Jeep Gladiator vs Mazda MX-30

What's the difference?

If you believe there should be a ute version of everything, Jeep has long been there for you with a tray-backed Gladiator version of its iconic Wrangler off-roader.

But the Gladiator has hardly attracted the same love as its mainstream ute rivals, preferring a more lifestyle-oriented vibe, which it leans into extra hard for this 2026 update.

While it might look pretty much identical from the outside, Jeep has made some pretty significant changes underneath to make it a better overall offering, with a nice reduction in price, too.

So is it now worth your consideration? Read on to find out.

Mazda’s MX-30 is an odd one. It’s Mazda’s third small SUV and its first production electric car, yet it wears the brand’s MX sports car prefix and originally launched as a combustion mild hybrid.

Of course, Mazda is no stranger to automobile enigmas, with left-of-field rotary choices in its past, and its semi-combustion SkyActiv-X engines showing a different take on the future, but can the brand’s innovative nature help make its first fully electric car a hit?

I drove an MX-30 E35 Astina shortly after its Australian launch to attempt to unravel its mysteries. Will it find its place in an increasingly busy EV marketplace? Read on to find out.