification is huge hats off to jeep. User-friendly.
The main issue is this. The two points that you rate the Tacoma higher, is what sells vehicles. 99% or more of the buyers will rate those two things as deciding factors in favor of the Tacoma as their purchase decision. Yes, for an off roading vehicle, the Gladiator has way more features in it's favor. But as an over all sales decision, Toyota has made the choices that matter to the vast majority of buyers. And that's why you see things in your list rated as they are. I agree with you 100% on your rankings. But your rankings are based on what's important to a small percentage of the buyers, a very small percentage. I also have owned both a 2020 Gladiator Rubicon and a 2020 Tacoma Pro. My preference is not important to this video. I am just explaining my opinion of why these trucks are as they are.
Most people who buy JTs are attracted to the off road aspects even if they wll end up using it as a mall crawler. I own Jeeps and they are used off road a good bit, with a lot of over the road trips to get to the Rocky Mnts or the Mountains in Maine or the scrub lands of Florida or the desert west. I find items at truck stops that tend to make my over the road trips more comfortable, sure, not like a IFS will do, but the destination is often where Jeeps shine. I am building a "safari" vehicle out of a JTR to live off grid comfortably to hunt, fish, prospect, rock hound and just plain explore out of the way places and for that purpose there is no better vehicle than the JTR.
Owned a 21 TRD Off road. Hated the way it drove. Tuned it. Hated it. Regeared it. Still hated it. Now I have a JT Rubicon Diesel. Drives so much better. I wanted to love the taco, but I just don't. I miss the old gen 1 tacos. I'm tired of these oversized light trucks that are pretty much full sized... Gladiator included.
As an Aussie I found this really quite interesting. Jeep don't have a particularly good reputation here, and Toyota's reputation is second to none, but I'm amazed at the differences between the US Tacoma and the Hilux we get here. I thought the Tacoma was basically a scaled up Hilux, but the Hilux gets a full boxed frame and a diesel engine at least...
They will all share the same frame in the next gen, Tacoma, 4Runner, Hilux and Fortuner. The Hilux is just plain old right now, it's getting fierce competition from newer trucks from different makers in many markets, especially Ford with their new Ranger. I suspect the next Hilux will be a big improvement, but I suspect your Aussie spec Hilux would not have faired much better in this comparison than the Tacoma did based on the mechanical criteria he used.
What a complete and accurate breakdown. I’m a Jeep guy/channel but I wheel with guys that have other vehicles (ie yotas and Fords). Wheel and build what ya got and have fun with it.
I appreciate you taking the time to put out this video. You have experience with both trucks in stock form and modified. Then you go and make a video based on those experiences which is the rarity in the online information space. You did what the internet is kinda lacking these days and that is put out information that allows the reader/watcher to form their own conclusion after the info is laid out in front of them. Thanks for putting yourself out there.
Tacoma owner here: Been wanting to get a Gladiator but they are just way over priced. 1) Whoever says ford is reliable must work for ford. 2) Gladiator is a bigger chick magnet IMO. 3) Toyota gets the nod for long term reliability. 4) Great video!
For reliability I've seen fleets do a mix of all brands they looking at run for 2-4 years and see which is cheaper to run with fuel and break downs. Then when time to replace fleet they go with that option
I love how you used straight facts, reliable research and first hand personal experience to base this comparison on. Most people use emotion and hearsay when comparing vehicles like this. It's very hard to argue with facts and first hand experience.
I own a 2020 Tacoma and I was debating getting a gladiator, but the fact that a rubicon was 65k at the time and I was looking at 40k at the time for my off road 4x4 Tacoma. It made sense to me. I am not a hardcore offroader and I am not looking to get 37’s on my truck. I feel like it was a logical decision. Reality is for me if money was no object, then I’d probably have a gladiator or a full size. Thanks for this review. I am still a subscriber even though I am a Toyota fanboy. Facts are facts.
From a Toyota owner and only Toyota owner (thus far), this has been my one gripe with Toyota. Jeep totally rules the off-roading section of the trucks and will have to agree with you. Can't beat facts and I appreciate you measuring out all the specs for all of us to see. Awesome Videos as always! I really wish Toyota would bring in more engine options, offroad options, etc... like the jeep has. Whats the point of an "Off-Road" Tacoma if theres nothing off road about it other than stickers that says off road?!?! Makes no sense. Jeep wins in this category all day.
Awesome video and great info! I really hope that Toyota brings the 79 series landcruisers into the states at some point. They're honestly one of the few Toyota trucks that interest me and I think they look way better than the Gladiator
I totally get and agree with your suspicion of magazines. Consumer Reports is my go to for reliability reporting. Yes, you get some of that lack of knowledge from some reporters, but the way I see it you get equal representation between brands so that kind of comes out in the wash. Just my 2¢. Great video, thanks Nate.
Great video Nate, as someone who has had a few Toyotas [no jeeps yet] , I have to agree about the shortcomings of the Tacoma, I had a gen 2 taco and now have a gen 5 4runner and the 4runner is a much better vehicle than the taco in my experience/opinion.I also agree that the Jeep/Bronco/and Grenadier are upping the ante and I hope Toyota keeps up with them. I would buy a Troopy tomorrow if they were available here!
The 4Runner interior doesn’t lack anything. It’s better than a Tacoma. I’ve had both and I have 2 new 4Runners now. Built better, and way better materials and cabin than the Tacoma. The 4.0 is vastly better than the 3.5z
This video is the best. I have a 2015 Tacoma and a 2017 Tacoma. You are 100% spot on with everything. And I had a beefed-up Wrangler TJ on 35s for seven years, so I'm not some diehard Toyota fanboy. In my opinion, people's biggest mistakes with Tacomas is trying to turn them into rock crawlers or desert runners. I understand that YOU did it as a proof of concept. But all of these Instagrammers (sorry Maxx lol) who put long(ish) travel kits and 35s or 37s on their 3rd gen Tacomas are turning their trucks into something that they aren't properly built to do. Tacomas a basically just Subarus with low range. They're not really adequately built or designed for rock crawling, or much of anything beyond a really washed-out forest road. Beyond that, you need at least 35" tires. And to put those tires on a Tacoma requires tons of frame and body cutting/welding. I have my 2nd gen Taco set up for backcountry adventuring (what people in the US like to call "overlanding"). It's got a beefed up suspension, ARB winch bumper, 10,000lb winch, rtt on a bed rack, Hammer Hangers, plenty of the good stuff. BUT, I refuse to put anything bigger than a 33" tire on it. Same with my 3rd gen. I actually only have 32s on both trucks. And you know what? They work fantastic for the things I do with the trucks. Now, if I wanted to get into rock crawling and hardcore off-roading, I wouldn't further build out my 2nd gen and turn it into a rock crawler. I would get either a Wrangler/Gladiator or a Bronco. Because those vehicles are built from the factory to be able to do all of those things with minimal modification, if any. I love my Tacomas. They're also a pain in the ass, but I mostly love them. I think the main point of my sermon is: have realistic expectations of your specific vehicle. Because a lot of people do not.
Supposedly, the new 2024 off-road versions of the Tacoma are now actually designed for off-road and you can disconnect the front-end sway bar, have highly upgraded off-road suspension and other improvements. You have to remember that Jeeps like the Gladiator were made for off-road scenarios. Tacomas are made for a lot of other driving scenarios. The very fact that you can upgrade a Tacoma and make it into a capable off-roader is a complement to Toyota. I am not claiming that the beefed-up 2024 off-road version of the Tacoma is going to be as good as a Wrangler, but it will be faster, get far better gas mileage and it will be easier to drive in the city. The hybrid version of the 2024 Tacoma has 326 HP and 465 lb.-ft. of torque. It's going to be a beast by any measure. It also has a new eight-speed transmission and supposedly will get over 30 mpg. I have no doubt that it will be much more capable off-road with these improvements. I have owned three Tacomas and currently own a 2009 Tacoma Sport version with TRD upgrades. Off of the lot it has been a very capable off-road vehicle, but it was never designed to be a Jeep-like off-roader. I have over 200,000 miles on it and I have never had to do any repair work on it. It still has the original hoses on it and they are still flexible and in good condition. The reliability of Tacomas is legendary. The main problem with Jeeps, and several Jeep owners have told me this, is that they break down all the time and are very unreliable. I haven't owned a Jeep, but Jeeps in general have a very poor record for being reliable in almost every study I have read on the subject. Their new SUV uses plastic engine mounts or something like that which is just ridiculous. They are breaking like popcorn.
With all that said you still have one of the nicest 3rd gen Tacoma builds I’ve ever seen, and honestly all your trucks are badass...can’t wait to see more of the ZUK build, and always stoked to see your new video every Sunday thanks Nate 🤙🏽
As a guy who built a couple of JEEP TJ's with off the shelf parts, I am in awe of your talent and knowledge. Some of what you talk about is over my head, but I very much enjoy your channel.
After getting our gladiator I can’t tell you the weeks we spent looking for bed stiffeners after coming from our Tacoma. Ours was one of the unlucky tacomas where our bed split from our shell, tent, etc.
I appreciate this. I've owned 2 Tacomas, 2nd and 3rd gen. I traded the 2nd gen in for a 4 dr JK and then traded the JK for the 3rd gen. It was a TRD Pro, and I got a great deal. I went to the dealership for an oil change, and they offered me another great deal for the Pro, so I parted with it. Recently, I've gotten the itch to get back into off-roading, so I've been researching trucks. All the major brands, despite being a yota truck fan boy. The landscape has definitely changed with the bison/at4x being a solid off-road contender, IMO. That being said, it always comes down to, for me, the Gladiator vs. . The solid front axle, the vast aftermarket, and how easy it is to V8 swap it were what kept it in that spot. If it wasn't so awkward looking before big tires, it wouldn't be a 2nd thought. This video sealed the deal for me, though. The numbers on paper are just numbers until you put them into perspective visually. The point that was made about the roll cage is huge. It may be the most important thing besides a harness and experience that could save a life.
Pure awesomeness. Thank you for not comparing the infotainment, cup holder and sun visor placements. Not that it's not useful, but has been done trillion times. Thanks!
As the owner of a Wrangler JK and a Gladiator JT, I would've been interested in a comparison of the sun visor strength. I've broken both of mine in the Gladiator such that they flop around loosely, so added some reinforcements off eBay (new ones cost a couple hundred bucks). The Wrangler has nearly 300K miles, and, while pretty crappy to use (Gladiator's are way better for actually blocking the sun until they break), they still work fine.
Completely agree with all of this. As a Toyota guy I feel like Toyota needs to step it up, though I think their target market is still daily drivers not offroaders. Toyota requires work to get it to be taken seriously on the trail, but it's great for overlanders and casual forest road travel. That's part of the appeal for me in some way, as I like to tinker and make something unique. I will say Jeep needs help in the quality department from what I've seen, but if you get one that's sorted it's super capable off road. Wish there were more of them offroad here as they are made for the dirt. Ultimately I'm excited for the next generation of Toyotas, but I'm not convinced they will make the right move to compete with Jeep or Ford because of the conservative style they maintain in the USA.
Long time Toyota owner here - grew up on them, owned many, love them. Recently traded in my 2017 Tacoma to give Jeep Wrangler Rubicon a go, big fan. Really happy with the Jeep, performance out of the box, and drivability. Still love Toyota too, but have curbed my bias. Great video.
This was exactly the comparison that I expected from you! Great job, I appreciate the fair breakdown of each. I am quite surprised at some of the Tacoma downsides for sure. Alas I’m an XJ guy and my J10 is by far my favorite non work truck.
Despite your Tacoma's short comings it's still extremely capable and really one-of-a-kind! Let's be honest. How often do you see a tastefully modded Tacoma running on 39s? Definitely an attention grabber. Yes, I've seen Tacomas on 40s but those are usually trailered and chopped up to the point where they're buggies. Your Tacoma is still very functional and recognizable. Absolutely love both your trucks.
If someone isn't really an off-roader, the Tacoma is a GREAT smaller truck option, but the more 1 is asking of their truck, the quicker other options (i.e. the Gladiator for off-roading) surpass it.
A Taco is a completely fine choice for an off-roader. Put decent ATs on a stock Taco and the truck will go just fine. It's a shock to literally no one, including every sane Taco owner that when you are doing trails that require 39s a solid axle jeep is obviously better choice.
Yea interestingly enough I’d argue the gladiator is worse due to its wheelbase being 10” longer unless you go 37”+ tires then you see the gains. I like the taco it does what I ask of it but I’m not overloading it with weight or going larger than 35s. Handles on road great and that’s where I spend most my time. Almost got a jeep maybe next one
We need more reviews like this, great job. I was towing a very heavy duty trailer on I-5 in Everett with my Gladiator. Had to stop in the road to assist a crash victim. A young man rear ended my trailer at about 50 mph while I was stopped. He totaled his car, bent my trailer axle and my tow hitch down about 15 degrees, no frame or any other damage to the 2020 Gladiator.
Love this video! I am definitely a Toyota guy and loved watching you build the Tacoma. I have 3 old Toyotas for wheeling and a car for commuting and I’ve never owned a Jeep. But I gotta say if I were to buy a new one you got me convinced.
Appreciate this honest review. The 2023 Gladiator Mojave's are the same price as a 2024 Taco SR5 4x4 right now and this helped make me feel better about looking at the Gladiator most closely.
I love my Jeep Gladiator, I put it on 37s and a metal cloak lift. It literally has travel for days, it makes the 37s feel like 33s. I wasn't lucky enough to get the Ecodiesel because I really wanted Punk'N but the 3.6 V6 is still really good. The only problem is that it sucks down gas when I am not on the highway. I just love that if I eventually want to Hemi swap it one day, all the parts can stay. Really nice video, I love seeing a beautifully built Taco too!
Thanks, man! I got to borrow a gladiator on 37s while I was in moab... it blew me away! It was the reason I went out and bought one. Once you see how great these are, everything else gets a lot less appealing
Oh? Charizard truck sounds Cool! I just think that Punkn' looks great with the black accents! I was wondering about the dirt, so thanks for the information. I thought it would show dirt more than the Nacho color. The Punkn' just looks nicer overall to me. Thanks!
Love this Video. I’ve had both vehicles also and traded in the Taco pretty quickly for a Gladiator. Couldn’t agree more. I’m looking to start the gladiator build and have built wranglers before, but would love to see a video specifically around control arms and even more specifically boxed vs tubular. Have heard a lot of mixed information online and would love your opinion on it.
Purchased my Tacoma during the 2021 Pandemic. Came out to $67,000. 2021 Toyota Tacoma Off Road 4x4 Premium Manual Transmission. Sticker said $41k MSRP. Dealer had mandatory $4,000 Mark Up Tag. Mandatory Prepaid Maintenance, Mandatory Extended Warranty, Mandatory GAP and Toyota Insurance regardless of your own Insurance. Just a bunch of add ons. It is currently a $100k build. But seeing your Tacoma RCLTHD Suspension, I already know your build is also in the $100k Range. wow awesome set up of vehicles!
Great video, yes no question about it, Jeeps are super easy to get big tires on. That being said I love my GX470 and the IFS, and it has a fully welded boxed frame. But I’m not loving that I need to really save up and spend some big coin to get that marlin crawler suspension, some day though…
I love the 470. Great platform, and it even though it's way older than my 3rd gen taco, it has much better parts. Coil springs, boxed frame, and disc brakes just to name a few.
I have a GX470 and I love the GX way of looking at an off roader. its ridiculous how much it does with 33s and a 2in lift. I have left jeepers with their jaws on the ground many times. it just sucks so bad the wall of money and work you have to climb to go from 33 to 35. I am debating 34s and just cross my fingers I get enough of the capability of 35s to do what I want to do.
I’m 72 and have a 2021 stock Mojave, that I love. I also drive to my second home in northern Michigan. I was surprised how great it handed on the way up there. I have taken mine off road in Michigan and also can’t believe how it handles there as well. Maybe in the future I might upgrade some things, but for a stock vehicle I couldn’t be more pleased. Great video by the way.
As someone who owns a first gen tacoma and is in the market for a new truck (gladiator, ranger, tacoma) this was helpful to see your opinion on as built versions. I don't plan on going as wild but you can't argue how easy a gladiator is to get to a very capable point.
I wouldn’t get the Ranger unless it’s the new Raptor coming out or you’re willing to spend some money on replacing the entire suspension. Travel on the suspension is 6/8 inches front and rear, trucks like the ZR2 and the TRDs have more travel in the front than the Ranger does the rear.
This helps us a lot! We have always loved Toyota but have been really looking into the Gladiator. Grateful to have something honest to actually help with decision making. Thank you for keeping your content honest!
As a person who has been a die hard toyota guy and wanted something out of the box from the show room floor. I’d go with a gladiator or JL rubicon. They just work.
Agreed! Toyota makes a great off-road platform. If they add a few more things to the “off-road package” ie: front locker, small lift, 285/70/17 tires it’s a good base to start from. Anyways I enjoys your video Nate! Keep it up!
@@JayJay-tg7jx Same here. I used to be a die hard Toyota guy but as I got older I realized it's no fun at all. Seriously. Why limit yourself to just a single brand manufacturer? Explore your options and give each competing vehicle a chance. You never know you just may change your mind about it. Went from a Tacoma to a Colorado and then the Gladiator. The Gladiator is by far my most favorite truck.
The Tacoma is getting updated for 24 and I’m hoping it brings rear disc brakes and coil springs all around. The 2022 is pretty much the exact same as my 2004 Tacoma and that was already around for several years so Tacoma’s need a redo asap.
I'm a square body chevy fan 100% .... never been a fan of jeeps ever but the biggest thing I'm seeing and understanding about this video is that the jeep is much easier for the user to mod when the toyota with out having any real skills saw of welding or fabbing thanks this was grate to watch keep it up
I really want Nate to drive my frontier someday. I don't think it could beat a gladiator, but I do think it could compete a bit better. And the way you could mod a Nissan is more up Nate's alley.
Very good video!! I’m a Toyota guy with a lifted 4runner 5th gen TRD off road and love it! But dang, i do love the modification ability of the gladiator and the truck bed!! I’ve been a Toyota guy, because in my case, they have been the most reliable car manufacturer I’ve owned.
Im a Tacoma Owner and I appreciate this videos content. I've been a fan of your videos for years. At the end of the day I am and possibly always will be a Toyota owner.
I am a toyota and jeep fan also and have built both through the years. Right now I own both also and if I had to choose one I couldn't. I love my cruiser and my jeep both are great but they are just used for different objectives. Great video!!!! You gained a new fan.
It's not easy to just bolt in a solid front axle on the Tacoma. Some things will need to be changed or modified such as steering components, suspension, sensors etc in order to make everything work but yeah it's not impossible to do the conversion.
The Tacoma is really only reliable with the base 2.7 engine. The 3.5 is very iffy, and overall just a terrible engine for a pickup truck. Also I hate my taco’s transmission. The ZF 8 speed in the Jeep feels way more refined and comfortable to drive
@@BrandonEht Wow. Thanks for being honest. I tell people that too regarding the automatic transmissions between the two trucks but I often get a middle finger from the die-hard Toyota guys. I don't even get to have an opinion anymore lol. I have to tell them their Tacoma's 6 spd auto transmission is the best one out there and all will be good.
@@jthor8373 Boy do I hate the Toyota diehards. Just because they made fantastic shitboxes in the 90s and early 2000s. Their newer stuff is just lazy and underpowered. I bought my taco 2 years ago and I really just don’t like it. I just rented a Wrangler and couldn’t believe how much more I like it. Thinking of going gladiator though because I enjoy having a bed
You just confirmed what I’m doing. I have a 2021 Tacoma that I drive as my daily and am planning on building up a Jeep for playtime. I never saw Tacomas as something to hit the trails with, maybe shelf roads and log roads but that’s it. Good on you for keeping it real. I would expect nothing less from a Oklahoma boy. God bless!
Awesome comparison! I just cross shopped 2022 tacomas and 2022 gladiator rubicon/mojave. I ended up with the TRD Offroad tacoma because of the on-road handling, steering feel, ride, and seating position. The road is very rough to get up to my home (1800ft climb up a mountain) and the tacoma rode MUCH better than even the mojave. I still love the gladiator’s and tried my best to talk myself into one. Had to beg it to go 70 and it was like sailing a boat down the highway when you get it up to speed. It’s seating position was kinda like a park bench compared to the more sedan like position in the tacoma. At the time adaptive cruise was not offered on the gladiator because of the chip shortage… that was a big downside since most of my trip to work is highway. For strictly offroading there is no doubt the jeep is the winner. For daily driver… my money went to toyota.
LOL, have owned both, this is laughable. Tacoma's are horrible on road, legitimately unsafe. The are horrible in the wet and in ice, and not good anywhere else. You all are going against any current reviews as well. The Gladiator was much better. Off road, it was much closer, would pick a Tacoma for fire roads every day, but not for any serious off road. Still a decent pickup truck, just from the 90's.
@@idnar742 90 mph sucks in both vehicles lets be real here. Before I lifted my diesel JT it got ~ 29mpg at 70 Now on 39s it hovers around 24 mpg at 70. Thats 4.56 axle gearing.
I like the comparison and I too do not look at consumer reports for reliability points, I’m just speaking from experience my Tacoma has zero issues my jeep was at least in the shop for something every 6 months or so , jeep also broke down on me clutch master cylinder went out on hunt I was on in a very remote area left me stranded and also another time let me on the side of the highway because of a sensor that died , I like jeeps but will not own another one again, Tacoma has never left me stranded and to me that is way more important than low gearing . Thanks for sharing your opinion
I am a Toyota guy but man that was a brutally honest and factual review. Sounds like the Gladiator is pretty cool! But man are they ugly until you mod the crap out of them. I sure hope you have a first gen 4Runner behind that wall!
Love this comparison. As a fan of old Toyotas if I was going to get a newer vehicle I'd definitely lean to the jeeps. I worked on them all summer and they are build with us as offroad enthusiasts in mind much more then the tacomas are. Also it would be sick to have the 70 series here! I think there is a lot of big diesel guys that would convert over.
@@DirtLifestyle Wow! I can't wait to see it. I wish I kept my FZJ80 alongside my JKU Rubicon. Those 80 series Land Cruisers in my humble opinion is the four door Wrangler of Toyota.
@@kcw9313 Yep. Solid axles front and rear with locking differentials both from the factory. Both four doors and similar size. Weighs about the same. I do love the inline 6 engine in the Land Cruiser a little bit more. I'll take this over the current 4runner any day for off-road fun because seriously it is that good but hey that's just me. Enjoy what you have.
Addressing the reliability ad thing: in the two examples you showed those were ads powered by Google showing you an ad based on what’s on the page and your search history not driven by the site itself. That’s the same for the large majority of those sites. But your point still stands about those articles generally being junk.
Long time viewer Nate, awesome video! I have a few points to make. The Tacoma was never designed or intended to go up against the Gladiator in offroad prowess. Its main competitors are the Colorado and Ranger. 1. The Gladiator is an offroad vehicle that can be daily driven. 2. The Tacoma is a daily driver that can be taken offroad. Each one compared against the other in their main engineered field will fall behind, but that's the point, it's intentional. The open C channel frame, for you is a negative, but for on road, the added flexibility makes it more comfortable, it's also less prone to breaking compared against a boxed frame. However, more prone to bending if overloaded.
I love jeeps, Toyotas and Scouts. Love the honest, done to earth approach to your review and all your videos Nate. Never any sides taken. Love all your videos! Don’t be discouraged by some people’s reactions and comments.
Nice job dude. I’ve looked at the Gladiators a million times because they offer what I wish Toyota would offer here. I do think with the revamp of the 70 series on the horizon, if it can pass safety requirements we could see it. The 2024 Tacoma will have a better frame for sure, but everything else is still up in the air. Hoping Toyota really makes it impressive, or I’m going to buy a Grenadier or who knows, maybe even a Jeep.
As someone who is looking to get started with off-roading, and having fun with wintersports, this was very helpful. I have been eyeballing the gladiator for about a year now. Maybe this year, I'll pull the trigger. Looking for a Swiss army knife truck. Hopefully, the gladiator can deliver.
I wanted to say thank you for this. I was in a Tacoma Off Road on 33s and was left feeling limited after Moab last year. I was looking at what it would take to move to 35s - the right way - and it was expensive enough I wanted to revisit the JT. This was exactly the info I needed. I'm now in a JTR with 37s and 4.88s and loving it. Keep it up man!
Finally someone states some cold hard facts!!!! A lot of people, including Tacoma owners, need to know this. Not in a way to offend people but to hold toyota accountable for continuing to make an outdated, fragile and unreliable pickup truck unfortunately mislabeled as a true off roader like nate has stated here and in passed Tacoma videos. The grass is greener on the other side but the current grass can be made greener as well.
Good video Nate. My thoughts exactly across the board. I'm 6' 2 and the Taco felt to small inside. I think resell value on both are high compared to other brands.
I'm same height and we have a bunch of Tacomas at work. I call them the "4wd Carollas" cuz they are small and under powered. Not good for long distance at all.
Exactly why I went with my gladiator. Sat in a Tacoma and my knees were literally in the steering wheel. Not for tall people. Definitely don't like feeling like I'm sitting on the floor either
Its not just the size of the cabin . Tacomas are hands down the most bound-up, restrictive driving experience. The seat / steering wheel ergonomics were paired up by a team of monkeys
Hi there Nate... I'm a long time subscriber and I'm definitely pro Toyota as I'm a Master Toyota technician at a dealership. With that being said I agree with what you have said in this video. In my opinion it's very straightforward and honest. As a previous jeep owner I do enjoy my Toyota made vehicle more. I used to own and trail ride my 94 jeep grand Cherokee. I also spent A LOT of money and time repairing and upgrading it. I now own and trail ride a 99 Lexus LX 470. My Lexus sits on 35 nitto mud grapplers and has a 12k badlands Apex winch and winch bumper. I also have a snorkel for the exact reasons you mentioned for the intake on your Tacoma. My Lexus has 280k miles on it and I wouldn't be worried about driving it anywhere. In my case my Lexus ( aka Toyota land cruiser) has definitely been more reliable than my jeep was with 98k at the time I bought it. I definitely enjoyed your way of doing a comparison of 2021 vehicles but there's a lot of people that don't wheel newer trucks and SUVs. My question would be which vehicle will still be going at over 200k miles. Time will tell. I enjoy your videos and I'll definitely be watching in the future. Keep up the good work brother
Tacoma and 4runner owner here.. Really appreciate the FREAKING AWESOME break down. 2919 Tacoma, 1989 4runner. If Toyota followed suite and put outa throw back 4runner.. I would push grandma over to buy it.
This video is great coming from a die hard Toyota guy (Own a 2021 TRD OR and 1st gen 4R on 40's with SAS 8" axles) and you bring up facts that hurt me a bit but I have one issue that you didn't mention. You said it cost you substantially more to bring the Tacoma's suspension/gearing to where it is vs the Jeep. My 2021 TRD OR bought brand new was $41,000 OTD with taxes & interest included. A Rubicon Gladiator with the most basic off road oriented options priced out at $62,000 OTD with taxes in my area. Thats a $21,000 difference that your paying for to get that Gladiator. Lets say you spend another 6K for the gears, wheels, tires, lift and do it yourself, now your at $68,000 for the ideal rig. Then the tacoma costs 10K for controls arms, suspension, steering rack, Gears, shafts with wheels /tires. If you want crazy low gears marlin offers their taco box for 3K that makes the final drive 230 to 1. 41000K+10K+3K=$54,000 for completely built tacoma vs $68,000 for a similar Jeep. Still a $14,000 difference. No doubt the gladiator is slightly better OEM but your paying for it even with or without it built.
When I bought my 21 Tacoma access cab 4x4 6mt. I never thought I was buying a jeep killer. I wanted a pickup for overlanding/camping, daily driver, hauling stuff for my fabrication projects and look good doing it. But never ever replace my built TJ. But to your video. The Gladiator does have a downfall. 2 to many doors with that bed.
Love Toyota with all my heart... My 2010 4Runner is amazing. My sister just bought a gladiator.... The more I mess with it, the more I like it. Extremely cool truck. I'd take it over a Tacoma any day.
4 runner > Tacoma. I do really like my taco now that it's on 39s but the taco is a cheap nock off of everything else toyota makes. The 4runner is soooo much better built and has way better parts.
The advertising is not chosen by the website, it's typically done by one of the major ad companies that track how you found the site (google) and the keywords. That's why certain advertisements follow you from website to website. Also, consumer reports do not just take people contacting them. They send a poll out to their paying subscribers that ask what cars they own and whether they have had any issues with various parts (engine, electrical, drivetrain, brakes, etc). Builds a nice batch of data over the years on what vehicles and manufacturers have been more or less reliable and the types of failures. Great video BTW, love the real-world examples.
DUDE! This comparison has been most favorite video of 22/23! I love both brands, but the comments made at the end of this video are the consumers concerns. Thank you!
It’s comes down to each vehicle brands issues. Back in the day Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep had real issues w alternators and the electrical system. But that old slant 6 engine was damn near indestructible. Jeep’s straight 6 is a GREAT running dependable engine. The 90’s model GM 5.7L engines were almost bullet proof as long as you didn’t run them super hot, it would blow the head gaskets every time if you did. Best engine in a truck I ever owned was a ‘93 Chevy Suburban w the 5.7. Rear freeze plugs went out. I could literally watch the water pour out the starter opening as fast as I could pour it in the radiator. But for several months I would drive it into town and back about 10-12 miles 1 way by filling the radiator b4 leaving, stopping halfway adding water, stopping halfway on the way home adding water again and make it home. After about 3 mos took to shop to have this fixed (can’t physically do this myself anymore, cause they’re on the rear of engine block, have to pull trans, transfer case & flywheel). After this truck was fine. I had an ‘85 F150 w a 5.0 that drive thru sand mud and towed amazing loads in FL, but being only 2wd would get stuck on the side of the road in wet grass in the TN mountains.
Tacoma owner, still subscribed😂. I also count myself as a Jeep guy, owned, daily drove, and wheeled Wranglers for 15yrs before buying the Tacoma in 2018. Probably would have bought a Gladiator if it was out then. Fair points in your video, but having owned the Tacoma for 5 years now, it’s been great and I love it. I’ve always felt if running 35’s (or more) was the goal nothing is better than the Jeep platform. This Tacoma was designed and delivered when the mid size market was much different than it is now. I expect the new Tacoma will reflect the current competition much more enthusiastically.
I went from a 21 TRD Pro Taco to a 21 Gladiator Rubicon. Never gonna miss that Taco even though I have been a Toyota guy since my first one 79 FJ40. I miss that FJ40. The closest I can come to that (in the pickup truck form) is the Rubicon Gladiator. I am keeping it.
Canadian-Cold Hard Facts! These 2 vehicles are so far out of my financial and technical needs. The Jeep Gladiator off road is insane. The Tacoma needed some very expensive mods to compete. I’m really enjoying my stock 2020 TRD Sport DCLB 4X4. This daily driver does everything we need and at something we can afford. I’m content to just watch you fellas play in the big leagues with these very expensive off-road beasts.
I appreciate you listing the actual side by side measurements. I’m a Toyota 4Runner owner and for my needs that’s what was best suited for the off-roading travel I wanted to do. There’s no doubt that Jeep is better suited to upgrade for more difficult trails. If I could have two vehicles for off-roading I’d get a Jeep as my other one. I will tell you I towed a Jeep on a car dolly just about 150 miles and didn’t even feel it back there. Granted it was flat pavement. Oh, and I think you’d pick up more women with a Jeep. Especially during the summer with no doors or top. IMO
![BLACK BAG - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters March 14](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Du0Xp8WX_7I/mqdefault.jpg)
As the owner of a 2021 Tacoma and a 2021 Gladiator I'm uniquely qualified to speak on these trucks. 2 years of ownership, building them for 39s and lots of hard use has made it very obvious which truck is better build... it's the one with the best parts.
As much as I wanted this Tacoma to be better than the Gladiator, it just isn't. There are still so many more ways that the Gladiator is superior to the Tacoma, I didn't even bring up that the Taco comes with leaf springs 🤦♂️ but I decided while shooting this video that enough was enough.
If you have hard data on reliability please post that in the comments so we all can finally find a reliable source of these statistics.
Until then, the reliability of one vs other is purely speculative. My Taco has had plenty of problems in the last 20k and the Gladiator has only had a cracked windshield but is that typical? This is anecdotal at best, so until we can find some real numbers, I don't want to pretend one is more reliable than the other.
I hope you enjoy the video! This will no doubt be controversial!
When's this new Toyota project getting announced? 🤔 Landcruiser content?
Nate, thanks for the video. I have 3 Jeeps, a 2nd Gen Yota, and a 6.2L GMC. No brand loyalties or hurt feelings here. I have a major issue and a minor issue with the content though. Your commentary on the frames is off base. Almost 100% of commercial trucks on the planet are riveted C-channel because it is a superior design for truck applications. It is not as simple as comparing a width & height or boxed vs open without consideration for materials or designed flexture. Yes, tacoma frames rust, but my boxed-LJ frame is rotted too. As for the minor issue, comparing the diameter of a disc with the diameter of a drum is numerically meaningless; It is only about swept area, pressure, and friction coefficients. Those factors govern the friction force and the 'diameter' the resulting torque.
@Distraught Cruiser Owner announced officially in March. It's for a build off I'm doing with some other RUclips channels. We each got 15k to buy and build a 4x4 into a rock crawler. The only think I was interested in was a 80s series... 😁
@viperstd I do appreciate the comment, and I respect your perspective. But as someone who makes videos every week, I've learned not to muddy the waters too much. Modern commercial trucks do have c channel frames. So do RVs. But that is not relevant to a conversation about trucks in this class. Commercial trucks are not designed for offroad, so having a flexible frame is not a big of a deal on the hwy. But with trucks of this smaller size, it is a huge deal. The construction method for Tacoma was to be as cheap as possible. That's why it's a c channel frame, not because it was designed to be flexible. It's flexible as a result of cost, not engineering. Look at all the taco owners that pay really good money to box these frames in. The frames are a problem.
As far as the brakes, I agree. I almost didn't include it, but I think it's important to consider that this truck has drum brakes, and since I was measuring the gladiator, it made sense to toss some measurements of the Tacoma. The reality is that drum brakes are terrible in an off-road environment, and I should have pointed out why instead of just using measurements. That was absolutely my mistake. I do feel it's important to make things as simple as possible in these videos but you are absolutely right, the size of the drum is not relevant. 👍
@@DirtLifestyle finally 😍 have fun with that crawl ratio 😂 2.95 first gear and 2.488t case matched up to some 4.10s
As someone who has wrenched on all brands of trucks. Fords drove me nuts the most. Wranglers werent difficult, but you ended up using way more sockets to do any task over the other brands, it was odd as the Grand Cherokees werent that way. Toyotas were my absolute favorite though, they just made sense and were easier to work on. But yes, for actual off roading the Jeep all day long. But for a daily, I would take Tacoma any day.
Older jeeps needed a mix of standard and metric sockets which drove me nuts (and bolts ). Haven't worked on newer Grand Cherokees so maybe they standardized
I hate working on fords they are so weird and quirky
@@jeepstertj556 Modern Fords definitely, but I'm biased against most modern vehicles. My first truck was a 1960 Ford 1/4-ton, straight six, three-speed with the shift lever on the steering column. I could climb over the fenders, straddle the front axle and stand on the ground while working on the engine. A very simple set of tools was all I needed.
@@theeddorian I second this. I used to hate Fords, but after wrenching on even just 90s trucks, I have more respect for Ford. Modern Ford is just annoying.
I recall my 1993 F-250 was more difficult to repair than my Toyota trucks, the Toyotas we’re definitely easy to repair, ironically the three Toyotas I owned all new and put high mileage on all the trucks including the ford 250 and my current 2015 Silverado 1500, my Toyotas had the weakest front ends, almost like clockwork every year I’d be doing ball joints and brakes, my F-250 went 120,000. Km before I had to replace the callipers, my Silveradohas 170,000. Km and just replaced the callipers to be safe, im not happy with the Silverado transmission, absolute junk, I love and hate them all, although for a daily driver I drive my civic, lol. Way better on fuel, I used to daily drive my 2015 Silverado with 33” tires with a 2” lift.. the fuel economy is extremely expensive, lol
“This is the point where I lose subscribers”. Meh, you’ll get more. We appreciate the honesty.
Bingo PAL 😊
I usually don't take time to comment on these, but you are right, this is the only one I've seen that took a factual look. I'm a Jeep jockey with a CJ2A in the garage. I have to say, having heard all the Toyota hype from a neighbor and others, I really didn't expect the outcome you came to. I really appreciate factual reviews like this. If you did reviews for products in my industry, I would definitely put you on the aproved list. Thanks again.
Can’t stand the haters. It’s an off road community. We’re all here to lift up, help one another, and have the most fun on the trail. Proud Xterra owner and I have never wanted for another vehicle or made fun of another persons rig. P.s. You wanna talk about difficulty sourcing mods !!? 😂
I hear the newer Xterra are the best, any
Comments ?😊
Dude, I've wanted an xterra for many years. That's definitely on the build bucket list for me!
Lol off-roaders lift their vehicles but not their friends 😢
@@DirtLifestylereally dude you’ve wanted one but got these instead? Surprised you didn’t end up with a d40 pro4x seeing as it falls perfectly between these two trucks. Not to mention the whole titan swap thing speaking of front end build cost.. +6” long travel from the Nissan oem catalog (tie rod extensions aren’t oem if you want to split hairs but)
@@Pooooooopsif you want OEM you don’t need tie rod extensions, I used titan inners and outers straight from the dealership when I did my swap.
As a 3rd gen Tacoma owner, I am fully aware the Gladiator is better by the numbers as you've pointed out. For myself--and I suspect many others--it comes down to price. I got my fully loaded Off Road for $39k out the door in 2020. The fully loaded Gladiator (which is what you're comparing it against) was $65k at the time before TTL. After TTL we're talking about it being more than 70% higher in cost so it better damn well be better. I guess what I'm saying is, I'm not flustered by this comparison because to me it isn't apples-to-apples.
for the cost of the jeep you can throw a lot at a taco
@@MyLonewolf25 hmm I bet there is a lot of cash 💵 in the taco 🌮 front end , as to me the taco is a toy 🧸. The frame alone is a do not pass go mistake , Why would I wanna buy a Taco pretzel truck 🛻? But most people don’t really care, for Soccer mom /dad duty . But when you start off roading , as the presenter is alive due to Jeep yj roll cage . Note he said Rolled the Jeep is still square, and still in use #10 years on .
The old adage is true you get what you pay for 0iiiiiii0
@@andrewp1427
1. It all comes down to application. For 95% of people, the stock Tacoma with some mild mods is plenty for their purposes. If you’re in the 5% (or less), Gladiator is the better choice.
2. The frame issues, providing you don’t ignore the payload capacity, aren’t really an issue anymore. Again, back to the 5% (or less). Application is key here. Again. all about application.
3. As previous commenter said, apples and oranges with cost
4. I wouldn’t trust the eco diesel, whatever generation, long term. Sad a gas engine would last longer than a diesel, but that’s where we are at with those Italian designed 3.0 diesels.
5. Toyota has a reputation for reliability and longevity that is unmatched. All the specs in the world don’t matter if the expensive vehicle doesn’t last remotely as long. That was earned over the last 40+ years. Almost all people don’t have dedicated trail rigs. They daily drive their rig and put lots of miles on them. Personally, I can think of 20 Toyotas my family has owned, putting between 150,000-220,000 miles on them, there have been no major issues, 99% routine maintenance. FCA has the opposite reputation.
In summary, the Tacoma has plenty of flaws that were called out in this video correctly, but your snide comment tells about 20% of the story.
@@MyLonewolf25 never mind that for the price of the gladiator i could buy a taco a quad and a small trailer to tow it LOL THEN whos making it furthur down the trail??
@@andrewp1427 you get less aerodynamics than a cow for 65k?
I believe you've been the only one to actually measure the interior of a truck, where it makes sense, and did it with confidence. No big dashes or little dashes!
That's what I like about your channel, you keep it simple, straight and with a fair amount of know how!
This one was a winner!
This video should be watched by all prospective buyers with intent to use their truck for off-road. Very well done.
I have owned two 3rd gen Tacoma’s. My current is a 2021 TRD off-road and I absolutely love it.
You’re not losing me as a subscriber. What you are saying is undeniable. I’m not doing super hardcore rock crawling and I have no desire to put 39s on my truck so it works great for me. If I did though, I would absolutely be looking at a jeep.
Great video, thanks Nate!
As a 3rd gen Tacoma owner I agree with you. If I was a serious off-road guy I'd have definitely went with the jeep. I live in southwest Louisiana so mostly flat roads driving to the hellaport for work, so looks and handling works for me!
That's the problem with people these days, they're not willing to let people have there own opinion anymore without hating them in the process. Love your channel, keep up the great work!
Nate coming in with the cold, hard facts
I'm doing my best over here lol
@@DirtLifestyle and it shows, friend.
TL;DR version:
- Jeep is better offroad. Tacoma is better onroad.
- Diesel is better for towing and torque than gasoline. He does not compare gas to gas engines, which is silly since most people don't buy diesels. And well, everybody knows how "great" Jeep's gas engines and transmissions are.
- Tacoma rear drum brakes are much weaker.
- Jeep's air filter on the diesel causes the engine to run hot through EGR because it's undersized. His Tacoma body mods make his air filter clog too fast.
- Jeep has a better drivetrain (post-transmission). See 16:39 for his page.
- Jeep has a good roll cage. Not comparable with Toyota since Toyota has airbags.
- Tacoma handles much better.
Criticism:
- Diesel as a whole is a downside for most people. Not an upside.
- 39s as a whole is a downside for most people. Not an upside.
- He does not mention at all the most important feature regarding interior ride quality, ambient sound level. For anyone that doesn't know: Look up the video "Jeep Hard Top vs Soft Top Sound Level Comparisons". Jeeps are hearing-damage inducing on the inside (90db+). Tacomas are not. Not relevant if you already have severe hearing damage, but it is relevant.
- He's wrong about where the Toyota frames fail. They generally fail on the upward arcing section on the rear end, or on the section just before the middle brace. Not where they are riveted. Source: Am a Toyota tech at a Toyota dealer. All truck frames rust exactly the same up here in salt hell. Box frames are just easier to spray paint and hide the rust cancer. The main difference is that Toyota actually had a customer service program for dealing with it as a form of PR. All other brands just tell you to get bent. Plus, most brands don't sell Tacoma sized trucks in any volume (which is why nobody talks about Colorados or Rangers), so everyone compares apples to oranges (F150 to Tacoma) instead, and obviously heavier duty vehicles will have more meat before the rust becomes severe.
- Toyota frames are hot dipped the same way as the jeep frame is. This is standard industry procedure from trucks to unibodies. He's wrong here.
- Gladiator is only 2 years old. "They don't make x for y issue because y doesn't happen" is pretty moot.
The real truth: Buying a truck for "investment" value is dumb. Any truck you buy for resale value is going to lose all that value with the money you spend in fuel to run it. Who cares if a truck nets you $5k more after 5 years if you spend $2k more each year to drive it.
Speaking about jeep wrangler cages, i have a similar story. I rolled several times off the side of a Colorado mountain road and had a direct impact on the driver a-pillar. The cage did its job and would not wheel another vehicle without one, Ill personally vouch for the stock wrangler one.
Great video with good info on both vehicles. I have a 87 toyota pickup with a 4-linked SAS. It would be great to see Toyota go back to the tougher older trucks and bring back the removable top 4runner. I appreciate what Jeep has done with the Gladiator. Hopefully Toyota will follow suit. Keep up all the great work on your builds and videos.
Thanks Nate! I don’t even own a off-road rig and I watch every “episode” of Dirt Lifestyle. Home mechanics and fabricators can learn a lot from your content.
Taco guy here but also love the Gladiator. They both seem great and I did get my Toyota for its reliability - which also comes down to how you maintain the vehicle. Loved this video, enjoyed hearing the facts and that is what matters to me. Cheers
Between the fab work and your video quality, these are the types of videos that make your channel great! I'm always looking forward to the next video!
Thank you! I'm honored!
I came for the Disco 2 content. I know damn well you're not getting paid for that. This is the type of video that makes some of us more loyal. I won't be buying either these vehicles anytime soon, but I appreciate your willingness to put out an honest comparison at your expense, both in monetary terms as well as your reputation (among the haters Toyota/Jeep).
I noticed the rust with the Tacoma and I was wondering why as the Gladiator looked very rust free (underneath both), but Nate gave a very good explanation why, and for me faced with a choice of the two I would go with the Gladiator just for frame difference.
The government came down pretty hard on jeep Chrysler Fiat for their bad welds on the frames they wouldn’t fix and the government made them. I don’t trust Chrysler Jeep Fiat
Drive an old beater in the snow. Why get wet salt all over a $50,000 plus truck? When I build my rig, I'm going to be keeping my GTI for winter driving, not that my GTI is a beater but its probably only worth $7-8 grand.
@@flexapex9801 Perhaps, but Toyota is still replacing failed frames, and there are still Tacomas on the road with failed frames.
@@brentworls8509 Yes I understand that but the government had to step in for them to fix it.
@@brentworls8509 3rd gens have c channel frames they have the same normal rust as any other vehicle. It just depends if you take care of it or not.
I had an overlanding buddy back in the midwest do a trip to Drummond Island a month ago in his tacoma and he bent the frame going through some mud pits. He is currently bending the frame back and building frame stiffeners for it. Having a boxed frame is a game changer even though it is a small thing to think about. Great video!
If you remove the brands it was basically a break down of why solid axils are better for DIY budget minded 4x4 builds. Your money and time goes further with solid axils. IFS is more for going fast and spending big money to do it where better handling is more important. Basically for general 4x4 trails or rock crawling get a Jeep. If you want to go fast in the desert 2x4 Tacoma and lots of money.
Very accurate assessment 👏
Glad you put the lots of money in there and 4x2 as that’s how you can get ultra long travel because of the lack of front driveshafts and diff.
Don't overlook the fact the the Toyota's are underpowered. Nothing more annoying than driving a truck that can't keep up without downshifting constantly.
Having owned a JK and 2.5 gen Tacoma I’d like to stay the same.
Jeep for rock crawling, more aggressive off roading at slow speed, modification variety
Tacoma for more faster speed off roading and a more comfortable on road driving vehicle
Being a mechanic for multiple brands of vehicles, mainly four-wheel-drive. Diesels can be awesome for the right driver. There’s facts where I live that change the who’s best scenario salty highways. the slush and salt gets inside of a box frame unless it’s metal thickness overkill or coated properly or built with material that helps fight corrosion. The old style Toyota box frame holds more corrosive material. The 79 style toy pickup only four-wheel-drive pick up was a nightmare of frame rust. I’m talking pre-Tacoma. I also found Dana axles the same size axle shaft we’re stronger than Toyota axles. Because of the material. Thickness alone of material isn’t the whole story. Mild steel isn’t mild steel. What I did notice Toyota does a great job with is wiring. Older dodges used Bosch connectors. They quit doing that it was expensive and boy did corrosion start in the wiring. All kinds of issues after that. Toyota does a good job on their engine. They don’t have phaser problems like Fords, every manufacturer has positives and negatives. If you’re going to modify your vehicle ease of modification is huge hats off to jeep. User-friendly.
The main issue is this. The two points that you rate the Tacoma higher, is what sells vehicles. 99% or more of the buyers will rate those two things as deciding factors in favor of the Tacoma as their purchase decision. Yes, for an off roading vehicle, the Gladiator has way more features in it's favor. But as an over all sales decision, Toyota has made the choices that matter to the vast majority of buyers. And that's why you see things in your list rated as they are. I agree with you 100% on your rankings. But your rankings are based on what's important to a small percentage of the buyers, a very small percentage. I also have owned both a 2020 Gladiator Rubicon and a 2020 Tacoma Pro. My preference is not important to this video. I am just explaining my opinion of why these trucks are as they are.
well yeah of course, jeeps marketing is much different than toyotas, they arent going for what the majority of buyers want
Most people who buy JTs are attracted to the off road aspects even if they wll end up using it as a mall crawler. I own Jeeps and they are used off road a good bit, with a lot of over the road trips to get to the Rocky Mnts or the Mountains in Maine or the scrub lands of Florida or the desert west. I find items at truck stops that tend to make my over the road trips more comfortable, sure, not like a IFS will do, but the destination is often where Jeeps shine. I am building a "safari" vehicle out of a JTR to live off grid comfortably to hunt, fish, prospect, rock hound and just plain explore out of the way places and for that purpose there is no better vehicle than the JTR.
Owned a 21 TRD Off road. Hated the way it drove. Tuned it. Hated it. Regeared it. Still hated it.
Now I have a JT Rubicon Diesel. Drives so much better.
I wanted to love the taco, but I just don't. I miss the old gen 1 tacos. I'm tired of these oversized light trucks that are pretty much full sized... Gladiator included.
To sum it all up Toyota knows their buyers or customers and the same could be said for Jeep.
That eco diesel engine is a trash engine, that’s all you need to know
As an Aussie I found this really quite interesting. Jeep don't have a particularly good reputation here, and Toyota's reputation is second to none, but I'm amazed at the differences between the US Tacoma and the Hilux we get here.
I thought the Tacoma was basically a scaled up Hilux, but the Hilux gets a full boxed frame and a diesel engine at least...
They will all share the same frame in the next gen, Tacoma, 4Runner, Hilux and Fortuner. The Hilux is just plain old right now, it's getting fierce competition from newer trucks from different makers in many markets, especially Ford with their new Ranger. I suspect the next Hilux will be a big improvement, but I suspect your Aussie spec Hilux would not have faired much better in this comparison than the Tacoma did based on the mechanical criteria he used.
We have Toyota tax as well, it’s usually 5-7k more for similar year utes down here
What a complete and accurate breakdown. I’m a Jeep guy/channel but I wheel with guys that have other vehicles (ie yotas and Fords). Wheel and build what ya got and have fun with it.
Thanks brother
I'm waiting for the 2024's to come out and then I'm going to be deciding between Ford Ranger, Bronco, and the upcoming Tacoma. Brand loyalty is silly.
I appreciate you taking the time to put out this video. You have experience with both trucks in stock form and modified. Then you go and make a video based on those experiences which is the rarity in the online information space. You did what the internet is kinda lacking these days and that is put out information that allows the reader/watcher to form their own conclusion after the info is laid out in front of them. Thanks for putting yourself out there.
Great job Nate! I love your channel. Don’t change anything for us Tacoma owners.
Tacoma owner here: Been wanting to get a Gladiator but they are just way over priced. 1) Whoever says ford is reliable must work for ford. 2) Gladiator is a bigger chick magnet IMO. 3) Toyota gets the nod for long term reliability. 4) Great video!
For reliability I've seen fleets do a mix of all brands they looking at run for 2-4 years and see which is cheaper to run with fuel and break downs. Then when time to replace fleet they go with that option
I love how you used straight facts, reliable research and first hand personal experience to base this comparison on. Most people use emotion and hearsay when comparing vehicles like this. It's very hard to argue with facts and first hand experience.
I own a 2020 Tacoma and I was debating getting a gladiator, but the fact that a rubicon was 65k at the time and I was looking at 40k at the time for my off road 4x4 Tacoma. It made sense to me. I am not a hardcore offroader and I am not looking to get 37’s on my truck. I feel like it was a logical decision. Reality is for me if money was no object, then I’d probably have a gladiator or a full size. Thanks for this review. I am still a subscriber even though I am a Toyota fanboy. Facts are facts.
He clearly doesn't acknowledge this whatsoever in his video. The funniest part to me was comparing an EcoDiesel to an NA V6.... like.... what?
Tacoma will last you a long long time
From a Toyota owner and only Toyota owner (thus far), this has been my one gripe with Toyota. Jeep totally rules the off-roading section of the trucks and will have to agree with you. Can't beat facts and I appreciate you measuring out all the specs for all of us to see. Awesome Videos as always!
I really wish Toyota would bring in more engine options, offroad options, etc... like the jeep has.
Whats the point of an "Off-Road" Tacoma if theres nothing off road about it other than stickers that says off road?!?! Makes no sense. Jeep wins in this category all day.
Awesome video and great info!
I really hope that Toyota brings the 79 series landcruisers into the states at some point. They're honestly one of the few Toyota trucks that interest me and I think they look way better than the Gladiator
I totally get and agree with your suspicion of magazines. Consumer Reports is my go to for reliability reporting. Yes, you get some of that lack of knowledge from some reporters, but the way I see it you get equal representation between brands so that kind of comes out in the wash. Just my 2¢. Great video, thanks Nate.
Great video Nate, as someone who has had a few Toyotas [no jeeps yet] , I have to agree about the shortcomings of the Tacoma, I had a gen 2 taco and now have a gen 5 4runner and the 4runner is a much better vehicle than the taco in my experience/opinion.I also agree that the Jeep/Bronco/and Grenadier are upping the ante and I hope Toyota keeps up with them. I would buy a Troopy tomorrow if they were available here!
I love the troopy! The interior lacks a modern touch but all the most important offroad stuff is there. And what a great platform to start with.
The 4Runner interior doesn’t lack anything. It’s better than a Tacoma. I’ve had both and I have 2 new 4Runners now. Built better, and way better materials and cabin than the Tacoma. The 4.0 is vastly better than the 3.5z
This video is the best.
I have a 2015 Tacoma and a 2017 Tacoma. You are 100% spot on with everything. And I had a beefed-up Wrangler TJ on 35s for seven years, so I'm not some diehard Toyota fanboy.
In my opinion, people's biggest mistakes with Tacomas is trying to turn them into rock crawlers or desert runners. I understand that YOU did it as a proof of concept. But all of these Instagrammers (sorry Maxx lol) who put long(ish) travel kits and 35s or 37s on their 3rd gen Tacomas are turning their trucks into something that they aren't properly built to do. Tacomas a basically just Subarus with low range. They're not really adequately built or designed for rock crawling, or much of anything beyond a really washed-out forest road. Beyond that, you need at least 35" tires. And to put those tires on a Tacoma requires tons of frame and body cutting/welding. I have my 2nd gen Taco set up for backcountry adventuring (what people in the US like to call "overlanding"). It's got a beefed up suspension, ARB winch bumper, 10,000lb winch, rtt on a bed rack, Hammer Hangers, plenty of the good stuff. BUT, I refuse to put anything bigger than a 33" tire on it. Same with my 3rd gen. I actually only have 32s on both trucks. And you know what? They work fantastic for the things I do with the trucks.
Now, if I wanted to get into rock crawling and hardcore off-roading, I wouldn't further build out my 2nd gen and turn it into a rock crawler. I would get either a Wrangler/Gladiator or a Bronco. Because those vehicles are built from the factory to be able to do all of those things with minimal modification, if any.
I love my Tacomas. They're also a pain in the ass, but I mostly love them.
I think the main point of my sermon is: have realistic expectations of your specific vehicle. Because a lot of people do not.
Supposedly, the new 2024 off-road versions of the Tacoma are now actually designed for off-road and you can disconnect the front-end sway bar, have highly upgraded off-road suspension and other improvements. You have to remember that Jeeps like the Gladiator were made for off-road scenarios. Tacomas are made for a lot of other driving scenarios. The very fact that you can upgrade a Tacoma and make it into a capable off-roader is a complement to Toyota. I am not claiming that the beefed-up 2024 off-road version of the Tacoma is going to be as good as a Wrangler, but it will be faster, get far better gas mileage and it will be easier to drive in the city. The hybrid version of the 2024 Tacoma has 326 HP and 465 lb.-ft. of torque. It's going to be a beast by any measure. It also has a new eight-speed transmission and supposedly will get over 30 mpg. I have no doubt that it will be much more capable off-road with these improvements.
I have owned three Tacomas and currently own a 2009 Tacoma Sport version with TRD upgrades. Off of the lot it has been a very capable off-road vehicle, but it was never designed to be a Jeep-like off-roader. I have over 200,000 miles on it and I have never had to do any repair work on it. It still has the original hoses on it and they are still flexible and in good condition. The reliability of Tacomas is legendary.
The main problem with Jeeps, and several Jeep owners have told me this, is that they break down all the time and are very unreliable. I haven't owned a Jeep, but Jeeps in general have a very poor record for being reliable in almost every study I have read on the subject. Their new SUV uses plastic engine mounts or something like that which is just ridiculous. They are breaking like popcorn.
With all that said you still have one of the nicest 3rd gen Tacoma builds I’ve ever seen, and honestly all your trucks are badass...can’t wait to see more of the ZUK build, and always stoked to see your new video every Sunday thanks Nate 🤙🏽
As a guy who built a couple of JEEP TJ's with off the shelf parts, I am in awe of your talent and knowledge. Some of what you talk about is over my head, but I very much enjoy your channel.
After getting our gladiator I can’t tell you the weeks we spent looking for bed stiffeners after coming from our Tacoma. Ours was one of the unlucky tacomas where our bed split from our shell, tent, etc.
Sorry to hear that man! No fun at all. I hope you have better luck with the new truck! My wife and I have been very pleased with ours.
I appreciate this. I've owned 2 Tacomas, 2nd and 3rd gen. I traded the 2nd gen in for a 4 dr JK and then traded the JK for the 3rd gen. It was a TRD Pro, and I got a great deal. I went to the dealership for an oil change, and they offered me another great deal for the Pro, so I parted with it. Recently, I've gotten the itch to get back into off-roading, so I've been researching trucks. All the major brands, despite being a yota truck fan boy. The landscape has definitely changed with the bison/at4x being a solid off-road contender, IMO. That being said, it always comes down to, for me, the Gladiator vs. . The solid front axle, the vast aftermarket, and how easy it is to V8 swap it were what kept it in that spot. If it wasn't so awkward looking before big tires, it wouldn't be a 2nd thought. This video sealed the deal for me, though. The numbers on paper are just numbers until you put them into perspective visually. The point that was made about the roll cage is huge. It may be the most important thing besides a harness and experience that could save a life.
Pure awesomeness. Thank you for not comparing the infotainment, cup holder and sun visor placements. Not that it's not useful, but has been done trillion times. Thanks!
As the owner of a Wrangler JK and a Gladiator JT, I would've been interested in a comparison of the sun visor strength. I've broken both of mine in the Gladiator such that they flop around loosely, so added some reinforcements off eBay (new ones cost a couple hundred bucks). The Wrangler has nearly 300K miles, and, while pretty crappy to use (Gladiator's are way better for actually blocking the sun until they break), they still work fine.
Toyota/Lexus checks all my boxes but I love the fact-filled presentation. I will continue as a subscriber. Thanks.
Completely agree with all of this. As a Toyota guy I feel like Toyota needs to step it up, though I think their target market is still daily drivers not offroaders.
Toyota requires work to get it to be taken seriously on the trail, but it's great for overlanders and casual forest road travel. That's part of the appeal for me in some way, as I like to tinker and make something unique.
I will say Jeep needs help in the quality department from what I've seen, but if you get one that's sorted it's super capable off road. Wish there were more of them offroad here as they are made for the dirt.
Ultimately I'm excited for the next generation of Toyotas, but I'm not convinced they will make the right move to compete with Jeep or Ford because of the conservative style they maintain in the USA.
Long time Toyota owner here - grew up on them, owned many, love them. Recently traded in my 2017 Tacoma to give Jeep Wrangler Rubicon a go, big fan. Really happy with the Jeep, performance out of the box, and drivability. Still love Toyota too, but have curbed my bias. Great video.
This was exactly the comparison that I expected from you! Great job, I appreciate the fair breakdown of each. I am quite surprised at some of the Tacoma downsides for sure. Alas I’m an XJ guy and my J10 is by far my favorite non work truck.
Love me some XJ's!
2nd time Tacoma owner here. I actually REALLY appreciate you doing this. I've shared the video too. Thank you,
Despite your Tacoma's short comings it's still extremely capable and really one-of-a-kind! Let's be honest. How often do you see a tastefully modded Tacoma running on 39s? Definitely an attention grabber. Yes, I've seen Tacomas on 40s but those are usually trailered and chopped up to the point where they're buggies. Your Tacoma is still very functional and recognizable. Absolutely love both your trucks.
Bro… I got a 2010 JKU and a 2023 4Runner. Facts are facts and you wont lose this subscriber. Keep up the great content man!!
If someone isn't really an off-roader, the Tacoma is a GREAT smaller truck option, but the more 1 is asking of their truck, the quicker other options (i.e. the Gladiator for off-roading) surpass it.
A Taco is a completely fine choice for an off-roader. Put decent ATs on a stock Taco and the truck will go just fine. It's a shock to literally no one, including every sane Taco owner that when you are doing trails that require 39s a solid axle jeep is obviously better choice.
Yea interestingly enough I’d argue the gladiator is worse due to its wheelbase being 10” longer unless you go 37”+ tires then you see the gains. I like the taco it does what I ask of it but I’m not overloading it with weight or going larger than 35s. Handles on road great and that’s where I spend most my time. Almost got a jeep maybe next one
We need more reviews like this, great job. I was towing a very heavy duty trailer on I-5 in Everett with my Gladiator. Had to stop in the road to assist a crash victim. A young man rear ended my trailer at about 50 mph while I was stopped. He totaled his car, bent my trailer axle and my tow hitch down about 15 degrees, no frame or any other damage to the 2020 Gladiator.
Love this video! I am definitely a Toyota guy and loved watching you build the Tacoma. I have 3 old Toyotas for wheeling and a car for commuting and I’ve never owned a Jeep. But I gotta say if I were to buy a new one you got me convinced.
Appreciate this honest review. The 2023 Gladiator Mojave's are the same price as a 2024 Taco SR5 4x4 right now and this helped make me feel better about looking at the Gladiator most closely.
I love my Jeep Gladiator, I put it on 37s and a metal cloak lift. It literally has travel for days, it makes the 37s feel like 33s. I wasn't lucky enough to get the Ecodiesel because I really wanted Punk'N but the 3.6 V6 is still really good. The only problem is that it sucks down gas when I am not on the highway. I just love that if I eventually want to Hemi swap it one day, all the parts can stay. Really nice video, I love seeing a beautifully built Taco too!
Thanks, man!
I got to borrow a gladiator on 37s while I was in moab... it blew me away! It was the reason I went out and bought one. Once you see how great these are, everything else gets a lot less appealing
Figuratively
I am patiently waiting for the Punkn' color to come back!
@@halflo It's so nice! Shows no dirt, and you can do so many themes with it. Personally I did Charizard, but I have seen crazy Bengals and Gator ones.
Oh? Charizard truck sounds Cool! I just think that Punkn' looks great with the black accents! I was wondering about the dirt, so thanks for the information. I thought it would show dirt more than the Nacho color. The Punkn' just looks nicer overall to me. Thanks!
Tacoma owner here. Love your video and how honest/factual you are.
Love this Video. I’ve had both vehicles also and traded in the Taco pretty quickly for a Gladiator. Couldn’t agree more. I’m looking to start the gladiator build and have built wranglers before, but would love to see a video specifically around control arms and even more specifically boxed vs tubular. Have heard a lot of mixed information online and would love your opinion on it.
Purchased my Tacoma during the 2021 Pandemic. Came out to $67,000.
2021 Toyota Tacoma Off Road 4x4 Premium Manual Transmission.
Sticker said $41k MSRP. Dealer had mandatory $4,000 Mark Up Tag. Mandatory Prepaid Maintenance, Mandatory Extended Warranty, Mandatory GAP and Toyota Insurance regardless of your own Insurance. Just a bunch of add ons.
It is currently a $100k build. But seeing your Tacoma RCLTHD Suspension, I already know your build is also in the $100k Range.
wow awesome set up of vehicles!
Great video, yes no question about it, Jeeps are super easy to get big tires on. That being said I love my GX470 and the IFS, and it has a fully welded boxed frame. But I’m not loving that I need to really save up and spend some big coin to get that marlin crawler suspension, some day though…
I love the 470. Great platform, and it even though it's way older than my 3rd gen taco, it has much better parts. Coil springs, boxed frame, and disc brakes just to name a few.
I have a GX470 and I love the GX way of looking at an off roader. its ridiculous how much it does with 33s and a 2in lift. I have left jeepers with their jaws on the ground many times.
it just sucks so bad the wall of money and work you have to climb to go from 33 to 35. I am debating 34s and just cross my fingers I get enough of the capability of 35s to do what I want to do.
I’m 72 and have a 2021 stock Mojave, that I love. I also drive to my second home in northern Michigan. I was surprised how great it handed on the way up there. I have taken mine off road in Michigan and also can’t believe how it handles there as well. Maybe in the future I might upgrade some things, but for a stock vehicle I couldn’t be more pleased. Great video by the way.
As someone who owns a first gen tacoma and is in the market for a new truck (gladiator, ranger, tacoma) this was helpful to see your opinion on as built versions. I don't plan on going as wild but you can't argue how easy a gladiator is to get to a very capable point.
I wouldn’t get the Ranger unless it’s the new Raptor coming out or you’re willing to spend some money on replacing the entire suspension. Travel on the suspension is 6/8 inches front and rear, trucks like the ZR2 and the TRDs have more travel in the front than the Ranger does the rear.
This helps us a lot! We have always loved Toyota but have been really looking into the Gladiator. Grateful to have something honest to actually help with decision making. Thank you for keeping your content honest!
As a person who has been a die hard toyota guy and wanted something out of the box from the show room floor. I’d go with a gladiator or JL rubicon. They just work.
Agreed. And toyota makes some extremely competitive offroad platforms they just need to bring them here to the US. I want a 70 series sooooo bad lol.
Agreed! Toyota makes a great off-road platform. If they add a few more things to the “off-road package” ie: front locker, small lift, 285/70/17 tires it’s a good base to start from.
Anyways I enjoys your video Nate! Keep it up!
@@DirtLifestyle not gonna happen. Biggest problem is US regulations but also US consumers would complain that they’re too basic.
@@JayJay-tg7jx
Same here. I used to be a die hard Toyota guy but as I got older I realized it's no fun at all. Seriously. Why limit yourself to just a single brand manufacturer? Explore your options and give each competing vehicle a chance. You never know you just may change your mind about it. Went from a Tacoma to a Colorado and then the Gladiator. The Gladiator is by far my most favorite truck.
I want a 79 series 4 door pickup with a diesel and manual transmission, windows and locks like they get in Australia
Finally a channel with facts and not someone ranting about what they read online nor has any experience with wrenching
The Tacoma is getting updated for 24 and I’m hoping it brings rear disc brakes and coil springs all around. The 2022 is pretty much the exact same as my 2004 Tacoma and that was already around for several years so Tacoma’s need a redo asap.
I'm fine with rear leaf springs but that rear drum brakes has got to go lol.
I'm a square body chevy fan 100% .... never been a fan of jeeps ever but the biggest thing I'm seeing and understanding about this video is that the jeep is much easier for the user to mod when the toyota with out having any real skills saw of welding or fabbing thanks this was grate to watch keep it up
I really want Nate to drive my frontier someday. I don't think it could beat a gladiator, but I do think it could compete a bit better. And the way you could mod a Nissan is more up Nate's alley.
I like the frontiers! I'm more of an xterra guy but the frontiers are good trucks.
Very good video!! I’m a Toyota guy with a lifted 4runner 5th gen TRD off road and love it! But dang, i do love the modification ability of the gladiator and the truck bed!!
I’ve been a Toyota guy, because in my case, they have been the most reliable car manufacturer I’ve owned.
Im a Tacoma Owner and I appreciate this videos content. I've been a fan of your videos for years. At the end of the day I am and possibly always will be a Toyota owner.
I am a toyota and jeep fan also and have built both through the years. Right now I own both also and if I had to choose one I couldn't. I love my cruiser and my jeep both are great but they are just used for different objectives. Great video!!!! You gained a new fan.
Long term reliability and durability might go to the Tacoma. But, that being said NOTHING beats a solid front axle!!! Thanks for this👍🇺🇸
So put sfa on taco
It's not easy to just bolt in a solid front axle on the Tacoma. Some things will need to be changed or modified such as steering components, suspension, sensors etc in order to make everything work but yeah it's not impossible to do the conversion.
The Tacoma is really only reliable with the base 2.7 engine. The 3.5 is very iffy, and overall just a terrible engine for a pickup truck. Also I hate my taco’s transmission. The ZF 8 speed in the Jeep feels way more refined and comfortable to drive
@@BrandonEht
Wow. Thanks for being honest. I tell people that too regarding the automatic transmissions between the two trucks but I often get a middle finger from the die-hard Toyota guys. I don't even get to have an opinion anymore lol. I have to tell them their Tacoma's 6 spd auto transmission is the best one out there and all will be good.
@@jthor8373 Boy do I hate the Toyota diehards. Just because they made fantastic shitboxes in the 90s and early 2000s. Their newer stuff is just lazy and underpowered. I bought my taco 2 years ago and I really just don’t like it. I just rented a Wrangler and couldn’t believe how much more I like it. Thinking of going gladiator though because I enjoy having a bed
You just confirmed what I’m doing. I have a 2021 Tacoma that I drive as my daily and am planning on building up a Jeep for playtime. I never saw Tacomas as something to hit the trails with, maybe shelf roads and log roads but that’s it. Good on you for keeping it real. I would expect nothing less from a Oklahoma boy. God bless!
Awesome comparison! I just cross shopped 2022 tacomas and 2022 gladiator rubicon/mojave. I ended up with the TRD Offroad tacoma because of the on-road handling, steering feel, ride, and seating position. The road is very rough to get up to my home (1800ft climb up a mountain) and the tacoma rode MUCH better than even the mojave. I still love the gladiator’s and tried my best to talk myself into one. Had to beg it to go 70 and it was like sailing a boat down the highway when you get it up to speed. It’s seating position was kinda like a park bench compared to the more sedan like position in the tacoma. At the time adaptive cruise was not offered on the gladiator because of the chip shortage… that was a big downside since most of my trip to work is highway. For strictly offroading there is no doubt the jeep is the winner. For daily driver… my money went to toyota.
The Toyotas are definitely better on-road driving vehicle than a comparable Jeep.
LOL, have owned both, this is laughable. Tacoma's are horrible on road, legitimately unsafe. The are horrible in the wet and in ice, and not good anywhere else. You all are going against any current reviews as well. The Gladiator was much better. Off road, it was much closer, would pick a Tacoma for fire roads every day, but not for any serious off road. Still a decent pickup truck, just from the 90's.
@@garybonham6048 if ur Tacoma was bad in the wet/ice you either don’t know how to drive or most likely have terrible tires
@@idnar742 90 mph sucks in both vehicles lets be real here. Before I lifted my diesel JT it got ~ 29mpg at 70 Now on 39s it hovers around 24 mpg at 70. Thats 4.56 axle gearing.
@@mattbrew11 39s on a jeep are like the old 33s c'mon bro you can do better
I like the comparison and I too do not look at consumer reports for reliability points, I’m just speaking from experience my Tacoma has zero issues my jeep was at least in the shop for something every 6 months or so , jeep also broke down on me clutch master cylinder went out on hunt I was on in a very remote area left me stranded and also another time let me on the side of the highway because of a sensor that died , I like jeeps but will not own another one again, Tacoma has never left me stranded and to me that is way more important than low gearing .
Thanks for sharing your opinion
“But mah reliability” -Every Toyota owner in response to ANY criticism
😆
I am a Toyota guy but man that was a brutally honest and factual review. Sounds like the Gladiator is pretty cool! But man are they ugly until you mod the crap out of them. I sure hope you have a first gen 4Runner behind that wall!
Love this comparison. As a fan of old Toyotas if I was going to get a newer vehicle I'd definitely lean to the jeeps. I worked on them all summer and they are build with us as offroad enthusiasts in mind much more then the tacomas are. Also it would be sick to have the 70 series here! I think there is a lot of big diesel guys that would convert over.
I would sell many things to buy a 70 series lol. If you like the "older" Toyotas then you will appreciate my 97 80 series 😁 build starts in April
@@DirtLifestyle YES! YES! YES! This 80 series owner is cheering! Long time follower, Bring it on!
@@DirtLifestyle
Wow! I can't wait to see it. I wish I kept my FZJ80 alongside my JKU Rubicon. Those 80 series Land Cruisers in my humble opinion is the four door Wrangler of Toyota.
@@jthor8373 no
@@kcw9313
Yep. Solid axles front and rear with locking differentials both from the factory. Both four doors and similar size. Weighs about the same. I do love the inline 6 engine in the Land Cruiser a little bit more. I'll take this over the current 4runner any day for off-road fun because seriously it is that good but hey that's just me. Enjoy what you have.
Addressing the reliability ad thing: in the two examples you showed those were ads powered by Google showing you an ad based on what’s on the page and your search history not driven by the site itself. That’s the same for the large majority of those sites. But your point still stands about those articles generally being junk.
Long time viewer Nate, awesome video!
I have a few points to make. The Tacoma was never designed or intended to go up against the Gladiator in offroad prowess. Its main competitors are the Colorado and Ranger.
1. The Gladiator is an offroad vehicle that can be daily driven.
2. The Tacoma is a daily driver that can be taken offroad.
Each one compared against the other in their main engineered field will fall behind, but that's the point, it's intentional. The open C channel frame, for you is a negative, but for on road, the added flexibility makes it more comfortable, it's also less prone to breaking compared against a boxed frame. However, more prone to bending if overloaded.
I love jeeps, Toyotas and Scouts. Love the honest, done to earth approach to your review and all your videos Nate. Never any sides taken. Love all your videos! Don’t be discouraged by some people’s reactions and comments.
Nice job dude. I’ve looked at the Gladiators a million times because they offer what I wish Toyota would offer here. I do think with the revamp of the 70 series on the horizon, if it can pass safety requirements we could see it.
The 2024 Tacoma will have a better frame for sure, but everything else is still up in the air. Hoping Toyota really makes it impressive, or I’m going to buy a Grenadier or who knows, maybe even a Jeep.
Grenadier raised their prices $13,000 for 2023.
As someone who is looking to get started with off-roading, and having fun with wintersports, this was very helpful. I have been eyeballing the gladiator for about a year now. Maybe this year, I'll pull the trigger. Looking for a Swiss army knife truck. Hopefully, the gladiator can deliver.
I wanted to say thank you for this. I was in a Tacoma Off Road on 33s and was left feeling limited after Moab last year. I was looking at what it would take to move to 35s - the right way - and it was expensive enough I wanted to revisit the JT. This was exactly the info I needed. I'm now in a JTR with 37s and 4.88s and loving it. Keep it up man!
hey this will be me in a yr...
Finally someone states some cold hard facts!!!! A lot of people, including Tacoma owners, need to know this. Not in a way to offend people but to hold toyota accountable for continuing to make an outdated, fragile and unreliable pickup truck unfortunately mislabeled as a true off roader like nate has stated here and in passed Tacoma videos. The grass is greener on the other side but the current grass can be made greener as well.
Good video Nate. My thoughts exactly across the board. I'm 6' 2 and the Taco felt to small inside. I think resell value on both are high compared to other brands.
I'm same height and we have a bunch of Tacomas at work. I call them the "4wd Carollas" cuz they are small and under powered. Not good for long distance at all.
Exactly why I went with my gladiator. Sat in a Tacoma and my knees were literally in the steering wheel. Not for tall people. Definitely don't like feeling like I'm sitting on the floor either
Its not just the size of the cabin . Tacomas are hands down the most bound-up, restrictive driving experience. The seat / steering wheel ergonomics were paired up by a team of monkeys
Hi there Nate... I'm a long time subscriber and I'm definitely pro Toyota as I'm a Master Toyota technician at a dealership. With that being said I agree with what you have said in this video. In my opinion it's very straightforward and honest. As a previous jeep owner I do enjoy my Toyota made vehicle more. I used to own and trail ride my 94 jeep grand Cherokee. I also spent A LOT of money and time repairing and upgrading it. I now own and trail ride a 99 Lexus LX 470. My Lexus sits on 35 nitto mud grapplers and has a 12k badlands Apex winch and winch bumper. I also have a snorkel for the exact reasons you mentioned for the intake on your Tacoma. My Lexus has 280k miles on it and I wouldn't be worried about driving it anywhere. In my case my Lexus ( aka Toyota land cruiser) has definitely been more reliable than my jeep was with 98k at the time I bought it. I definitely enjoyed your way of doing a comparison of 2021 vehicles but there's a lot of people that don't wheel newer trucks and SUVs. My question would be which vehicle will still be going at over 200k miles. Time will tell. I enjoy your videos and I'll definitely be watching in the future. Keep up the good work brother
As a lifelong Toyota fan, I agree 100% with your comparison.
Thanks for the support, man! The new Yota build start in April 😁
Tacoma and 4runner owner here.. Really appreciate the FREAKING AWESOME break down. 2919 Tacoma, 1989 4runner. If Toyota followed suite and put outa throw back 4runner.. I would push grandma over to buy it.
This video is great coming from a die hard Toyota guy (Own a 2021 TRD OR and 1st gen 4R on 40's with SAS 8" axles) and you bring up facts that hurt me a bit but I have one issue that you didn't mention. You said it cost you substantially more to bring the Tacoma's suspension/gearing to where it is vs the Jeep. My 2021 TRD OR bought brand new was $41,000 OTD with taxes & interest included. A Rubicon Gladiator with the most basic off road oriented options priced out at $62,000 OTD with taxes in my area. Thats a $21,000 difference that your paying for to get that Gladiator. Lets say you spend another 6K for the gears, wheels, tires, lift and do it yourself, now your at $68,000 for the ideal rig. Then the tacoma costs 10K for controls arms, suspension, steering rack, Gears, shafts with wheels /tires. If you want crazy low gears marlin offers their taco box for 3K that makes the final drive 230 to 1. 41000K+10K+3K=$54,000 for completely built tacoma vs $68,000 for a similar Jeep. Still a $14,000 difference. No doubt the gladiator is slightly better OEM but your paying for it even with or without it built.
When I bought my 21 Tacoma access cab 4x4 6mt. I never thought I was buying a jeep killer. I wanted a pickup for overlanding/camping, daily driver, hauling stuff for my fabrication projects and look good doing it. But never ever replace my built TJ. But to your video. The Gladiator does have a downfall. 2 to many doors with that bed.
Love Toyota with all my heart... My 2010 4Runner is amazing. My sister just bought a gladiator.... The more I mess with it, the more I like it. Extremely cool truck. I'd take it over a Tacoma any day.
4 runner > Tacoma. I do really like my taco now that it's on 39s but the taco is a cheap nock off of everything else toyota makes. The 4runner is soooo much better built and has way better parts.
@@DirtLifestyle It's weird right? Hopefully the competition will motivate them to update the taco like they have the 4Runner
The advertising is not chosen by the website, it's typically done by one of the major ad companies that track how you found the site (google) and the keywords. That's why certain advertisements follow you from website to website. Also, consumer reports do not just take people contacting them. They send a poll out to their paying subscribers that ask what cars they own and whether they have had any issues with various parts (engine, electrical, drivetrain, brakes, etc). Builds a nice batch of data over the years on what vehicles and manufacturers have been more or less reliable and the types of failures. Great video BTW, love the real-world examples.
no bias I drive a nissan...Nothing beats a Jeep offroad. simple
I want to build an Xterra soooo bad! I like Nissan alot.
The bronco, especially in raptor trim is looking like a good contender.
You may lost some Toyota subscribers but I just hopped on board I appreciate your honesty and real world opinion
DUDE! This comparison has been most favorite video of 22/23! I love both brands, but the comments made at the end of this video are the consumers concerns. Thank you!
I'm a Tacoma owner and I very much like your honesty and brake down of the facts
It’s comes down to each vehicle brands issues. Back in the day Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep had real issues w alternators and the electrical system. But that old slant 6 engine was damn near indestructible. Jeep’s straight 6 is a GREAT running dependable engine. The 90’s model GM 5.7L engines were almost bullet proof as long as you didn’t run them super hot, it would blow the head gaskets every time if you did.
Best engine in a truck I ever owned was a ‘93 Chevy Suburban w the 5.7. Rear freeze plugs went out. I could literally watch the water pour out the starter opening as fast as I could pour it in the radiator. But for several months I would drive it into town and back about 10-12 miles 1 way by filling the radiator b4 leaving, stopping halfway adding water, stopping halfway on the way home adding water again and make it home. After about 3 mos took to shop to have this fixed (can’t physically do this myself anymore, cause they’re on the rear of engine block, have to pull trans, transfer case & flywheel). After this truck was fine.
I had an ‘85 F150 w a 5.0 that drive thru sand mud and towed amazing loads in FL, but being only 2wd would get stuck on the side of the road in wet grass in the TN mountains.
No politics in saying this, but objective, quantifiable facts shouldn't feel this refreshing. Well done.
Tacoma owner, still subscribed😂. I also count myself as a Jeep guy, owned, daily drove, and wheeled Wranglers for 15yrs before buying the Tacoma in 2018. Probably would have bought a Gladiator if it was out then. Fair points in your video, but having owned the Tacoma for 5 years now, it’s been great and I love it. I’ve always felt if running 35’s (or more) was the goal nothing is better than the Jeep platform. This Tacoma was designed and delivered when the mid size market was much different than it is now. I expect the new Tacoma will reflect the current competition much more enthusiastically.
I went from a 21 TRD Pro Taco to a 21 Gladiator Rubicon. Never gonna miss that Taco even though I have been a Toyota guy since my first one 79 FJ40. I miss that FJ40. The closest I can come to that (in the pickup truck form) is the Rubicon Gladiator. I am keeping it.
Canadian-Cold Hard Facts! These 2 vehicles are so far out of my financial and technical needs. The Jeep Gladiator off road is insane. The Tacoma needed some very expensive mods to compete. I’m really enjoying my stock 2020 TRD Sport DCLB 4X4. This daily driver does everything we need and at something we can afford.
I’m content to just watch you fellas play in the big leagues with these very expensive off-road beasts.
I appreciate you listing the actual side by side measurements. I’m a Toyota 4Runner owner and for my needs that’s what was best suited for the off-roading travel I wanted to do. There’s no doubt that Jeep is better suited to upgrade for more difficult trails. If I could have two vehicles for off-roading I’d get a Jeep as my other one. I will tell you I towed a Jeep on a car dolly just about 150 miles and didn’t even feel it back there. Granted it was flat pavement. Oh, and I think you’d pick up more women with a Jeep. Especially during the summer with no doors or top. IMO