Jeep Grand Cherokee L vs Ford Mustang Mach-E

What's the difference?

Jeep’s aim with this car is to lift the Grand Cherkee to a more premium level, and that’s about brand equity and badge credibility as much as it is the vehicle itself.

The seven-seat L has stepped up in price, but also in practicality, refinement and equipment, while maintaining serious off-road ability.

Does it have what it takes to tempt people away from, say, the German Big Three? That’s a tough ask, but this Jeep certainly has more of what it takes to make that a real possibility. 

For mine, the entry-level Night Eagle is the pick. Well equipped, heaps of safety and plenty of off-highway prowess.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

EV buyers who don’t or won’t see the point of the Mustang Mach-E are missing out.

This is a sporty and fun-to-drive electric SUV in the same way that the Ranger is the sporty and fun-to-drive ute. In other words, a lot of what makes Fords brilliant is alive and well here, without compromising functionality. The opposite of so many Chinese electric SUVs that shine brightest on the showroom floor, then.

Yes, a base Select that is around $10K cheaper to start with might help punters see the light even more clearly (and that's our choice), and it is starting to look dated inside and out, but overall, the Mach-E is an enjoyable, fulfilling and practical family proposition.

A decade. That’s how long the previous Grand Cherokee was on sale in Australia, Which is ages, but also testament to the quality of that fourth-generation car’s design.

And there are echoes of it in this new model’s exterior. The overall proportions are similar, although the track is increased by 36mm, and the overriding impression is that key elements have been made slimmer and wider for a more contemporary look.

For example, the headlights, LED on all models, are shorter, but longer, while the signature seven-bar Jeep grille has been truncated a little and stands more upright.

Character lines along the side of the car are softer, and the rear follows the same slimline philosophy. But it’s inside where the biggest steps have been taken.

The dash layout and hardware have been transported from the relative Dark Ages to a clean and simple approach dominated by this broad centre console, topped by a sleek media screen.

The screen measures 8.4 inches in the entry-level Night Eagle, stepping up to 10.25 inches in the upper grades.

The latest, configurable, digital instrument cluster enhances the low-key tech vibe, and there’s a sensible mix of on-screen controls and physical dials and buttons. That said, there are a lot of buttons across the lower part of the centre stack and steering wheel.

The rest of the interior is a blend of simple lines and a subtle colour palette, including piano black highlights. It feels more mature and premium than the car it replaces.

So, what's changed with the facelift? Not much, meaning that the Mach-E – unveiled all the way back in late 2019 is beginning to look dated. Maybe that’s another classic Mustang trait.

The base Select gains the upper-series’ trick LED headlights. The Premium adopts some plastic body cladding. The grille treatments vary between the grades, with the GT boasting a unique look. Genuinely fresh new colours abound. And the alloys have been restyled.

Otherwise, it's still the same, Porsche Macan-esque small to medium-sized SUV crossover on the outside, down to the Hyundai Tucson-like vertical tail-light motif that barely seems like the regular Mustang muscle car’s, despite Ford’s intentions.

Inside, changes are largely limited to a repositioning of the gear selector from a rotary dial to a column shifter, Mercedes-style. That big portrait touchscreen could be straight out of a Ranger ute.

When it comes to practicality, thoughtful, family-friendly touches include large door apertures, with the doors themselves opening right out to 64 degrees, as well a second row seat able to move fore and aft to balance passenger and/or cargo space. 

Up front there are big bins in the doors with space for large bottles, a pair of decent size cupholders in the centre console, a two-tiered storage box between the seats that doubles as an armrest, and a covered wireless charging bay in front of the gearshift.

For connectivity and power there are two USB-A and two USB-C ports, as well as an ‘aux in’ socket, and a 12-volt outlet.

Jump into the second row, and sitting behind the driver’s seat set for my 183cm position, I enjoyed heaps of headroom and hectares of legroom, remembering it’s possible to slide the middle seat forward to give third row passenger more room, or increase load space.

Again, there are generous pockets in the doors with space for large bottles, map pockets on the front seatbacks, a fold-down centre armrest containing two cupholders, and rear seaters have their own ventilation control.

The dual USB-A and USB-C ports are repeated in the back, and there’s a 230-volt AC socket for three-pin plugs.

Access to the third row is helped by a roll and fold function in the second row, and once back there space is generous and the amenities are civilised.

I could sit bolt upright without any head clearance issues, and legroom is good. There are bottle holders on each side, adjustable ventilation in the C-pillars, small storage pockets, and yet more USB outlets. 

And how’s this for a parent’s dream? ‘Fam Cam’ (optional on the Limited and standard on the Summit Reserve) is an adjustable rear seat monitoring camera able to switch between all second and third row positions. No more craning around and taking your eyes off the road to check what’s going on back there.

Even with all seven seats upright, boot space is 487 litres. Fold the 50/50 split third row and that grows to 1328L, and with the second (40/20/40 split) and third rows down you’ve got 2395L, enough room to start a boutique furniture moving business.

The loading height is user friendly, there are multiple tie-down hooks and a 12V outlet, there’s no lip to get over the top of, and a power tailgate, standard on all grades and hands-free on the Summit Reserve, is always welcome.

The Grand Cherokee L is rated to tow a braked trailer up to 2.8 tonnes, although that’s reduced to 2.3 tonnes in the Summit Reserve, partly due to the standard air suspension. And off-roaders rejoice, the spare is a full-size (18-inch) steel rim. 

As we’ve said before, the Mach-E is closer to something like, say, a BMW X4 than the boxier X3 from a proportions perspective, making it a classic coupe SUV.

Once you get over using the endlessly-annoying push-button door release, in lieu of a handle (why redesign the wheel?), that’s particularly noticeable entering/egressing the rear seat for larger people, though the front is fine.

While the interior is also clearly from an earlier era (and embarrassingly reminiscent of a Tesla), at least Ford finished engineering it for easy, seamless use.

The front seats are really comfy, ahead of a super-clear instrument pod, helping make for a great driving position, while the 15.5-inch display in the centre with Ford’s friendly SYNC4A operating system is simple to navigate once time is taken to familiarise. Current Ranger and Everest owners will feel right at home. The audio sound is superb too.

There’s a thoughtful amount of storage options, including for devices that require access to the handy USB outlets, ventilation is ample and the fit and finish in these Mexican-made Mustangs appears to be first class.

A big thumbs up, too, for the new column shifter and integrated central volume knob in the touchscreen that also allows adjustment of the climate control.

On the other hand, eyes must leave the road to dig into sub menus to change driving modes, side and rear vision is tight (those standard surround-view cameras sure come in handy), there are no paddle shifters to control regenerative braking, the glass roof neither opens nor completely blocks out sunlight due to there being no shade screen, and the overall ambience is more Ranger XLT than Ford LTD.

The back seat is surprisingly spacious given the coupe SUV dimensions, though the roofline may ruffle a few loose wigs. The backrests and cushions provides decent support, and most expected amenities are present, including air vents, USB outlets, overhead lighting/grab handles, coat hooks, cup/small bottle holders and centre armrest. And that glass ceiling does shower the cabin with light on a cloudy day.

Further back, the Mach-E offers 402 litres of cargo capacity that balloons out to 1420L with the split-fold back seats dropped, and there’s some hidden storage under the floor for smaller items. As mentioned earlier, the spare wheel is AWOL.

Existing owners will also notice a noticeably smaller ‘frunk’ area under the bonnet, where storage has plummeted from 134L to just 49L. That’s due to the newly-fitted heat pump that, at least helps boost efficiency in what is a spacious and practical family SUV.

Here's a worrying fact. The Mustang Mach-E is the cheapest new Ford passenger car you can buy in Australia that isn't based on a diesel-powered ute. And it still ain’t cheap!

When launched in Australia back in mid-2023, prices started north of $80,000 – all prices are before on-road costs – and then were swiftly slashed twice since then, as buyers basically stayed away.

Today, the well-equipped Select Single Motor RWD kicks off from $65,990. A grand more than before, but it does gain a heat pump to boost efficiency (though WLTP range remains steady at 470km), while also scoring more muscle, faster charging and – at last – softer suspension.

This is no stripped-back edition, with adaptive cruise control, dual-zone climate control, a 15.5-inch touchscreen, 360-degree-view camera, a glass roof, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, 10-speaker premium audio, a wireless charger, synthetic leather upholstery, powered and heated front seats, a powered tailgate and 19-inch alloys. Note that there is no spare wheel. Just a tyre-repair kit.

Meanwhile, the Premium Extended Range jumps $500 from $80,490 and continues with a bigger battery with an unchanged 600km of range, while it’s a near-$20K stretch from there for the flagship GT from $98,490.

Justifying a $1100-plus price hike is a more-powerful dual-motor set-up as well as a five-per cent range improvement at 515km, while retaining all-wheel drive (AWD), adaptive dampers, bolstered sports seats, 20-inch alloys and more.

Every grade includes advanced driver-assist systems (ADAS) tech from automatic braking and lane-support systems to 10 airbags ­– except in the GT, which only has nine. More on that in the safety section later on.

Against the stunning Polestar 4, swanky Kia EV6 and timeless Hyundai Ioniq 5, the Mach-E’s pricing is ballpark competitive, but is largely undercut by the sporty Cupra Tavascan, Skoda Enyaq, VW ID.4 and ID.5 cousins from Europe, as well as ubiquitous Tesla Model Y from China.

Speaking of which, the Ford seems downright unaffordable compared to the striking BYD Sealion 7, Deepal S07, Zeekr 7X, XPeng G6 and IM6 by MG. Game over then, you might think.

But, with names that sound like Cold War missile codes, none of these cheaper Chinese alternatives can match the rock-and-roll attitude that the evocative Mustang connection does.

And, damn it, the Mach-E’s calculated emotional play only heightens with exposure, which partly explains why it’s one of America’s best-selling EVs. Love it or hate it, even the comically contrived styling works.

All versions of the Grand Cherokee L are powered by a 3.6-litre naturally-aspirated V6 petrol engine producing 210kW at 6400rpm, and 344Nm at 4000rpm, driving all four wheels through an eight-speed auto transmission and a transfer case - single speed on the first two models and two-speed on the Summit Reserve flagship.

The evergreen Pentastar V6 is a naturally-aspirated, all-alloy, quad-cam design featuring dual variable valve timing and sequential-injection.  

If you want more grunt? Yes, there’s a 5.7-litre Hemi V8 available in this new Grand Cherokee. But it’s in the States, not here. There’s no diesel option, either. But as mentioned earlier, a plug-in hybrid, the 4xe (four-by-e) is coming later in 2022. 

Though employing Ford’s Global Electrified One (GE1) platform that is a variation of the tragically discontinued Focus small car and Escape mid-sized SUV’s modular C2 platform, the Mach-E is basically a rear-motor, rear-wheel-drive EV, with the main traction unit now an in-house design. Previously that was outsourced.

A permanent magnet synchronous electric motor, it delivers 212kW of power and 525Nm of torque to the rear wheels via a single-speed reduction gear transmission.

Tipping the scales at 2086kg in the (albeit bigger-battery) Premium and 2100kg in the Select, its power-to-weight ratio is nearly 102kW per tonne and 101kW/tonne respectively. The latter needs 6.2s to streak from 0-100km/h, which is just 0.1s shy of the former. Top speed for both is 180km/h.

Meanwhile, with an electric motor added on to the front axle, the 2276kg, 434kW/955Nm GT’s 190kW/tonne slices acceleration down to just 3.8s, on the way to 200km/h, and relies on AWD, adaptive dampers and performance tyres to help keep things under control. Suspension consists of MacPherson struts up front and a multi-link rear end arrangement.

Jeep’s official fuel economy figure for the Grand Cherokee L on the combined cycle is 10.6L/100km, the 3.6-litre V6 emitting 243g/100km of CO2 in the process.

Given the specific on and off-road combination of the launch drive we’ll wait until we can evaluate the car over a longer period to quote an ‘on test’ number.

Worth noting stop-start is standard, and in the name of weight saving, the car’s bonnet and tailgate are aluminium. Still weighs around 2.2 tonnes, though.

The tank holds 104 litres, which using the quoted consumption number, translates to a range of around 980km.

Ford says the Select averages 18.5kWh/100km on the European cycle, while the Premium and GT are at 17.7kWh/100km and 21.0kWh/100km, respectively. These figures are in line with most rivals given the Mach-E’s performance capabilities.

Two distinct battery packs are offered, depending on grade.

The Select features a (useable) 73kWh Lithium Ferro phosphate (LFP) battery, for 470km of WLTP driving range. Premium and GT models switch to an 88kWh and 91kWh Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) unit, bumping range up to 600km and 515km respectively.

The GE1’s 400V architecture has a CCS Type 2 port with 11kW AC charging capacity, or 150kW for DC charging. Many rivals offer faster charging capabilities.

According to the European data, AC charging from empty to full using a regular household socket needs up to 47 hours, or 10 hours with a 7kW Wallbox, while, a 50kW DC charger requires up to 90 minutes for a 10-80 per cent top-up, or under 40 minutes with a 150kW DC charger.

In driving the new Grand Cherokee the first thing you recognise is the Pentastar V6’s characteristic induction sound. That’s not to say it’s overly loud, just familiar.

But in terms of what it delivers, nearly 90 percent of the engine's peak torque is available from 1800 to 6400 rpm, so you’ve got that mid-range pulling power which is as nice on the highway as it is around town, but also good for people that are into towing.

The eight-speed auto is nice and smooth, as well, and even though it’s a conventional torque-converter unit, manual shifts through the steering wheel paddles are quick.

Suspension is multi-link front and rear, with the top-spec Summit Reserve picking up air suspension and active damping. Major components are alloy to reduce unsprung weight but you can certainly feel the scale of this car. 

It’s 5.2 metres long and weighs roughly 2.2 tonnes, so you’re guiding this sizeable machine along the road. It’s not an involving drive, we’re not in sports car territory here. But it feels stable and predictable in cornering, and body control is well buttoned-down.

The electrically-assisted steering’s weight is nice from parking speeds right up to freeway velocity, but road feel through the wheel is relatively modest.

In terms of the seating position, you do feel as though you’re sitting up and on, rather than down and in the front seats. But when it comes to support, after hours behind the wheel, including off road, the front chairs remained comfortable.

This is a big vehicle, that will often have a boat, van, or something else substantial hitched to the back of it, and the brakes are suitably specified.

Big discs are ventilated all around, clamped by two piston calipers at the front and singles at the rear, and on the off-road section of the launch drive we were by necessity leaning on the brakes for long periods of time.

You could occasionally smell that they were working hard, but the pedal remained firm all day, without a hint of fade.

Speaking of off-highway performance, as part of its development program Jeep tested this new Grand Cherokee in remote parts of Australia, with more than 60,000 km under the wheels of various prototypes. Likely a big help in setting up the local spec. 

And that spec is, four-wheel drive in all models, as well as a single-speed transfer case in the Night Eagle and Limited, with the latter also featuring the ‘Selec-Terrain’ traction management system, controlling torque split (up to 100 per cent of drive to either axle), as well as the brake calibration, steering, suspension, throttle, transmission, transfer case, traction control, stability control, and ABS settings.

The Summit Reserve boasts a two-speed transfer case, with low-range reduction, as well as traction management and air suspension with electronic adaptive damping.

The air suspension incorporates five height settings - Normal, Off-road 1 (40mm lift), Off-road 2 (60mm lift), Park (46mm lower), and when in sport, Aero (21mm lower).

In typical Jeep fashion we attacked challenging fire and forestry trails on the launch drive and a couple of things emerged.

First, on street-focused tyres this car does incredibly well off-highway. And second, the ‘Quadra-Trac II’ 4x4 system with low-range capability in the Summit Reserve, combined with the crawl control function, makes a significant difference. You find yourself feeling that bit more composed and confident tackling very rough sections.

Also in the Summit Reserve, a low-set, forward facing camera allows you to see what’s actually happening at the front wheel via the central media screen, and in the Off-road 2 setting the car feels like it’s up on stilts and able to tackle anything in its way.

And for those that really want to get amongst it, the body clearance data is below.

If your idea of a Mustang is a big, heavy and rousing grand touring machine, then the Mach-E certainly lives up to the image.

And, in some ways, exceeds it, because – among the electric SUV fraternity – this one’s the driver’s choice, with a level of control and finesse that the muscle machines of yesteryear could only dream about.

Let's start with the performance. The 212kW Select and Premium are certainly fast enough. Sprightly off the mark, their acceleration is very smooth yet very determined, packing plenty of instantaneous punch when some extra squirt is required. Really, this is all the speed you’ll ever need.

Ford’s dynamic DNA force is very strong in these EVs, with steering that feels light yet precise, and naturally connected to the road, providing comparatively agile, flowing handling and decent body control. This is backed up by nicely nuanced traction intervention that – in true rear-drive Pony car tradition – allows for some playful rear-end breakaway.

After years of testing dreary, remote EVs – especially from but not just limited to China, the Mach-E’s willingness to interact with the driver is like enjoying a long, cold drink after hours in the hot sun.

With twin electric motors making 434kW and nearly 1000Nm, the GT turns the amp – if not quite the volume – up to 11, with tremendous response and terrific thrust right from the get-go. It’s actually quite astounding how contained and controlled the AWD flagship’s performance is delivered, given how brazenly fast it is down a straight road.

Jumping out of one of the other Mach-E models, the GT’s extra heft is immediately obvious around the bends, since it doesn’t quite have their lightness of touch. Grip is phenomenal, yet the driver can break traction even momentarily if desired, and there’s a sense that, in the right hands, few rivals with similar performance could keep up with the Ford in full flight. It’s fast everywhere all the time. But it’s just not quite as athletic or fun as the Select and Premium.

Note that, since we were on busy public roads, most of this assessment was carried out using the normal and not sport driving mode.

The driver assist safety systems are also really well tuned, sparing the driver the distraction and frustration of needless intervention, even when piloted enthusiastically.

The previous Mach-E was widely criticised for delivering a hard ride, even with the GT’s adaptive dampers. While you’d never call the suspension supple, the 2026 model’s ability to better absorb bumps is a welcome development, allowing the driver to better enjoy all the other benefits on offer. There are softer and more isolated alternatives, but few rivals are as rewarding dynamically.

Downsides include too much road noise intrusion over certain surfaces, the lack of paddles for the regenerative braking, and the fact that to switch that on or off requires the driver to resort to diving into a touchscreen menu. The same goes for switching between the cringy Whisper (eco), Active (normal) and Untame (sport) modes. How difficult would it be to fit a simple button to activate these?

Finally, thick pillars and small side/rear windows can make vision out difficult in tight spaces.

The Mach-E may be getting on to its sixth year in production, but there’s a welcome, non-EV analogue connection to the way this otherwise electrifying SUV goes, steers, handles and grips the road. Like many of the best Fords, the engineers have gone to the very real effort of prioritising driver enjoyment, without sacrificing everyday functionality.

Like we said earlier, the more time you spend in the Mach-E, the more enjoyable it gets.

Tested by ANCAP back in 2021, the Mach-E Select and Premium models managed a five-star ANCAP crash-test rating. The GT version remains unrated.

There’s a fairly comprehensive list of ADAS tech, including autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with intersection assist, reverse brake-assist, post-impact braking, lane-keep aid, lane-departure warning, evasive-steer assist, blind-spot monitoring, cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control with full stop/go functionality, traffic-sign recognition and tyre pressure monitors.

Select and Premium have 10 airbags (dual front, front-centre, a driver’s knee, front-side, rear-side and full-length curtain/head), but the GT misses out on the others’ front-centre airbag due its space-impeding bolstered sports seats, dropping the airbag count to nine.

The AEB tech operates between 5km/h to 80km/h in pedestrian, cyclist and back-over scenarios day or night, and between 5-187km/h car-to-car. The lane support systems work between 65km/h to 187km/h.

A pair of ISOFIX latches are fitted to the outboard rear seats, along with a three top-tether anchorage points.

Speaking of kids, while unnecessarily fiddly, the hidden door ‘buttons’ do have an anti-snag function that stops an opening door from slamming shut on venerable fingers.

Jeep covers the Grand Cherokee with a five-year/100,000km warranty, which is behind the five-year unlimited kays cover which is pretty much standard in the mainstream market now.

But you do receive 12 months complimentary roadside assistance, which is renewed for another year every time you service your vehicle at an authorised Jeep dealer.

Service is recommended every 12 months or 12,000km, and capped price servicing is available for $399 annually for the first five years. Not bad for a car of this scale and complexity.

A five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty applies to the Mach-E, along with seven years of roadside assistance, activated annually if serviced at a Ford dealer.

Service intervals are every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever occurs first.

Prices for the 2026 facelift weren’t available at the time of publishing, but last year’s model alternated between costing $140 and $185 per service for the first 10 years. And the Mach-E can be maintained at any one of the 180-or-so Ford dealers network Australia-wide.

Ford says the EV Traction Battery is covered by an eight-year/160,000km warranty.