New Defender Versus Jeep Gladiator on Trail

I don't think they are even comparable. The Defender is an Overlanders Platform and the Gladiator can be a Crawler or an Overlander. Am I impressed by the new Defender? Of Course. I will have one after the bugs are worked out and they release the 90. Will I take it as a dedicated rock crawling rig? Hell no!! With regards to the Gladiator I love the subtle design ques taken from the original Defender 130. If you look at the profile the hips along the side of the vehicle are very similar, the roof line is similar and the interior has similarities.

Some would say the Jeep JT/JL is the modern replacement to the Classic Defender Model. The new defender is no doubt a capable successor to the iconic mark but did LR loose its connection to the off-road market? If you look at LR owners they tend to wheel older vehicles compared to the Jeep world. New and old Jeeps are taken off the beaten path on a regular basis. I think the support of the aftermarket world, overall cost of the vehicle, straight axles, and removable top has pushed the Jeep to the level it is at today. With all this in mind "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery". Land Rover copied Jeep and used many of the same parts to make the original Series 1 in 1948.

Now it has come full circle. Jeep has taken an Iconic profile and adapted the vehicle to the modern explorer. I am excited to see the future of both brands and look forward to seeing more in depth comparisons as these vehicles continue to grow in our market. Do you see thesimilarities though?

Defender 130.jpg


defender 130 1.jpg


gladiator 1.jpg


gladiator.jpg
 
Back
Top Bottom