- 2019 Ford F-150 Raptor with 801A – $60,540 Probably the truck that is given most frequently as the answer to the question “what is your favorite pickup truck,” the Ford F-150 Raptor with the 801A equipment package (which includes everything included on the standard 800A package, plus 10-way power heated leather-trimmed seats, power-adjustable pedals, and a power-sliding rear window) is $1,770 cheaper than a 2020 Jeep Gladiator Launch Edition. Yes, the Ford F-150 Raptor, the truck that most truck enthusiasts would call their “dream truck,” and then follow it up by saying “but it’s way too expensive to actually buy,” is cheaper than the Launch Edition. Now sure, a lot of dealerships actually sell the Raptor at prices higher than MSRP, but if you want to maintain the example, you can just take the 801A upgrade down to the standard 800A, then there’s nothing more you can say.
- 2019 Ram 1500 Rebel, fully optioned – $60,290 Not a fan of the Ford Raptor? Go to the Ram 1500 Rebel configurator and click on literally every single available option for a fully-optioned truck, and you can get it for $2,020 cheaper than a 2020 Jeep Gladiator Launch Edition. This includes options like the 5.7L V8 HEMI MDS VVT eTorque engine, air suspension, the Rebel 12 package (which comes with the 12″ tablet-like display), Level 2 equipment group, bedliner and tonneau cover, and power sunroof… and literally everything else, because I actually mean fully optioned. Remember that Ram was the first manufacturer to introduce the oversized center console display. That, combined with the black leather interior with tastefully attractive red contrast stitching and accents throughout the cabin, and the fully-loaded Ram Rebel feels like you’re driving a top-tier luxury vehicle off-road.
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2019 Ram 2500 Power Wagon with Level 2 Equipment Group and 12″ display – $62,385
Don’t forget that the Jeep Gladiator is a ¼-ton, mid-size pickup truck, and the two examples I gave above are ½-ton, full-size pickup trucks. But is that still not enough for you? Then take a look at the ¾-ton Ram 2500 Power Wagon – you even have the luxury of tacking on a Level 2 Equipment Group and the iconic Ram 12″ display and only exceed the cost of the Jeep Gladiator by $75.
All of these trucks are still very off-road-capable vehicles – that’s not unique to the Jeep Gladiator. But, beyond the obvious increase in payload and towing, keep in mind that the Power Wagon actually feels like a luxury vehicle on the inside, as opposed to the Jeep Gladiator that seems a bit too committed to the off-road look-and-feel. - 2019 GMC Canyon Denali… AND A 2020 TOYOTA COROLLA – $62,245 Being the owner of a 2018 GMC Canyon, I felt like it would be appropriate to include it as an example in my list. A 2019 GMC Canyon Denali with 4WD is currently $43,240, and the starting MSRP on a 2020 Toyota Corolla is $19,500; combined, they are $65 cheaper than the Jeep Gladiator Launch Edition. Yes, this does indeed mean that you can get a Denali, the sub-brand recognized among pickup truck enthusiasts as the “luxury GMC,” as well as a small daily driver sedan that gets over 30 MPG in fuel efficiency, and you’ll still have money left over for a little cargo tote for your trunk straight from the Toyota dealership.
- A 20% down payment on a $311,550 house … You get the point.
Things you can buy instead of the 2020 Jeep Gladiator Launch Edition
Ever since suddenly being very interested in pickup trucks out of nowhere, I’ve been following pickup truck and truck modification news pretty closely, and I get excited when something fresh comes into the market. When Jeep announced that they would be releasing a pickup truck of their own, I was pretty excited; even though I personally would never buy a Jeep myself because it just really isn’t my style, having more mid-size trucks available in the market ramps up the competition and encourages other automakers to improve their own vehicles.
Then, I saw the 2020 Jeep Gladiator Launch Edition pricing. On April 4, they went on sale to celebrate the new pickup truck, and only 4190 Launch Editions are being made (that is paying homage to the 419 area code of Toledo, Ohio, the home of the Gladiator). The price? MSRP US$62,310.00.
… I like going to automobile manufacturers’ websites once in a while to load up the vehicle builder/configurator and see what kinds of options are available. I thought this would be a great time to do that just so I could see exactly what else you can buy instead of a $62,310 mid-size pickup truck.