Looking to decide between the Ford Explorer or the Jeep Grand Cherokee? While both of these cars share a few of the same features, the Explorer is a superior pick over the Grand Cherokee because of a few distinctions. Our comparison review gives all the information you need to know to pick your next SUV.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Explorer has stronger engines, offering more horsepower.
- Gas mileage will be about the same.
- The Explorer is the larger of the two vehicles, offering more space in general.
- Both share a lot of the same safety and entertainment features, with the Explorer offering more add-ons in its standard trim.
THE SIZE OF THE EXPLORER BEATS THE CHEROKEE
The Explorer is undoubtedly the bigger car, length and width wise it beats the Grand Cherokee by a few inches. If you’re looking for a more compact SUV that offers easier maneuverability around tightly knit parking garages, or even finding a suitable space to begin with, the Cherokee is the better choice.
Despite the Explorer's size, it still has great handling. We choose the Explorer for this reason over the Cherokee, because for a large SUV you’re getting a smooth drive with tons of interior space. The Explorer gives drivers a total of seven seats for passengers instead of five in the Cherokee. With extra seats also comes the need for more passenger space, and the Explorer’s size also has that covered with a total of 87 cubic feet compared to the Cherokees 70. The difference is noticeable for drivers who regularly transport passengers. The Explorer has plenty of head and legroom for everyone on board without compromising cargo space.
POWER & FUEL: POINTS TO THE EXPLORER
You’ll be able to get powerful four-wheel drive with either of these SUVs. Both are built to ride and haul long distances. Don’t get your hopes up too much with gas mileage though, as either of these cars offers about the average gas mileage for any SUV. But with this size of SUV and engines running them, there are certain tradeoffs, and gas mileage tends to be one of them. That being understood, the engines are going to make hauling and hitching a breeze.
The Explorer comes with three engines options:
- 300-hp, 2.3-liter, 4 Cylinder Engine
- 318-hp, 3.3-liter, V6 Cylinder Engine (hybrid)
- 400-hp, 3.0-liter, V6 CylinderEngine
When comparing standard engines, the Explorer wins with horsepower. The Grand Cherokee only comes with two powertrain options to choose from:
- 293-hp, 3.6-liter, V6 Cylinder Engine
- 357-hp, 5.7-liter, 8 Cylinder Engine
It’s true that if you’re looking into a mid-tier engine, the Grand Cherokee seemingly has the advantage with its higher horsepower. But Ford gave buyers the option on their mid-tier engine with a gas/electric hybrid. This comes down to personal preference, if you want an upgrade in power then it’s worth going with the Cherokee. But we personally prefer the Explorer’s mid-tier because it’s not sacrificing too much to save drivers more in the long run with gas money. If you feel like you’re going to do more driving than towing, this engine is the one to pick.
SAFETY FEATURES: A TIE
Both the Explorer and Jeep Grand Cherokee come with a variety of safety and entertainment features that you’ll find in most other SUV models such as brake assistance, blind spot monitoring and lane keeping assistance. It’s important to recognize that the Explorer did win an IIHS Top Safety Pick+ award for its previous year’s model, it’s the highest award given out by the IIHS. And while that technically means nothing for this year’s model because as of writing this, no awards have been given out. But in most cases, we can expect the 2023 Ford Explorer to receive a similar honor. The Grand Cherokee was not awarded any accolade last year.
WHICH SUV WILL YOU CHOOSE?
Our choice for the best SUV this year from these two great cars has to go to the Explorer. Between the space it offers and the ability to upgrade to a hybrid engine puts this one in the top spot. Not to mention, it is the cheaper of the two vehicles, and will run you approximately $6,000 less in starting rates than the Cherokee. You won’t go wrong when choosing this great SUV to drive off the lot.