2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee L vs 2023 Toyota RAV4

The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee L maintained its classic charm while incorporating modern elements. Since the first Grand Cherokee debuted by dramatically breaking through a glass wall at the 1992 Detroit auto show, it captured the market's attention. Its original design, a lifted square box with a seven-slot grille, conveyed a robust yet upscale appearance. The Grand Cherokee, particularly the L variant, which extended the traditional Grand Cherokee's length by over a foot, preserved this iconic style while providing luxurious interiors unrivaled in the midsize SUV segment until the Wagoneer's release.

Our Hydro Blue version came with the High Altitude package, which featured a blacked-out grille, logos, and door handle tops. Together with dark gray 21-inch wheels, black leather with gold stitching, and matte-finish light walnut trim, the Grand Cherokee L's bold aesthetic stood out. Its U-shaped fenders, square greenhouse, slim LED lighting, body-color bumpers with integrated exhaust tips, and mildly curved black roofline formed a clean, enduring design expected to stay relevant.

The Grand Cherokee L's upper trims boasted impressive interiors with polished black dashes hiding optional touchscreens, damped metal gear selectors, and toggle switches for driving modes and air suspension. The diamond-patterned stitching on the thin seats and the aluminum speaker grilles contributed to the classy feel, especially in the higher price range. Although lower trims lacked some of these luxurious touches, they still surpassed competitors like the Ford Explorer and Nissan Pathfinder in look and feel.

Conversely, the 2023 Toyota RAV4 offered six trim levels, ranging from the sub-$30K RAV4 LE to the ventilated-seat-equipped RAV4 Limited, with two off-road-friendly trims mid-price. The 2023 model followed the design introduced in 2019, notably in the Adventure and TRD Off-Road trims, which retained a unique two-part face.

We explored the Adventure trim, which relocated the Toyota badge closer to the center of a more aggressive grille, blacked out the wheels, added a faux skid plate, and featured distinctive black cladding around the wheel arches. However, these features were more cosmetic than functional. The Adventure trim also included orange interior accents, giving a sporty edge to an otherwise basic interior, with orange stripes and contrast stitching on the seats and orange plastic around the center console.

The Adventure trim also featured a frameless rearview mirror, adding a premium touch to a rather utilitarian interior. Buyers seeking more luxury might have considered the Toyota Venza, which shared its platform with the RAV4 but offered a more sedan-like experience. While the RAV4 LE and XLE trims came with fabric seats, the XLE Premium included synthetic leather (SofTex). Seat adjustability varied across trims, culminating in the Limited's power-adjustable heated and ventilated front seats with driver memory functions. Heated rear seats and steering wheels were available as options. Dual-zone climate control was standard on all but the base trim.

The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee L's performance was marred by its standard V6 engine, which, despite being powerful enough for most needs with 293 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, felt underwhelming, especially in sport mode. The 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 produced a muffled groan when pushed, revealing its limitations. A more capable turbo inline-six engine found in the larger Wagoneer wasn't yet available for the Grand Cherokee L. Sport mode improved throttle response but prevented the eight-speed automatic transmission from upshifting to top gear during normal driving. This heavy SUV needed more low-end torque.

An optional 5.7-liter Hemi V8 delivering 357 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque was a better fit, particularly for towing, boosting capacities to 7,200 pounds compared to the V6's 6,200 pounds. Unfortunately, the V8's fuel economy was worse, rated at 14 mpg city, 22 mpg highway, and 17 mpg combined, compared to the V6's 18/25/21 mpg figures. Despite these engine issues, the chassis provided solid, confident handling, especially with the air suspension system, which offered a comfortable ride and impressive cornering abilities for an SUV of its size. The steering, while responsive, required more attentiveness on tighter roads.

Three 4WD systems were optional on most trim levels, providing different capabilities, from brake-based traction control to a more sophisticated low-range transfer case with a limited-slip differential. With the air suspension, the Grand Cherokee L could adjust ground clearance up to 10.9 inches, adapting for various driving conditions, thus positioning it a cut above most competitors in off-road readiness.

The 2023 RAV4 came standard with FWD, except for the Adventure and TRD Off-Road trims, which were AWD by default and included Snow Mode. All trims had the option to upgrade to AWD, with hybrids exclusively AWD. The single gas engine option—a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 203 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque—offered in the 2023 RAV4 paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. While this setup provided sufficient performance, it lacked excitement. Acceleration was adequate but uninspiring, accompanied by noticeable engine noise, though quieter than some competitors like the Subaru Forester.

The Adventure trim showcased 19-inch all-season tires and shared its suspension setup with other RAV4s, contrasting with the TRD Off-Road's more rugged 18-inch wheels, Falken All-Terrain tires, and TRD-tuned suspension, designed for better off-road handling.

The Grand Cherokee L's extended length, adding five inches to the wheelbase, created substantial second-row legroom, making the interior feel spacious. The standard second-row captain's chairs enhanced comfort across all trims, with the Summit and Summit Reserve offering additional storage, four-zone climate control, and heated seats. An optional 60/40 bench seat could be added for $750 to any trim. The third row was power-folded but best suited for children due to its tight space. The second row had a manual sliding mechanism, facilitating access to the third row.

Visibility from the driver's seat was excellent, and the centrally placed touchscreen and climate control buttons were intuitive, despite some legibility issues with the infotainment system. The Grand Cherokee L had substantial cargo space, offering 17 cubic feet behind the third row, expanding to 47 cubic feet with the second row folded, and a maximum of 85 cubic feet with both rear rows down, putting it at the top of its class.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 comfortably seated five passengers. With the moonroof option, it offered 37.7 inches of front-row headroom and 39.5 inches in the back, giving rear passengers more headroom than competitors like the Honda CR-V and Subaru Forester, though less in the front. Front-row legroom measured 41 inches, while the rear seats provided 37.8 inches, less than the CR-V and Forester. The RAV4's narrower back seat could impact comfort depending on passenger needs.

Storage in the RAV4 was practical, featuring a full-length shelf above the glove compartment and sizable door pockets. The center console housed side-by-side cupholders and a lever-style gear shifter. The RAV4's cargo space was respectable, offering 37.5 cubic feet behind the second row and expanding to 69.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded—middle range in its class, outdoing the Mazda CX-5 but falling short of the CR-V.

The 2023 Grand Cherokee L provided robust technology features, starting with an 8.4-inch touchscreen and a 10-inch digital instrument panel on the Laredo and Altitude trims. Higher trims like the Limited, Overland, Summit, and Summit Reserve featured a larger 10.1-inch touchscreen and navigation displaying full-screen maps on the instrument panel. All systems utilized the Uconnect 5 interface, which was generally user-friendly albeit with some readability issues.

The option for an excellent McIntosh sound system, boasting 19 speakers, was available standalone on upper trims. Night vision technology, available on top trims, allowed day and night detection of people and animals, enhancing safety. The inclusion of a passenger screen, active only when someone was seated, enabled independent video and music playback, navigation control, 360-camera activation, and oversight of second and third rows via overhead cameras. Integration with Amazon Fire TV allowed streaming using the Jeep’s LTE connection, positioning the Grand Cherokee L ahead in terms of advanced tech features.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 upgraded its infotainment system to include a standard 8.0-inch touchscreen, up to 10.5-inch on Limited and TRD Off-Road trims, and supported OTA software updates. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were standard, alongside voice command functionality. The Adventure trim we tested included a multimedia system upgrade, costing $3,490, which comprised a 10.5-inch screen and an 11-speaker JBL Premium audio system, enhancing the entertainment experience. A standard 7-inch driver-information display was included, with a 12.3-inch version available on the Limited trim and optional on TRD Off-Road.

The 2023 Grand Cherokee L earned a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS, contingent upon models built post-May 2023, featuring reinforced frames for improved side-impact test results. It also achieved five stars in most NHTSA tests, with a four-star rollover rating. The SUV came standard with driver and passenger front knee airbags, forward and rear emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and adaptive cruise control. Front cross-traffic braking, backup camera washer, and 360-degree cameras were additional options, with night vision exclusive to higher trims. Summit Reserve featured standard Active Driving Assist for semi-automated highway control.

The 2023 Toyota RAV4 included lane-departure warning with steering assist, automatic emergency braking, high-beam LED headlights, and a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection across all trims. Higher-end safety features like adaptive cruise control were standard, while blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert was available starting with the base LE trim. The Toyota Safety Sense 2.5 suite, an upgrade from TSS 2.0, included Full-Speed Range Dynamic Radar Cruise Control, capable of functioning at speeds below 20 mph.

The RAV4's safety features earned the 2023 Top Safety Pick+ award from the IIHS, performing well in crash tests despite some lower scores on updated tests. This demonstrated the brand's commitment to safety excellence.