2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe vs 2022 Kia Seltos

The 2022 Kia Seltos was positioned between the smaller Soul and the larger Sportage, offering five trim levels: LX, S, EX, Nightfall Edition, and SX. All trims except the Seltos S included standard all-wheel drive (AWD). Prices at the start of the model year ranged from $22,590 to $28,080, excluding a $1,255 destination charge. The test vehicle for this review was the Nightfall Edition, featuring matte-black 18-inch alloy wheels, a turbocharged engine, a dual-clutch transmission (DCT), a black grille, added body cladding, and robust roof rails. The MSRP for this model was $28,045, including the destination charge.

Inside, the Seltos displayed a good sense of style with a contrast-color dashboard panel, exposed stitching, gloss-black trim, and metallic accents. However, the interior had a lot of hard plastic, making it look cheap despite excellent build quality. The controls were logically arranged, with a collection of knobs for commonly adjusted features like stereo volume and cabin temperature. Unfortunately, the infotainment system's accent color was purple, which might not appeal to everyone. Despite some nitpicking, the Seltos was larger, more useful, more refined, and more powerful than many of its direct rivals.

The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe lineup grew to six trim levels, including the base trim, 30th Anniversary, Trailhawk, Overland, Summit, and Summit Reserve. Prices started at $61,660 before options, with the Summit Reserve costing $80,320 before upgrades. The test vehicle arrived in the Trailhawk trim level, featuring a panoramic sunroof, Luxury Tech Group II, and Advanced ProTech Group II, bringing the MSRP to $72,630, including destination. A federal income tax credit of $3,750 could reduce the cost to $68,880.

The Trailhawk was identifiable by its sky blue exterior detailing and matte-black hood decal, which Jeep claimed could reduce glare. It also had unique wheels with aggressive all-terrain tires and the Trail Rated badge. The interior, however, fell short of expectations, with too much plastic and gloss black surfacing that attracted dust and fingerprints. The leather and artificial suede upholstery were nice, but the overall feel leaned too much on shiny and fancy rather than substance and quality. The glossy surfaces made some controls hard to read, and the rapidly accumulating dust exacerbated the problem.

The 2022 Kia Seltos LX, S, and EX had a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine producing 146 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable transmission (CVT). The LX and EX included standard AWD, while the Seltos S offered both front-wheel drive (FWD) and AWD. The Nightfall Edition and SX trim featured a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine delivering 175 hp and 195 lb-ft of torque, paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT). The turbo-DCT combination made the Seltos more engaging to drive than some rivals.

The Seltos offered Normal, Sport, and Smart driving modes. Smart mode balanced fuel efficiency with responsiveness but was unpredictable and slow to respond. Sport mode quickened the powertrain's pulse but sometimes struggled to find the right gear. The AWD system had a Lock function for even power distribution at lower speeds, and ground clearance was 7.3 inches. The Seltos was at home in light off-roading conditions and likely surefooted in snowstorms. However, the suspension tuning was the least appealing aspect, with the vehicle exhibiting lateral rocking motions on uneven pavement and feeling bouncy on undulating roads.

The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe combined a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with a 17.3-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack and an 8-speed automatic transmission with an integrated 100-kilowatt electric motor. Together, these components produced 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque, with a towing capacity of up to 6,000 pounds. The Trailhawk had a standard four-wheel-drive (4WD) system with a two-speed transfer case and Selec-Terrain technology, offering Auto, Sport, Mud/Sand, Rock, and Snow modes.

The Trailhawk also featured a front-axle sway bar disconnect system and a height-adjustable air suspension with semi-active damping, providing 10.9 inches of maximum ground clearance. The battery was sealed for 24 inches of water fording capability. The Grand Cherokee 4xe offered an EPA-estimated 25 miles of all-electric range and 23 mpg in combined driving. However, during testing, the vehicle traveled just 21.2 miles on electric power before the gasoline engine turned on, and it averaged 19.3 mpg in Auto mode. The gas engine sounded unrefined, and drivetrain power delivery was uneven due to torque surges. The regenerative braking system made it hard to stop smoothly, and body lean was evident in higher-speed curves.

The 2022 Kia Seltos excelled in form and function, offering a roomy interior that was easy to live with daily. Getting in and out was easy, thanks to its ride height and large door openings. The Nightfall Edition had a six-way manually adjustable driver’s seat and a tilt-and-telescopic steering wheel, making it easy to find a comfortable driving position. The front passenger’s seat was not height-adjustable but provided proper leg support. The Nightfall Edition featured cloth upholstery with Sofino simulated leather bolsters and head restraints, a single-zone automatic climate control system, and heated front seats.

Adults could easily fit into the Seltos’ rear seat, which was uncommon for the class. The rear legroom was generous, and the Nightfall Edition had rear air conditioning vents, a USB charging port, and a center armrest with cupholders. However, the seatback angle was a little too reclined for comfort. The Seltos offered decent storage space, including a handy smartphone shelf. Cargo space measured 26.6 cubic feet behind the back seat and 62.8 cubic feet with the rear seat folded down.

The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe fell short in terms of practical storage and cargo space. The need for serious off-roading hardware contributed to this problem, and the interior lacked practical trays, bins, and shelves. The Trailhawk featured eight-way power-adjustable front seats wrapped in leather and artificial suede, with heating and ventilation. The steering wheel and rear outboard seats were also heated. However, the front seats were firm and relatively flat, and the rear seat cushion was low and lacked support.

The Grand Cherokee offered 37.7 cubic feet of cargo space behind the back seat, enough for four full-size suitcases and a couple of duffel bags or backpacks. Folding the back seat down provided a maximum of 70.8 cubic feet, which was small for a midsize SUV and less than some compact SUVs.

For 2022, Kia expanded the availability of its 10.25-inch touchscreen infotainment system to include the S trim level. This system was standard on the Seltos EX, Nightfall Edition, and SX, and paired with a Bose premium sound system in the SX trim. Highlights included Bluetooth that could pair with two devices simultaneously, a navigation system, connected services, satellite radio, and a six-speaker stereo. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto required a cable connection. The standard 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system in the Seltos LX and S trims offered wireless smartphone connectivity.

The infotainment system was intuitive to use, with a volume knob, a tuning knob, and physical buttons for quick access to primary functions. However, the voice recognition system was frustrating, and a native conversational voice recognition system was missing. The system warned that an active subscription to connected services would produce better voice recognition results.

The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe featured up to six screens, including an optional head-up display and dual-screen rear-seat entertainment system with Amazon Fire TV compatibility. The Trailhawk trim included a 10.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a 10.3-inch front passenger infotainment screen, along with a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The Trailhawk’s infotainment system used Jeep’s Uconnect 5 technology, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, a navigation system, and Jeep Connect services.

Uconnect 5 had a simple user interface, but the low-contrast graphics made the display appear washed out and harder to read. The voice recognition system was average, and the system’s Apps screen could be configured for quick access to favorite functions. The digital instrumentation could also be customized. The Trailhawk had stereo volume and radio tuning knobs, but the buttons on the back of the steering wheel were more enjoyable to use. The front passenger infotainment screen supported Bluetooth, USB, and HDMI connectivity but went unused during testing. Tech-related options included wireless smartphone charging and a camera-based digital rearview mirror.

The 2022 Kia Seltos was equipped with numerous driving assistance systems, including forward-collision avoidance, pedestrian detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, lane-centering assist, and automatic high-beam headlights. The Seltos EX added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, while the Seltos SX included adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability, Highway Driving Assist, and Safe Exit Assist. The Nightfall Edition test vehicle did not have adaptive cruise control or Highway Driving Assist, but the lane-centering assist technology was accurate and refined.

The Seltos offered several safety-related functions through its connected services platform, including 911 Connect and programmable alerts for vehicle speed, curfew time, and geographic boundaries. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the 2022 Kia Seltos SX a Top Safety Pick rating, while other versions did not qualify due to inferior headlight performance. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the Seltos an overall rating of four stars.

The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe came with adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and a reversing camera with rear parking sensors. The Trailhawk added an active blind-spot monitoring system, intersection assist, a surround-view camera, front parking sensors, automatic reverse braking, and a Night Vision system. Jeep Active Drive, a semi-autonomous driving assistance system, was available on some versions but not the Trailhawk.

During evaluation, the lane-departure warning system issued a few false alerts, and the lane-keeping assist system felt intrusive in curves. The adaptive cruise control worked best on freeways but was not as responsive as desired when other motorists cut into or departed the gap ahead. The NHTSA gave the Grand Cherokee 4xe a five-star overall rating, with a four-star rating for driver protection in a frontal-impact collision. The IIHS gave the 2023 Grand Cherokee a Top Safety Pick+ rating, but this did not specifically apply to the 4xe plug-in hybrid powertrain.