2019 Ford Edge vs 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee

The 2019 Ford Edge received a facelift that featured a new grille, headlights, and lower front fascia, making it visually more appealing compared to its predecessors. At the rear, the Edge sported new taillights and replaced the red connector between them with a larger black panel, enhancing its sporty appearance. Inside, however, the Edge's cabin retained the same design it had since 2014, feeling dated with heavy reliance on plastic materials, especially around the touchscreen. Despite modern touches like the new rotary shifter, the cabin struggled to escape a decade-old aesthetic. Still, the Edge came packed with features across its SE, SEL, Titanium, and ST trims, such as keyless entry, push-button start, rain-sensing wipers, and various available packages offering leather upholstery, remote start, heated front seats, and upgraded sound systems, among others. The sporty ST trim added a blacked-out grille, new front lip and side skirts, 20-inch wheels, and performance enhancements, contrasting the model’s performance cues with a subdued exhaust note. The luxurious features increased its price significantly; the test ST model was priced at $49,430, notably higher than the more agreeable SEL trim starting at $33,300. Conversely, the 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee boasted a timeless design that had aged gracefully. Its signature 7-slot grille, trapezoidal wheel arches, and smorgasbord of aluminum wheel designs reflected an attention to detail. The base Laredo trim began at $31,945, with an added destination charge and a $2,000 increase for the 4WD—a distinctive selling point of the Grand Cherokee. This Jeep was available in an impressive range of trims, from the stylish Altitude to the luxurious Summit and high-performance Trackhawk. The 707-hp Trackhawk, priced over $100,000 fully loaded, showcased Jeep’s ability to merge performance with luxury. The test model, a Limited X, came with performance features like a vented hood, unique front and rear bumpers, and special leather seats, totalling just over $50,000. Although upscale with its dark headliner and gray trim, the Grand Cherokee’s interior suffered from hard plastic surfaces and subpar build quality around certain elements like the center console storage lid and turn-signal stalk.

The 2019 Ford Edge, excluding the ST trim, was powered by a 2-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine producing 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. This engine, paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission, could drive either the front wheels or all four wheels with the AWD option costing an additional $1,995. The performance-oriented ST trim featured a more robust 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 engine, churning out 335 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque, only available with AWD. The ST, focused on balanced handling and cornering, offered excellent acceleration and smooth engagement through varied driving conditions. While non-ST trims promised smoother rides over rough terrain, the ST maintained a commendable level of comfort. Regarding fuel efficiency, the base 2-liter FWD Edge returned 22 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, and 25 mpg combined, whereas the ST offered 19 city, 26 highway, and 21 combined. In spirited driving tests, the ST averaged 19.9 mpg. Meanwhile, the 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee provided a range of engine options, starting with a 3.6-liter V6 generating 295 hp. For those desiring more power, Jeep offered engines up to the 707-hp supercharged 6.2-liter V8 in the Trackhawk. The Grand Cherokee used an 8-speed automatic transmission with power directed to the rear wheels or one of three available 4WD systems. The Limited X test vehicle’s Quadra-Drive II system included a 2-speed transfer case with electronically activated 4-Lo gearing, an 8.6-inch ground clearance, Selec-Terrain driving modes, and hill descent control. Despite these robust off-road credentials, the V6 engine’s fuel economy was underwhelming, with actual testing achieving 18.3 mpg average on a driving loop and 17.4 mpg over a week of city-intensive driving, lower than the advertised 21 mpg. On the road, the Grand Cherokee demonstrated strong acceleration and better-than-expected handling, though heavy-duty braking on mountain descents revealed limitations.

Despite its dated cabin aesthetics, the 2019 Ford Edge remained functional with ample storage. The center console featured a deep cargo bin, and USB ports were accessible at the base of the center stack. Front seat comfort was standard except in the ST, which had bucket seats with pronounced bolsters for performance support, though unsuitable for taller individuals due to limited height adjustment. Rear seats provided significant space, accommodating even 6-foot-3-inch passengers comfortably. The Edge’s cargo capacity was practical, offering 39 cubic feet with the rear seats up and expanding to 73.4 cubic feet with them down, outperforming competitors like the Nissan Murano and Chevy Blazer and closely trailing the Honda Passport. The 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee, a 5-passenger midsize SUV, offered a reasonably spacious cabin. The power-adjustable, heated front seats in the test vehicle were ergonomically designed to ensure comfort, and most touchpoints were either soft or well-shaped to avoid discomfort. Rear passengers, however, faced less satisfactory conditions with hard plastic front-seatback panels causing discomfort. Nevertheless, the backseat included air conditioning vents, dual USB ports, and a 115-volt power outlet. Storage options were limited mainly to the center console bin and small trays, while front-seatback shopping-bag hooks added some convenience. Cargo space was smaller in comparison to the Edge, with 36.3 cubic feet behind the rear seats and totaling 68.3 cubic feet with them folded—highlighting a functional yet less capacious design.

The base 2019 Ford Edge offered a modest infotainment system with a 4.2-inch screen operated by flank buttons. Despite its functionalities, including a USB port, WiFi hotspot, streaming music, Bluetooth, and voice recognition, it felt outdated especially with market competitors offering more advanced touchscreens even at lower trims. An 8-inch Sync 3 system was standard for higher trims like Titanium and ST, delivering a user-friendly interface with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa integration, though graphic quality could be improved. In contrast, the 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee started with a 7-inch touchscreen on the Laredo trim, with more sophisticated Uconnect technology available on higher trims. The improved system featured enhanced graphics, faster responsiveness, and integrated Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, satellite radio, voice recognition, and navigation. Pairing with devices was seamless, making calls and finding local points of interest straightforward. The Limited X test model housed a 9-speaker Alpine premium audio system, delivering good sound quality, while higher trims offered an exceptional 19-speaker Harman Kardon system.

Standard safety features in the 2019 Ford Edge included a reversing camera, traction control, and a suite of airbags. The Ford Co-Pilot360 suite was also standard, encompassing automatic emergency braking, forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, automatic high-beams, and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert. Higher trims had the optional Co-Pilot360 Assist+ package adding adaptive cruise control, evasive steering assist, and lane-centering, bolstering driving confidence and safety. The 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee offered modern safety technologies despite its older design. Standard features included blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, while the Advanced Active Safety Group package in the test vehicle added adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and parking assistance. However, the Grand Cherokee’s safety ratings were less favorable, with the IIHS rating the vehicle poorly in small-overlap frontal-impact tests and the federal government granting only a 3-star rollover resistance rating for rear-drive models, casting a shadow over its safety credentials.