2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe vs. 2022 Ford Explorer Hybrid

2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe ・ Photo by Jeep

The Ford Explorer has been stalwart in the mid-size SUV segment for decades, while the Jeep Grand Cherokee also has a long history as a go-anywhere family vehicle. Now, with fuel prices up and inflation closing in from all sides, many families are considering hybrid vehicles. Both the Ford Explorer and the Jeep Grand Cherokee can be equipped with hybrid powertrains, but the Explorer has a conventional hybrid system while the Grand Cherokee offers a plug-in hybrid. Ford offers hybrid powertrains in both the Limited and Platinum trim levels. Jeep offers multiple trim levels of the Grand Cherokee 4xe. Which is right for your family? That’s what we’ll help you discover in this comparison test of the 2022 Ford Explorer Hybrid and the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe.

Exterior Style

As we see it, the 2022 Ford Explorer and 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee are two of the best-looking vehicles in the class. Its rear-drive architecture gives the Explorer a stance that front-drive-oriented crossovers have difficulty emulating. Combined with a sleek, laid-back grille, the long wheelbase helps the Explorer look lithe and muscular. Its design hasn’t changed very much in several years, but it still has a sharp, contemporary vibe. The Jeep Grand Cherokee counters with a handsome, albeit conservative, exterior that stresses its Jeep heritage. A tasteful version of the famous seven-slot grille adorns the Grand Cherokee’s blunt front end. And the Jeep also features the angular wheel arches that are another brand trademark. One feature that the Grand Cherokee uses to its advantage is the availability of a black roof that gives the SUV the appearance of being lower and sleeker. Both vehicles are very good-looking, so which is “better” comes down to personal taste.

: Tie

Photo by Ford

Interior Design

The five-passenger 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe has one of the most inviting interiors of any SUV on the market. It isn’t just functional; it also looks very rich and upscale. Premium leather and other soft-to-the-touch materials are used throughout the cabin. The interior is filled with digital displays screens — a 10.1-inch gauge cluster, a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment touchscreen, and a segment-first optional 10.25-inch front passenger screen. The 16-way adjustable front seats have power lumbar and memory and upper levels have back massage. Heated and ventilated seats are available in both rows. The Ford Explorer Limited can’t quite match the Grand Cherokee’s level of luxury, but it is not far behind with perforated leather seats that are heated and ventilated in front and heated in the second row. And of course, the Explorer offers a third row as well. The up-level Explorer Platinum adds even more interior refinement with additional leather trim, but the Explorers don’t match the Grand Cherokee 4xe for in-vehicle looks and functionality.

: Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe

Photo by Jeep

Hybrid Powertrains

The Ford Explorer hybrid models are conventional hybrids, while the Jeep Grand Cherokee uses the plug-in hybrid powertrain that Jeep also employs in the Wrangler 4xe. This means the systems are different in terms of functionality and in terms of cost. The Explorer’s hybrid drivetrain uses a 3.3-liter V6 engine supplemented by an electric motor to produce 318 horsepower combined. The system offers minimal electric-only range, but it is offered in both rear drive and intelligent all-wheel drive. The Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe has a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine plus two electric motors. The first motor-generator replaces the alternator while the second electric motor replaces the torque converter. All 4xes are four-wheel drive. The electric motors are powered by a 400-volt, 17 kWh battery under the floor. The combined system offers 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. And the power and torque are directed through an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Grand Cherokee 4xe offers 25 miles of all-electric range.

: Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe

Driving Impressions

While neither the Ford Explorer nor the Jeep Grand Cherokee performs like a sports car, you might be surprised at how much all-around driving enjoyment they offer. Plus, both the Explorer hybrid and the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe can be equipped to take on very difficult terrain. Jeep execs say the Trailhawk version of the Grand Cherokee is the model’s most off-road capable version. At the same time, Ford engineers went to special lengths to endow the Explorer Hybrid with the drivability of the other Explorers. In off-road trim, the all-wheel drive Ford Explorer hybrid models are very capable. At the same time, they can’t quite match the Grand Cherokee 4xe’s prowess in water fording, rock climbing, and high-speed desert-running. On the road in day to day situations, both the Ford Explorer and Jeep Grand Cherokee are extremely comfortable and quiet. Both provide families with safe, convenient transportation.

: Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe

Photo by Jeep

Safety & Driver Aids

Both the Ford Explorer and the Jeep Grand Cherokee can be equipped with numerous active safety features. The Grand Cherokee 4xe’s standard safety tech includes front collision assist with pedestrian and cyclist detection, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping assist, lane-departure warning, lane-centering assist, and blind-spot monitor. Brake assist and adaptive cruise control with stop and go are also standard. Buyers can add optional parallel and perpendicular parking assist and 360-degree surround-view camera system. Night vision system with pedestrian and animal detection, intersection collision-avoidance assist, driver attention monitor, and traffic sign recognition are also available optionally. The Explorer offers Ford’s Co-Pilot360. It includes automatic high-beam headlights, blind-spot warning system with cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping alert and assist, pre-collision assist with automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, and rear-view camera. Explorers also have hill start assist, post-collision braking, reverse-sensing, sidewind stabilization, and trailer sway control. Hill descent control is a feature shared by 4-wheel-drive Explorers, and adaptive cruise control is available too. 

: Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe

Photo by Jeep

Interior Space & Cargo Carrying

Off the top, it needs to be established that the Ford Explorer hybrids can transport as many as seven passengers, while the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe is a five-passenger vehicle. The Explorer can be equipped with a second-row bench seat or two captain’s chairs, and it offers a third row. With the third row in use, the Ford Explorer has 18.2 cubic feet of cargo space. With the third-row seatbacks folded, the Explorer offers 47.9 cubic feet. And with all the rear rows folded, the Explorer has about 87 cubic feet of total cargo area. In comparison, the Grand Cherokee 4xe has 37.7 cubic feet of cargo room behind the second row bench seats. With the rear seat backs folded, the 4xe’s cargo area increases to 70.8 cubic feet. Explorers equipped with the hybrid powertrain are rated to tow up to 5,000 pounds. The Grand Cherokee 4xe offers a 6,000-pound max tow rating.

: Ford Explorer

Photo by Ford

Fuel Economy

When it comes to fuel economy numbers, the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe’s plug-in hybrid system enables it to outdistance the Ford Explorer hybrids. But when looking at the numbers, one should take into account the price difference between the Explorer hybrids and the Grand Cherokee 4xe. The most fuel-efficient of the Explorer hybrids is the rear-drive Limited trim version with EPA ratings of 27 mpg city/28 mpg highway. An all-wheel-drive Explorer Platinum hybrid is rated at 23 mpg city/24 mpg highway. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the Grand Cherokee 4xe has an MPGe rating of 56 combined. That rating takes into account that a percentage of the time the 4xe will be operating in pure-electric mode plus the added boost it receives from the electric motors in some other driving circumstances.

: Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe

Photo by Jeep

Pricing & Value

The way we see it, both the Ford Explorer hybrid models and the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe offer good value. That said, both are significantly more expensive than the equivalent non-hybrid versions of the SUVs. You might have to do some fancy math or use the fueleconomy.gov calculator to determine if either will save you money over your ownership period with either one. What we can tell you is the lowest-priced Ford Explorer hybrid (a rear-drive Limited trim) has a list price that is about $6,500 less than the base Grand Cherokee 4xe. If you add all-wheel drive to the Explorer, the price difference drops to about $4,500. The Ford Explorer Platinum trim has a suggested price of about $2,000 more than the Limited. The Grand Cherokee 4xe is offered in five different trim levels, and the top Summit Reserve has a base MSRP of about $76,000. So the buyer is definitely paying a premium for the hybrid system and an even larger premium for the plug-in hybrid system.

: Tie

Photo by Ford

The Winner

When you look at the individual vehicle attributes, this comparison test seems like a lopsided win for the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe. But when you figure the price difference into the determination, the gap narrows significantly. One issue is that the Explorer is a hybrid, while the Grand Cherokee is a plug-in hybrid. They seem similar, but the cost structure and benefits are far different. Furthermore, the Grand Cherokee 4xe is a five-passenger vehicle while the Ford Explorer can tote seven, another difference between the two vehicles.

In the final analysis, the deciding factor came down to “newness.” The Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe has been very recently introduced while the current Ford Explorer hybrids have been on sale for several years. Because of that, we think Ford will narrow the gap or pass Jeep when the next Explorer hits the streets. But for 2022, the winner is the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe.

: Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe

Photo by Jeep