How the 2018 Grand Jeep Cherokee Compares to Other SUVs in the Market

There are countless car models in the market and you’ll often be spoiled for choice. New buyers or buyers who haven’t made new purchases in years may find it hard to make a decision. How do you find a car that will be perfect for your lifestyle and needs? It just takes a little research and planning. When you know the kind of car you want, you can then decide whether you want to buy a new car, lease a new car, or buy a used car. The 2018 Grand Jeep Cherokee is a model that is all the rage right now. With the high price tag of the 2018 Grand Jeep Cherokee, it might be hard to decide if it is worth it to invest in one or stick to the other more affordable cars in the market.

This guide will compare the 2018 Grand Jeep Cherokee with the other cars on the market to help you make an informed decision. For unwavering fans of the Cherokee, this Jeep Grand Cherokee parts website is available to you if you need any replacements.

Engines and Drivetrains

With a 295-horse powered engine, the Grand Jeep Cherokee clearly wins over the other SUVs and cars in the market. Following closely behind the Jeep is the 4Runner which runs on a 270-horse powered engine. In terms of torque, the 4Runner leads the board with 278 pound-feet, with the Edge following closely behind. While the Edge picked up its powers in 2019 by 5, it still can’t reach the level where the 4Runner stands. Some people might compare the Grand Jeep Cherokee to Ford, another leading car brand. The good thing about both the Jeep and Ford is that you don’t have to settle with what’s been provided for you, you can take it up a notch and customize what you’d like for yourself. For example, Ford has two other engine options you can pick from – one being a twin-turbocharged V6 and the other being a naturally aspirated V6, with the latter out beating the Grand Jeep Cherokee’s gasoline V6 in areas such as power and torque, bumping up the engine to a 335 horsepower and 385 pound-feet of torque.

Having the most engine options, the Jeep stands out the most. This is because Jeep is the only brand that offers V8 and diesel options. On most Grand Cherokees, the options include a 5.7-liter V8, which is only compatible with a 4WD. At 360 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque, the Grand Jeep Cherokee outperforms even the 2019 Edge's twin-turbo V6. While the diesel engine falls behind a bit with 240 horsepower, it makes up for the lack of power with higher torque at 420 pound-feet. Undeniably, there are also the SRT models with larger and more intense V8 engines respectively. These models will be significantly more pricey, but they’ll smash any of these other crossovers anyway. It is also important to note that the Jeep and Nissan have the most ratios to pick from as they adopt the 8-speed and CVT transmissions respectively. The Toyota is known for its rather old 5-speed automatic while the Ford takes on a more common 6-speed auto.

Exterior and Interior Dimensions

Comparing the sizes of the 4Runner, Murano, Grand Jeep Cherokee, and the Ford is a tough one. All four of the crossover SUVs are of similar size, with the 4 Runner and the Murano taking the spot of the longest cars. In terms of height, the Grand Jeep Cherokee and the 4runner are the tallest. Finally, in terms of wideness, Ford and Jeep take the podium position.

When ranked according to their weights, the 4Runner and Grand Jeep Cherokee hold the position, with the 4Runner coming in at 4,800 pounds while the Grand Jeep Cherokee can go up to 5,500 pounds. The Edge and Murano on the other hand, are considered the babies of the group, weighing in at about 4,000 pounds. While the 4Runner has considerably the best standard ground clearance, the Grand Jeep Cherokee can reach an inch over a Toyota when the air suspension is taken into consideration.

When comparing the interior of the vehicles, the Edge can be considered the most spacious.

It prioritizes passenger comfort over cargo, storage spaces. As such, it's perfect for a family car with all adults. If you have kids, this might be a challenge in fitting in the baby strollers. Alternatively, the 4Runner has the most cargo space, although passenger space is compromised for rear passengers. As such, the 4Runner is perfect for families with young kids. Similarly, a Toyota also has a rear seat that can be handy but could be squeezy if an adult sits in for long periods of time.

The least powerful gasoline V6 on the Grand Jeep Cherokee wins the 4Runner by 1,200 pounds, a clear winner. When taking into consideration towing, the best Grand Jeep Cherokee is the EcoDiesel with two-wheel drive that comes with 7,400 pounds.

Fuel Economy and Price

All of the models fall closely in the range of prices. If you have a budget, you might want to opt for the Edge, with a base price of just over $30,000. Alternatively, depending on whether you’d like the look and feel of the other models, the Jeep and Nissan are also rather similar to each other, varying by a couple of hundred dollars. However, if you have a little more disposable income and would like to invest more in your vehicle, the 4Runner can reach a price of $35,000 while the Jeep Cherokee Trackhawk and SRT can reach really high price tags.

For vehicles with fuel economy, the front-wheel-drive four-cylinder model on the Edge is the most fuel-efficient. Nissan Murano, however, takes the top when considering an all wheel drive. While front-wheel drives save a bit of money initially, it is in the long run, wiser to get a Murano with all-wheel-drive as there's essentially no difference in fuel economy. The 4Runner and the V8-powered Grand Jeep Cherokee have the worst fuel economy when compared to the rest.

All in all, you will need to make an informed decision when buying yourself a car. The Grand Jeep Cherokee can be all the hype right now, but it is important to compare it to the other similar cars in the market to get the bang for your buck.