• The Rubicon is built for slow-speed rock crawling with a 4:1 Rock-Trac transfer case, front and rear Tru-Lok® lockers, and an electronic sway bar disconnect 

• The Mojave is the only Jeep vehicle with the Desert Rated® badge, featuring FOX 2.5-inch internal bypass shocks, hydraulic jounce bumpers, and a reinforced frame 

• Both share the 3.6L V6 (285 hp), 8-speed automatic, 33-inch all-terrain tires, up to 7,700-lb towing, and the same 12.3-inch Uconnect® 5 touchscreen 

These two trims share an engine, transmission, bed size, and cab layout. The differences live in the suspension, transfer case, and locking hardware. 

Where they line up: both trims ride on Dana solid front and rear axles with a 4.10 ratio, electronic rear locking differential, 33-inch all-terrain tires, up to 7,700-lb towing, and the same 12.3-inch Uconnect® 5 touchscreen with heated seats and dual-zone climate control. Same engine, same bed, same fuel economy (17/22/19 MPG). The split starts at the transfer case and runs through the shocks and lockers. 

The Rubicon and Mojave are built for opposite ends of the off-road spectrum, and the terrain around southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island gives each approach a real test. 

The Rubicon's 4:1 Rock-Trac transfer case delivers a Best-in-Class available 84:1 crawl ratio, letting the truck inch over obstacles at idle with total precision. Front and rear Tru-Lok electronic locking differentials force all four wheels to spin at the same speed, eliminating traction loss on uneven rock. The electronic front sway bar disconnect lets the front suspension fully articulate, keeping tires planted when one wheel is dramatically higher than the other. That setup handles the kind of rocky forest roads you find in Freetown-Fall River State Forest or washed-out trails off Route 24 after a heavy nor'easter. 

The Mojave takes a completely different approach. FOX 2.5-inch internal bypass shocks with external reservoirs provide position-sensitive damping that stays compliant on pavement but stiffens instantly under high-speed impacts. FOX hydraulic jounce bumpers act as a secondary shock that engages only when the suspension is fully compressed, absorbing the kind of hits that would bottom out a standard setup. A 1-inch front suspension lift creates extra compression clearance. The Mojave carries the Desert Rated® badge, the only vehicle in the Jeep lineup to earn it, confirming its engineering for sand, heat, and high-speed terrain. 

On washboard gravel roads near Dighton, the Mojave absorbs repeated impacts with noticeably less cabin vibration. On tight, rocky sections where you need to crawl at 2 mph, the Rubicon's front locker and sway bar disconnect do work the Mojave simply cannot replicate. 

Both trims share the 12.3-inch Uconnect 5 touchscreen (the largest standard in the segment), wireless Apple CarPlay®, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa Built-in, dual-zone automatic climate control, and heated front seats. The interior technology is identical where it counts. 

Where they differ is in the details. The Mojave features sport-bolstered front seats designed to hold you in place during high-speed terrain changes, a sculpted performance hood with a hood scoop, and bright orange tow hooks that give it a distinct desert-runner look. The Rubicon takes a more functional approach with low-back cloth bucket seats, a vented dual hood, steel rock rails protecting both the cab and the bed, a steel rear bumper, and red tow hooks that signal its recovery-focused engineering. 

Both offer the removable Freedom Top® hardtop and the available Zipperless Sunrider®, plus quick-release doors for full open-air driving. On a warm Saturday headed to Horseneck Beach with the top off, both Gladiators deliver that experience equally.