| 2011 Ford Explorer vs 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee | July 28, 2010 | AUTORIVALS.NET |
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| There's a lot riding on these two
vehicles. Once upon a time ago, the Ford Explorer and Jeep Grand
Cherokee were the perennial SUV sales winners that dominated the
market. Fast forward to today and a lot has changed. With the
dramatic rise in gas prices over the past few years, people have
begun swaying away from gas-gulping SUVs to more efficient
crossovers. It seems most people only enjoy the design and size
of SUVs and not their typical towing and off-roading
characteristics. So now both the Explorer and Grand Cherokee have crossed over onto unibody platforms. Jeep has remained loyal to its fans though by giving the Grand Cherokee plenty of off-roading equipment. And although its now a unibody platform, its based on the rear-wheel drive architecture of the Mercedes-Benz ML-Class. The Grand Cherokee's focus on off-roading is prevalent with a new air suspension system known as Quadra-Lift which can raise or lower height by 1.5 inches in each direction. Three different 4x4 systems are available along with a new Selec-Terrain system that allows selectable driving settings such as Auto, Rock, Sand/Mud, Sport, and Snow that adjusts traction control, vehicle height, and other settings. The Ford Explorer however, is now based on the Taurus's front-wheel drive platform that brings lighter weight and better fuel efficiency at the sacrifice of some SUV capabilities. Most notably, towing takes a hit with a maximum rating of 5,000 pounds compared to 7,100 pounds like it's predecessor. Ford has however equipped the Explorer a new "Terrain Management System" for those rare (if any) occasions that buyers might actually go off-roading. Ford's system tries to mimic others (like Land Rover) with a driver-selectable knob that can choose between four different settings: Snow; Sand; Mud; Hill Descent; and Normal. While the terrain management system is for off-roading, a new feature called "Curve Control" is added for the pavement. Curve Control's function is to slow the vehicle down by reducing engine power and applying the brakes if a driver enters a curve too fast. Curve Control first makes its way onto the Explorer but will soon be added to most of the Ford lineup. |
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| 2011 Ford Explorer | vs | 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee |
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| Both the Explorer and Grand
Cherokee are all-new from top to bottom. The Explorer gets a new
look that's more in line with today's Ford models like the Flex
and F-150 rather than keeping a design from its predecessor. The
wing-tipped headlights, three-bar grille, and trapezoidal lower
grille are now a Ford design trademark that helps keep the
Explorer recognizable as a Ford. There's lots of subtle details
in the exterior such as the grated openings in the three-bar
grille and contoured lines in the bumper and hood. The
Explorer's new design focuses on aerodynamics with a flexible
lower air dam that in conjunction with the rest of the body,
provides a best-in-class drag coefficient (Cd) of 0.35. While the Explorer gets a fresh exterior, the Grand Cherokee retains more of a traditional Jeep design that has evolved from previous generations. Jeep's seven-slot grille is the most dominant feature up front and has a subtle indentation on each side to visually connect to the headlights. For off-roading purposes, the lower chrome appliqué is removable to prevent any damage. With a broad, muscular front end, the Grand Cherokee still has a brawny look and feel to it like Grand Cherokee's of the past. And while not as aerodynamic as the Explorer, it still gets a respectable Cd of 0.37. |
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| The Explorer gets more detailing in the doors with concave body panels similar to the Taurus. Ford is actually telling buyers to wash the Explorer by hand so that they can notice all the details up close and personal. Inspiration from the Mustang shows in the wheel arches which flare out and lead into the delicately sculpted bumpers. The Grand Cherokee retains trapezoidal wheel arches like past models but with less protrusion compared to the previous generation. The side now looks flush and more refined than before. There's a good amount of chrome in play from the front fascia to the side mirrors and door handles. | ||
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| The Explorer's windows have a continuous, wraparound look thanks to blacked-out A and B pillars. Window height is shorter now that gives the Explorer a sportier character and makes it look even longer than it already is. The C-pillar remains thick and body-colored like previous Explorers but is now wider and angled more. The Grand Cherokee blacks out the B-pillar and C-pillar to create a unified look which is an improvement over the last model. The door panels are concaved in like the Explorer with body trim flanking the bottom. | ||
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| The Explorer and Grand Cherokee
grow over their predecessors. The Explorer is now over 197
inches which is 4 inches longer than before and 7 inches bigger
than the Grand Cherokee. The added length of the Explorer makes
room for three rows rather than two like in the Jeep and also
more cargo capacity. Front overhang is shortened on both models with the Jeep having less than the Ford. Rear overhang however, is much longer on the Explorer which is needed for the extra length and interior space but could get into trouble should it ever find itself off-roading. Jeep seems to have kept their eyes on the ball with balanced proportions and more flexibility off road. A variety of wheel choices are available for both anywhere from 17 to 20 inches. |
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| Another traditional Explorer design are the blackened D-pillars that matches the front in creating a wraparound look for the windows. The LED taillights also mimic the front with a similar wing-tipped design but with an odd light pattern. The Explorer sports dual chrome exhausts tips that come standard on every model. Both the Explorer and Grand Cherokee feature chrome appliqués on the liftgates with the Explorer's featuring it's model name and the Jeep's featuring it's company name. Spoiler's are now on nearly every SUV made to today and find their way on to both vehicles. | ||
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| Interiors of both models have made
phenomenal leaps in improvement. The Explorer's dashboard design
is attractive and modern with metal trim surrounding the center
stack and center console. If anything, it almost seems too good
for an SUV and would be more fitting for sedans like the Fusion
or Taurus. Environmentalists should be happy to know that 25
percent of the cloth interior is from recycled content and seat
foam is made from an environmentally friendly soy-based content.
How ironic that an SUV is trying to be environment-friendly. Feature-wise, the Explorer comes loaded and hosts a handful of new technology. The Explorer gets hill start assist, air filtration, a media hub, Ford's MyKey system and other features that all come standard. Stepping up to an XLT can get you a keyless entry keypad, satellite radio (six-months free), perimeter alarm, reverse sensing system, inflatable second-row seat belts, MyFord system with two LCD screens in the gauge cluster, an 8-inch touchscreen, Ford SYNC, heated seats, rear view camera, BLIS (Blind Spot Information System), dual-panel moonroof, and dual-zone climate control. Going one step further to the Limited model can get you remote starting, ambient lighting, adjustable pedals, a Sony audio system with 12 speakers and HD radio, push-button start, and a universal garage door opener. Voice-activated navigation is available along with park assist, adaptive cruise control, collision warning, rain-sensing wipers, and last but not least, HID headlights. The Grand Cherokee's dashboard has a more traditional SUV sense about it with less modernness in the design. Wood trim seems appropriate and is fitted from side-to-side. The Grand Cherokee also gets a dual panel sunroof that extends from front to back with the front being adjustable and the rear being fixed. Jeep has added a new "uconnect guardian" that comes standard and provides automatic crash notification, emergency calling, roadside assistance, remote door unlock, and stolen vehicle assistance. SIRIUS Travel Link is also included and provides gas prices, weather conditions, sport scores, movie listings, and traffic displayed on the navigation system. Safety features include side-curtain air bags, seat-mounted side thorax air bags, electronic stability control, electronic roll mitigation, anti-lock brakes, and four-wheel brake traction control. |
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PROS +Lots of subtle exterior details +Attractive dashboard design CONS -Towers and off-roaders may be disapointed |
PROS +Refined exterior +Off-road capabilities CONS -Smaller but heavier -Gas penalty |
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| Video Source: Explorer via YouTube | Video Source: Motor Trend via YouTube |
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