2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee L vs 2023 Mazda CX-50

The 2023 Mazda CX-50 featured a blunt nose, long hood, and a rakish windshield, with a cabin pulled back toward the rear wheels. This design exhibited the subtle seductiveness that characterized Mazda's cars and SUVs for the past decade. However, the CX-50 also conveyed newfound ruggedness with blistered and boxed fender swells, lower body and wheel arch cladding, and fake front and rear skid plates. Oversized air intake and vent designs imparted performance without offending the eye.

When paired with the CX-50’s standard black grille and mirror caps and the available 20-inch wheels, these exterior design elements came together appealingly. Later in the model year, the CX-50 Meridian Edition joined the lineup with exclusive wheels, all-terrain tires, splash guards, and a roof-mounted load platform. Inside, the CX-50’s interior displayed Mazda’s traditional mix of driver-focused design, quality materials, and polished metallic trim. Despite a few design quirks, the new Mazda CX-50 was a good-looking compact crossover.

The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee L extended the classic style of the Grand Cherokee by more than a foot without sacrificing its iconic design. Our Hydro Blue example came with the High Altitude package, which blacked out the grille, logos, and door handles, combined with dark gray 21-inch wheels and black leather with gold stitching. The U-shaped fenders and square greenhouse were quintessential Jeep, while modern elements like slim LED lighting and body-color bumpers with integrated exhaust tips added a contemporary touch.

The interior of the Grand Cherokee L, especially in upper trims, was impressive. While not every piece was Mercedes-grade, 90 percent of it felt justified for a $70,000 truck. The polished black dash hid an optional touchscreen, and the gear selector and driving mode toggles felt appropriately damped. The diamond-patterned stitching on the seats and aluminum speaker grilles added to the classy feel. Lower trims lacked some of these details but still offered a dramatically better look and feel compared to lower-priced competitors.

Most Mazda CX-50 buyers likely chose the more affordable and fuel-efficient 2.5 S model, which had a 187 hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 186 lb-ft of torque, delivered to all four wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. Mazda believed this base-engine version would return 27 mpg in combined driving. For those seeking stronger acceleration and increased towing capacity, the CX-50 2.5 Turbo was the better option. It featured a turbocharged version of the standard engine, making between 227 hp and 256 hp depending on the fuel used, with torque varying between 310 lb-ft and 320 lb-ft.

The turbocharged engine provided smooth, sweet acceleration across a broad power curve, with no noticeable turbo lag. The CX-50 offered Normal, Sport, Off-Road, and Towing modes, though the differences between them were slight. The CX-50 felt firmer in ride quality compared to the CX-5, and there was a hint of torque steer during tight turns. Despite this, the CX-50’s driving character was likened to a modern Mazda6 station wagon with a Subaru Outback treatment. The CX-50 was capable of tackling off-roading situations, though it lacked a downhill assist control system.

The weakest element in the Grand Cherokee L was the standard V6 engine, which produced 293 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. The 3.6-liter Pentastar groaned and grinded its way to these figures, making it feel underpowered for the heavy SUV. A 5.7-liter Hemi V8 with 357 hp and 390 lb-ft was optional and recommended, especially for towing, with max ratings of 7,200 pounds compared to 6,200 with the V6. The V8 also sounded fantastic. Fuel economy for 4x4 models was 18 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined with the V6, while the V8’s ratings were 14/22/17.

The Grand Cherokee L’s chassis felt solid and stiff, providing confident handling. With air suspension, it whisked through corners without excessive lean, and the ride remained pliable. The steering could have been quicker, but the handling topped the class. Jeep offered three 4WD systems, with the most sophisticated being Quadra-Drive II, which included a low-range transfer case and a limited-slip differential. The Grand Cherokee L could cycle through five height settings for ground clearance of up to 10.9 inches, making it tougher than most buyers needed.

The 2023 Mazda CX-50’s interior was well-equipped for cold climates, with power-adjustable heated front seats, heated rear seats, a heated steering wheel, heated side mirrors, and heated windshield wipers. The ventilated front seats and dual-zone automatic climate control were effective in warmer weather. The driver’s seat and front passenger’s seat were comfortable for long drives, though they could use more side bolstering. The back seat was roomy enough for adults, with rear air vents and charging ports in nearly all trims.

Storage space in the CX-50 was adequate, though Mazda missed opportunities to include more bins and shelves. The available smartphone charger had a convenient slot under the center armrest. The power rear liftgate revealed 31.4 cubic feet of cargo space, with a long load floor but narrow space between the wheel wells. Maximum cargo space was 56.3 cubic feet, slightly less than the CX-5 due to the CX-50’s lower roofline.

The Grand Cherokee L’s added length allowed for more legroom for second-row passengers, making it feel cavernous. Second-row captain's chairs were standard, with a center console and four-zone climate control on the Summit and Summit Reserve trims. The third row was best for kids under 12, with power-folding headrests and ample room to maneuver past the second-row seats. Sight lines and visibility were good from the driver’s seat, though there were legibility issues with the infotainment system’s graphics and text.

Cargo space in the Grand Cherokee L was plentiful, with 17 cubic feet behind the third row, 47 cubic feet behind the second-row seats, and 85 cubic feet with both rows folded. This max cargo space was at the top of the class, much larger than the regular Grand Cherokee’s 71 cubic feet.

Every CX-50 had a Mazda Connect infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, and Mazda Connected Services. The base 2.5 S had an 8.8-inch display, while other trims included a larger 10.25-inch display. Historically, Mazda Connect did not offer touchscreen control, requiring the use of center console buttons and knobs, steering wheel controls, or voice recognition. However, the 2023 CX-50 allowed touchscreen control for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The available 12-speaker Bose Centerpoint surround-sound system delivered a satisfying audio experience. The Active Driving Display, or head-up display (HUD), projected a wealth of data within the driver’s line of sight, including blind-spot warnings.

The Grand Cherokee L’s Laredo and Altitude trims came with an 8.4-inch touchscreen and a 10-inch digital instrument panel. The Limited, Overland, Summit, and Summit Reserve had a 10.1-inch touchscreen and navigation that showed full-screen maps on the instrument panel. All systems ran Uconnect 5, which was generally quick and easy to use despite some legibility issues. The McIntosh sound system with 19 speakers was good but lacked surround imaging from the rear speakers.

The Grand Cherokee L offered night vision, Active Driving Assist, 16-way power front seats with massage programs, and a head-up display. The passenger screen in the dash was superb, playing video and music independently from the rear entertainment system. Amazon Fire TV was available to stream from the Jeep’s LTE connection, and the Grand Cherokee L had many tech features that competitors lacked.

Mazdas typically rated high for safety, and the CX-50 was expected to excel in crash tests like other Mazda models. The CX-50 came with a generous standard package of driving assistance systems, with additional features available on the CX-50 2.5 Turbo Premium Plus. These included Traffic Jam Assist, active blind-spot monitoring, front and rear parking sensors, and a surround-view camera system. The driving assistance systems worked well, though the adaptive cruise control occasionally failed to recognize slower vehicles cutting in.

The 2023 Grand Cherokee L scored a Top Safety Pick+ from the IIHS for models built after May 2023 and five stars in every NHTSA test except for rollover, which scored four stars. Standard safety features included driver and passenger front knee airbags, forward emergency braking, rear emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, lane-departure warning, lane-keep assist, and adaptive cruise control. Optional features included front cross-traffic braking, backup camera washer, 360-degree cameras, and night vision.