Shop for a midsize truck in Manitoba and the cross shop almost always comes down to these two. The Toyota Tacoma is the segment's default answer, the truck people buy because everyone they know bought one. The Jeep Gladiator is the truck people buy on purpose, because nothing else does what it does. Both are real trucks that will haul a quad to the lake and get you down a February highway. They just get there in very different ways, and the differences are big enough that one of them is clearly right for you and the other is not. You can see what the Gladiator side of this comparison looks like in the metal in our new Jeep Gladiator inventory in Portage la Prairie, and here is the straight read on how the two trucks actually stack up.

Key Takeaways

• The Gladiator tows more. Properly equipped with the available Max Tow setup, the Gladiator is rated to pull up to 7,700 lb. The Tacoma's ceiling is up to 6,500 lb with the gas turbo engine in specific configurations, and the hybrid sits around 6,000 lb. All of these are config dependent, so match the rating to the exact truck.
• The Tacoma answers back with engine choice and efficiency. Its 2.4 litre turbo four makes up to 278 horsepower and 317 lb ft, and the available hybrid steps up to 326 horsepower and 465 lb ft of instant torque. The Gladiator runs one proven engine, the 3.6 litre Pentastar V6 at 285 horsepower and 260 lb ft.
• Nothing else in the segment does open air. The Gladiator's doors come off, the roof comes off, and the windshield folds. No other pickup on sale offers that, and it is the reason most Gladiator owners chose one.
• Every Gladiator is four wheel drive. 4x4 is standard across the Gladiator range. Parts of the Tacoma lineup can still be had in two wheel drive, which is not the version a Manitoba winter wants.
• The honest summary: buy the Tacoma for efficiency, hybrid torque and its famous resale reputation. Buy the Gladiator for the higher tow rating, the solid axle hardware, and a truck that turns into an open air Jeep from May to September.

What Each Truck Actually Is

The Tacoma is the conventional pick done well. The current generation moved to a modern turbocharged four cylinder platform, picked up serious tech, and kept the reputation for holding value that Toyota trucks have earned over decades. It is a very good midsize pickup, and we will not pretend otherwise. A comparison that hands every category to the truck on our own lot is not a comparison you can trust.

The Gladiator is the only truck of its kind. It is a Wrangler up front with a five foot steel bed behind it, riding on solid axles at both ends, with a removable roof, removable doors and a windshield that folds flat. It is built in a way no other midsize truck is built, and that shows up on both sides of the ledger: unmatched capability and character in some columns, and a few honest compromises in others.

Engines and Towing: Where the Numbers Land

The Gladiator keeps it simple. One engine: the 3.6 litre Pentastar V6 at 285 horsepower and 260 lb ft, paired with an eight speed automatic. It is a naturally aspirated engine that has powered millions of Stellantis vehicles, it likes to rev, and there is no turbo plumbing or hybrid battery to think about a decade from now. Properly equipped with the available Max Tow setup, it is rated to tow up to 7,700 lb, with payload up to about 1,720 lb depending on configuration.

The Tacoma gives you a menu. The base 2.4 litre turbo four starts at 228 horsepower in the SR and runs up to 278 horsepower and 317 lb ft in most trims. The i-FORCE MAX hybrid tops the range at 326 horsepower and 465 lb ft, and that torque figure is the single best number on the Tacoma's spec sheet. Maximum towing is up to 6,500 lb with the gas engine in specific configurations, with hybrid models rated around 6,000 lb.

What does that mean in practice? If your trailer is a 7,000 lb camper or a loaded car hauler, the Gladiator is the only one of the two rated for it. If your load is a couple of sleds or a 5,000 lb boat, both trucks handle it, and the Tacoma hybrid will do it with more torque in reserve. Be honest about what you actually pull, and confirm the rating on the specific cab, box and package you are buying, because both brands rate by configuration.

Where the Tacoma Genuinely Wins

Credit where it is due, because these are real advantages.

Fuel economy. The Tacoma's turbo four and hybrid options will beat the Gladiator's V6 at the pump, and on a Manitoba commute measured in highway kilometres that difference is real money every month.

Torque, if you buy the hybrid. 465 lb ft is a heavy duty style torque number in a midsize truck, and it makes the Tacoma feel effortless around town and out onto the highway.

Resale reputation. Toyota trucks are famous for holding their value, and the Tacoma has led the segment on that measure for a long time. The Gladiator holds its own, especially Rubicons, but the Tacoma's used market strength is a fair point in its favour.

Choice. More trims, more powertrains, and the option to spec anything from a basic work truck to a loaded overlanding rig.

Where the Gladiator Wins, and Why It Is Not Close in These Columns

Open air, full stop. The Gladiator is the only pickup you can buy with removable doors, a removable roof and a fold down windshield. From the May long weekend to September, that turns a work truck into something no Tacoma can be. There is no version of this feature on the other side of the comparison. If it speaks to you, the decision is basically made.

Solid axles and real crawling hardware. The Gladiator runs heavy duty solid axles front and rear, and the Rubicon adds locking differentials, a disconnecting front sway bar and true low range crawling gears. The Tacoma's TRD models are capable trucks, but the Gladiator Rubicon is playing a different sport on rough terrain.

The higher tow rating. 7,700 lb properly equipped beats the Tacoma's best number by more than half a tonne.

Standard 4x4. Every Gladiator sold is four wheel drive. In a province where the first blizzard shows up before the last camping trip, we consider that the correct default, and with the Gladiator you cannot accidentally buy the wrong driveline.

The Honest Compromises on the Jeep Side

The Gladiator's solid axles and boxy, upright shape mean more wind noise at 110 km/h than the Tacoma, and the ride is busier on broken pavement than an independent front suspension truck. The single V6 engine means no hybrid option and thirstier fill ups. If your truck life is 90 percent smooth highway and parkade, the Tacoma's road manners will suit you better. We would rather tell you that here than have you find it out on a test drive and wonder what else we glossed over.

The Manitoba Read

Here is how this comparison actually plays out from our lot in Portage la Prairie. The buyer heading west on gravel to a cabin at Delta Beach or up to a boat launch on Lake Manitoba cares about the tow rating, the standard 4x4 and how the truck handles washboard and ruts. That buyer keeps landing on the Gladiator. The buyer commuting into Winnipeg five days a week with a light utility trailer on summer weekends cares about fuel burn and highway quiet, and the Tacoma makes a strong case for that life.

The one thing we will push back on is the idea that the Tacoma is the "sensible" choice and the Gladiator is the toy. A truck that tows more, runs standard 4x4 and carries Jeep's simplest, most proven engine is a thoroughly sensible machine. It just happens to also take its doors off.

Pricing and How to Actually Decide

Both trucks span a wide price range depending on trim, and published figures move around with incentive programs, so we are not going to print numbers that will be stale by the time you read this. Current Gladiator pricing is on every listing in our new Jeep Gladiator inventory, less any applicable incentives. Check our current pricing here for the most up to date pricing information. Every new Gladiator we sell also carries the 2026 Jeep Gladiator Eh+ offer, our value stack with zero dealer fees, so the price you see is the price you pay.

If you are stepping out of a current truck, start by getting a real number for it with our instant cash offer tool, and if you want your payment picture sorted before you shop, our finance application takes a few minutes. We have covered the Gladiator in more depth elsewhere too: what it can pull in our Gladiator towing capacity guide, how it compares inside the family in Wrangler vs Gladiator, and how it stacks up against a full size in Ram 1500 vs Jeep Gladiator.

FAQs

Which tows more, the Jeep Gladiator or the Toyota Tacoma?

The Gladiator. Properly equipped with the available Max Tow setup, the Gladiator is rated up to 7,700 lb. The Tacoma's maximum is up to 6,500 lb with the gas turbo engine in specific configurations, and hybrid models are rated around 6,000 lb. Both ratings depend on cab, box and package, so confirm the number on the exact truck you are buying.

Is the Jeep Gladiator good in winter?

Yes. Every Gladiator is four wheel drive as standard, it carries generous ground clearance, and the solid axle driveline is simple, proven hardware. Fit proper winter tires, as with any truck, and it is a very capable Manitoba winter vehicle.

What engine does the 2026 Gladiator have?

One engine: the 3.6 litre Pentastar V6 with 285 horsepower and 260 lb ft, paired with an eight speed automatic and standard 4x4. There is no turbo or hybrid version, which some buyers see as a limitation and others see as long term simplicity.

Does the Tacoma have more power than the Gladiator?

On paper, the upper Tacoma powertrains do. Most Tacoma trims make 278 horsepower and 317 lb ft, and the hybrid makes 326 horsepower and 465 lb ft, against the Gladiator's 285 horsepower and 260 lb ft. The Gladiator answers with the higher tow rating and its off road hardware, so pick the numbers that match how you will use the truck.

Which one should I buy?

If you want maximum fuel efficiency, hybrid torque and the segment's strongest resale reputation, the Tacoma is a strong truck. If you want the higher tow rating, standard 4x4, real off road hardware and the only open air pickup on the market, it is the Gladiator, and we would be glad to put you in one to feel the difference.

The Bottom Line

The Tacoma is the segment's safe answer and it earns its reputation. The Gladiator is the segment's interesting answer, and on the numbers that matter to a lot of Manitoba truck buyers, towing, standard 4x4 and trail hardware, it is also the more capable one. The right way to settle it is from the driver's seat. Browse our new Jeep Gladiator inventory in Portage la Prairie, or come drive one, and we will give you the honest read on whether it fits your life better than the default choice. And if a new truck is not in the cards this year, our used inventory usually has strong midsize and full size options worth a look.

Tyler Dunn, Dunn Ram Trucks, Portage la Prairie