Compare the2023 Jeep Grand CherokeeVS 2023 Toyota Highlander Hybrid

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Grand Cherokee Overland 4WD/Summit 4WD’s standard Hill-descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer Hill-descent Control.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk/Overland/Summit helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the Grand Cherokee and the Highlander Hybrid have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver 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, around view monitors and driver alert monitors.

Jeep pays for scheduled maintenance (up to 3 visits) on the Grand Cherokee for 1 year and unlimited miles longer than Toyota pays for maintenance for the Highlander Hybrid (3/unlimited vs. 2/25000).

There are almost 2 times as many Jeep dealers as there are Toyota dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Grand Cherokee’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Jeep vehicles are better in initial quality than Toyota vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Jeep above average in initial quality. With 3 more problems per 100 vehicles, Toyota is rated below average.

The Grand Cherokee’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 50 more horsepower (293 vs. 243) than the Highlander Hybrid’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid. The Grand Cherokee’s optional 5.7 V8 produces 114 more horsepower (357 vs. 243) than the Highlander Hybrid’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid. The Grand Cherokee 4xe’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 132 more horsepower (375 vs. 243) than the Highlander Hybrid’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Motor Trend the Jeep Grand Cherokee V6 is faster than the Toyota Highlander Hybrid:

On the EPA test cycle the Grand Cherokee running on electricity gets better mileage than the Highlander Hybrid:

The Grand Cherokee 4xe can travel with zero emissions for 26 miles. The Highlander Hybrid can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Grand Cherokee V8’s fuel efficiency. The Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The Grand Cherokee 4xe Hybrid’s standard fuel tank has 1.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Highlander Hybrid (19 vs. 17.1 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Grand Cherokee’s standard fuel tank has 5.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Highlander Hybrid (23 vs. 17.1 gallons).

The Grand 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 Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

For better stopping power the Grand Cherokee’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Highlander Hybrid:

The Grand Cherokee stops shorter than the Highlander Hybrid:

For better traction, the Grand Cherokee has larger standard tires than the Highlander Hybrid (245/70R17 vs. 235/65R18). The Grand Cherokee Summit’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Highlander Hybrid (275/45R21 vs. 235/65R18).

The Grand Cherokee 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 Highlander Hybrid Limited/Platinum’s 55 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Grand Cherokee Summit offers optional 21-inch wheels. The Highlander Hybrid’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The Grand 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 Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Grand Cherokee offers an optional full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Highlander Hybrid; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

The Grand Cherokee Trailhawk has active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The Grand Cherokee offers an available driver-adjustable suspension system. It allows the driver to choose between an extra-supple ride, reducing fatigue on long trips, or a sport setting, which allows maximum control for tricky roads or off-road. The Highlander Hybrid’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The Grand Cherokee offers an optional automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Grand Cherokee’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The Grand 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 Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Grand Cherokee’s wheelbase is 4.5 inches longer than on the Highlander Hybrid (116.7 inches vs. 112.2 inches).

The Grand Cherokee Overland 4x4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Highlander Hybrid Platinum AWD (27.7 seconds @ .6 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Grand Cherokee has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Highlander Hybrid (8.4 vs. 8 inches), allowing the Grand Cherokee to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Grand Cherokee Trailhawk Air Suspension’s minimum ground clearance is 2.9 inches higher than on the Highlander Hybrid (10.9 vs. 8 inches).

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

The Grand Cherokee has .2 inches more front hip room and .2 inches more front shoulder room than the Highlander Hybrid.

The Grand Cherokee has a much larger cargo volume than the Highlander Hybrid with its rear seat up (37.7 vs. 16 cubic feet).

Maximum trailer towing in the Toyota Highlander Hybrid is limited to 3500 pounds. The Grand Cherokee 4x4 offers up to a 7200 lbs. towing capacity.

The Grand 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 Grand Cherokee can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Highlander Hybrid can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Grand Cherokee uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Highlander Hybrid 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 engine in the Grand Cherokee is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Highlander Hybrid. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors in the Highlander Hybrid Limited/Platinum, the Grand Cherokee 4xe/Limited/Trailhawk/Overland/Summit offers an optional passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position (with optional power wheel adjuster), outside mirror angle and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The Grand Cherokee Limited/Trailhawk/Overland/Summit’s standard easy entry system raises the steering wheel and glides the driver’s seat back when the door is unlocked or the ignition is switched off, making it easier for the driver to get in and out. The Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer an easy entry system.

The Grand Cherokee’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Highlander Hybrid does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The Grand Cherokee’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Highlander Hybrid’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

The Grand Cherokee’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Highlander Hybrid offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

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

The Grand Cherokee Overland Lux Tech/Summit has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Highlander Hybrid.

The Grand Cherokee Summit’s Parallel and 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 Highlander Hybrid doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee outsold the Toyota Highlander by 540 units during 2022.