Jeep Grand Cherokee vs Subaru Forester Hybrid

The 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid underwent a redesign that introduced a more conventional look, losing some of its previous distinctiveness. Its blockier shape and cohesive styling gave it a visual heft reminiscent of a smaller Ford Explorer. Despite this, the Forester maintained a rugged appearance with black plastic elements hinting at its off-road capabilities. Inside, the Forester Hybrid featured a modernized cabin with a large vertical infotainment touchscreen and a digital instrument panel exclusive to the Hybrid model. While hard plastics were present, soft-touch materials covered frequently touched areas, and the front seats offered ample comfort and support.

The 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee, despite subtle exterior updates, retained its handsome and bold design, making a strong visual statement. Its thin grille and headlights, along with traditional Jeep design elements, contributed to its substantial look. The interior, though slightly plain due to design borrowing from the smaller Cherokee, still offered premium materials and equipment at higher trims. The Grand Cherokee was expected to have seven trim levels, with varying wheel sizes and upholstery options. While the interior space was competitive, it trailed some rivals in legroom, particularly in the three-row Grand Cherokee L model.

The 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid was powered by a 2.5-litre flat four-cylinder engine paired with a parallel hybrid system, producing a combined 194 horsepower. Its all-wheel-drive system, using a traditional driveshaft, provided better traction and consistent off-road performance. While acceleration was adequate, the hybrid transmission sometimes made it feel slower. The ride quality was firm, but the Forester excelled off-road with its X-Mode drive programming and hill descent control, offering a balanced performance for both urban and adventurous drivers.

The 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee introduced the Hurricane 4 Turbo engine, delivering 324 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque, making it one of the best in its class. The engine was expected to be standard on most trims, except for the base models, which retained the Pentastar V6. Both engines were paired with eight-speed automatic transmissions and standard four-wheel drive in Canada. The Grand Cherokee offered a confident and quick driving experience, with a towing capacity of 2,810 kilograms. While its handling was truck-like, the suspension provided comfort, and off-road capabilities varied by trim, with the top Summit model offering advanced features.

The 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid offered excellent forward visibility due to its thin roof pillars. The cabin felt open and airy, with ample space for front and rear passengers. The panoramic sunroof enhanced the sense of openness, and the cargo space was practical, with 779 litres available behind the rear seats. The hands-free power liftgate and power remote seatback releases added convenience for loading cargo.

The 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee provided competitive headroom but trailed in legroom compared to some rivals. The two-row model offered 1,067 litres of cargo space behind the second row, while the three-row Grand Cherokee L had less space with all seats in place. The interior featured practical storage solutions, though the rotary shifter and drive mode selector were not the most practical. Heated front seats and a heated steering wheel were standard, with ventilation and massagers available on higher trims.

The 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid came equipped with an 11.6-inch vertical infotainment touchscreen featuring built-in navigation, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. The Starlink system was praised for its user-friendly interface, with large on-screen buttons and easy-to-navigate menus. The X-Mode off-road drive menu and external camera views enhanced its off-road capabilities. An 11-speaker Harman Kardon audio system provided premium sound quality.

The 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee offered a larger 12.3-inch touchscreen on higher trims, with a 10.2-inch screen on lower models. The Uconnect 5 system provided wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, though the home menu was cluttered. The Off-Road Pages display and surround-view camera system with night vision and a low-angle off-road camera were notable features. A digital rearview mirror and Fam Cam were also available.

The 2025 Subaru Forester Hybrid earned high safety ratings, with five stars from the NHTSA in most categories and an IIHS Top Safety Pick award. It came standard with Subaru's EyeSight suite, including features like adaptive cruise control and lane-keep assist. The systems functioned smoothly, with the option to disable audible alarms for lane-keep assist.

The 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee was expected to maintain standard driver assistance features, including adaptive cruise control and automatic emergency braking. Active Drive Assist offered hands-free highway driving, with improvements for 2026. While crash-test ratings for the 2026 model were unavailable, the 2025 model received high ratings from both the NHTSA and IIHS.