2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee vs 2021 Subaru Forester

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee was a testament to timeless design, maintaining its appeal over a decade after its debut. It combined rugged utility with upscale sophistication, featuring big wheels and flared fenders that gave it a balanced and artistic look. The Grand Cherokee's design contributed significantly to its success, as it straddled the line between mainstream, luxury, and performance SUV categories. The lineup ranged from the affordable Laredo and Limited trims to the upscale Overland and Summit, with performance models like the SRT and Trackhawk, and the off-road-ready Trailhawk. The Summit trim, with its 5.7-liter V8 engine and luxurious interior, showcased premium features like a leather-wrapped interior and a Platinum Series Group that enhanced its appearance. However, the interior design showed signs of aging, with outdated switchgear and non-flush panel fits indicating a need for a redesign.

In contrast, the 2021 Subaru Forester, despite a redesign in 2019, retained a styling that appeared older due to its carryover design from the previous generation. Its boxy, upright shape appealed to SUV shoppers, offering a clean and unpretentious look. The Forester Sport model added orange striping and black alloy wheels, enhancing its appearance. Built on the Subaru Global Platform, the Forester shared underpinnings with other Subaru models, maintaining its rugged SUV identity. The interior was practical, with a no-nonsense mix of materials designed for durability. The Sport trim added orange accents, while higher trims offered leather upholstery and an All-Weather Package. The Forester's design focused on functionality and practicality, appealing to those seeking a straightforward and reliable SUV.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee offered a standard 3.6-liter V6 engine, delivering 295 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It could tow up to 6,200 pounds, making it a capable choice for most needs. For those seeking more power, the optional 5.7-liter Hemi V8 provided 360 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque, with a best-in-class towing capacity of 7,200 pounds. The V8 featured cylinder deactivation technology for improved fuel efficiency, though it achieved only 17 mpg in combined driving. The Quadra-Trac II 4WD system, with its Selec-Terrain traction management and Quadra-Lift air suspension, enhanced the Grand Cherokee's off-road capabilities. Despite its power, the Grand Cherokee's ride could be bouncy, and its fuel consumption was high, but it offered a tight turning radius and effective brakes.

The 2021 Subaru Forester came with a single powertrain option: a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 182 horsepower and 176 pound-feet of torque, connected to a CVT. The engine's boxer configuration provided a lower center of gravity, but its performance felt lacking during highway merging and overtaking. The Forester's suspension was tuned for comfort, resulting in poor body control and noticeable body roll in corners. However, its standard AWD system, with X-Mode and Dual X-Mode on Sport models, offered enhanced traction on various surfaces. The Forester's ground clearance of 8.7 inches allowed it to handle off-road conditions better than many compact crossovers, though it wasn't as capable as the Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk for serious off-roading.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit featured a luxurious interior with quilted leather seats and leather-wrapped panels, courtesy of the Signature Leather-Wrapped Interior Package. The front seats offered eight-way power adjustment, heating, and ventilation, though the controls were embedded in the infotainment system, causing some distraction. The rear seat provided comfort but limited legroom for taller adults, and the optional rear-seat entertainment system added to a sense of claustrophobia. The Grand Cherokee offered 36.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat, expandable to 68.3 cubic feet with the seats folded. However, interior storage was limited, and the rear-seat entertainment system occupied much of the center console space.

The 2021 Subaru Forester provided above-average headroom and legroom in both rows, thanks to its tall roofline. The spacious interior offered excellent visibility and a roomy feel, though sunlight could raise cabin temperatures. The Forester's cargo space was generous, with 35.4 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 76.1 cubic feet with the seats folded. While it lacked a sliding second-row bench, a power liftgate was available on higher trims. The Forester's interior featured practical storage solutions, though the phone-storage cubby was small, and wireless charging was unavailable. The controls were user-friendly, with large knobs for audio and climate control, though the steering wheel had numerous buttons that could be confusing.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee featured the Uconnect 4C with Nav infotainment system, offering a user-friendly experience with fast response times and pleasing graphics. It included navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. The system's voice recognition worked well, allowing control of various features through voice commands. The Grand Cherokee offered a 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system, providing excellent sound quality. While the Grand Cherokee's technology was considered "tech lite," it offered essential features and advanced driving assistance systems, though it lacked the digital advancements expected in newer models.

The 2021 Subaru Forester came with the Starlink infotainment system, featuring a 6.5-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Bluetooth. Higher trims offered an 8-inch touchscreen, Harman Kardon audio, and navigation. The system was easy to use, with well-designed graphics and backup analog controls, though the screen was slow to boot up. The Forester included additional displays for secondary information, though the setup seemed overly complex. The infotainment system provided essential features, though it lacked the sophistication of some competitors.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee received mixed safety ratings. While it earned a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA with 4WD, its performance in IIHS tests was less impressive, with "Marginal" and "Poor" ratings in small-overlap frontal-impact collisions. The Grand Cherokee offered a range of safety features, including adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, and lane-keeping assistance, though its headlights rated "Poor" unless upgraded. The ParkSense parking assistance system was useful in low-traffic environments.

The 2021 Subaru Forester excelled in safety, earning the highest "Top Safety Pick+" award from the IIHS and a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA. It came standard with EyeSight, a suite of driver-assist features, including adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and lane-departure warning. The Forester also offered a driver-monitoring system, ensuring drivers remained attentive. Optional features included blind-spot monitoring and reverse automatic braking, with clear warning lights for the blind-spot system.