Compare the2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee LVS 2023 Cadillac Escalade

The Jeep Grand Cherokee L 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 Escalade doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Grand Cherokee L 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 Escalade doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

The Grand Cherokee L has a standard blind spot warning system that 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 Escalade Premium/Platinum/Sport offers a blind spot warning system.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Grand Cherokee L has standard Rear Cross Path Detection, helping the driver avoid collisions. Only the Escalade Premium/Platinum/Sport offers Rear Cross Traffic Alert.

The Grand Cherokee L Summit’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Escalade doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the Grand Cherokee L uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. The Escalade uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the Grand Cherokee L and the Escalade have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact 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, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, night vision systems and around view monitors.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, daytime pedestrian crash prevention, and nighttime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Grand Cherokee L its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 36 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Escalade has not been tested, yet.

Jeep pays for scheduled maintenance on the Grand Cherokee L for 3 years and unlimited miles. Jeep will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance (up to 3 visits). Cadillac only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Escalade.

There are over 4 times as many Jeep dealers as there are Cadillac dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Grand Cherokee L’s warranty.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Grand Cherokee L has a standard 850-amp battery. The Escalade only offers a standard 800-amp battery.

The battery on the Grand Cherokee L is under the seat, which protects it from hot underhood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the Grand Cherokee L’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Escalade’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

On the EPA test cycle the Grand Cherokee L gets better mileage than the Escalade:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Jeep Grand Cherokee L uses regular unleaded gasoline (mid-grade octane recommended with the 5.7 V8 engine for maximum performance). The Escalade requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 31.4 cents more per gallon.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Jeep Grand Cherokee L higher (5 to 7 out of 10) than the Cadillac Escalade (3 to 6). This means the Grand Cherokee L produces up to 24.5 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Escalade every 15,000 miles.

For better stopping power the Grand Cherokee L’s standard brake rotors are larger than those on the Escalade:

The Grand Cherokee L Summit’s optional tires provide better handling because they have a lower 45 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Escalade’s 50 series tires.

The Grand Cherokee L Overland 4x4 handles at .82 G’s, while the Escalade Sport 4WD pulls only .60 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Grand Cherokee L Overland 4x4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.8 seconds quicker than the Escalade Sport 4WD (27.3 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 30.1 seconds @ .53 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Grand Cherokee L’s turning circle is 1.3 feet tighter than the Escalade’s (38.4 feet vs. 39.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Grand Cherokee L Laredo/Limited has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Escalade (8.5 vs. 8 inches), allowing the Grand Cherokee L to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Grand Cherokee L Overland/Summit’s minimum ground clearance is .9 inch higher than on the Escalade Air Suspension (10.9 vs. 10 inches).

The Jeep Grand Cherokee L may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 750 to 1100 pounds less than the Cadillac Escalade.

The Grand Cherokee L is 7 inches shorter than the Escalade, making the Grand Cherokee L easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Unibody construction lowers the Grand Cherokee L’s center of gravity significantly without reducing ground clearance. This contributes to better on the road handling and better off-road performance and stability. In addition, unibody construction makes the chassis stiffer, improving handling and reducing squeaks and rattles. The Escalade doesn’t use unibody construction, but a body-on-frame design.

The Grand Cherokee L uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Escalade doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Grand Cherokee L easier. The Grand Cherokee L’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 32.2 inches, while the Escalade’s liftover is 37 inches.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Grand Cherokee L to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Escalade doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

Optional air conditioned front and second row seats keep the Grand Cherokee L’s passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The Escalade doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats for the second row.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee outsold the Cadillac Escalade/Escalade ESV by almost six to one during 2022.