Compare the2024 Ford ExplorerVS 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L

For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Ford Explorer 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.

The Explorer has standard Post Collision Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Grand Cherokee L doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Both the Explorer and Grand Cherokee L have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Explorer offers optional Cross Traffic Braking (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Grand Cherokee L’s Rear Cross Path Detection doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the Explorer and the Grand Cherokee L 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, 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 and around view monitors.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the Explorer is much safer than the Grand Cherokee L:

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 Ford Explorer is safer than the Grand Cherokee L:

The Ford Explorer has achieved the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) highest rating of “Top Safety Pick Plus” for the 2024 model year. This distinction is based on its exceptional performance in IIHS’ rigorous battery of safety tests. Specifically, it earned a “Good” rating in the latest, more stringent moderate overlap front crash test, a “Good” result in the updated side impact test, and an “Acceptable” score in the revised pedestrian crash prevention test. The Grand Cherokee L is only a standard “Top Safety Pick” for 2024.

There are over 20 percent more Ford dealers than there are Jeep dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Explorer’s warranty.

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

The Explorer has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Grand Cherokee L doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

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 Explorer’s reliability 12 points higher than the Grand Cherokee L.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Ford vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford above average in long-term dependability. With 4 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 Ford vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Ford 4 places higher in reliability than Jeep.

The Explorer’s standard 2.3 turbo 4-cylinder produces 7 more horsepower (300 vs. 293) and 53 lbs.-ft. more torque (310 vs. 257) than the Grand Cherokee L’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6. The Explorer ST/King Ranch/Platinum’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 produces 43 more horsepower (400 vs. 357) and 25 lbs.-ft. more torque (415 vs. 390) than the Grand Cherokee L’s optional 5.7 V8.

As tested in Motor Trend the Ford Explorer turbo 4 cyl. is faster than the Jeep Grand Cherokee L V6:

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

Regardless of its engine, the Explorer’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. Jeep only offers an automatic engine start/stop system on the Grand Cherokee L V6.

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Ford Explorer, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Grand Cherokee L.

For better stopping power the Explorer ST’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Grand Cherokee L:

The Explorer stops much shorter than the Grand Cherokee L:

Having a flat tire is dangerous, inconvenient and expensive. The self-sealing tires available on the Explorer can automatically seal most punctures up to 3/16 of an inch, effectively preventing most flat tires. The Grand Cherokee L doesn’t offer self-sealing tires.

The Explorer’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Grand Cherokee L doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Explorer is 1.5 inches wider in the front and 1.5 inches wider in the rear than on the Grand Cherokee L.

The Explorer ST 4WD handles at .86 G’s, while the Grand Cherokee L Limited 4x4 pulls only .82 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Explorer ST 4WD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.8 seconds quicker than the Grand Cherokee L Overland (26.4 seconds @ .72 average G’s vs. 28.2 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

The Explorer is 6.1 inches shorter than the Grand Cherokee L, making the Explorer easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

As tested by Car and Driver, the interior of the Explorer XLT 4WD is quieter than the Grand Cherokee L Limited 4x4:

The Explorer has .9 inches more front headroom, 1.7 inches more front legroom, 1.8 inches more front hip room, 2.6 inches more front shoulder room, .6 inches more rear headroom, 2.8 inches more rear hip room, 3.9 inches more rear shoulder room, 1.6 inches more third row headroom, 1.9 inches more third row legroom and 2.7 inches more third row shoulder room than the Grand Cherokee L.

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

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Explorer easier. The Explorer’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 31.1 inches, while the Grand Cherokee L’s liftover is 32.2 inches.

The Explorer has a standard third row seat which folds flat into the floor. This completely clears a very large cargo area quickly. The Grand Cherokee L doesn’t offer seats that fold into the floor.

The Explorer’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 Explorer’s available exterior PIN entry system. 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 Explorer Platinum’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.

The Explorer ST/Platinum’s optional Active Park Assist 2.0 can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Grand Cherokee L Summit’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Ford Explorer will be $4659 to $6618 less than for the Jeep Grand Cherokee L.