Volvo XC90 vs Jeep Grand Cherokee L

What's the difference?

It’s a credit to Volvo that the XC90 feels like a new car, even with its older underpinnings. This latest update has successfully addressed areas that needed the most attention, namely the multimedia system, interior and exterior design. The electric driving range now feels somewhat old school compared to the numbers some manufacturers can achieve these days. A lot of PHEVs now exceed 100km EV range and buyers are starting to expect that. And setting up the third row takes way too much effort to want to do it regularly. The new Volvo XC90 is a comfortable, engaging and properly premium family SUV and the updates have only improved what was already a solid offering.

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.

Back in early 2015, I attended the international launch of the second-generation Volvo XC90. At the time I thought it was a handsome SUV, with Volvo successfully interpreting what is essentially a big people-hauling box on wheels with typical Scandinavian flair.

There’s been a facelift since then, but this latest refresh brings the XC90 bang up to date.

New elements include a modern take on the 'Thor's Hammer' LED headlights, and a new bonnet and grille with an updated diagonal logo spread across the car's face. At the rear the only change is slightly darker tail-lights.

The new grille in particular looks great, and with all of the blacked-out elements of the T8 - grille, lower air intakes, parts of the apron, mirror caps, roof rails and window surrounds - it looks quite cool, especially contrasted with the test car's 'Crystal White' paint. It has elevated the overall look.

Inside, Volvo has made big changes, mostly with the dash and console. It retains the familiarity of other Volvos, but is much more in keeping with its new all-electric EX90 sibling.

It still has a horizontal theme, but with cool new vertical air vents. The new multimedia screen fits well into the dash layout, and isn’t over sized. It’s the ideal size at 11.2 inches. There are a few buttons underneath but not many.

The mix of materials used at the front of the cabin includes ‘Grey Ash’ wood, piano black, chrome, metal-look speakers, grey fabric and soft touch as well as hard plastics. It sounds like it would be too much but it works well.

Volvo has always been a leader when it comes to car seats and the new XC90 is no exception. The beautifully designed ventilated charcoal Nappa leather seats look and feel stunning. The tiny Swedish flag is a nice touch, too.

The engine start/stop button and the crystal selector add a touch of glamour to the cabin. Overall, the XC90 feels properly premium inside, still with a Scandinavian bent. Just lovely.

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.

Any dedicated seven-seat family SUV needs to nail practicality and when it comes to the Volvo XC90, there are clear pros and some surprising cons.

One of the many pros is the seats. As mentioned, they look schmick, but are also supremely comfortable and offer the perfect level of bolstering and support. The T8 has a seat adjustment memory function that can be programmed into the driver profiles that also tailors other functions to suit different drivers.

The quality of the materials and build quality of the cabin is largely impressive. Even the damping of the indicator stalk has a feeling of high-end quality.

Volvo’s digital instrument cluster is clear and easy to navigate, once you work out what the buttons on the steering wheel do. They don’t have words on them so it takes a while. The driver’s manual comes in handy for this.

The big story in the cabin is the new 11.2-inch multimedia display. Volvo uses a Google platform and the car comes with Google Services which includes Google Assistant voice control, Maps and Play.

I’m a fan of Apple CarPlay and once I have assessed a car’s in-house multimedia system I often defer to CarPlay. It’s simple and familiar. But aside from using CarPlay to connect once, I used Volvo’s system for the vast majority of my time with this car.

Logging into your Google account means your favourites come up on the map and there is no downside to functionality. If I had the car for longer I would've added Spotify to the system and logged into that, too, but I was happy listening to digital radio on the phenomenal 19-speaker Bowers & Wilkins sound system.

The screen takes some familiarisation, but once you understand the home keys and how to switch between apps, it’s a pleasure to use. It has a clear layout, nice graphics and is responsive. Yes, the air con controls are mostly housed in the screen, but if you tap the lower part of the screen the entire climate menu appears. It is light years ahead of Volvo’s previous screen set-up.

Most functions are housed in the screen, although there are buttons just under the screen for volume and audio on/off, front and rear demisters, hazard lights and a button to open the glove box.

Storage up front is just okay. The console houses shallow cupholders and a handy upright phone holder, as well as the device charging pad. It’s a shame there’s no under console storage, but the transmission tunnel might be too chunky for that.

The shallow central bin houses two USB-C ports and a 12-volt outlet. Bottle storage is decent in the front door cards.

The panoramic sunroof only has a sheer blind (it’s powered) which is less than ideal in a country like Australia. It’s been fine in winter but I’m curious to know what it’s like in the height of summer.

The second row features manual window blinds to keep your little ones cool.

There’s some back support for the second-row seats but the base is flat. Some of the seat fabric in that row looks like it doesn’t quite fit, but I think that’s the nature of the leather with the intricate designs.

In terms of space, there’s ample leg, toe and headroom, and the rear backrests recline for extra comfort on long trips. The bases roll forward and back and the seats are split 40/20/40.

Kids will likely fight over who has to sit in the middle seat because the combination of an intrusive transmission tunnel and the rear of the front centre console protruding into the space means it is not a great seat.

Occupants have access to chest and knee-level air vents, heated seat and digital climate controls, map pockets, two USB-C ports and a central fold-down armrest with a fiddly cupholder mechanism. The rear doors will only house small, narrow bottles.

Accessing the third row of the Volvo is challenging. For starters, to move the second row seats forward you need to use the lever at the top of the seat and the roller under the base to move them. And they are heavy seats. That leaves just enough of an aperture to get into the third row.

But first you have to raise the third row. Sadly there’s no lever in the boot area to quickly raise or lower the third-row seats. You have to either climb into the boot and reach for the lever at the top of the seats, or reach through the back door and try and raise them that way. And again, they are heavy.

It is a deeply unintuitive system and leaves you exhausted and frustrated. Especially when you consider other seven seaters have a much more functional and lightweight third-row arrangement.

Once in the third row, it’s clear it is for humans with tiny legs only. It is not a space appropriate for six-foot tall men like me, even for short distances. You do get ample headroom, air vents, cupholders and storage boxes on either side that open up to show a kid-friendly spider web design with a friendly looking spider. Cute!

The seats fold flat into the boot floor and the loading lip is level with the floor so loading heavy or long items should be a breeze. You can adjust the air suspension from the boot to lower the height further which is always a handy feature.

It comes with a solid cargo blind but you need to remove it if you want to raise the third row. When putting it back in, it catches on the third-row seat belts, so it’s not the best design.

In terms of boot features, the Volvo comes with a household charging cable that is housed neatly under the boot floor in a stylish bag. Many PHEVs and EVs still don’t have a dedicated spot to house a cable so you have to take up boot space with a chunky cable bag. Good job, Volvo.

It has a powered tailgate, a few nooks and a pair of 5.0kg hooks. However, it doesn’t have a spare wheel of any description. Just a tyre repair kit. This is due to packaging restrictions, but it’s never an ideal solution.

In terms of space, the Volvo can swallow 640 litres of cargo with the second row up and 301L with all three rows in place. That latter figure isn’t bad compared to some seven-seaters.

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. 

This three-row L, scheduled to go on sale mid-year, is the first of several versions of the Grand Cherokee set to arrive in 2022. 

Our very own Chesto has driven the five-seat version in the US, specifically the plug-in hybrid 4xe, another first for the model, set to hit showrooms in the second half of the year.

But for now, the seven-seat L is the focus, offered in three grades starting at just over $80K, before on-road costs, and topping out at roughly $115,000.

This is part of Jeep’s stated aim to move upmarket, and aside from the safety and drivetrain tech covered a little later, the entry-level Night Eagle at $82,250, before on-road costs, features suede and leather-appointed seat trim, eight-way electrically-adjustable and heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, sat nav, an 8.4-inch multimedia screen, a 10.25-inch instrument display, six-speaker audio (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity), three-zone climate control, a rear-view camera, keyless entry and start, adaptive cruise control, auto LED lights, 20-inch alloys, a power tailgate, and more.

Step up to the Limited ($87,950) and the media screen increases to 10.1-inch, the seat trim is even plusher ‘Capri’ leather, there’s a multi-memory seat function for the driver, the front seats are ventilated and the second row is heated, pull-up shades are added to the rear side windows, the audio system has three extra speakers with a 506W amp (and active noise control), plus there’s ambient interior lighting, and auto high beam. 

Opt for the top-shelf Summit Reserve ($115,450) and the rims are even bigger at 21 inches, the front seats are 12-way electrically-adjustable, open pore wood trim is added to the dash, doors, and steering wheel, the climate control is four-zone, the front seats feature a configurable massage function, the stereo is pumped up to a 19-speaker, 960-watt package, there’s a dual-pane sunroof above your head, and the ‘Palermo’ leather seat trim is quilted. There’s more, from Berber floor mats to a hands-free tailgate, but you get the idea.

Overall, despite a solid asking price, generous standard equipment helps substantiate a category competitive value package.

Two powertrains are available in the new XC90, both with all-wheel drive.

The B5 Bright comes with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with 48-volt mild hybrid assistance offering 183kW of power and 350Nm of torque. It can dash from zero to 100km/h in 7.7 seconds.

The version I’m testing has a 233kW, 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with a plug-in hybrid system that uses a 107kW electric motor and an 18.8kWh, 400-volt battery.

The total system output for the T8 PHEV is 340kW and a meaty 709Nm. It uses an eight-speed automatic transmission. It can complete the 0-100km/h sprint in a brisk 5.3 seconds.

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. 

The mild-hybrid XC90 B5 Bright has an official fuel use figure of 8.1 litres per 100 kilometres, which is on the thirsty side, although it is a 2.5-tonne SUV.

Officially, the XC90 T8 Plug In Hybrid sips just 1.8L/100km on the combined (urban/extra-urban) cycle, but as with any PHEVs, unless you charge your car religiously and never drive far enough to deplete the battery, that figure is extremely hard to achieve.

I charged the car regularly using my home wall charger (two to three hours for a full charge) and the fuel gauge barely moved.

After a week of mixed driving my final fuel economy figure was 3.4 litres per 100km, which isn’t too bad.

The XC90 T8 has a 3.6kW onboard charger and a Type 2 plug so it’s only capable of AC charging. It is not compatible with a DC source so no fast charging on the go.

The official electric driving range according to Volvo is 77km, which feels a little old school compared to the many PHEVs landing on the market now that have an EV driving range in excess of 100km.

The offical figure also seems somewhat optimistic because the most I got on a full charge was 60km. Anecdotally, I have heard it can get up to 70km after a charge, it just didn't get there in my time with the XC90.

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.

For a tall, large and heavy SUV, the XC90 has an excellent driving position. You feel hunkered down in the driver’s seat; it’s almost sporty!

Those healthy power and torque figures translate well on the road. It is properly quick off the mark and picks up pace rapidly when already at speed. You do need to work out the trigger point for the accelerator because if you give it too much it feels a little like a slingshot.

The transition between the electric motor and the petrol engine is noticeable, but it’s still smooth. It’s not harsh or clunky like some hybrids and PHEVs. Similarly, the eight-speed transmission is so smooth it rarely makes its presence felt. It's a lovely match for this powertrain.

On that, the cabin is incredibly well insulated. It’s a hushed ride at any speed. Again, you’ll hear the engine kick in but it has a nice note so that noise is welcome.

The powertrain has several driving modes including 'Pure' (EV only), 'Power' (for added performance) and 'Hybrid'. Hybrid is the go-to and 'Auto' allows the system to determine when the petrol engine kicks in. This is the best everyday mode.

Volvo understands the XC90 is more than just family transport and has engineered it in such a way that it offers a surprising level of dynamism.

It’s flatter in corners and bends than you expect of a car of this size and weight. It has a balanced chassis, likely helped by the air suspension, with minimal body roll and little lateral movement inside. Impressive.

It has enough grip on looser surfaces, aided by the all-wheel drive set-up.

The ride quality is more composed and refined at higher speeds, regardless of the road conditions, managing potholes and the like quite well. Volvo has tweaked the suspension tune as part of the update for this very reason.

At lower urban speeds, it’s not quite as calm. You’ll feel speed bumps and potholes and it's a little jiggly on rough surfaces. The low profile (275/35 R22) tyres are partly to blame here.

With that said, it’s not enough to dampen the overall XC90 drive experience. It is a lovely car to drive, whether cruising on freeways, country road blasts or city commuting.

Its underpinnings might be 10 years old, but the XC90 feels as fresh to drive as many of its rivals.

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.

The Grand Cherokee L is yet to be assessed by ANCAP, but Jeep has upped its active safety game with standard crash-avoidance tech including, AEB with cyclist and pedestrian detection, lane keep assist, ‘Intersection Collision Assist’, adaptive cruise, as well blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, traffic sign recognition, tyre pressure monitoring, and ‘Drowsy Driver Detection.’ 

The Summit Reserve adds Level 2 driving assistance features, a 360-degree camera view, self-parking assist (parallel and perpendicular), and more. 

If an impact is unavoidable, there are eight airbags on-board - dual front, front side, front knee, and full-length side-curtain.

There are three child seat top tethers across the second row, with ISOFIX anchors on all three positions. And there are top tethers on both third row seats.

The XC90 is covered by Volvo’s five-year, unlimited kilometre warranty, and the servicing schedule is every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first. These are similar terms to other premium brands in Australia.

Buyers can opt for one of two capped-price servicing packs, costing $2380 for three years and $3870 for five years.

This pricing is a little more than the BMW X5 but quite a bit more affordable than the Mercedes-Benz GLE.

The Swedish brand used to have a reputation for over-priced servicing but it’s sharpened up its offer considerably in recent years.

Volvo has around 40 dealerships located across Australia and conducts its servicing in-house at the dealer.

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.