Jeep Grand Cherokee L vs Ford Escape

What's the difference?

The Jeep Grand Cherokee has always been big. But if you want to carry more than five people, not big enough. Which is where the all-new, fifth-generation model comes in.

It’s the Grand Cherokee L. Jeep’s first-ever seven-seat version of its flagship SUV.

It’s set to compete with top-spec versions of mainstream models like the Hyundai Palisade and Toyota LandCruiser Prado, as well as premium full-size family trucksters like the Land Rover Discovery and Volvo XC90.

Jeep invited us to the Grand Cherokee L’s Australian launch to get a first taste of how it measures up to local conditions.

We might have been excited to see the new generation Ford Ranger and Ford Everest models in 2022, but the real star of the show for the Blue Oval brand could well be this - its first electrified model to make it to Australia, the new Ford Escape PHEV.

If you’ve seen the letters PHEV before and not understood what it meant, don’t stress - you’re not alone. It stands for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle. And what that means is that this car comes with a battery bank and electric motor, a port to plug it in and recharge it to drive on EV power only, and it also has a petrol engine to make sure you’re not stuck when you run out of charge.

I’ll run through all the details on the drivetrain below, but think of it this way - if you want a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid but want the possibility to drive on dedicated electric power for up to (and in excess of) 50 kilometres on a charge, this could be the right car for you…