Compare the2023 Subaru AscentVS 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee L

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Subaru Ascent have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Jeep Grand Cherokee L doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Ascent. But it costs extra on the Grand Cherokee L.

Both the Ascent and the Grand Cherokee L have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, 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 blind spot warning systems, around view monitors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert 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 Ascent its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Grand Cherokee L has not been tested, yet.

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the Ascent has an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of the 5.7 V8 in the Grand Cherokee L.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Ascent has a 190-amp alternator. The Grand Cherokee L’s standard 160-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

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 Ascent’s reliability 18 points higher than the Grand Cherokee L.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are better in initial quality than Jeep vehicles. With 8 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Subaru higher than Jeep.

The Ascent’s 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder produces 17 lbs.-ft. more torque (277 vs. 260) than the Grand Cherokee L’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Subaru Ascent is faster than the Jeep Grand Cherokee L V6:

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Ascent lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The Grand Cherokee L doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

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

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Subaru Ascent uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Grand Cherokee L with the 5.7 V8 engine requires mid-grade for maximum efficiency, which can cost 5 to 40 cents more per gallon.

The Ascent has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Grand Cherokee L doesn’t offer a CVT.

The Ascent stops much shorter than the Grand Cherokee L:

The Ascent Touring handles at .80 G’s, while the Grand Cherokee L Overland 4x4 pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Ascent Touring executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1 seconds quicker than the Grand Cherokee L Overland 4x4 (27.2 seconds @ .64 average G’s vs. 28.2 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Ascent has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Grand Cherokee L Laredo/Limited (8.7 vs. 8.5 inches), allowing the Ascent to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Ascent is 8.1 inches shorter than the Grand Cherokee L, making the Ascent easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Ascent has standard seating for 8 passengers; the Grand Cherokee L can only carry up to 7.

The Ascent has 1.4 inches more front headroom, .9 inches more front legroom, .3 inches more front hip room, 1.9 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear headroom, 1.2 inches more rear hip room, 2.3 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.4 inches more third row legroom, 3 inches more third row hip room and 5.3 inches more third row shoulder room than the Grand Cherokee L.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Ascent’s middle and third row seats recline. The Grand Cherokee L’s third row seats don’t recline.

The front step up height for the Ascent is 2.5 inches lower than the Grand Cherokee L (17.7” vs. 20.2”). The Ascent’s rear step up height is 2.1 inches lower than the Grand Cherokee L’s (18.1” vs. 20.2”).

The Ascent’s cargo area provides more volume than the Grand Cherokee L.

The Ascent’s front power windows open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Grand Cherokee L’s standard power windows’ front passenger window doesn’t close automatically.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Ascent’s available exterior PIN entry system (not available on Ascent Base). The Grand Cherokee L doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its extra cost Uconnect Access can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Grand Cherokee L’s cornering lamps activate a lamp on the front corner when the turn signal is activated. The Ascent’s standard adaptive cornering lights turn the actual headlight unit up to several degrees, depending on steering wheel angle and vehicle speed. This lights a significant distance into corners at any speed.

Insurance will cost less for the Ascent owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Ascent will cost $1420 to $5230 less than the Grand Cherokee L over a five-year period.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Subaru Ascent will be $6973 to $18002 less than for the Jeep Grand Cherokee L.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Subaru Ascent, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Jeep Grand Cherokee L isn't recommended.