2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee vs 2022 Lexus RX

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee, with its timeless design, continued to impress more than a decade after its debut. It balanced rugged utility and upscale sophistication, featuring big wheels under flared fenders, making it a quintessential SUV. The Grand Cherokee's design contributed significantly to its success, offering a blend of mainstream, luxury, and performance SUV characteristics. The lineup ranged from the affordable Laredo and Limited trims to the upscale Overland and Summit, and the performance-oriented SRT and Trackhawk models. The Summit trim, in particular, showcased premium features like a 5.7-liter V8 engine, four-wheel drive, and a luxurious interior with leather, wood, and aluminum accents.

In contrast, the 2022 Lexus RX maintained a modern and sporty design, especially after its 2020 facelift. Available in base 350, F Sport, and L trims, with a hybrid RX 450h option, the RX stood out with its aggressive styling among competitors like the Audi Q5 and BMW X5. The F Sport trim, in particular, added a sporty touch with 20-inch wheels, black-housing mirrors, and unique front and rear bumpers. Inside, the RX offered a luxurious cabin with various color combinations and materials, though the center stack felt a bit dated. The RX prioritized comfort and quietness, making it a pleasant companion for long drives.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee came standard with a 3.6-liter V6 engine, producing 295 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It could tow up to 6,200 pounds. For those seeking more power, the optional 5.7-liter Hemi V8 delivered 360 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque, with a best-in-class towing capacity of 7,200 pounds. The V8 also featured cylinder deactivation technology for improved fuel efficiency, though it still managed only 17 mpg combined. The Grand Cherokee's Quadra-Trac II 4WD system, Quadra-Lift air suspension, and Selec-Terrain traction management made it a capable off-roader. However, the V8's fuel consumption and occasional bounciness on uneven surfaces were drawbacks.

The 2022 Lexus RX 350 featured a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 295 horsepower and 267 pound-feet of torque, while the hybrid RX 450h added electric motors for a combined 308 hp. Both powertrains used an eight-speed automatic transmission. The RX 350 offered front-wheel drive as standard, with all-wheel drive available, while the hybrid came with AWD only. Despite its sporty appearance, the RX's performance was underwhelming, with a lackluster engine note and unimpressive acceleration. The F Sport trim added performance dampers and an adaptive variable suspension, but the driving experience remained uninspiring. The RX excelled in comfort and cabin quietness, making it suitable for long journeys. Fuel efficiency for the RX 350 was 20 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 23 mpg combined, while the RX 450h achieved 30 mpg combined.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit offered a luxurious interior with quilted and perforated leather seats, genuine wood, and aluminum accents. Both front seats provided eight-way power adjustment, heating, and ventilation. The rear seat was comfortable but had limited legroom for taller adults. The Grand Cherokee's cargo space measured 36.3 cubic feet behind the rear seats, expanding to 68.3 cubic feet with the seats folded down. However, the rear-seat entertainment system reduced interior storage space. Practical features included grocery bag hooks and a power liftgate.

The 2022 Lexus RX had a spacious interior with 99.8 cubic feet of passenger volume in the two-row version, comfortably seating four adults. The three-row RX 350L offered a 2/3/2 seating configuration, but the third row was best suited for short trips or groceries. Cargo space in the two-row RX was 16.0 cubic feet behind the second row, expanding to 32.6 cubic feet with the seats folded down. The three-row model had only 7.45 cubic feet of cargo space with all seats upright, increasing to 58.48 cubic feet with both back rows down. The RX featured thoughtful interior elements like a smartphone slot, adjustable-height cup holder, and a flat-bottomed cargo net.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee featured the Uconnect 4C with Nav infotainment system, offering a nearly flawless user experience with fast response times and pleasing graphics. It included navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, and a Jeep Skill for Amazon Alexa. The system's voice recognition technology worked well, and the Summit trim came with a 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system. However, the Grand Cherokee was otherwise "tech lite," focusing on essential features.

The 2022 Lexus RX came with an 8-inch touchscreen display, with a 12.3-inch version available. Despite being moved closer to the driver, the touchscreen's positioning was ergonomically unfriendly, and the touchpad was frustrating to use. The RX offered a range of tech features, including six USB ports, Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, wireless charging, Amazon Alexa compatibility, a WiFi hotspot, and premium audio systems. The Lexus App allowed for remote engine start, vehicle settings, and service scheduling.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee had mixed safety ratings. It received a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the 4WD model, but the 2WD version earned only four stars due to a three-star rollover resistance rating. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the Grand Cherokee "Marginal" and "Poor" ratings in small-overlap frontal-impact tests. The Summit trim included a comprehensive suite of safety features, such as adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, and lane-keeping assistance.

The 2022 Lexus RX came standard with the Lexus Safety System 2.0+, which included adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, road-sign recognition, lane-keeping assist, a pre-collision system, and intelligent high beams. Additional safety features included blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, a head-up display, and Lexus Enform Safety Connect. The RX was named a Top Safety Pick by the IIHS when equipped with optional triple-beam LED headlights. The NHTSA gave the RX a four-star overall rating, with five stars in side crash tests and four stars in frontal crashes and rollover resistance.