Compare the2022 Jeep CherokeeVS 2022 Hyundai Tucson

The Jeep Cherokee has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Tucson doesn’t offer knee airbags.

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 Tucson doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Cherokee has a standard blind spot warning system which uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. Only the Tucson SEL/N Line/Limited offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Cherokee has a standard rear cross-path warning system, which uses sensors in the rear bumper to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Tucson SEL/N Line/Limited has a rear cross-path warning system.

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

There are almost 3 times as many Jeep dealers as there are Hyundai dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Cherokee’s warranty.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Cherokee has a standard 160-amp alternator (180-amp - Cherokee optional). The Tucson’s 150-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

The Cherokee’s optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 83 more horsepower (270 vs. 187) and 117 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 178) than the Tucson’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder. The Cherokee’s standard 3.2 DOHC V6 produces 84 more horsepower (271 vs. 187) and 61 lbs.-ft. more torque (239 vs. 178) than the Tucson’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Jeep Cherokee turbo 4 cyl. is faster than the Hyundai Tucson:

The Cherokee has 1.6 gallons more fuel capacity than the Tucson (15.9 vs. 14.3 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

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 Tucson doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

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 Tucson.

For better stopping power the Cherokee’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Tucson:

The Cherokee stops shorter than the Tucson:

For better traction, the Cherokee 4x4 X/Trailhawk’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Tucson (245/65R17 vs. 235/65R17).

The Cherokee Limited’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 50 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Tucson’s optional 55 series tires.

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 Tucson 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 Tucson; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

The Cherokee has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Tucson doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

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 Tucson doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For better maneuverability, the Cherokee’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the Tucson’s (37.6 feet vs. 38.6 feet). The Cherokee 4x4 Trailhawk’s turning circle is .5 feet tighter than the Tucson’s (38.1 feet vs. 38.6 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Cherokee Trailhawk has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Tucson (8.7 vs. 8.3 inches), allowing the Cherokee to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

A standard locking glovebox keeps your small valuables safer in the Cherokee. The Tucson doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Maximum trailer towing in the Hyundai Tucson is limited to 2000 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 Tucson can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Cherokee uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Tucson uses a prop rod to support its heavy hood. It takes two hands to open the hood and set the prop rod, the prop rod gets in the way during maintenance and service, and the prop rod could be knocked out, causing the heavy hood to fall on the person maintaining or servicing the car.

The Cherokee’s front power windows open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Tucson’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. Only its driver’s window opens automatically. The Tucson SEL/N Line/Limited’s rear windows don’t close automatically.

The Cherokee’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Tucson’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Cherokee Limited offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Tucson doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Cherokee’s standard outside mirrors include heating elements to clear off the mirrors for better visibility. Hyundai only offers heated mirrors on the Tucson SEL/N Line/Limited.

Both the Cherokee and the Tucson offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Cherokee has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Tucson doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

The Cherokee Latitude Lux/Limited/Trailhawk has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Tucson doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Jeep Cherokee outsold the Hyundai Tucson by 10% during 2020.