Jeep Gladiator vs Ferrari Roma

What's the difference?

The Jeep Gladiator Rubicon is a very capable off-roader and it's not as terrible on-road as some people might assume.

But while it's a whole lot of fun to steer around on the dirt, it lacks the versatility, safety tech, and refinement that would shift it from simply being a decent hard-core 4WD ute to a good general-purpose vehicle.

However, by focussing on those factors, you're in danger of missing the Gladiator's point entirely. This is a purpose-built 4WD fun machine, which is perfect for its intended use. But, the problem is, it's not perfect, or even very good, at anything else.

The Ferrari Roma is like a trained assassin in a Zegna suit - capable and clinical yet stylish and effortlessly superior. We believe there’s a replacement coming later this year and it will have to be doing well to top this superb machine.

The Jeep Gladiator appears built for purpose if your purpose is to head bush and have fun. And in Rubicon form it sure looks like it's capable of tackling hard-core 4WDing.

The Gladiator looks very much like its stablemate, the iconic Wrangler, with its chunky front end and blocky body.

It has more than the inkling of a US-style pick-up's presence at 5591mm long (with a 3488mm-long wheelbase), 1894mm wide, 1909mm high, and with a kerb weight of 2242kg.

If you’re looking for a flash Fazza with spoilers and vents at all points of the body, you’ve come to the wrong coupe.

The Roma is a subtle, beautifully balanced and delicately detailed two-door inspired by all-time Ferrari classics like the 250 GT Lusso and 275 GTB.

Its proportions are impeccable with complex curves and sweeping lines combining to produce an exquisitely pure shape.

Slimline LED headlights are divided by horizontal DRL strips, the broad bonnet incorporates a quietly muscular power bulge and the minimalist ’egg crate’ grille sits below a sharply chiseled nose.  

I’m a particular fan of the split wedge-shaped tail-lights, seamlessly incorporated into the upper deck of the rounded rear end. The active rear spoiler is also neatly hidden away in the leading edge of the boot lid. No shoutiness here, even the exterior badges are works of art.

Crack open the bonnet and the engine sparkles like a jewel in a display case. Scarlet red crackle finish on the intake plenums and cam covers make it pop like a firecracker. 

The interior follows a dual cockpit theme with twin curved sections divided by a flying buttress style console between them housing the gear selection gate and central media screen.

Flashes of carbon-fibre and chromed alloy add a touch of overt raciness, Alcantara on the dash and doors echoes the ‘mouse fur’ of Ferraris past and the contrast stitching around the cabin is flawless. 

The sleek front seats feel as good as they look, the typography of the Roma badge on the passenger side of the dash is super cool, and overall the interior is snug and ultra classy. 

You have to give Jeep's designers credit because they know their outdoorsy stuff. The Gladiator's interior is nothing if not practical.

The ute has a squared-off and action-ready interior that seems up to the task of copping the dirt of an outdoors life.

The cabin feels like it's water- and weather-proof, even if that may not literally be the case. 

It's a snug interior and build quality generally feels solid.

The 8.4-inch multimedia touch screen is clear and easy enough to read while on the go, but it's too small. The Jeep's 'Uconnect' system is simple enough to get your head around and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are easy to get working.

There's also a 7.0-inch LED driver-information display, which shows tyre pressure, tyre-fill alert, digital speed readout and more.

All controls, dials and switchgear are chunky, making for easy operation, no matter how bumpy the terrain you're traversing is.

The reach-and-rake-adjustable steering wheel incorporates audio, voice and cruise control controls.

Storage spaces are few, but at least they're well suited to adventure, such as tensioned mesh pockets on the doors and seat backs and small spaces with textured bases for your bits and pieces.

There are two USB-A ports and a USB-C port up front and two for back-seat passengers. There's also a 230V outlet up front on the centre console.

Seating is decent all-around but anyone taller than Tom Cruise's stunt double has to mind their head so they don't thump it on the unforgivingly hard ceiling of the detachable top.

There's a shallow storage space under the rear seat and, when that 60/40 split rear seat is folded flat, there are LED lights behind to illuminate the narrow storage space in the rear of the cabin, where there are also storage nets.

The tub's load space is 1442mm wide – 1137mm between the wheel arches so not wide enough for a pallet – and it is 1531mm long. Load height is 885mm at the tailgate.

The tray has integrated tie-down points and under-rail LED lights.

Payload is now a claimed 693kg, which is better than its previous 680kg but still rather ordinary when compared to a lot of dual-cab utes available in Australia.

Gross vehicle mass and gross combined mass are listed as 2935kg and 5656kg, respectively.

The Gladiator has a maximum towing capacity of 750kg (unbraked), and its 2721kg braked towing figure is a let-down against the 3500kg capacity of most other rivals.

This is a ute better suited to weekend camping trips than load-lugging work duties.

Another bonus for tourers though: the spare wheel is a full-size steel one.

At close to 4.7m long, the Roma isn’t compact but its supercar stance comes courtesy of a close to 2.0m width and low-riding 1.3m height (with a 2670mm wheelbase).

The cabin is cozy, as intended, but at 183cm I still have ample headroom in the front. The rear is a different story with the two ‘+2’ seats serving as occasional emergency spots only or a handy option for smaller kids.

For storage there are slim but long pockets in the doors, a surprisingly generous glove box, a wireless charging pad under the centre console, phone-size slits on either side of that console, a single cupholder between the front seats with a lidded box (containing 12V and USB-A outlets) behind it.

There’s a recess for oddments on the transmission tunnel between the rear seats, and armrests either side in the back.

The boot holds 272 litres, which is enough for several soft bags, rising to 345 litres with the 50/50 split-folding rear seatbacks lowered. There are tie-down anchors, which is handy but be aware there’s no spare, only a repair/inflator kit.

Overall, not exactly SUV-like in terms of day-to-day practicality but at least on par with its key competitors.

At $453,000 before on-road costs, the Roma Coupe lines up almost directly with a trio of well-credentialled, well-equipped and ultra-fast 2+2 supercars - the Aston Martin DB12 ($455,000), Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo ($450,000) and Porsche 911 GT3 ($446,700). 

If you prefer a roofless experience, the Roma Spider convertible will set you back $520,300 (BOC).

And as you’d expect, the standard features list is impressive; the options list even more so.

Aside from the safety and performance tech covered a little later, highlights include 18-way power front seats, full-grain Frau leather trim, eight-speaker JBL audio (with digital radio), dual zone climate control, an 8.4-inch hi-definition central media display, a 16-inch (highly) configurable instrument cluster, adaptive cruise control and 20-inch forged alloy rims.

There’s also LED exterior lighting (including auto dusk-sensing headlights), Android Auto/Apple CarPlay connectivity, rain-sensing wipers and built-in nav, as well as Alcantara, chromed aluminium and carbon-fibre trim details. There’s more, but you get the idea.

And when it comes to options, the sky’s the limit with the likes of carbon-fibre everything, beefier audio as well as custom colour and trim options available through Ferrari’s ‘Tailor Made’ and ‘Special Equipment’ programs.

One popular addition is an 8.8-inch HD touchscreen for the front passenger (co-pilot?) displaying data on the car’s performance and status as well as allowing selection of music, sat-nav info and climate functions. Super cool and it will set you back $9500.

The Gladiator Rubicon has the Wrangler's 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 petrol engine (209kW at 6400rpm and 347Nm at 4100rpm) and eight-speed automatic transmission.

The V6 has a lot of punch for on- and off-road driving and plenty of low-end torque for low-range 4WDing and, matched with the eight-speed auto, it's a well-proven team-up that consistently works well.

Enzo Ferrari famously said “aerodynamics are for people who can’t build engines” and notwithstanding the fact the Roma is slippery in the wind tunnel (Cd .30), its front-mid mounted 3.9-litre turbo-petrol V8 engine would surely meet with il Commendatore’s approval.

Sending drive to the rear wheels via an eight-speed dual-clutch auto transmission, this all-alloy, 90-degree unit features dual twin-scroll turbos, a flat plane crank, dry sump lubrication, direct fuel-injection and a single-piece cast exhaust manifold to produce 456kW from 5750rpm to the 7500rpm rev ceiling, and 760Nm from 3000-5750rpm.

Worth noting its 'front-mid' placement as the entire block is positioned low down and behind the front axle centre line.

The Gladiator Rubicon has listed fuel consumption of 12.4L/100km on a combined cycle. 

On test I recorded actual fuel consumption of 12.9L/100km, from fill to fill.

The Gladiator has an 83-litre tank, so, going by my on-test fuel-use figure, you could reasonably expect a driving range of approximately 643km from a full tank.

The Roma’s official (WLTP) fuel consumption figure on the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle is 11.2L/100km, the 3.9-litre turbo-petrol V8 emitting 255g/km of CO2 in the process.

Not exactly miserly, but even with that engine begging to be revved we saw an average of 12.9L/100 over a combination of urban shuffling, twisting B-roads and some freeway running.

A start/stop function is standard and with an 80-litre fuel tank on board, the Roma’s theoretical range is around 715km, dropping to approximately 620km using our real-world number.

It's certainly an experience, but the Gladiator is not as atrocious on-road as you may assume.

This vehicle is a lot of fun to drive because it demands a lot of attention and input to keep it on target.

The steering is floaty, with plenty of play in the wheel and understeer through corners, and there's a fair bit of tyre rumble from the BFG muddies.

The wing mirrors generate noticeable wind noise, but the Gladiator's not as awkward or unrefined as you might expect.

Because it's essentially a stretched Wrangler – with a 787mm longer body and a 480mm longer wheelbase than its stablemate – the Gladiator has a solid stance on the road and, for such an unashamedly off-road-oriented vehicle, it feels even more settled and composed than the Wrangler does on sealed surfaces.

This 2242kg ute is built for tough fun with a body-on-frame design and reinforced chassis, but the Gladiator manages to be nimble around town.

Ride quality is generally impressive with this ute cruising comfortably on live axles front and rear with coil springs and, in 2023 onward versions, Tenneco shocks all-around rather than the previous Fox Shocks set-up.

Aspects of the Gladiator experience will annoy some people. Visibility is compromised in all directions, the throttle is touchy, the 13.6m turning circle may add a degree of difficulty in attempts at fast turnarounds (on a city street or in a busy country pub car park) and all that driver attention and input the Gladiator demands of its steerer will become tiresome for a few drivers.

But, as expected, the Gladiator's true spirit is only ever fully revealed when you head off-road. It's a hell of a lot of fun in the dirt. Drop tyre pressures, do up your seat belt and let the Gladiator off the leash.

The 'Trail Rated' Gladiator is loaded with off-road mechanicals, from a 4X4 system with 4:1 low-range (contributing to a 77.2:1 crawl ratio), front and rear diff-locks, heavy-duty Dana 44 axles (front and rear), sway-bar disconnect and BFGoodrich Mud Terrain tyres, as well as a stack of driver-assist tech aimed at making you feel like Australian 4WD expedition legend Ron Moon.

Shocks engineered for off-roading add a welcome dimension of comfort and handling to the Gladiator on fast dirt and gravel tracks on the way to your chosen off-roading destination.

That 77.2:1 crawl ratio means nothing to most of us until you have the opportunity to experience the feeling of all that terrain-gripping torque for yourself.

In 4WD low-range first gear, and with both diffs locked, the Gladiator feels unstoppable. It climbed with ease a short steep rocky hill where I've seen drivers of modified vehicles opt for the ‘chicken' tracks either side.

The only thing is, because of the Gladiator's 3488mm-long wheelbase and 18.4-degree ramp-over angle, there's a real risk of bellying out or at least grinding the undercarriage on earth when you crest these steep hills, which is why you must drive with concentrated focus.

But that's part of the fun. It really is a driver-direct experience. You need to be aware of everything that's going on, you never feel like you're one step removed from the situation, or the terrain or the consequences of your driving… you feel dialled into the terrain and that's guaranteed to put a smile on any 4WD enthusiast's face.

Besides, the Gladiator does have substantial underbody skid-plates, protecting the fuel tank, transmission and transfer case, as well as heavy-gauge tubular steel rock rails to soak up off-road hits.

With an approach angle of 40.7 degrees, a departure angle of 25.1 degrees and a listed ground clearance of 249mm and a wading depth of 760mm, the Gladiator has decent off-road measures.

Suspension travel is okay, but to get even more stretch, you can hit the sway-bar disconnect button to drop a wheel to the dirt – or as close as possible depending on how deep the ruts are.
 
The Gladiator has 'Selec-Speed Control' (effectively an adjustable low-speed cruise control for 4WDing that can be set between 1.0-8.0km/h), and 'Off-Road+', which tweaks throttle and traction control, among other systems, to best suit the terrain.

It also has a forward-facing off-road camera so the driver has a chance to see any obstacles that might otherwise go unnoticed until it's too late, such as branches, rocks, tree stumps and hard rubbish.

Press the PS (Partenza Sportiva) button on the console, slip the manettino control on the steering wheel into ‘Race’ mode, left-foot brake (hard) and floor the throttle. Wait for the PS light on the dash, keep the accelerator pinned and lift off the brake.

Ferrari says the Roma will then proceed to accelerate from zero to 100km/h in 3.4 seconds, and in the interests of a thorough assessment I may have found a quiet light commercial area near Maranello, replicated this procedure and validated the claim.

Yes, even at 1570kg, with 760Nm of pulling power available from 3000-5750rpm, the Roma is exceptionally fast in a straight line. And the twin-turbo V8 that’s been so reserved and docile around town lights up to deliver glorious engine noise and a characteristic exhaust howl.

A flat-plane crank arrangement often makes a vee engine lumpier than a more conventional cross-plane design, but it will rev hard and fast, and in this case the compact size of the Roma’s twin turbos enhances throttle response even further.

Speaking of the turbos, variable boost management helps to smooth acceleration while keeping an eye on fuel economy and despite the flat-plane configuration this engine is perfectly civilised.

A tall top (eighth) gear makes for easy cruising but the tight B-roads and lesser highways we spent most time on didn’t allow for any high autostrada speeds.

But how’s this for a flex? Ferrari says the active rear spoiler will stay in its low-drag position until the car hits 100km/h, then pushing through medium and high drag (135-degree) positions as speed rises. But… “over 300 km/h, the spoiler is always in MD mode because in such conditions it is preferable to have a more balanced car”.

Suspension is by double wishbones at the front with a multi-link set-up at the rear and twin solenoid (magnetic) adaptive dampers all around.

Rubber wrapping the 20-inch forged alloys is top-end Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S (245/35 fr / 285/35 rr) and front-to-rear weight distribution is 50/50.

What that all adds up to is a comfortable, responsive and deeply satisfying drive experience. In standard Ferrari fashion the dual-clutch transmission is rapid-fire perfection, the steering is light but accurate and feelsome, while the in-cabin ergonomics are superb.

Push as hard as you dare in tight, flowing corners and the car just continues to grip and bait you to try harder. And if you do give in and start to run out of talent the ‘Active Yaw Control’ and limited-slip ’E-diff’ will step in to imperceptibly save your bacon.

Moving the manettino through its five positions - ‘Wet’, ‘Comfort’, ‘Sport’, ‘Race’ & ‘ESC-Off’ rapidly transforms levels of ride comfort, steering, transmission and engine response. You can also set the ride to Comfort with other attributes dialled up to 11 for a cross-country sweet spot. 

And when it comes to slowing rather than going, the Brembo brake set-up is circuit ready with vented carbon ceramic rotors all around (390mm fr / 360mm rr) clamped by six-piston calipers at the front and four-piston units at the rear. They take a while to warm up, but never feel anything other than mega. 

No surprise, ANCAP and Euro NCAP have not assessed the Roma, but you could mount a solid case that the car’s high-level dynamic ability is its greatest active (crash avoidance) safety system. 

Over and above that there are the usual anti-lock brake, traction and stability control systems (the latter is Ferrari’s adjustable SSC ‘Side Slip Control’) as well as AEB (with vehicle and cyclist detection), adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, lane departure warning, blind-spot monitoring and traffic sign recognition plus front and rear parking sensors.

Also worth calling out ‘FDE’ (Ferrari Dynamic Enhancer) which works in parallel with the SSC to help modulate lateral movement in extreme circumstances.

If a crash is unavoidable there are four airbags - dual front and dual side front (head). That’s an acceptable count in a 2+2 coupe, but it would be nice to see a front centre bag.

The Gladiator has Jeep's five-year/100,000km factory warranty, five-year capped price scheduled servicing, and lifetime roadside assistance.

The first five services are capped at $399 each and scheduled servicing is due every 12 months or 12,000 km, whichever comes first.

As the name implies, Ferrari’s ‘7-Year Genuine Maintenance’ program means you won’t have to worry about servicing costs for the first seven years of ownership. Everything from labour and parts to lubricants and brake fluid is included in the free-of-charge package.

For reference, maintenance is recommended every 12 months/20,000km, which is a healthy distance and roadside assistance is complimentary for the first 12 months. 

Warranty cover is three years/unlimited kilometres, which trails the mainstream market but matches high-end competitors like Aston Martin, Lamborghini, McLaren and Porsche.