2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe vs 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport

The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe was a testament to Jeep's commitment to its iconic design heritage. The vehicle featured the brand's signature seven-slot grille, now enhanced with active shutters for improved aerodynamics and fuel efficiency. This design element, combined with a forward rake reminiscent of the classic Wagoneer, seamlessly blended the past with the present. The Grand Cherokee 4xe was available only as a two-row, five-passenger SUV, with a trim lineup that included the base 4xe, Trailhawk, Overland, Summit, and Summit Reserve. The Overland trim, which we tested, boasted a silver exterior with a contrasting black roof and 20-inch wheels, along with signature surf blue tow hooks. Inside, the Grand Cherokee 4xe offered a comfortable and upscale feel, with leather seats, wood and metal accents, and heated and ventilated front seats. However, the presence of hard plastic materials in the interior raised concerns about durability and noise over time.

In contrast, the 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport embraced a modernist and reductive design philosophy, focusing on clean and simple aesthetics. While it lacked flashy factory options, the test vehicle in Eiger Grey with silver 23-inch wheels and a Black Exterior Pack exuded understated luxury. Inside, the Range Rover Sport featured a Deep Garnet over Ebony theme with aluminum and shiny black trim, creating a luxurious and high-tech appearance. The vehicle was available in Dynamic SE, Dynamic HSE, Autobiography, and the sold-out SV Edition One specifications. The Dynamic SE test vehicle included heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, and other premium features, pushing the MSRP to over $120,000. The Range Rover Sport's design highlights included premium LED headlights, flush-mounted door handles, and surface LED technology taillights, contributing to its excellent aerodynamics with a drag coefficient of 0.29. The interior showcased sustainable Ultrafabrics and Windsor leather upholstery, providing a smooth and supple feel.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe stood out with its plug-in hybrid powertrain, combining a 2.0-litre turbo inline four-cylinder engine with a 400-volt, 17-kWh battery pack. This setup delivered an impressive 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque, surpassing the output of Jeep's 5.7-litre V8 engine. The Grand Cherokee 4xe featured a standard four-wheel drive system managed by an eight-speed automatic transmission, achieving a fuel economy of 4.2 litres-equivalent per 100 kilometres. It offered a total driving range of 719 kilometres, with 42 kilometres of all-electric driving range. The vehicle's E Select powertrain modes, including Hybrid, Electric, and eSave, allowed for efficient driving behaviour. The Grand Cherokee 4xe also featured regenerative braking and two off-road 4x4 systems, Quadra-Trac II and Quadra-Drive II, enhancing its off-road capabilities. However, its towing capacity of 2,721 kilograms was lower than the V6 and V8 models.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport aimed to balance refinement, comfort, and driver-focused engagement. It offered a turbocharged 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder engine with mild-hybrid technology, producing 395 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) drivetrain was available in the Autobiography trim, delivering 434 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque. The Range Rover Sport's 395-horsepower inline-six engine allowed it to accelerate to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds, with a towing capacity of 3,500 kilograms. The vehicle featured a new vehicle architecture with a 35-percent increase in torsional stiffness, adaptive damping air suspension, and various driving modes. While it excelled in off-road capabilities, the Range Rover Sport's on-road performance fell short compared to sport-tuned SUVs from Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. The steering lacked involvement, and the adaptive cruise control and steering assist systems were not as smooth as expected.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe, unlike its gas-powered counterpart, was not available as an L model with a third row of seats. However, it offered ample space for passengers in its existing seats. Folding the second row of seats expanded the cargo space from 1,067 litres to 2,004 litres, providing incremental improvements over the previous generation. The Grand Cherokee 4xe's air suspension allowed for quick height adjustments, making loading and unloading easier. Despite the hot weather during testing, the vehicle's standard heated steering wheel promised comfort during colder months.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport retained the Range Rover Command Driving Position, offering a tall and airy feel for the driver. The air suspension could be programmed to kneel for easier entry and exit, benefiting shorter passengers. The front seats were comfortable, with 20-way power adjustments, heating, and ventilation. However, the rear seat was less accommodating, with limited legroom and hard front seatback panels. The cargo area offered 903 litres of space, expandable to 1,500 litres with the rear seats folded. The Range Rover Sport included a power liftgate, air suspension controls, and a full-size spare tire under the cargo floor.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe featured the Uconnect 5 infotainment system, an Android-powered interface with customization options. The My Pages feature allowed users to personalize the display with various widgets. The vehicle included a 10.1-inch touchscreen front-passenger display, a 10.25-inch digital driver information display, and a wireless charging pad. Optional dual rear-seat entertainment screens with Amazon's Fire TV for Auto were available. The 19-speaker McIntosh stereo, standard on the Overland trim, delivered exceptional audio quality.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport came equipped with a 13.7-inch digital instrumentation display and a 13.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with haptic feedback. Standard features included wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and SiriusXM satellite radio. However, the Pivi Pro infotainment platform was often confusing and frustrating to use. The Range Rover Sport offered impressive Meridian audio systems with up to 29 speakers and 1,430 watts of power, along with Active Noise Cancellation. A wireless smartphone charging pad was located under the infotainment screen.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe offered a range of standard and optional advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). Standard features included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and rear parking sensors. Blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert were available starting at the Overland trim. The vehicle also featured a 360-degree surround-view camera, except on the Trailhawk trim. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) awarded the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee an overall five-star safety rating.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport was equipped with numerous safety features and advanced driving assistance systems. These included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assist. The SUV also featured automatic high-beam headlights, a driver monitoring system, and a surround-view camera system with ClearSight Ground View. Remote Park Assist allowed the vehicle to park itself while the driver directed it using a smartphone app. However, the adaptive cruise control and steering assist systems were not as smooth or reliable as expected.