BMW 218i vs Jeep Gladiator

What's the difference?

The badge might say one thing, but the 2 Series Gran Coupe sticks to the time-honoured template of being a compact yet comparatively practical three-box, four-door sedan, complete with a big boot.

More importantly, it drives and behaves like a BMW – which means sufficient-to-strident performance depending on grade, athletic dynamics and pleasing refinement on one hand, as well as a stiff price and a hard ride on the other.

A true BMW in name and nature, then..

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

The Gladiator is far from the most practical, versatile, or sensible dual-cab on the market. Not going to lie, though. This is the most fun I’ve had in a ute in a long time.

BMW is calling the F74 a new-generation 2 Series Gran Coupe, and there have been obvious and even profound changes throughout and underneath, including to some of the sheetmetal.

But this is not an all-new car by any stretch, with the glasshouse, doors and roof amongst many other body items carrying over from the F44.

That now remarkably Kia Cerato-esque nose ushers in new LED lighting motifs and an updated kidney grille, but whether they sit easily with the rest of the car is debatable. Redesigned tail-lights, different colours and new alloys make up the majority of the exterior changes.

Betraying the latest 2 Series Gran Coupe’s newness claims are near-identical dimensions, with that redesigned front end and bumpers contributing to a 20mm increase in the F74’s 4546mm length, while revised suspension and damper settings help account for the 25mm boost in height (to 1445mm). The BMW’s 1800mm width and 2670mm wheelbase remain the same.

There’s a higher level of newness to be found inside.

Despite a legion of trendy retro-styled off-road pretenders, from the Ineos Grenadier to the GWM Tank 300, there’s nothing quite like the original Jeep style which the Gladiator shares with its Wrangler sibling. Unless you’re Mahindra which has technically been producing Willys Jeep successors for longer, but that’s another story for another time).

The new Rubicon looks a bit more swish in 2026, with the body coloured wheel arches and a tweaked grille which is now wider and shorter. The two-tone roof which was previously optional is now standard.

It looks rugged, tough, and undeniably classic, with the mud terrain tyres sealing the deal.

Of course, you can’t forget the many so-called ‘Easter eggs’ Jeep hides about the place. In the case of the Gladiator, these include a silhouette of a Willys Jeep climbing up the driver’s side windscreen, a gorilla imprint on the opposite side signifying the windscreen is now constructed from the same stuff designed to make your phone scratch-free. The tray features imprints of dirtbike tyres where you might want to strap two in and even the recirculate button on the climate unit is in the shape of a Wrangler. Nice touch.

On the inside generally, it feels like a purpose-built vehicle in much the same way as an old Defender. It leaves you with a sense of how genuine it all is, with loads of physical switchgear and an overall shape meant to replicate the no-nonsense appeal of Jeeps dating back to the Willys.

During the media presentation at its launch, BMW described the 2 Series Gran Coupe as being almost as large as a 1990s E46 3 Series, and it is in all major dimensions except wheelbase.

Plus, being a front-drive-biased/transverse engine proposition instead of rear-wheel drive should make it roomier than the F74’s iconic ancestor.

The sense getting in is that this is certainly not too low or cramped as per a more-traditional coupe, with plenty of space for legs and shoulders, while even the optional sunroof fitted to our 218 left us with headroom to spare.

The redesigned dash is a visual and operational treat, with crisp, clear instruments, a logically presented and intuitive centre display screen offering fast and easy operation, excellent ventilation and ample storage. Full marks here.

Better still, attaining the perfect driving position is possible for most people, on brilliantly supportive front seats. This is the stuff BMW does right.

Improvement suggestions for the next update? Some people may complain about the somewhat less-than-premium feel of some of the lower-lying plastic trim; not everybody will love the swatches of colour stitching (we love it); why does the steering wheel have to be so wide-of-rim? Side and rear vision is restricted by fat pillars, rising shoulder lines and a shallow rear window; and there is quite a bit of road noise that enters the cabin at speed.

Still, even the back seat is sufficiently spacious for most users, with the sole exception of taller folk having to negotiate a sloping rear roofline. If you’re below 180cm, this should be fine. Most amenities minus overhead grab handles are also fitted.

Further back, the boot is surprisingly accommodating, with 430 litres of cargo capacity that’s enhanced by a 40:20:40 split-fold backrest, and the aperture should be big enough for bulkier loads, but the lack of a spare wheel will be bad news for many buyers. The supplied tyre-repair kit is just not good enough.

But, you know what is good enough? The engines BMW builds, that’s what.

However, also like an old Defender, the Gladiator’s interior is full of compromises to maintain its iconic design.

The seating position is awkwardly high, which is fine when off-roading, but can be limiting when you’re just driving around a city, and the footwell is half taken up by a transmission tunnel so there’s nowhere to rest your foot.

The door cards are pretty basic because the doors are removable (although Jeep stresses this is only legal on private property), but elsewhere there’s much-appreciated levels of functionality in an era of touch-based controls.

The centre control panel, for example, features physical dials for high-use functions and toggles or buttons for everything else. It’s mercifully easy to use and old-school motorists will also love the physical shifters for gear selection and the transfer case alongside. And an analogue handbrake is an increasingly rare sight.

There are even buttons we didn’t ask for, like the four pre-wired auxiliary switches, and while the dash trades away a fully digital panel for a digital supervision screen with analogue dials either side, it suits the character of the car.

It’s not the most comfortable space to be in, however. Not only is the seat base super high off the ground, but despite the Gladiator’s imposing dimensions the front seat somehow feels narrow.

Storage is okay, but not on the same level as many rival utes. The basic doors score nettings on each side, with two deep and useful bottle holders in the centre console. The armrest box is two-tiered which is handy, and there’s a small glove box. Outside of this, there’s not a lot of storage up front.

The rear seat is decent when it comes to space for the ute segment, although it is also very high off the ground and hard to clamber into thanks to the way the rear door is shaped. Once you’re in there, be sure not to smack your head on the frame, which seems like it could be an easy thing to do.

Again, nets feature in the doors, with two more nets on the backs of the front seats, which also feature luggage hooks. There are dual adjustable air vents back there and two bottle holders moulded out of the centre console. They're nicely-sized, but will eat into the legroom of any adult you want to put in the centre rear position, making it extra cramped if you have three across.

The back seat features some things I’ve never seen before, though. There’s a huge storage area underneath the seats with its own lid, and some limited storage space behind the seat backs which features a removable Bluetooth speaker which also automatically re-charges when it’s docked back there. Cool.

The rear window features an opening port, which is also rare, while all the main storage compartments are lockable for when you want to leave the car with the roof and/or doors off.

Capacities and payloads have never been a strong point for the Gladiator. The tray measures 1531mm long, 1443mm wide and 1137mm between the arches, making it unable to fit a standard-sized Australian pallet. The payload is also limited at just 693kg, far short of the close-to-one-tonne many work-focused dual-cabs can hit.

However the tray isn’t for show only, featuring an array of useful tie-down points and a built-in rail system to help secure all sorts of objects. There are even steps built into the rear bumper design for easier access and a full-size spare wheel underneath.

The braked trailer towing capacity is limited to just 2721kg which is also short of the industry benchmark 3500kg, all of which may limit its use as a work vehicle, or even its appeal as a touring vehicle. I could see how these capacities are easily exceeded with a rooftop tent, recovery gear, a fridge, supplies and at least one passenger.

For this update, the Gladiator has been trimmed down to just one variant, the fully-loaded, top-spec Rubicon.

While the lesser Night Eagle grade has been discontinued, the good news is the Rubicon is now more affordable, starting at $82,990, before on-road costs. Although this still pitches it against only the most expensive mainstream dual cabs.

At this price, for example, you could pick a Ford Ranger in luxury Platinum or sporty Wildtrak form, or even as a plug-in hybrid. However, this car’s classic vibe and purpose-built feel, with a big six-cylinder petrol engine, is more reminiscent of the Ineos Grenadier Quartermaster, which wears a price tag well in excess of $100,000.

While it might be a pricey ute, the Gladiator Rubicon comes with all the gear plus extra stuff for this update, including new 17-inch two-tone wheel designs clad in pricey BF Goodrich mud terrain tyres, Nappa leather seats and a more powerful standard alternator with pre-wired auxiliary switches.

There are also body-coloured fender flares replacing the previous black plastic ones, 12-way power adjust and heating for the front seats, extended soft-touch materials throughout the cabin, a much larger and better-specified 12.3-inch multimedia touchscreen (with built-in nav) as well as wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. In addition, the LED headlights have picked up an auto high-beam function and the spray-in bedliner for the tray is now standard.

Standard overlanding kit includes the brand’s signature 'Roc-Trac' on-demand 4x4 system, which includes front and rear differential locks, an electronic sway bar disconnect (pretty rare), manually selectable low-range gearing (with a 4:1 ratio), as well as additional underbody protection and rock-slider side steps.

Not enough? This is the only ute on sale in Australia where you can remove the roof and pop the windscreen flat for a full-on Barbie (or maybe Ken) Power Wheels vibe.

Three F74 powertrain choices are available for Australia in 2025. And none even remotely reflect what their respective badges imply on the boot.

The 218, for instance, is not powered by a 1.8-litre engine, but BMW’s long-lived B38 1.5-litre three-cylinder turbo petrol unit. Making 115kW of power at 6500rpm and 230Nm of torque between 1500rpm and 4600rpm, drive is channelled to the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (7DCT).

With a kerb weight of 1420kg, the 218 has a power-to-weight ratio of 81kW per tonne, helping it achieve the 0-100km/h sprint time of 8.6 seconds, on the way to a 230km/h top speed.

Not enough? The 220 features the ubiquitous B48 2.0-litre (not a 2.2-litre) four-cylinder turbo petrol engine/7DCT combo, pumping out 150kW at 6500rpm and 300Nm from 1450-4500rpm. Tipping the scales at 1525kg for 98.4kW/tonne, its 0-100km/h time is 7.3s and top speed is 250km/h.

Want more? Stretching to the M235 xDrive sadly doesn’t mean a 3.5-litre in-line six, but a modified B48 2.0L/7DCT duo, delivering 233kW at 6500rpm and 400Nm from 2000-4500rpm to all four wheels. Result? Weighing just 50kg more than the 220, it boasts a heady 148kW/tonne, for a 0-100km/h of just 4.9s and a 250km/h v-max.

As with all of the UKL2/FAAR transverse-engine front-to-AWD platform models from non-electric Minis through to sub-X3/3 Series BMWs, you’ll find MacPherson-style struts up front and a multi-link independent rear end out back.

If you’re reading this outside of Australia, you may notice that none of the current F74 models offer mild-hybrid tech, in contrast to their European counterparts. And don’t go expecting any manual gearboxes either, unfortunately.

There’s a relatively massive 3.6-litre non-turbo, non-hybrid ‘Pentastar’ petrol V6 engine under the bonnet, producing 209kW/347Nm. 

Sounds old-school because it is, and it remains the only option for this machine in Australia despite emissions regulations closing in and a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine available in the current Wrangler and overseas versions of the Gladiator.

The V6 is mated to a predictable ZF-sourced eight-speed (torque converter) automatic transmission and drives either the rear- or all four wheels depending on the mode selected.

OK, so is the 2 Series Gran Coupe cheap to run?

BMW reckons the 218 and 220 will average 6.3 and 6.7 litres per 100km, which means combined average carbon dioxide emissions ratings of 143 and 152 grams/km respectively.

Filling the 49L fuel tank with 95 RON premium unleaded, that translates to around 775km in the 218, and 730km in the 220 between refills.

Predictably, the M235 xDrive uses more, at 7.7L/100km for a CO2 rating of 176g/km. That’s a distance of about 635km.

Over our launch run, which took us from Sydney’s Circular Quay to Wollongong, the 218’s trip meter was reading in the high 8s and about 10 for the M235.

As you might imagine, the large naturally aspirated petrol engine combines with the over 2.0-tonne Gladiator to make for a relatively steep fuel bill.

Consumption is a hardly-impressive 12.4L/100km on the official combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle, with our car consuming even more - 12.9L/100km - on our three day test covering nearly 500km and with no shortage of freeway time either.

Brim the 83-litre tank and theoretical range is around 670km, dropping to just over 640km using our on-test figure.

Earlier, we mentioned that the 2 Series Gran Coupe is way more expensive than fine alternative sedans like the Mazda3 and Toyota Corolla.

And while that still stands, there is a remarkable solidity and refinement difference between those and the BMW that helps justify the premium. And nowhere is this more evident than from behind the wheel.

Sat on body-hugging seats and clutching that (too chunky) steering wheel, there is a sense of sporty occasion, backed up by quality trim and an aroma of expensiveness.

For a turbo three-cylinder car weighing 1.5 tonnes, the 218 does a lot with a little, offering spirited off-the-line acceleration and pleasingly lag-free throttle responses at lower speeds. You’d never call it fast, but it is a quick point-to-point urban mover. Only the unavoidable three-pot thrum lets you know you’re in the lowest mechanical spec. And, also, the delay at freeway speeds in building momentum when overtaking.

Which is why, for less than five per cent extra, the 220 with the 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo would probably make a better buy. Sadly, that isn’t on sale yet in Australia, so we missed out on driving it during the Sydney launch. But in the scores of other BMWs and Minis we’ve tested this in, it’s a cracking little powertrain.

Whether the big leap (nearly $25K worth) to the M235 is worth it depends on how fast you drive and how much you value/need AWD. This is a terrifically muscular machine, since it provides rapid performance via a tidal wave of power, even with the lightest flex of your right foot. On-point and on-brand, this fun and fiery flagship possesses the grand-touring spirit that the rakish design and tech-heavy engineering promise.

To that end, in both the 218 and M235, the steering makes the driver feel connected to the car, resulting in precise and controlled handling. The driver-assist safety tech is beautifully calibrated and nuanced in its intervention, and the brakes are second-to-none.

What is also on-topic for a BMW is the firm suspension, despite the adaptive dampers fitted as standard equipment.

It isn’t stiff or overly uncomfortable, but bumps are certainly always felt, and they’re accompanied by fairly constant road-noise drone over some surfaces.

As such, you’re constantly reminded that dynamic athleticism is the priority here, rather than sumptuous comfort. We’ve experienced much worse from BMW, but a magic-carpet ride isn’t what’s in store for the 2 Series Gran Coupe owner.

So, what’s our verdict then? The 218 is a rorty little tryer that never fails to involve the driver, while the M235 ushers in an elevated level of acceleration, grunt and grip. We suspect that the 220 will be the Goldilocks-zone happy medium.

For (largely) better as well as for (occasionally) worse, these drive and feel like a BMW should.

The Gladiator is interesting to drive for many reasons. Mainly, because as a purpose-built off-roader it's a little compromised when it comes to on-road manners.

For example, the high seating position and tapered bonnet shape might be great for visibility off-road, but the boxy design of the chunky A-pillars (designed to keep the car in one piece when the doors roof and windscreen are removed) make it a little difficult to see properly around corners at T-junctions or roundabouts in the confines of a city.

Even proximity of my head to the roof presented a problem when trying to see whether traffic was coming at an intersection with the vehicle angled downhill.

The next alarming trait is how vague the steering is while on the tarmac. It’s an unfortunate characteristic of the Gladiator’s rugged live front axle, making this ute a bit of a handful to steer at low speeds. And it tracks all over the place on the freeway, requiring constant vigilance and steering input from the driver at higher speeds.

It’s also noisy, despite this 2026 version featuring extended sound deadening in the cabin. It needed it. The knobbly mud terrain tyres make their presence felt through a resonant droning entering the cabin at all speeds.

Then, at freeway pace, the wind noise from the Gladiator’s blocky shape picks up. You can feel the sound waves leaking in through the removable doors and plasticky removable roof. There are even silly things like being able to feel reverberations of the sound system through the accelerator pedal.

So, I should hate the Gladiator, right?

Wrong.

This thing is ridiculous amounts of old-fashioned fun. The V6 engine is keen to rev and the transmission lets you ride the gears out, creating a throaty roar and lurching acceleration reminiscent of old Commodores.

While the mud terrain rubber is noisy and offers questionable levels of grip on tarmac or in the wet, the thick sidewall combines with coil springs and chunky Tenneco shock absorbers all-around to make for a pretty decent ride for a ladder-frame vehicle.

In addition, we took the Gladiator for a quick off-highway jaunt as its design intends and it performed as-expected. It has great approach and departure angles, with good visibility for peering over moguls and into ruts or dips.

The mechanical hardware feels up to the task, and while it might slip once or twice as the less sophisticated traction systems (compared to, say, a modern Defender) find their bearings, the Gladiator ate up the moderately challenging trails we found for it.

The chunky tyres come into their own, with the sidewall offering confidence, and the car clambers about with relative ease. Obviously, the enormous 3488mm wheelbase and resulting 18.4-degree breakover angle are the Gladiator’s Achilles heel, making me think twice about cresting certain hills or objects, and making this ute particularly prone to cringe-inducing underbody scraping.

Still, despite its comparatively unsophisticated approach and lack of environmental responsibility the Gladiator is a huge amount of fun to drive.

The previous Gladiator was awarded just a three- out of five-star ANCAP safety rating in 2019, although this updated version gets a few notable upgrades including side curtain airbags, seat reminder alerts and auto high beams.

On the modern active safety equipment front, the new Gladiator scores auto emergency braking, blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, roll mitigation as well as front and rear parking sensors and a halfway decent reversing camera.

Not present is lane departure warning or lane keep assist, and given how long the Gladiator is, it would be nice to have a front parking camera, too.

It’s disappointing to see the Gladiator miss key kit like lane keep assist, but unlike a lot of modern vehicles, the Gladiator isn’t annoying to drive and I didn’t find myself needing to turn any equipment off to make it work off-road, either.

Here, however, is where BMW can do a bit better.

While the five-year/unlimited-kilometre warranty is where most premium brands are, it falls short of several Asian alternatives. Roadside assistance is for just three years and there is no capped-price servicing.

Service scheduling is also condition-based, meaning the vehicle will alert the driver when a service is imminent. This may not suit everybody, and we always recommend at least every 12 months or 10,000km, just to be on the safe side.

BMW does offer pre-paid service packs that take in basic maintenance for the first five years at $2369 or $3782, including brake-pad replacement, which works out to be about $475 and nearly $760 annually respectively. There is also a cap on mileage during that time frame: 80,000km.

It’s no secret ownership has long been an awkward topic for Jeep, with models like the Grand Cherokee previously causing all kinds of dramas for owners. A quick scan of forums suggests the Wrangler and Gladiator are less prone to issues compared to their more mainstream siblings in the Jeep line-up. So, food for thought.

Regardless, the Gladiator is offered with a five-year warranty which is distance-limited to just 100,000km, which is well off the pace, although a five-year capped price servicing pack is priced at a reasonable $399 per annual or 12,000km workshop visit.

The brand also offers lifetime roadside assist so long as you continue to service your Jeep in its authorised dealer network.