2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee L vs Ford Explorer: All-American 3-Row SUVs Compared

The SUV as we know it today was shaped by several distinct vehicle types. First came the original Chevy Suburban in the 1930s, a truckish and utilitarian vanlike thing that offered multiple rows of seating. Later, the more mainstream car-based station wagon arrived, becoming the predominant form of transportation for families who needed three rows of seating, followed by the humble minivan in the 1980s.

By the early 1990s, the long-running Suburban had morphed into what we know today as a full-size, three-row SUV. But it remained a fringe player. The sport utility vehicle segment was instead mainstreamed in that era by two-row, tallish 4x4 wagons, the most consequential of which were the original Ford Explorer and Jeep Grand Cherokee. In the years since they launched and immediately began taking over suburban driveways, they too have grown from five-seat fun-havers into proper three-row family SUVs. They're enormously successful—the Grand Cherokee is Jeep's best-seller, and Ford moves more Explorers than any vehicle short of the F-Series pickup. So, in their latest incarnations, which of these all-American family haulers is best?

Neither SUV is brand-new. The current, sixth-generation Explorer was introduced for 2020, making a surprising change by shifting from a front-wheel-drive, car-based platform to a rear-wheel-drive setup, which is uncommon for this segment. A 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder carried over as the base engine, and Ford also introduced the 400-hp Explorer ST. For this comparison test, we gathered up the Explorer ST-Line, which builds on the almost-entry-level XLT trim with interior and exterior styling cues from its more powerful sibling while retaining the humble turbo four.

The Jeep is only one year newer, having made its debut for 2021, but it already rode on a rear-drive platform. Like the Explorer, it's offered in rear- and all-wheel-drive forms. Unlike the Explorer, which has offered a third row since 2002, the current generation of Grand Cherokee is the first to provide seating for more than five passengers. Jeep still builds a two-row variant; the three-row is slightly longer and technically called the Grand Cherokee L.

Similar to the Ford, the Grand Cherokee is powered by an engine that debuted with the last-generation model. Though both powerplants produce around 300 hp, the Jeep does so with a 3.6-liter naturally aspirated (no turbos) V-6.

As you'd expect, the Jeep isn't quite as efficient as its Ford counterpart. The Explorer is rated at 23 mpg combined compared to the Grand Cherokee's 21 mpg. That said, it's the Jeep that has the longer driving range (483 versus 412 miles) due to its larger fuel tank, which is crucial for family road trips.

Not that the Ford doesn't have other advantages on open highways. Both of these vehicles have modern driver-assist tech that can reduce fatigue on long trips, but the Explorer's features are significantly more effective.

Ford's adaptive cruise control system displays some unrefined braking, but the lane assist is excellent, confidently keeping the big SUV centered in the lane and requiring little input. The Jeep? Not so much. None of its three levels of steering assist is capable of keeping the three-row centered in its lane. Instead, it bounces you off a lane line toward the opposite boundary and wrestles you if you try to take over.

When you're the one driving, though, you may prefer the Jeep. The Explorer has overeager, jumpy throttle programming and a heavily bolstered steering wheel, an attempt to assert that the three-row Ford is a sporty option, like it's dressed up as a real ST for Halloween. There is also some unpleasant low-frequency engine-note augmentation attempting to hush any qualms about the Explorer's four-cylinder engine. The ride is unsettled, causing some head toss even on relatively flat roads, and control is lacking, as if the body of the vehicle is half a beat behind your steering inputs. There's notable nose dive under braking, too.

Ford's three-row is slightly better when hustled, though not many folks do that with their families in tow. Its transmission is responsive, happy to downshift to keep the four-cylinder in its power band. Steering is direct, but it lacks feel and is notably slower than the Grand Cherokee's.

The Jeep isn't perfect, either, but we prefer it. There's some body roll, but motions are one-and-done; it doesn't feel sloppy. We noticed occasional clunky transmission behavior at parking lot speeds but it mostly stays in the right gear to keep the V-6 on boil. The Grand Cherokee felt quick enough in the real world (due in part to its sweet, snarly engine note), but the Explorer is 1.5 seconds quicker to 60 mph, reaching that speed in a quick 6.2 seconds. The Jeep's ride, though a bit busy, is taught and controlled, and despite a squishy pedal, its brakes are easy to modulate and don't induce nose dive.

If you ever plan on a family overlanding trip, the Jeep will be a much better option, though that's hardly a surprise. The Grand Cherokee has two segment-exclusive features—low-range gearing and height-adjustable air suspension—that make it the clear choice for families interested in venturing away from pavement. Looking over the wide, flat hood, you're aware that the Grand Cherokee is one of the only vehicles in this space that feels more like a proper truck-based SUV than a unibody crossover. Ford's three-row should be plenty comfortable for exploring a lumpy fire road or an easy trail to the campsite (more so if you opt for the off-road-ish Timberline model), but its capabilities are more limited.

One potentially concerning note: Likely due to its nearly 500 pounds of additional weight, the Jeep takes almost 20 feet more to stop from 60 mph. The Jeep can tow almost 1,000 pounds more, but would you really want to load it up like that knowing the braking performance?

Of course, you and the family will be spending most of your time taking in the cabins of these vehicles at a more sedate pace, and there's an obvious winner here. The Grand Cherokee edges out the Explorer in design, ease-of-use, technology, and material quality.

The materials used in the Explorer are hard to accept. At nearly $50,000, the ST-Line's thin, cheap-feeling synthetic leather and tacky contrast stitching don't work for us. Thankfully, the seats are rather comfortable, a good thing provided you avoid looking at or touching them. Ford uses scratchy plastics throughout the Explorer—we could see the rough casting seam on the antiquated pop-up door locks, for example. At least the folks in Dearborn give us physical volume and climate controls, something we appreciated having in both of the SUVs we evaluated.

Our test vehicle came fitted with an 8.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which would have been impressive five years ago but is decidedly behind the times now. Actually using the screen reveals it to be quick and responsive. Ford offers a 10.1-inch touch display for higher-spec Explorers, but both infotainment units look like tablets stuck to the dash.

In the Jeep, you sit on real, rich-feeling leather and you'll have to poke around a bit to find cheap trim pieces. This isn't a Mercedes-Maybach GLS, but it's a lot more convincing than Ford's attempt at premium. The Grand Cherokee's 10.1-inch infotainment setup is artfully integrated into the center stack, and Jeep also provides an intuitive blend of physical and touch controls. We also vastly prefer the Jeep's easily customizable digital instrument cluster to the Explorer's physical gauges and little screen.

There is an awful lot of high-gloss piano black plastic trim beneath and around the touchscreen that can cause glare. Oh, and the automatic climate control setting leaves the fans much too loud. We were also disappointed the first time we put the Jeep in reverse. Even in this well-equipped Overland trim, there's no 360-degree camera system, which Ford includes at a lower price point.

You'll have more luck getting the kiddos to the way-back seats in the Jeep, though. Third-row ingress will require an adult to pull a lever atop the second-row seat in both SUVs, but the Jeep's captain's chairs also tilt forward, providing a larger aperture through which to scramble on back. Once there, neither rear bench is especially comfortable for adults, mostly due to the high floors. Jeep compensates with decent legroom, padded armrests, ample USB charge ports (they're seemingly infinite in the Grand Cherokee), and large rear windows to keep the space from feeling claustrophobic. Ford gives you rough plastic, a pair of cupholders, and an enormous C-pillar that makes you feel trapped.

For what it's worth, a second-row bench is standard in the Ford (bringing seating capacity to 7) but is a $750 option in the Jeep. The Explorer offers second-row captain's chairs like the Jeep's at no additional cost.

When it comes to folding the seats down, you'll fare better in the Grand Cherokee. Not only are there controls to remotely fold the second- and third-row seats from the cargo area, when the seats are folded, they lie completely flat. We're curious why Jeep chooses to power the third row up and down but leave the second row unfolding a manual exercise, as the third row is the one you can reach from the cargo area.

In the Ford, both rows of seats fold manually and you cannot fold the second-row seats from the cargo area. The seats fold nearly flat (once you scoot the middle row forward), but there are notable gaps in the floor.

After spending time with both these family haulers, driving them on the same real-world roads and evaluating their utility, the Jeep is the clear winner. The Ford Explorer tries to accomplish the same task as the Kia Telluride, Honda Pilot, and Hyundai Palisade, presenting itself as a similarly feature-rich, semi-premium SUV with seating for up to seven, but it falls short of those more successful products. Ford's entry feels cheaper, even at a higher price point than those peers, its driving dynamics feel sloppier, it looks more dated, and it isn't as usable for families.

The Jeep is not without its faults, but delivers a near-luxury, off-road-ready, family friendly option that actually looks and feels like the big proper SUVs its competition tries to emulate. Yes, it's more expensive than the Ford by some margin, but even without the additional equipment and fancy air suspension, the Grand Cherokee is the better-executed product.

Verdict: The current generation of this significant, storied nameplate fails to be competitive.

Verdict: An imperfect but well-executed family car that actually feels like a proper SUV.