Compare the2023 Jeep Grand CherokeeVS 2023 Ford Escape PHEV

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Grand Cherokee offers all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Escape PHEV doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

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 Escape PHEV 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 Escape PHEV doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the Grand Cherokee and the Escape PHEV 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, 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 around view monitors and driver alert monitors.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Jeep Grand Cherokee is much safer than the Escape PHEV:

	Grand Cherokee	Escape PHEV
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	MARGINAL
Structure	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	253	391
Head Peak Forces	no contact	93 G’s
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Torso Max Deflection	1.34 in	1.77 in
Torso Deflection Rate	7 MPH	8 MPH
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	1004 lbs.	1160 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Tension	45 lbs.	201 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	1.34 in	1.54 in
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	803 lbs.	1093 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

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 its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2023, a rating granted to only 36 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Escape PHEV last would have qualified as only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2019.

Warranty

Jeep pays for scheduled maintenance on the Grand Cherokee 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). Ford doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Escape PHEV.

Reliability

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 Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Jeep above average in initial quality. With 10 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is rated below average.

Engine

The Grand Cherokee’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 72 more horsepower (293 vs. 221) than the Escape PHEV’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid. The Grand Cherokee’s optional 5.7 V8 produces 136 more horsepower (357 vs. 221) than the Escape PHEV’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid. The Grand Cherokee 4xe’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 154 more horsepower (375 vs. 221) than the Escape PHEV’s 2.5 DOHC 4-cylinder hybrid.

As tested in Car and Driver the Grand Cherokee 4xe 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Ford Escape PHEV:

	Grand Cherokee	Escape PHEV
Zero to 60 MPH	5.3 sec	7.7 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	6.1 sec	7.7 sec
Quarter Mile	13.9 sec	16 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	100 MPH	91 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

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

The Grand Cherokee 4xe Hybrid’s standard fuel tank has 7.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Escape PHEV (19 vs. 11.1 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Grand Cherokee’s standard fuel tank has 11.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the Escape PHEV (23 vs. 11.1 gallons).

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Grand Cherokee	Escape PHEV
Front Rotors	13.9 inches	13 inches
Rear Rotors	13.8 inches	11.9 inches

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

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Grand Cherokee has larger standard tires than the Escape PHEV (245/70R17 vs. 225/60R18). The Grand Cherokee Summit’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Escape PHEV (275/45R21 vs. 225/60R18).

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 Escape PHEV’s 60 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Grand Cherokee Summit offers optional 21-inch wheels. The Escape PHEV’s largest wheels are only 18-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 Escape PHEV 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 Escape PHEV; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

Suspension and Handling

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 Escape PHEV 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 Escape PHEV’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 Escape PHEV doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Grand Cherokee’s wheelbase is 10 inches longer than on the Escape PHEV (116.7 inches vs. 106.7 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Grand Cherokee is 3 inches wider in the front and 3.6 inches wider in the rear than on the Escape PHEV.

The Grand Cherokee 4x4 handles at .79 G’s, while the Escape PHEV SEL pulls only .78 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

Chassis

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 Escape PHEV doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Grand Cherokee has 4.8 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Escape PHEV (107 vs. 102.2).

The Grand Cherokee has 2.2 inches more front hip room, 1.6 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear headroom, 3 inches more rear hip room and 2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Escape PHEV.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Grand Cherokee’s rear seats recline. The Escape PHEV’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Grand Cherokee has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Escape PHEV with its rear seat up (37.7 vs. 34.4 cubic feet). The Grand Cherokee has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Escape PHEV with its rear seat folded (70.8 vs. 60.8 cubic feet).

The Grand Cherokee’s cargo area is larger than the Escape PHEV’s in almost every dimension:

	Grand Cherokee	Escape PHEV
Length to seat (2nd/1st)	41”/73.8”	36.7”/68.3”
Max Width	55”	57.3”
Min Width	43”	41.4”
Height	32”	32.8”

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Grand Cherokee. The Escape PHEV doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Grand Cherokee’s available liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Escape PHEV doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

Towing

The Grand Cherokee’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Escape PHEV’s (3500 vs. 1500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Ford Escape PHEV is only 1500 pounds. The Grand Cherokee 4x4 offers up to a 7200 lbs. towing capacity.

Servicing Ease

The Grand Cherokee uses gas struts to support the hood for easier service access. The Escape PHEV 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 Escape PHEV. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory seat and mirrors optional at extra cost in the Escape PHEV, 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’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 Escape PHEV does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Grand Cherokee’s headlights were rated “Good” to “Acceptable” by the IIHS, while the Escape PHEV’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Marginal.”

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

When the Grand Cherokee with available tilt-down mirrors is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Escape PHEV’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

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 Escape PHEV offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Grand Cherokee and the Escape PHEV offer available heated front seats. The Grand Cherokee Limited/Trailhawk/Overland/Summit also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Escape PHEV.

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 Escape PHEV doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

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 Escape PHEV.

The Grand Cherokee offers an optional 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 Escape PHEV doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Recommendations

The Jeep Grand Cherokee outsold the Ford Escape by 63% during 2022.