A lot of people reflexively prefer the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Maybe it's the distinctive Jeep styling, the brand recognition, or the Grand Cherokee's off-roading capability. Whatever it is, you'll certainly pay handsomely for it, since the Jeep Grand Cherokee's price inches into luxury vehicle territory. Is the Grand Cherokee worth the price? Does the Jeep have real value? In this comparison guide, we'll compare the Grand Cherokee to another midsize SUV. We think the 2018 Ford Edge will give the Grand Cherokee a run for its money, before the Jeep runs for yours.
Price: 2018 Ford Edge
Right off the bat, let's compare prices. The 2018 Ford Edge starts at just over $29,000 and levels off at $39,000 with the Edge Sport. If you want to feel like you're driving a luxury vehicle without paying the luxury-brand price, we recommend the Titanium trim for $36,000. The Edge Titanium has leather-trimmed seats and ambient lighting. There's also a convenient hands-free liftgate and great standard tech. If luxury isn't your style, we suggest the Edge SEL. The Edge SEL represents great value, with proximity key, push-button start, rearview camera, dual-zone automatic climate control, rear parking sensors, power-adjustable driver's and front passenger's seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel, and satellite radio.
Meanwhile, it looks like the Grand Cherokee is banking on its Jeep name. The Grand Cherokee starts at $30,700 and can get as pricey as $86,000. That's pickup truck territory, one of the most expensive classes in the industry. We have an inkling of why the Grand Cherokee is so pricey: its off-roading chops. If you're a regular off-roader, the price might be worth it to you. But if you stick to the urban jungle, we recommend the stately Ford Edge that won't decimate your wallet.
Fuel economy: 2018 Ford Edge
The 2018 Ford Edge is a gas-sipper for its class, providing one of the best fuel economies among midsize crossover vehicles. The base engine, available on any trim level, with FWD and auto start/stop technology, can get 21 city and 29 highway miles per gallon. That's better than almost anything any other crossover SUV can whip up.
Being off-road ready comes at a price too. The base Jeep Grand Cherokee gets 19 city and 26 highway miles per gallon. If you want the superior V8 engine option, it's, at best, 14 city and 22 highway miles per gallon. To be fair, an EcoDiesel engine option will get you 22 city and 30 highway mpg, but be prepared to pay at least $42,000 for a Grand Cherokee with that engine.
Safety: 2018 Ford Edge
Another way you save with the 2018 Ford Edge is in the life-saving way. The Edge scored 5 out of 5 in national crash testing and is home to blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, which come standard on the affordable SEL trim and above. Additional safety features are available on upper trims, especially on the Titanium level.
Meanwhile, the Jeep Grand Cherokee received only 4 out of 5 stars from national crash test ratings. In particular, the passenger's side small overlap test wasn't good, meaning you don't want to run into a pole or other narrow obstacle. And you might think you're okay because plenty of active safety tech is available, including adaptive cruise control, automated emergency braking, forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning with lane-keeping assist, and parallel- and perpendicular-parking assist. But much of that tech is locked away in packages only available on the upper trims. So unless you're willing to pay top dollar, you're left with very little to protect you in terms of safety features.
Unless you like off-roading and are willing to pay for the privilege, we recommend the 2018 Ford Edge. The Ford Edge is safe right out of the gate and won't bleed you dry at the gas pump. Plus, it's thousands of dollars cheaper than the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Again, unless you like to leave the asphalt every weekend, we can't think of a reason not to go with the Edge.