2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe vs 2024 Toyota Sequoia

In Canada, the 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe lineup offered five trim levels, starting with the base model and moving up to the Trailhawk, Overland, Summit, and Summit Reserve. Prices began at $72,395, with the Summit Reserve reaching $91,490 before options. The Trailhawk trim, which we tested, featured a panoramic sunroof, Luxury Tech Group III, and Advanced ProTech Group II, bringing the MSRP to approximately $85,000, including destination charges. Despite its high price, the Grand Cherokee 4xe did not qualify for Canada's EV sales incentives. The Trailhawk was distinguishable by its sky blue exterior detailing and matte-black hood decal, designed to reduce glare. It also boasted unique wheels with aggressive all-terrain tires and the Trail Rated badge, signifying its off-road prowess. However, the interior fell short of luxury expectations, with excessive plastic and gloss black surfaces that attracted dust and fingerprints. While the leather and artificial suede upholstery were commendable, the overall interior leaned more towards style than substance.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia shared its platform with the Tundra pickup, featuring similar design cues such as hexagonal grilles and muscular stances. The exterior colour significantly influenced its appearance, with our Capstone model in Celestial Silver appearing somewhat dated. Inside, the Sequoia closely resembled the Tundra and other Toyota vehicles, with a blocky, geometric dashboard layout and physical dials for volume and climate control. The Capstone trim featured semi-aniline leather upholstery, while SofTex leatherette was standard on the base SR5 TRD Offroad trim. The Sequoia offered power-adjustable front seats across the lineup, with a power-tilt and -slide moonroof standard on higher trims. The interior was spacious, with a maximum cargo capacity of 2,460 litres, although the third-row seats did not fold flat due to the hybrid powertrain's battery pack.

The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe featured a plug-in hybrid powertrain, combining a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine with a 17.3-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack and an 8-speed automatic transmission. This setup produced 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque, with a towing capacity of up to 2,720 kilograms. The Trailhawk trim came with a standard four-wheel-drive system, Selec-Terrain technology, and a height-adjustable air suspension, providing impressive off-road capabilities. However, the Grand Cherokee 4xe's performance fell short in terms of fuel economy, with an estimated 42 kilometres of all-electric range and 11.7 litres per 100 kilometres in hybrid mode. During testing, the vehicle only achieved 34 kilometres of electric range and averaged 14.6 L/100 km after the battery was depleted. The Trailhawk excelled off-road but struggled with unrefined engine sounds, uneven power delivery, and body lean during daily driving.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia was exclusively offered in a hybrid format, utilizing Toyota's iForce MAX hybrid powertrain. This system combined a twin-turbo V6 engine with an electric motor, producing 427 horsepower and 583 lb-ft of torque. The Sequoia's fuel economy improved significantly, rated at 11.7 L/100 km combined with four-wheel drive. The vehicle featured a part-time 4WD system with a selector for 4Hi, 4Lo, and 2WD, and the TRD Pro models included a skid plate. The 10-speed automatic transmission operated smoothly, and the Sequoia's on-road handling was adequate for its class. The SR5 TRD Off-Road model offered adventure-readiness with unique tires, an off-road suspension, and driver-assist features like Crawl Control and hill-descent control. The Sequoia's towing capacity reached 4,137 kilograms, with available towing-related upgrades.

The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe struggled with practical storage and cargo space, partly due to its off-roading hardware. The Trailhawk trim featured artificial suede and leather seats with eight-way power adjustment, but the interior was only available in black. The front seats were firm and flat, while the second-row seats lacked support and rear legroom was tight. The cargo space measured 1,067 litres behind the back seat, expanding to 2,004 litres with the seats folded, which was small for a midsize SUV.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia Capstone came with automatic power-deploying running boards, aiding entry for shorter individuals. The interior offered a maximum of 2,460 litres of cargo space with both second- and third-row seats folded. The second-row seats were easy to move for access to the back row, but the third-row seats did not create a flat load floor due to the hybrid powertrain's battery pack. Headroom was reduced, and rear-seat passengers experienced limited legroom. Second-row captain's chairs were available on higher trims, providing ample width but lacking bolstering.

The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe boasted up to six screens, including a 10.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a front passenger infotainment screen. The Trailhawk trim featured a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Uconnect 5 technology, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, and Jeep Connect services. The system's user interface was simple, but the graphics were low-contrast and hard to read. The Trailhawk also included an Alpine premium sound system, with a 19-speaker McIntosh audio system available on higher trims. Tech-related options included wireless smartphone charging and a camera-based digital rearview mirror.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia Capstone was equipped with standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, accessed through an 8-inch touchscreen on the SR5 trim and a 14-inch touchscreen on higher trims. The Toyota Audio Multimedia infotainment system prioritized functionality over flashy design. The Sequoia featured a full-colour 12.3-inch driver information display, a Panoramic View monitor, and a 10-inch colour head-up display on the Capstone trim. The 14-speaker JBL Premium Audio system was available on the Limited trim and standard on Platinum and Capstone.

The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe came with adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, rain-sensing wipers, and a reversing camera with rear parking sensors. The Advanced ProTech Group II added features like intersection collision assist, a surround-view camera, and a Night Vision system. The Grand Cherokee 4xe received a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS, though the latter did not specifically apply to the plug-in hybrid version.

The 2024 Toyota Sequoia included the Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 suite as standard, featuring a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, lane-departure alert with steering assist, adaptive cruise control, and road-sign recognition. Front and rear parking sensors with automatic braking and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert were also standard. The only optional driver aid was a trailer backup guide with Straight-Path Assist, available on the Platinum and Capstone trims. The Sequoia had not been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA at the time of writing, but the similar 2024 Toyota Tundra earned a Top Safety Pick+ designation.