Compare the2023 Lexus NXVS 2023 Jeep Cherokee

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Lexus NX have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Jeep Cherokee doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the NX are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Cherokee doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The NX offers an optional Panoramic View Monitor to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Cherokee only offers a rear monitor and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the front or sides.

Both the NX and Cherokee have rear cross-traffic warning, but the NX offers optional Parking Support Brake (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic.

The NX’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 Cherokee doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the NX and the Cherokee have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger 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, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and rear cross-path warning.

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 NX its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 29 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Cherokee has not been tested, yet.

The NX comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Cherokee’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

Lexus’ powertrain warranty covers the NX 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Jeep covers the Cherokee. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 6 years or 70,000 miles. Coverage on the Cherokee ends after only 5 years or 60,000 miles.

The NX’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Cherokee’s (6 vs. 5 years).

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 Lexus NX Hybrid’s reliability 31 points higher than the Cherokee.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Lexus vehicles are better in initial quality than Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in initial quality. With 42 more problems per 100 vehicles, Jeep is rated below 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 Lexus vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Lexus above average in long-term dependability. With 33 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Jeep is rated below average.

The NX has more powerful engines than the Cherokee:

As tested in Motor Trend the NX 350h 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Cherokee Trailhawk 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder:

On the EPA test cycle the NX running on electricity gets better mileage than the Cherokee:

On the EPA test cycle the NX running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the Cherokee:

The NX 450h can travel with zero emissions for 37 miles. The Cherokee can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the NX 350h/450h’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Cherokee doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Lexus NX higher (6 to 7 out of 10) than the Jeep Cherokee (5 to 6). This means the NX produces up to 8 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Cherokee every 15,000 miles.

The NX offers an available 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 Cherokee doesn’t offer a CVT.

The NX’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Cherokee are solid, not vented.

The NX stops much shorter than the Cherokee:

For better traction, the NX has larger tires than the Cherokee (235/60R18 vs. 225/60R18).

The NX’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Cherokee Trailhawk 4x4’s standard 65 series tires. The NX’s optional tires have a lower 50 series profile than the Cherokee Altitude LUX’s optional 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the NX has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Cherokee Trailhawk 4x4. The NX’s optional 20-inch wheels are larger than the 18-inch wheels optional on the Cherokee Altitude LUX.

Changing a flat tire near traffic can be dangerous and inconvenient. The run-flat tires standard on the NX can be driven up to 50 miles without any air pressure, allowing you to drive to a service station for a repair. The Cherokee doesn’t offer run-flat tires.

The NX has standard front and rear gas-charged shocks for better control over choppy roads. The Cherokee’s suspension doesn’t offer gas-charged shocks.

The NX 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 Cherokee’s suspension doesn’t offer adjustable shock absorbers.

The NX 350 AWD handles at .81 G’s, while the Cherokee pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The NX 350 AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Cherokee (27.3 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28.2 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

The Lexus NX may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 200 pounds less than the Jeep Cherokee.

The NX has 2.5 inches more front hip room and 2.6 inches more rear hip room than the Cherokee.

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

Pressing a switch automatically lowers or raises the NX’s optional rear seats, to make changing between cargo and passengers easier. The Cherokee doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Lexus service is better than Jeep. J.D. Power ranks Lexus first in service department satisfaction. With a 63% lower rating, Jeep is ranked 26th.

The NX’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 Cherokee does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The NX offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Cherokee doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

On a hot day the NX’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. (Your Lexus service department must activate this window function.) The driver of the Cherokee can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The NX has a standard locking fuel and charge port door with a remote release located convenient to the driver. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank. The Cherokee doesn’t offer a locking fuel door.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The NX offers available headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Cherokee doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the NX offers optional cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Cherokee doesn’t offer cornering lights. The NX also offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle.

The NX’s standard 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 Cherokee has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the NX and the Cherokee have standard heated front seats. The NX also offers optional heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Cherokee.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Lexus NX offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Cherokee doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The NX 350h/450h+’s optional Advanced Park can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Cherokee’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

The NX is available in both front-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Cherokee doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

Consumer Reports® chose the Lexus NX 350h as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Jeep Cherokee isn't recommended.

The Lexus NX outsold the Jeep Cherokee by 22% during 2022.