Compare the2023 Jeep Grand CherokeeVS 2024 Lexus NX

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 NX doesn’t offer a night vision system.

Both the Grand Cherokee and the NX 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 2 years and unlimited miles longer than Lexus pays for maintenance for the NX (3/unlimited vs. 1/10,000).

There are almost 10 times as many Jeep dealers as there are Lexus dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Grand Cherokee’s warranty.

The Grand Cherokee has more powerful engines than the NX:

As tested in Car and Driver the Grand Cherokee 4xe 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the NX 350 2.4 turbo 4-cylinder:

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

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Jeep Grand Cherokee uses regular unleaded gasoline (premium recommended on Grand Cherokee 4xe for maximum performance). The NX 350 requires premium, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Grand Cherokee 4xe Hybrid’s standard fuel tank has 4.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the NX (19 vs. 14.5 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Grand Cherokee’s standard fuel tank has 8.5 gallons more fuel capacity than the NX (23 vs. 14.5 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 NX doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

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

The Grand Cherokee stops shorter than the NX:

For better traction, the Grand Cherokee has larger standard tires than the NX (245/70R17 vs. 235/60R18). The Grand Cherokee Summit’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the NX (275/45R21 vs. 235/60R18).

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 NX’s optional 50 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Grand Cherokee Summit offers optional 21-inch wheels. The NX’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 NX 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 NX; it requires you to depend on its run-flat tires, which limits mileage and speed before they are repaired. If a run-flat is damaged beyond repair by a road hazard your vehicle will have to be towed.

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 NX doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

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 NX doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Grand Cherokee’s wheelbase is 10.8 inches longer than on the NX (116.7 inches vs. 105.9 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Grand Cherokee is 2.2 inches wider in the front and 1.4 inches wider in the rear than on the NX.

The Grand Cherokee’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (52% to 48%) than the NX’s (57% to 43%). This gives the Grand Cherokee more stable handling and braking.

The Grand Cherokee Overland 4x4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the NX 450h AWD (27.7 seconds @ .6 average G’s vs. 28.4 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Grand Cherokee has a greater minimum ground clearance than the NX (8.4 vs. 7.7 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 3.2 inches higher than on the NX (10.9 vs. 7.7 inches).

The front grille of the Grand Cherokee uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The NX doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

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 NX doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

The Grand Cherokee has 1.6 inches more front headroom, .3 inches more front legroom, 1.1 inches more front hip room, 2.9 inches more front shoulder room, .9 inches more rear headroom, 2.1 inches more rear legroom, 3.8 inches more rear hip room and 4 inches more rear shoulder room than the NX.

The Grand Cherokee has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the NX with its rear seat up (37.7 vs. 22.7 cubic feet). The Grand Cherokee has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the NX with its rear seat folded (70.8 vs. 46.9 cubic feet).

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

The Grand Cherokee’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the NX’s (3500 vs. 0 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Lexus NX is only 2000 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 NX can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Grand Cherokee has a higher standard payload capacity than the NX (1240 vs. 1125 lbs.).

The Grand Cherokee has a higher maximum payload capacity than the NX (1280 vs. 1205 lbs.).

The engine in the Grand Cherokee is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the NX. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Unlike the driver-only memory system optional at extra cost in the NX, 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 power windows standard on both the Grand Cherokee and the NX have locks to prevent small children from operating them. When the lock on the Grand Cherokee is engaged the driver can still operate all of the windows, for instance to close one opened by a child. The NX prevents the driver from operating the other windows just as it does the other passengers.

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 NX’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Consumer Reports rated the Grand Cherokee’s headlight performance “Good,” a higher rating than the NX’s headlights, which were rated “Fair.”

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

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 NX doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

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 NX.

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 NX doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee outsold the Lexus NX by almost five to one during 2022.