You’re going to get Toyota biased answers on this forum. Go visit Jeepgladiatorforum to see what they love and hate about it. Many bad mouth Jeep having never had one, but fail to mention the rusty frames, steering wheel shimmy, peeling white paint, nose dive while braking, and terrible headlights of Toyota, yet we still love them. Be forewarned, Jeeps are having issues with paint bubbling as the aluminum of the doors react to the steel of the hinges. They repaint under warranty, but seems to only be a temporary solution (I did not have the issue). If you’re looking for a small truck, go visit TacomaWorld and view the complaints of poor seating position, transmission issues and under powered engine (not same engine as 4R), plus rear drum brakes??
I actually owned both a 2017 TRD Pro and a 2020 Gladiator Rubicon at the same time. We’ve had the 4R for over 5 years and 100k miles, I sold the JT after 11 months and 21k miles. You won’t hear me bad mouth the Gladiator (JT), but ultimately I felt having both was a bit redundant and we had no plans on getting rid of the 4R. I was able to sell it to a dealer for more than I paid thanks to COVID, plus I had the chance to buy back an old car I regretted selling. I’ve also had a Wrangler and a Tacoma (RIP).
The JT is hands down the better off-roader, no question. I did have a lift, 37s, full skids, etc, but even still. I’ve taken them both to Moab, Ouray, and the JT to Sedona. The JT does have a worse break over angle than the 4R, but I didn’t find the departure to be as big of a deal/ I wasn’t concerned of ripping of a plastic bumper. Interior is definitely smaller, but materials feel higher quality. It is going to be louder than the 4R, that’s the nature of the beast with a plastic roof. The ride quality is light years ahead of the JK Wranglers. The bed is small, but if you just want to toss a few messy things back there instead of inside the 4R it’s better. I had the gas V6, there is a diesel option that people seem to love, but I don’t personally trust. I’d recommend LED lighting group, and AUX switches from the factory. I’d skip the safety groups (one thing I love about the 4R is the lack of electronics). The black, unpainted fender flares tend to fade after a few years, but body color can scratch. Mounting the RTT on the bed was so much easier to install, and use at camp then on top of the 4R. Long story short, I wouldn’t hesitate to buy one again.
Sign up for Tread Lightly for 1% below invoice, and I know of a few dealers that sell below invoice as well.