2022 Mercedes-Benz GLS vs 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 presented a more subtle and less flashy appearance compared to its competitors like the Cadillac Escalade, Land Rover Range Rover, and Lincoln Navigator. Mercedes avoided a gaudy grille, unlike the BMW X7 or Lexus LX. The interior of the GLS 450, while basic by GLS standards, still exuded luxury with leather upholstery, a panoramic roof, and ambient lighting. The digital instrument cluster and infotainment touchscreen were well-integrated, framed nicely by the upright dashboard.

In contrast, the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe maintained Jeep’s iconic seven-slot grille, blending past and present with active shutters for improved aerodynamics. The Grand Cherokee 4xe was available only as a two-row, five-passenger SUV, with trim levels including the base 4xe, Trailhawk, Overland, Summit, and Summit Reserve. The Overland trim featured leather seats, wood and metal accents, and bronze contrast stitching, although it also had a noticeable amount of hard plastic materials. The Grand Cherokee 4xe’s interior felt comfortable and upscale, with plenty of space for passengers.

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLS 450 was powered by a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission and Mercedes’ EQ Boost mild-hybrid system. This setup produced 362 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, with an additional 21 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque available from the electric motor. The GLS 450’s engine provided ample power, and the electric assist was well-integrated. However, the air suspension exhibited poor body control, leading to a bouncy ride over bumps and excessive leaning in corners. The GLS 450 had a maximum towing capacity of 7,700 pounds.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe featured a plug-in hybrid powertrain with a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine and a 400-volt, 17-kWh battery pack, delivering 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. This powertrain provided a total driving range of 470 miles and an impressive 56 MPGe. The Grand Cherokee 4xe offered 25 miles of all-electric driving range and featured an electronic front-axle disconnect to save fuel. The vehicle also had E Select powertrain modes, including Hybrid, Electric, and eSave, and was equipped with regenerative braking. The Grand Cherokee 4xe’s maximum towing capacity was 6,000 pounds.

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLS came standard with a seven-seat configuration, with an optional six-seat version featuring captain’s chairs. The second-row seats could slide forward and fold for access to the third row, and the standard bench seat could slide fore and aft as one piece. The GLS offered 17.4 cubic feet of cargo space with all seats in place, expanding to 84.7 cubic feet with the second and third rows folded. The air suspension made loading and unloading cargo easier, but the touchscreen was difficult to reach, and the center console had grab handles with no obvious purpose.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe, available only as a two-row SUV, offered plenty of space for passengers. Folding the second row of seats down increased cargo space from 37.7 cubic feet to 70.8 cubic feet. The available air suspension provided a quick-down function for easier loading and unloading. The Grand Cherokee 4xe’s interior was comfortable and spacious, making it a suitable family vehicle.

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLS featured the MBUX infotainment system with a 12.3-inch touchscreen, 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, navigation, SiriusXM satellite radio, and natural-language voice recognition. The 13-speaker Burmester audio system was standard, with an optional head-up display. The voice recognition system was the easiest to use, while the touchpad controller was too sensitive. The touchscreen and instrument cluster had good-looking graphics, but the navigation system occasionally suggested inefficient routes.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe came with the Uconnect 5 infotainment system, an android-powered interface with customization options like My Pages. The Grand Cherokee 4xe featured multiple screens, including a 10.25-inch front-passenger display and a 10.25-inch digital driver information display. A wireless charging pad was optional, and four USB ports were standard. Optional dual rear-seat entertainment screens ran Amazon’s Fire TV for Auto. The 19-speaker McIntosh stereo was available on higher trims and provided excellent audio quality.

The 2022 Mercedes-Benz GLS included standard safety features such as forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, a driver-attention monitor, automatic high beams, blind-spot monitoring, a surround-view camera system, Crosswind Assist, parking assist, and Pre Safe. Optional features included adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, second-row side airbags, and advanced driver-assistance features like Active Steering Assist and Active Blind Spot Assist. Crash-test ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA were not available at the time of publication.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe offered standard safety features like automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, rear parking sensors, and rear cross-traffic alert. Optional features included intersection-collision assist, night vision, front parking sensors, and a 360-degree surround-view camera. A hands-off driver assistance feature suite was announced but required additional hardware. Crash-test ratings from the IIHS and NHTSA were not available at the time of publication.