2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L vs 2021 Ford Edge

The 2021 Ford Edge had a design that remained largely unchanged since its 2019 refresh, which successfully aligned its exterior with Ford's more recent designs. This refresh gave the Edge a cleaner look compared to the more elaborate styling of competitors like the Chevy Blazer and Hyundai Santa Fe. The Edge Titanium models featured extra chrome accents, while the ST trim boasted a blacked-out grille, 20-inch wheels, and a body kit. The ST-Line offered the same exterior styling as the ST but without the performance upgrades. Inside, the Edge's design showed its age, despite updates to accommodate new features like a larger touchscreen. The Titanium models had leather upholstery, and the ST models included sporty front seats with added bolstering and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with contrast stitching.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L, introduced as a longer version of the standard two-row Grand Cherokee, was 11.4 inches longer to fit a third row of seats. The wheelbase was also extended by five inches for more second-row legroom and wider rear doors. The extra length blended seamlessly into the body, making the standard Grand Cherokee appear truncated. The Grand Cherokee L maintained Jeep's recognizable design elements, such as the seven-slot grille and U-shaped wheel arches, but with modernized lighting and improved paint finish and panel fit. The high-end Summit and Summit Reserve trims added black roofs, larger wheels, and more chrome. New exterior paint colors for 2022 included Ember, Hydro Blue, and Midnight Sky. Inside, the Grand Cherokee L featured luxurious materials like real wood, aluminum, and quilted Nappa leather, with dual high-resolution screens and a faux-suede roof, making it feel as upscale as a Mercedes.

The 2021 Ford Edge offered a 2.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost four-cylinder engine producing 250 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It came with standard front-wheel drive (FWD) and optional all-wheel drive (AWD). The Edge ST performance model featured an EcoBoost twin-turbo 2.7-liter V6 engine with 335 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque on 93-octane fuel, standard AWD, and an eight-speed automatic transmission. The ST also had model-specific suspension tuning, with an option package for upgraded brakes and 21-inch wheels with summer tires. The Edge ST aimed to compete with performance SUVs like the Porsche Macan, though it fell short of that benchmark. The Edge's towing capacities were 3,958 pounds for the base FWD model, 4,122 pounds for the AWD four-cylinder, and 4,525 pounds for the V6-powered ST.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L offered two familiar engines: a 3.6-liter V6 with 293 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, and a 5.7-liter V8 with 357 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque, both paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The V6 struggled with the vehicle's weight, requiring high revs to deliver power, and the transmission's early upshifts didn't help. The V8, available only on higher trims with 4WD, provided better performance and a pleasing sound. The Grand Cherokee L also offered a 4xe plug-in hybrid with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, a 17.3-kilowatt-hour battery pack, and two electric motors, producing 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. Fuel economy for the V6 was 18 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined, while the V8 was 14/22/17. The Grand Cherokee L excelled in ride composure and steering feel, with an optional air suspension offering five ride height settings for various driving conditions. The maximum towing capacity was 6,200 pounds for RWD models and 7,200 pounds for 4WD models.

The 2021 Ford Edge offered competitive interior space, with the most rear-seat headroom among two-row midsize crossovers and ample legroom in both rows. It had 39.2 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats in place and 73.4 cubic feet with the seats folded, trailing only the Honda Passport and Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. A foot-activated power liftgate was available on higher trims. The rotary shift knob freed up space on the center console, but the narrow console width limited its usefulness. The raised console provided a storage nook below, but its out-of-the-way location made it easy to forget items placed there.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L featured the Uconnect 5 infotainment system with a sleek and sharp interface, complemented by physical switches for climate, seat climate controls, and stereo functions. The Laredo and Altitude trims had an 8.4-inch touchscreen and a 10-inch digital instrument panel, while higher trims offered a 10.1-inch touchscreen. The Grand Cherokee L provided ample space in all rows, with second-row captain's chairs standard and a 60/40 split bench seat optional. A panoramic roof, large windows, and multiple USB ports enhanced comfort on long journeys. However, the air vents were small and didn't direct enough airflow, requiring the fan to be kept on high, which was noisy.

The 2021 Ford Edge featured the latest Sync 4 infotainment system with a 12-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, Bluetooth, SiriusXM with 360L satellite radio, and a built-in 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. The Edge ST included a 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system. Four USB ports were available, with two rear USB ports added for 2021. Sync 4's simple graphics and straightforward menu layouts made it user-friendly, and the wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were notable advantages over some competitors.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L offered premium features on upper trims, including multiple massage modes for the 16-way power adjustable front seats, a head-up display, night vision with pedestrian and animal detection, a 360-degree camera system, and an Active Driving Assist system. The navigation system could take over the instrument panel, and Uconnect seamlessly integrated with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. New for 2022 were optional touchscreens for the front passenger and rear-seat passengers. Standard safety features included adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, forward automatic emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, and rear parking sensors. Higher trims added features like automatic parking, front cross-traffic alert, and a rear-facing camera for the second and third rows. The Summit Reserve trim included a 19-speaker McIntosh stereo.

The 2021 Ford Edge was an IIHS "Top Safety Pick," with top ratings in all crash tests and front crash prevention tech in vehicle-to-vehicle situations. It received lower ratings for vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention, LATCH child-seat anchor ease of use, and headlights. The NHTSA gave the Edge a five-star overall safety rating, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests and four stars in rollover tests. Standard safety features included automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, lane-keep assist, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, post-collision braking, dynamic brake support, and rear parking sensors. Adaptive cruise control and Evasive Steering Assist were standard on all but the base SE trim.

The 2022 Grand Cherokee L had not yet been tested by the NHTSA or IIHS. Standard safety features included driver and passenger knee airbags, a rear seat alert, trailer sway control, and various driver aids. Higher trims offered additional safety features like automatic parking, front cross-traffic alert, and a rear-facing camera for the second and third rows.