The gadolinium-doped ceria nanorods (Gd0.2Ce0.8O2-x ) were synthesized by hydrothermal treatment. It was shown that the use of microwave heating during hydrothermal treatment decreases the treatment time required to obtain gadolinium-doped ceria nanorods and that oriented attachment is the dominant mechanism responsible for anisotropic growth. It was clear that Gd0.2Ce0.8O2-x nanorods were more catalytically active than commercial CeO2 in the ethanol reforming reaction.