2021 Jeep Cherokee vs 2022 Hyundai Tucson

The 2021 Jeep Cherokee's styling had become more palatable over time. Initially, the short grille opening and swept-back headlights were contentious, but after seven years, the Cherokee's proportions seemed more balanced. The exterior appearance varied significantly with trim levels. The entry-level Latitude with 17-inch wheels and FWD looked quite basic, while the 80th Anniversary Edition with 19-inch Granite Crystal wheels and painted lower body cladding appeared much more refined. Jeep's knack for maximizing roof utility was evident with the Cherokee's optional panoramic sunroof, which covered the entire top surface. The Cherokee's distinctive look ensured it stood out in a crowded SUV market, bearing a resemblance to the larger Jeep Grand Cherokee from the front.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson rode on a new platform and was offered in the U.S. as a long-wheelbase model with two rows of seating and expanded cargo space. The Tucson's front featured Hyundai's new design language, with a parametric grille hiding LED daytime running lights, Bi-LED headlights, and LED front turn signals. The side profile mirrored the Hyundai Elantra's design, with a silver D-pillar creating a floating roof effect. The rear boasted toothy taillights illuminated by LEDs in all but the base model. Depending on the trim, the Tucson rode on either 17- or 19-inch wheels, with high-end trims featuring premium fascias, skid plates, gloss black pillars, and a panoramic sunroof. Standard features included roof rails, body-color side-mirror housing, solar glass, and acoustic laminated glass, with additional options available on higher trims.

The 2021 Jeep Cherokee offered three engine options. The Latitude and Latitude Plus trims came with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine producing 180 horsepower. The 3.2-liter V-6 engine, available on higher trims, delivered 271 horsepower. The top-tier engine was the 2.0-liter GMET4 turbocharged four-cylinder, generating 270 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. Despite these options, none provided outstanding acceleration, with the V6 and turbo-four engines achieving 0-60 mph in about 7.2 and 7.4 seconds, respectively. All Cherokee models featured a nine-speed automatic transmission, which had improved over time. The Cherokee Trailhawk model excelled off-road, thanks to features like Jeep Active Drive Lock and Selec-Speed Crawl Control. However, the Cherokee was also available in FWD, primarily to keep prices competitive.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson came with two powertrain options: a 2.5-liter direct-injected four-cylinder engine and a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder hybrid engine. The ICE engine produced 187 horsepower and 178 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The hybrid powertrain offered 226 combined horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, making it more powerful and enjoyable to drive. The Tucson Hybrid outperformed competitors like the Ford Escape Hybrid, Honda CR-V Hybrid, and Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. AWD was standard on the Tucson Hybrid and optional on ICE models, performing well in off-road conditions. The ICE engine achieved an EPA-estimated 26 mpg city, 33 mpg highway, and 29 mpg combined, while the hybrid models were more fuel-efficient, with the most efficient hybrid achieving 38 mpg city/highway/combined. The forthcoming Tucson PHEV promised even more power and efficiency.

The 2021 Jeep Cherokee occupied a space between the smaller Renegade and the larger Grand Cherokee, competing with compact crossovers like the Honda CR-V and Toyota RAV4. However, it fell short in utility, offering only 26 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 55 cubic feet with them folded, placing it at the bottom among compact SUVs. The Cherokee provided about 102 cubic feet of passenger volume, making it competitive in that metric. The interior layout was simple and businesslike, with trim levels significantly affecting satisfaction. The Latitude trim featured rubberized black plastic, while the Trailhawk offered suede seat inserts and contrasting stitching. The Latitude Lux trim boasted perforated Nappa leather upholstery for a more upscale appearance.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson, a budget-friendly compact SUV, featured an interior that rivaled its competitors, including the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue, and Ford Escape. Standard features included a six-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, with an eight-way version available on higher trims. Heated front seats, ventilated front seats, memory for the driver’s seat, and an eight-way power-adjustable passenger seat were also available. The new platform made the Tucson more spacious, with more passenger volume than the CR-V, RAV4, and Escape. The 74.8 cubic-foot cargo area was comparable to the Forester, RAV4, and CR-V, and significantly larger than the Escape. The rear featured a 60-40 split-folding bench seat and a dual-level cargo floor on ICE models. A hands-free liftgate was available on mid-grade models and up.

The 2021 Jeep Cherokee featured the Stellantis brands' highly regarded infotainment system and climate control interfaces. The Uconnect system was available with a 7-inch touchscreen on lower trims and an 8.4-inch touchscreen on higher trims. Both screen sizes offered Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, though wired, not wireless. The Cherokee also provided a 4G WiFi hotspot, Amazon Alexa integration, and remote start. The Uconnect system was consistent across Stellantis vehicles, offering a user-friendly experience.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson came with a robust set of standard tech features, including an 8-inch infotainment touchscreen, a six-speaker audio system, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, HD Radio, and two USB ports. Higher trims added satellite radio, Blue Link mobile app compatibility, additional USB outlets, rear air conditioning vents, and dual-zone automatic climate control. A 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen was available, though it required wired connections for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The larger screen was part of a flat, black plastic head unit that included climate control and media functionality, which could be challenging to use while driving. The touchpoints were responsive, but the narrow steering wheel controls were less user-friendly.

The 2021 Jeep Cherokee did not earn a Top Safety Pick or Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS but received top "Good" scores in every crashworthiness category and a G+ score for the LATCH child seat anchors. The Cherokee's headlights received mixed ratings, with upper trims rated "Acceptable" and others rated "Marginal." The NHTSA gave the Cherokee a four-star overall safety rating. Standard safety features included lane departure warning, lane keep assist, forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, and blind spot monitoring. Adaptive cruise control with stop and go was available only on higher trims.

The 2022 Hyundai Tucson had not been tested by the IIHS or NHTSA. The Hyundai SmartSense Safety Feature suite included standard features like forward collision-avoidance assist, lane-keep assist, automatic high beams, a driver attention monitor, rear occupant alert, speed limit assist, and leading vehicle departure alert. Additional features available included blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, a surround-view camera system, and remote parking assist. Hyundai's comprehensive warranty included a 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain limited warranty, a 5-year/60,000-mile new vehicle limited warranty, and a 7-year anti-perforation warranty, along with 3 years/36,000 miles of complimentary maintenance.