Ford Everest VS Jeep Grand Cherokee
Ford Everest
Likes
- Very economical on longer trips
- Easy to drive and handle, despite size
- Great family storage (and stowage) throughout
Dislikes
- Thirsty in the city
- Bit schlumpy off the mark
- Towards the more expensive end compared to rivals
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Likes
- Air suspension
- Very capable 4WD
- Smooth and refined PHEV
Dislikes
- Hefty price-tag
- Disappointing electric driving range
- Wheel and tyres not suited to off-roading
Summary
Ford Everest
The updated Ford Everest looks and sounds like a beast. My family nicknamed it Hank, after the blue beast from X-Men, and that about sums up how much fun we have in this seven-seater!
This is the Sport 4WD variant which sits second from the top in the Everest line-up and competes with other large and popular SUVs like the Isuzu MU-X, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and Toyota Prado.
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So, how does the Everest Sport fair over a week with my family of three?
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 3.0L turbo |
| Fuel Type | Diesel |
| Fuel Efficiency | 8.5L/100km |
| Seating | 7 seats |
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Jeep Australia's first plug-in hybrid, the Grand Cherokee 4xe, has arrived at a time when the company’s sales figures need a decent shot in the arm.
Though it’s seemingly spearheading a large and extra-large SUV hybrid push into the Aussie market, with the likes of a Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series hybrid on its way, the marque’s debut PHEV is only available here in the range-topping Summit Reserve spec, and only as a five-seater.
So, does the 4xe have enough of a jump on any large SUV hybrid rivals – including a rumoured but postponed Ford Everest hybrid – and is it enough to give the brand a much-needed boost?
Read on.
| Safety rating | |
|---|---|
| Engine Type | 2.0L |
| Fuel Type | — |
| Fuel Efficiency | 3.2L/100km |
| Seating | 5 seats |
Verdict
Ford Everest8.1/10
I enjoyed my time with the Ford Everest Sport 4WD. It’s a great-looking vehicle with the engine specs to support families who like to adventure. It’s also big enough to haul a large family and those added child seat top-tethers in the third row offer flexibility, too.
The ride is a bit rough at times and it's thirsty in the city but it has enough to charm my family of three.
My seven-year old and my husband loved our blue truck and my son doesn’t want to see it go!
Jeep Grand Cherokee7/10
A wise man* once said "Being first can sometimes feel like being wrong" and perhaps that's how it is with the 4xe, but at least Jeep Australia is giving the large SUV hybrid realm a good ol' try.
* Former CarsGuide Big Kohuna, Glen Knowles.
The company's first plug-in hybrid, the Grand Cherokee 4xe, is not perfect by anyone's standards, however, it is a definite move in the right direction.
It's a quiet and refined drive, it retains the brand's renowned 4WD capability, and even its hefty price-tag likely won't dissuade Jeep loyalists from giving it a go.
Design
Ford Everest
The Everest Sport means business. It’s big and brutish-looking with its squared-off shape and a bunch of black accents across the handles, badging, 20-inch wheels and massive grille.
These accents up the beasty factor and I love the look of this SUV. Especially in our test model's 'Blue Lightning' paintwork, which is exclusive to the Sport variant.
The cabin continues the exterior's robust look, especially in the dashboard and vertical 12-inch touchscreen multimedia set-up.
The massive honeycomb-like air vents look cool but there’s still something of a workhorse vibe inside thanks to the styling and feel of the black leather-accented upholstery and trims.
Everything gives off a strong ‘vinyl’ feel and the soft touchpoints look hard thanks to their plastic-looking grain. But it’s a pleasant cabin to be in and the overall finish still looks high-quality.
Jeep Grand Cherokee
Practicality
Ford Everest
The biggest issue I have with the cabin’s practicality is getting in and out, which comes down to the 226mm ground clearance. But that is 100 per cent a user issue!
The side-steps and grab handles are a must have and my seven-year old needed them, too. No doubt, you'll be helping younger kids into their seats.
Besides the tall trucky-ness, the cabin in the first two rows feels roomy with ample leg- and headroom for my 168cm height. It's only when you venture into the third row that legroom is compromised for an adult, although access to this row is still very good.
All seats are rather firm and there's not stacks of under-thigh support in any row but the front seats are powered with additional lumbar support as well as heat and ventilation functions which adds dramatically to comfort on a long trip.
Amenities and storage are pretty good in all three rows. The front has two glove boxes, a shallow-ish middle console, phone holder, big storage bins and drink bottle holders in each door, two permanent cupholders and, my personal faves, a pair of retractable cupholders in the dashboard and a sunglasses holder.
In the middle row there are map pockets, drink bottle holders in each door and two retractable cupholders in the fold-down armrest. There aren't any luxury features but the roof-mounted directional air vents and fan control is appreciated by my kid.
The third row gets two shallow and skinny cupholders and the left-hand side also features a long but thin nook, which may be for a tech device. There are also roof-mounted directional air vents and reading lights.
Technology is found in each row and looks good while still being useful. The vertical 12-inch touchscreen multimedia system is easy enough to use but it takes a while to get used to its positioning.
It sits lower than I'd like and isn't angled towards the driver which makes accessing controls that have been embedded in the screen, like seat functions and air-flow direction, a bit of a pain while on the go.
The wireless Apple CarPlay is easy to connect to but dropped out twice during our test. There is also Android Auto for those users and built-in satellite navigation.
The charging options are very good throughout the car with the first rows getting a USB-A and USB-C port. The front also gets a wireless charging pad and a 12-volt socket. While the third row and boot feature a 12-volt socket each.
The boot space is mostly user-friendly but because the boot lip sits quite high it can be annoying to load heavier items in or fit a top-tether strap.
Capacity is good and with the third row in use. You get 259L of storage, which is adequate for a smaller grocery run but that capacity jumps up to 898L when the third row is stored.
There is a small space underneath the floor that could house your manual and log book, if you wanted to free up your glove box. This model has a powered tailgate function.
Jeep Grand Cherokee
The Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve 4xe PHEV retains the regular model’s level of functionality but adds a reasonably classy touch to everything.
All seats offer adequate comfort, support and room.
There are plenty of storage spaces, cupholders etc, and charging points - two USB-A and two USB-C plus a 12V socket in the front and two USB-A and two USB-C plus a 230V point in the back.
Controls are generally easy enough to locate and operate although some buttons are positioned in awkward places – including drive-mode buttons under the steering wheel – and it sometimes takes a few finger-stabs at the multimedia touchscreen to get to where you want to go in the operating system.
In terms of packability, the rear cargo area has a listed 1067 litres of space, and, with the second row folded and out of the way, that space opens up to 2004 litres.
Price and features
Ford Everest
There are four grades for the Everest range and our model on test this week is the Sport 4WD, which sits second from the top in the line-up. Which means it’s priced from $72,490, before on-road costs, and sits second from the top compared to its rivals.
The most affordable rival is the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport Exceed 4WD for $60,690 MSRP, then the Isuzu MU-X LS-U $61,400 MSRP and the Toyota LandCruiser Prado VX sits at $76,848 MSRP; all of these models have similar specs and that highly coveted third row for families.
The Sport 4WD model comes with some lovely features, like leather-accented upholstery, powered front seats with heat and ventilation functions, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and built-in satellite navigation.
Technology is rounded out with a 12-inch multimedia touchscreen, an 8.0-inch digital instrument cluster and a wireless charging pad.
Other standard features include keyless entry, push-button start, side puddle lamps, full-suite LED lights, front fog lights and DRLs, dual-zone climate control and a full-size spare wheel.
Jeep Grand Cherokee
The five-seat Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve 4xe PHEV has a MSRP of $129,950 (excluding on-road costs).
Standard features include a 10.1-inch multimedia system (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, 19-speaker audio system, quilted Palermo leather-trimmed seats, air suspension and 21-inch alloy wheels.
It also has a heated steering wheel, 12-way power-adjustable seats and four-way power lumbar adjustment with memory for driver and front passenger, driver and front passenger seat massage function and heated and ventilated seats (driver, front passenger and rear outboard passengers).
A Mode 2 charging cable is also included.
An 'Advanced Technology Group' pack is available as a $5500 option and that includes a head-up display, a 10.25-inch screen for the front passenger, wireless phone charger, and night vision camera.
Exterior paint options include 'Bright White', 'Diamond Black', 'Silver Zynith', 'Velvet Red', 'Baltic Grey', 'Rocky Mountain', 'Midnight Sky' and 'Hydro Blue'.
Under the bonnet
Ford Everest
The Ford Everest Sport on test is the four-wheel drive variant and has a 3.0L V6 turbo-diesel engine that produces a power output of 184kW and 600Nm of torque.
That hefty power supports the 3.5-tonne braked towing capacity this model has, meaning you can have your weekend adventures and haul the family around, too.
Jeep Grand Cherokee
The Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve 4xe PHEV has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-charged petrol engine, two electric motors (one on each axle) and a 17.3kWh battery.
Combined engine and electric outputs for power and torque are 280kW and 637Nm, respectively. The 4xe has it over any of its stablemates equipped with the 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 petrol engine because that yields 210kW and 344Nm.
The 4xe has an eight-speed automatic torque-converter transmission and regenerative braking.
Drive modes include 'Hybrid' (with combined engine and electric motor providing “maximum instant torque and impressive acceleration”, according to Jeep), 'Electric' (“zero emissions”) and 'eSave' (aims to save battery power).
There are a few options available when it comes time to charge the 4xe.
The 4xe vehicle has a Mode 2 charging cable so you can charge it at home in less than 10 hours, according to Jeep.
With a full charge, the 4xe has a claimed driving range, on electric charge alone, of 52km.
Jeep reckons a Mode 3 (wall box) single-phase electric vehicle charger will fully charge the 4xe in less than three hours.
If out and about and looking for a charge, a 4xe driver can use the onboard 'UConnect' system to locate an appropriate public charging station.
Efficiency
Ford Everest
It's big but is it thirsty? The answer is, sometimes.
The official combined cycle fuel consumption figure is 8.5L/100km. But after a fair bit of travel, consisting of mostly open-road driving, my real-world average came in at 7.6L/100km, which is amazing for such a massive car.
In fact, I had to triple check my figures to make sure I had calculated it correctly!
During urban trips the on-board read-out sits closer to 15L/100km, which is something to consider if you're an urban dweller.
Based on the official combined cycle number and large 80-litre fuel tank, you should see a theoretical driving range of 941km, which is good for road tripping families.
Jeep Grand Cherokee
As mentioned, the 4xe has a listed electric-only driving range of 52km.
On our official test day, we drove just under 50km on a full electric charge and then the rest of the trip was courtesy of the good ol’ petrol engine.
Jeep's official figure for the combined cycle is just 3.2L/100km, but that's predicated on keeping the hybrid battery charged at all times. On fuel-only we recorded 11.6L/100km.
The 4xe has a 72-litre fuel tank (you need 95RON premium to fill it), so going by that on-test fuel-consumption figure, you could reasonably expect to get a driving range of about 620km out of a full tank.
Add an approximate electric range of about 50km on a full charge to that figure and you have a total estimated driving range of 670km.
Driving
Ford Everest
The Everest Sport delivers its power responsively once you’re up to speed. Overtaking or keeping your pace consistent on hills is no issue but this car reminds you of its size when you start moving from a standstill. It’s not quick.
There’s a serious lull between accelerating and actually shooting forward. So, allow more time for roundabouts or crossing traffic.
The steering sits right in the middle – not too firm or loose. Which means it doesn't handle like a truck and has a nice on-road feel.
Coupled with a relatively small 11.8m turning circle it’s quite nimble to manoeuvre and you won’t be daunted by city driving.
The ride comfort is a little bit rough but not totally unexpected given its relatively high centre of gravity. You get some consistent vibrations through the seats and the suspension feels bouncy when hitting corners. I still feel confident going over bumps but you will feel them.
Cabin noise is low key most of the time but you can get a fair bit of wind noise at higher speeds. Otherwise, it’s easy to hear and chat between all three rows, which is excellent for a large SUV.
Because of the higher seating position and wide windows, visibility is awesome – another big plus for a big, three-row SUV.
Despite almost being five metres in length (with the tow bar), you don’t notice the size when it comes time to park because the turning circle is good and the 360-degree camera system is also nice and clear. You fill out a space but getting into the space isn’t an issue.
Jeep Grand Cherokee
We’re all time-poor, right? So, why should I take up your time and rattle on about the 4xe for a thousand words when I can get the essence of it across to you, the reader, in a few sentences? Call me, Mr Thoughtful.
This is generally a big, quiet and refined, easy-steering large SUV, but it feels bulky at times and tends to be quite fussy on irregular surfaces, exhibiting a jittery ride on even brief sections of light corrugations on dirt tracks.
The 4xe’s PHEV set-up is smooth and highly responsive on-road and you can switch between the aforementioned drive modes to suit the circumstance.
Driving range on electric only is listed as 52km. I only recorded a total distance of just under 50km, and it’s a very quiet and smooth drive while relying on electric power.
It regenerates power rather quickly down big hills and via braking, but we’d exhausted all electric charge by the time we’d reached our 4WD test track.
As expected, this Grand Cherokee tackled every off-road challenge without any strife.
The air suspension, set to full off-road height, is a bonus.
Our 4WD test track consists of difficult set-pieces, including one small steep rocky hill that I’ve seen heavily modified vehicles struggle to conquer and, to the Jeep’s credit, it climbed the incline, no sweat.
The 4xe’s efforts were only ever hampered by its 'all-season' Continental CrossContact tyres (275/45R21) which are much better suited to blacktop driving and the fact the 4xe costs upwards of $129,950 and I didn’t want to risk any damage to it.
The 4xe has a listed wading depth of 610mm but our test track was dry so I never had the chance to do any water crossings.
The Grand Cherokee has a solid enough rep as a towing vehicle but, take note, the 4xe is rated to tow 2722kg.
Safety
Ford Everest
The Ford Everest comes with a bunch of standard safety systems like blind-spot monitoring, lane keeping assist, lane departure alert, driver monitoring alert, adaptive cruise control, intelligent seatbelt reminders, rear cross-traffic alert plus a 360-degree view camera system with front and rear parking sensors.
The Everest has a total of nine airbags, which is great for the class, including a front centre airbag and curtain airbags that cover all three rows.
It has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from testing done in 2022. It scored highly across all four of ANCAP's individual criteria with the child protection score at 93 per cent.
The Everest has AEB with forward collision warning which is operational for pedestrian and cyclist detection from 5.0-80km/h and 4.0-180km/h for car detection.
There are ISOFIX child-seat mounts on the middle row outboard positions and a total of five top-tether anchor points. You can easily fit five child seats, which is great for families with lots of tots.
However, when a 0-4 rearward facing child seat is installed in the middle row, front passenger space has to be adjusted but I still have enough space for my height.
Jeep Grand Cherokee
The Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve 4xe PHEV has the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from assessment this year.
Safety gear includes AEB with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, driver monitoring, traffic sign recognition, intersection collision assist, and a surround-view parking camera.
The Summit Reserve spec brings with it 'ParkSense' parallel and perpendicular park assist and (low-level autonomous) 'Active Driving Assist'.
It has eight airbags including front, side, and knee (for driver and front passenger), sides (for second-row passengers) and full curtain airbags.
Ownership
Ford Everest
The Everest comes with a usual warranty term of five-years/unlimited km and you can pre-purchase servicing for the first four-years or up to 60,000km for $1385 or an average of $347 per service, which is good for the class.
Servicing intervals are at every 12 months or 15,000km, which is also reasonable.
Participating dealers will also provide a complimentary loan car when your vehicle is being serviced.
Roadside assistance is included for the first 12 months, extending up to seven years if you have your car regularly serviced at an authorised Ford dealer.
Jeep Grand Cherokee
The Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve 4xe PHEV has a five-year/100,000km warranty and a lifetime roadside assist service.
Servicing is set at 12-month/12,000km intervals and capped price servicing keeps what you pay for each appointment at $399 for the first five.