2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee vs 2020 Toyota Highlander

The 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee, despite its decade-old design, maintained a timeless appeal with its classic 7-slot grille, trapezoidal wheel arches, and a variety of aluminum wheel designs. The Laredo trim started at $31,945, with an additional $1,495 destination charge, and 4WD added another $2,000. The Grand Cherokee offered 11 additional trims, each catering to different needs, from style to off-roading capability, luxury, and performance. The Limited X trim, priced at just over $50,000, featured a performance vented hood, unique 20-inch wheels, and special leather seats, giving it a distinct look. However, the interior had some drawbacks, such as hard plastic panels and a few build quality issues.

In contrast, the 2020 Toyota Highlander had a more modern design with slanted tailgate glass and exaggerated body panel creases. The trapezoidal theme was evident in various elements, including the tailgate's license plate cutout and the grille. The Highlander featured projector-beam LED headlights and fog lights on all trims except the base L, with the Limited and Platinum trims boasting big 20-inch wheels. The interior of the Highlander was a highlight, with quality fit and finish, silver-painted accents, and a multi-layered dash. The Limited trim had a three-tone interior with padded surfaces and rich textures, making it one of the nicest interiors in its class.

The 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee offered a range of engines, starting with a 3.6-liter V6 producing 295 horsepower. For those seeking more power, there were options like the 360-hp 5.7-liter V8, the 425-hp 6.4-liter V8 in the SRT, and the 707-hp supercharged 6.2-liter V8 in the Trackhawk. The 8-speed automatic transmission powered the rear wheels, with three 4WD systems available depending on the trim. The Limited X trim featured the Quadra-Drive II system, providing excellent off-road capability. However, the Grand Cherokee's fuel economy was less impressive, averaging 18.3 mpg during testing. The SUV handled well on pavement, with robust acceleration and decent handling, but the brakes struggled during long descents.

The 2020 Toyota Highlander came with a 3.5-liter V6 engine, delivering 295 horsepower and 263 pound-feet of torque. The eight-speed automatic transmission provided smooth and brisk acceleration. However, the Highlander's steering was loose, and the suspension was soft, leading to a floaty ride. The AWD models included torque vectoring and selectable driving modes, but the Highlander was not ideal for off-road conditions. Fuel economy was a strong point, with the FWD model achieving 21 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, and 24 mpg combined. The AWD model had slightly lower figures, but the Highlander hybrid offered impressive fuel efficiency of up to 36 mpg combined.

The 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee, a 5-passenger midsize SUV, provided a roomy interior with comfortable power-adjustable and heated front seats. However, the hard plastic front-seatback panels were uncomfortable for backseat passengers with long legs. The Grand Cherokee offered limited storage space, with a center console storage bin, cup holders, and small door-panel bins. Cargo space was also on the smaller side, with 36.3 cubic feet behind the rear seat and 68.3 cubic feet with the rear seats folded flat.

The 2020 Toyota Highlander could seat eight or seven with the second-row captain's chairs. The second-row seats were versatile, with generous legroom and easy access to the third row. The Highlander featured three-zone climate control, a 120-volt outlet, and side window shades on upper trims. Cargo space was generous, with 16 cubic feet behind the third row, 48 cubic feet behind the second row, and 84 cubic feet with both rows folded. The Highlander also had eight cupholders, four bottle holders, and two shelves integrated into the dash for additional storage.

The 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo came with a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment system. Higher trims featured a more advanced Uconnect system with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite radio, voice recognition, and navigation. Pairing a smartphone via Bluetooth was easy, and the voice recognition system worked well. The test vehicle had a 9-speaker Alpine audio system, while higher trims offered a 19-speaker Harman Kardon system.

The 2020 Toyota Highlander, despite being a new model, had an outdated infotainment system. The maps lacked detail, and there were no onboard apps. The 12.3-inch touchscreen, optional on the Limited and standard on the Platinum, had limited usable area. However, the Highlander came with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa integration. The vehicle also featured a 10-inch head-up display and a 7-inch display in the instrument cluster. The semi-automated driving system, adaptive cruise control, and other safety features were standard. The optional JBL audio system had 11 speakers and was decent but not exceptional.

The 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee offered modern driver-assistance and collision-avoidance technologies, including blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and semi-autonomous parking assistance. The Advanced Active Safety Group package added adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assist. However, the Grand Cherokee received poor safety ratings from the IIHS and a 3-star rollover resistance rating from the NHTSA.

The 2020 Toyota Highlander came with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, which included automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. Optional features included blind-spot monitoring, parking sensors, and rear emergency braking. The Highlander received a 2020 Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS for its top ratings in crash tests and emergency braking performance.