Compare the2024 Chevrolet EquinoxVS 2023 Jeep Cherokee

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 Equinox 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 Equinox LT/RS/Premier offers an optional Surround Vision 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 Equinox and the Cherokee have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Chevrolet Equinox is safer than the Jeep Cherokee:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Chevrolet Equinox is safer than the Jeep Cherokee:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

For its top level performance in all IIHS frontal, side, rear impact and roof-crush tests, and its standard front crash prevention system, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Equinox the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2017, a rating granted to only 207 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Cherokee has not been tested, yet.

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

There are over 21 percent more Chevrolet dealers than there are Jeep dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Equinox’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Equinox first among compact suvs in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The Cherokee isn’t in the top three.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are better in initial quality than Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in initial quality. With 25 more problems per 100 vehicles, Jeep is rated lower.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Chevrolet above average in long-term dependability. With 21 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Jeep is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Chevrolet vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Chevrolet 6 places higher in reliability than Jeep.

The Equinox’s 1.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 32 lbs.-ft. more torque (203 vs. 171) than the Cherokee’s standard 2.4 DOHC 4-cylinder.

As tested in Consumer Reports the Chevrolet Equinox is faster than the Jeep Cherokee 4 cyl.:

On the EPA test cycle the Equinox gets better mileage than the Cherokee:

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Chevrolet Equinox uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Cherokee Trailhawk requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

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

The Equinox stops much shorter than the Cherokee:

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

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Equinox offers optional 19-inch wheels. The Cherokee’s largest wheels are only 18-inches.

The Equinox’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (56% to 44%) than the Cherokee’s (57.8% to 42.2%). This gives the Equinox more stable handling and braking.

The Equinox Premier handles at .83 G’s, while the Cherokee pulls only .77 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Equinox Premier executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Cherokee (27.7 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28.2 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

The Chevrolet Equinox may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 600 to 750 pounds less than the Jeep Cherokee.

The Equinox has .6 inches more front headroom, .4 inches more front hip room, 1.8 inches more rear hip room and .4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Cherokee.

The Equinox has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Cherokee with its rear seat up (29.9 vs. 27.6 cubic feet). The Equinox has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Cherokee with its rear seat folded (63.9 vs. 54.7 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Equinox easier. The Equinox’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 28.6 inches, while the Cherokee’s liftover is 30.9 inches.

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

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Equinox LT/RS/Premier’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Cherokee doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

All models of the Equinox can be flat towed on all four wheels, allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Equinox can be unhitched and driven around locally. Only the Cherokee 4x4 can be dinghy towed and it requires equipment that is not standard.

The Equinox’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.

On a hot day the Equinox’s driver can lower all the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Cherokee can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Equinox’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Cherokee doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its SiriusXM Guardian can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Equinox Premier’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 Equinox and the Cherokee offer available heated front seats. The Equinox Premier 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 Chevrolet Equinox Premier has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Cherokee doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

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

Insurance will cost less for the Equinox owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Equinox with a number “8” insurance rate while the Cherokee is rated higher at a number “10” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Equinox is less expensive to operate than the Cherokee because typical repairs cost less on the Equinox than the Cherokee, including $74 less for a starter, $144 less for front struts and $151 less for a timing belt/chain.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Chevrolet Equinox will be $3693 to $5584 less than for the Jeep Cherokee.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Chevrolet Equinox, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Jeep Cherokee isn't recommended.

The Chevrolet Equinox outsold the Jeep Cherokee by almost 9 to one during 2023.