Compare the2022 Jeep CherokeeVS 2022 Alfa Romeo Stelvio

The Cherokee has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Stelvio doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Cherokee (except Latitude) offers optional Parksense with Rear Stop that uses rear sensors to monitor and automatically apply the brakes to prevent a rear collision. The Stelvio doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

Both the Cherokee and the Stelvio have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive and front parking sensors.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, rear impact and roof-crush tests, with its optional front crash prevention system, its “Good” rating in the new passenger-side small overlap crash test, and its available headlight’s “Acceptable” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Cherokee the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2019, a rating granted to only 162 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Stelvio has not been tested, yet.

Jeep’s powertrain warranty covers the Cherokee 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Alfa Romeo covers the Stelvio. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Stelvio ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Jeep pays for scheduled maintenance on the Cherokee for 3 years and unlimited miles. Jeep will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance (up to 3 oil changes). Alfa Romeo only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Stelvio.

There are almost 17 times as many Jeep dealers as there are Alfa Romeo dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Cherokee’s warranty.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Cherokee’s reliability 12 points higher than the Stelvio.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Cherokee third among compact suvs in their 2021 Initial Quality Study. The Stelvio isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Jeep vehicles are better in initial quality than Alfa Romeo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Jeep 8th in initial quality, above the industry average. With 55 more problems per 100 vehicles, Alfa Romeo is ranked 28th, below the industry average.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Jeep vehicles are more reliable than Alfa Romeo vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Jeep 19th in reliability. With 44 more problems per 100 vehicles, Alfa Romeo is ranked 29th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Jeep vehicles are more reliable than Alfa Romeo vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Jeep 10 places higher in reliability than Alfa Romeo.

On the EPA test cycle the Cherokee 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder FWD gets better fuel mileage than the Stelvio RWD (23 city/31 hwy vs. 22 city/29 hwy).

The Cherokee has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Stelvio doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Jeep Cherokee higher (5 to 6 out of 10) than the Alfa Romeo Stelvio (3). This means the Cherokee produces up to 23.4 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Stelvio every 15,000 miles.

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Jeep Cherokee, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Stelvio.

The Cherokee stops much shorter than the Stelvio:

The Cherokee has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Stelvio doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Cherokee X/Trailhawk has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Stelvio; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which has mileage and speed limitations, or roadside assistance and a tow-truck.

The Cherokee’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Stelvio doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For better maneuverability, the Cherokee’s turning circle is .9 feet tighter than the Stelvio’s (37.6 feet vs. 38.5 feet). The Cherokee 4x4 Trailhawk’s turning circle is .4 feet tighter than the Stelvio’s (38.1 feet vs. 38.5 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Cherokee Trailhawk has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Stelvio (8.7 vs. 8.1 inches), allowing the Cherokee to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The front grille of the Cherokee (except Trailhawk) uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Stelvio doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Cherokee has 5.9 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Stelvio (103.5 vs. 97.6).

The Cherokee has 4.5 inches more front legroom, .1 inches more front shoulder room and 8.4 inches more rear legroom than the Stelvio.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Cherokee’s rear seats recline. The Stelvio’s rear seats don’t recline.

The Cherokee has a much larger cargo volume than the Stelvio with its rear seat up (27.6 vs. 18.5 cubic feet).

The Cherokee’s cargo area is larger than the Stelvio’s in almost every dimension:

Maximum trailer towing in the Alfa Romeo Stelvio is limited to 3000 pounds. The Cherokee offers up to a 4500 lbs. towing capacity.

The Cherokee 4WD with optional equipment can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Cherokee can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Stelvio can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Cherokee uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Stelvio doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the Cherokee Limited/Trailhawk keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Stelvio doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The Cherokee’s optional ParkSense Parallel/Perpendicular Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Stelvio doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Insurance will cost less for the Cherokee owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Cherokee will cost $1175 to $3130 less than the Stelvio over a five-year period.

The Cherokee will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Cherokee will retain 46.96% to 52.63% of its original price after five years, while the Stelvio only retains 44.42% to 45.21%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Jeep Cherokee will be $14778 to $16156 less than for the Alfa Romeo Stelvio.

The Jeep Cherokee outsold the Alfa Romeo Stelvio by over 10 to one during the 2021 model year.