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

Jeep's 2022 Grand Cherokee 4xe continued the brand's tradition of blending heritage with modernity. The iconic seven-slot grille returned, now with active shutters for improved aerodynamics and fuel efficiency. The Grand Cherokee 4xe was available only as a two-row, five-passenger SUV, with trim levels including the base 4xe, Trailhawk, Overland, Summit, and Summit Reserve. The Overland trim, tested in silver with a black roof and 20-inch wheels, featured surf blue tow hooks and blue accents on trail-rated trims. Inside, the Overland trim offered leather seats, wood and metal accents, heated and ventilated front seats, and bronze contrast stitching. However, the interior had an abundance of hard plastic materials, particularly below the hip point, which raised concerns about durability and noise.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport embraced a "modernist" and "reductive" design philosophy, resulting in a clean and simple aesthetic. The test vehicle, finished in Eiger Gray with silver 23-inch wheels and a Black Exterior Pack, exuded understated luxury. Inside, the Deep Garnet over Ebony theme, aluminum, and shiny black trim created a high-end feel. The Range Rover Sport was available in SE P360, SE Dynamic P400, and Autobiography P440e specifications. The SE Dynamic P400 test vehicle featured heated and ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, a Cold Climate Pack, a Technology Pack, and a full-size spare tire, bringing the MSRP to $98,420. Highlights included premium LED headlights, flush-mounted door handles, and excellent aerodynamics with a drag coefficient of 0.29. The interior boasted Windsor leather upholstery and sustainable Ultrafabrics, adding to the luxurious ambiance.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe's standout feature was its plug-in hybrid powertrain. A 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine paired with a 400-volt, 17-kWh battery pack delivered an impressive 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. This powertrain outperformed Jeep's 5.7-liter V8, which produced 357 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque. The Grand Cherokee 4xe featured standard four-wheel drive managed by an eight-speed automatic transmission, achieving 56 MPGe and a total driving range of 470 miles. The battery pack provided 25 miles of all-electric driving range, and an electronic front-axle disconnect helped save fuel. The Grand Cherokee 4xe offered E Select powertrain modes, including Hybrid, Electric, and eSave, along with regenerative braking and Max Regen for one-pedal driving. Off-road capabilities were enhanced by Quadra-Trac II and Quadra-Drive II systems, with the Trailhawk trim offering 10.9 inches of ground clearance and a 24-inch wading depth. However, the 4xe's towing capacity was limited to 6,000 pounds, less than the V6 and V8 models.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport aimed to balance refinement, comfort, and driver-focused engagement. The SE and SE Dynamic models featured a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline six-cylinder engine with mild-hybrid technology, producing 355 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque in the SE P360 and 395 hp and 406 lb-ft in the SE Dynamic P400. The Autobiography P440e offered a plug-in hybrid drivetrain with 434 hp and 406 lb-ft, providing an estimated 51 miles of electric driving range. A 523-hp twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 was available for early-build 2023 models but was temporarily discontinued. The Range Rover Sport's P400 drivetrain achieved 21 mpg in combined driving, with a test average of 22.3 mpg. The SUV featured a new vehicle architecture with a 35-percent increase in torsional stiffness, adaptive damping air suspension, and Dynamic driving mode. However, the Range Rover Sport struggled to match the driving dynamics of sport-tuned SUVs from Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. Off-road, the Range Rover Sport excelled with 11.1 inches of ground clearance, 35.4-inch wading depth, and advanced off-road technologies.

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 two-row configuration. Folding the second row expanded cargo space from 37.7 cubic feet to 70.8 cubic feet, providing incremental improvements over the previous generation. The available air suspension allowed for quick height adjustments, making loading and unloading easier. Despite testing in hot conditions, the standard heated steering wheel promised comfort in colder weather.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport maintained the Range Rover Command Driving Position, offering a tall, airy feel with a low dashboard, upright windshield angle, and thin roof pillars. The air suspension could kneel for easier entry and exit. The front seats were comfortable, with 20-way power adjustments, heating, ventilation, and optional massage. The rear seat, while improved, remained tight for taller passengers, with hard front seatback panels and narrow door openings. The back seat provided excellent thigh and lumbar support but had a reclined angle. Storage space was decent, with a deep bin under the center armrest and a second bin under the sliding cupholder tray. The cargo area offered 31.9 cubic feet of space, expandable to 53 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. A full-size spare tire was included, and the cargo area featured netted pockets and hooks for securing items.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe featured the Uconnect 5 infotainment system, an Android-powered interface with customization options. The My Pages feature allowed for personalized screen layouts. The Grand Cherokee 4xe included a 10.25-inch front-passenger display, standard on the base trim but optional on Overland and Summit trims. The 10.25-inch digital driver information display was standard, with a customizable gauge cluster. A wireless charging pad was optional, and four USB ports were standard. Optional dual rear-seat entertainment screens ran Amazon's Fire TV for Auto. The 19-speaker McIntosh stereo, available on higher trims, was highly praised for its audio quality.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport came 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, SiriusXM satellite radio, and an Online Pack with connected services. However, the Pivi Pro infotainment platform was often confusing and frustrating to use. The native digital assistant struggled with basic commands, and the automatic driver exit assist feature was difficult to disable. 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 included but challenging to access.

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, rear parking sensors, and rear cross-traffic alert. Optional features included intersection-collision assist, night vision, front parking sensors, and a 360-degree surround-view camera. A hands-off driver assistance feature suite was announced but required additional hardware and was not available via an OTA update. Neither the IIHS nor the NHTSA had crash-tested the 2022 Grand Cherokee or Grand Cherokee 4xe.

The 2023 Land Rover Range Rover Sport came equipped with numerous advanced driving assistance systems, including forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, and lane-keeping assist. Additional features included automatic high-beam headlights, a driver monitoring system, front and rear parking sensors, and a surround-view camera system with ClearSight Ground View. Wade Sensing was standard for water crossings. Remote Park Assist allowed the SUV to park itself while the driver directed it using a smartphone app. The adaptive cruise control with steering assist was slow to respond and not as smooth as expected. The steering assist technology struggled on freeway curves, requiring driver intervention.