Deciding Between the Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee

Finding the right vehicle can be tricky; even if you’ve narrowed down your options to a particular style or manufacturer, it’s still important to choose the right model. For example, if you head to your favorite used Jeep Grand Cherokee dealer, Orange Coast CJDR, you’ll notice two models with very similar names: the Jeep Cherokee and the Grand Cherokee. Despite the similarities in their names, however, they are very different models.

You might be surprised just how often we have people ask us what the differences are or assume that they’re very much alike. And while there are some similarities between them – especially the fact that both feature excellent Jeep performance and are Trail-Rated for going off-road – their differences are significant. Rather than give you specs and details about each vehicle and let you try to make comparisons, let’s go by category to see what each has to offer, so you can get a sense of which one is right for you. For this, we are going to compare the 2021 models to show you what we mean.

Cherokee vs Grand Cherokee: Overall Size

Let’s start with one of the most significant differences between these two vehicles: the Grand Cherokee is quite a bit larger than the Jeep Cherokee. That would make sense, considering the names of each vehicle, but it’s an important thing to consider. The measurements of the Jeep Cherokee can vary a bit depending on which one you choose, but we’ll go with maximums just to keep things simple.

The Jeep Cherokee is a compact SUV that measures, at most, about 183 inches in overall length, about 73 inches in width, and stands about 68 inches high with a roof rack. By comparison, a Jeep Grand Cherokee is a midsize model that measures almost 190 inches in overall length, nearly 85 inches in width, and stands up to 69 inches tall with a roof rack. As you can see, it’s about half a foot longer and nearly a full foot wider.

Cherokee vs Grand Cherokee: Interior Space

That difference in size is significant because it has a big impact on the kind of space you get inside each of these vehicles that you’ll find at your Jeep dealer. In terms of passenger space, there really isn’t much difference, and both of these SUVs give you plenty of room for you and your passengers. For your cargo, however, there are significant differences.

The compact size of the Jeep Cherokee means it has just over 25 cu.ft. of cargo space behind the back seats and a total of 54.7 cu.ft. of total interior cargo space behind the front seats. With the larger Jeep Grand Cherokee, you get 36.3 cu.ft. of cargo space behind the rear seats and a max of 68.3 cu.ft. of total cargo volume behind the front row. So if you need more space for all of your stuff, then the Grand Cherokee is a better choice; just make sure you have room for it in your garage since it’s larger than the Jeep Cherokee.

Cherokee vs Grand Cherokee: Engines

Both the Jeep Cherokee and Jeep Grand Cherokee have numerous engines for you to choose from, though there are some significant differences between them. The standard engine on the Jeep Cherokee is a 2.4L Tigershark I-4 engine that offers up to 180 hp and 171 lb-ft of torque. Two other engines are available, and the most powerful option is a 2.0L Turbo I-4 that provides up to 270 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque.

A total of four different engines are offered on the Jeep Grand Cherokee, including a HEMI. The standard engine is a 3.6L Pentastar V6 that offers up to 295 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque – so you can see it’s a more powerful engine to start. The available 6.4L HEMI V8 engine delivers a massive 475 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque for incredible performance. Some of this is to compensate for its larger size, but overall the Grand Cherokee simply has much more power.

Cherokee vs Grand Cherokee: Off-Road Dimensions

If you’re interested in taking the Jeep SUV you choose off-road, then you should take a look at the clearance and angles they have to offer. The Jeep Cherokee has a maximum ground clearance of up to 8.7 inches when properly configured. It also has an approach angle of up to 28.8 degrees, breakover angle of 22.9 degrees, and departure angle of up to 32.2 degrees – plus up to 20 inches of water fording.

By comparison, the Jeep Grand Cherokee has a ground clearance of up to 10.8 inches. When properly configured, it has an approach angle of up to 36.1 degrees, a breakover angle of up to 22.8 degrees, and a departure angle of up to 27.1 degrees, with up to 22.6 inches of water fording. As you can see, the Grand Cherokee’s larger size gives it advantages for dealing with very uneven trails and deeper water.

Cherokee vs Grand Cherokee: Trims

Both of these models have numerous trims for you to choose from, which gives you a lot of different options and can impact factors like the engine you get and other specs. The Jeep Cherokee starts with the Latitude, then the Latitude Plus, Latitude Lux, Limited, and finally the Trailhawk – not including limited editions. Features improve as you move up the trims; for example, the Latitude comes with a 7-inch Infotainment display while the Limited has an 8.4-inch screen.

The Grand Cherokee also has numerous trims to choose from, starting with the Laredo E, then the Laredo X, Limited, Trailhawk, Overland, Summit, SRT, and Trackhawk. As you can see, you have more trims to choose from with the Jeep Grand Cherokee, so if you like having a lot of different options available to you, then this is a great pick. Both of these Jeeps have the Trailhawk trim available, and that’s the one you should look closely at if you’re interested in going off-road.

One of the biggest things to consider is that the Grand Cherokee has two performance-focused trims that the Jeep Cherokee lacks: the SRT and Trackhawk. The SRT features the powerful 6.4L HEMI V8 engine with steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters for a truly thrilling experience. With the Trackhawk, you get another level of performance entirely thanks to an exclusive Supercharged 6.2L V8 engine that can go from 0 to 60 in just 3.5 seconds. You won’t find that kind of performance on the Jeep Cherokee, and it’s only available with the Trackhawk trim.

Cherokee vs Grand Cherokee: Safety Features

In terms of safety, we’re pleased to say that both of these models have excellent safety features standard and available. Looking at the Limited trim for each of them (since both have it as an option), the Jeep Cherokee Limited comes with a comprehensive airbag system, rear park assist, blind spot monitoring, and rear cross-path detection. It also has a full-speed forward collision warning with active braking and a lane departure warning with lane keep assist.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited has many of the same safety features, such as blind spot monitoring and rear cross-path detection, a rear park assist system, and numerous airbags throughout. Other safety features like a forward collision warning with active braking and a lane departure warning with lane keep assist are available but not standard. So you get more safety features standard on some trims of the Jeep Cherokee – but you can still get all of the same great technology on the Grand Cherokee as available options.

Cherokee vs Grand Cherokee: The Choice Is Yours

Still not sure which one is right for you? Come visit us at Orange Coast Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram Fiat today to find out more, and we’ll help you pick the perfect SUV. There is no wrong answer when selecting between the Cherokee or the Grand Cherokee; it just depends on what you are looking for out of your Jeep. The choice is yours, but we are happy to help you make it or get started on the paperwork for your new Jeep Cherokee or Grand Cherokee. Contact us today and experience the joy of driving a Jeep.