How Does the New Jeep Cherokee Compare to Competitors Like the Ford Escape?

The Jeep brand is one of the most famous in the auto industry, and for good reason. A trusted source of top-quality SUVs for decades, it continues to be one of the best in the business when it comes to the production of powerful vehicles like the Jeep Cherokee.

Jeep isn't the only automaker out there with a reputation for greats SUVs, however. When you shop in the Ford lineup, you'll find options that some consider to be among the finest on the road. The question that arises? How do compact SUVs like the Jeep Cherokee compare to competitors like the Ford Escape?

The 2019 Jeep Cherokee

Benefiting from a substantial redesign in 2019, the newest Cherokee is a dependable five-seat SUV with a tough exterior, a comfortable spacious interior, and options for genuine high performance. If you're a fan of the great outdoors, for instance, you'll be hard-pressed to find another option in this size class that's quite as capable as the Jeep Cherokee's Trailhawk trim.

Performance: 2.4-liter inline-4 (180 horsepower, 171 pounds-feet of torque, 22/31 miles per gallon), 3.2-liter V6 (271 horsepower, 239 pounds-feet of torque, 20/29 miles per gallon), 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 (270 horsepower, 295 pounds-feet of torque, 23/31 miles per gallon)

Feature Options: Uconnect 4, Apple Carplay, Android Auto, Rearview Camera, Keyless Entry, All-Wheel Drive, Selec-Terrain Traction Management System, Blind Spot-Monitoring, Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Warning, Rear Cross Path Detection

Starting Price: $25,900

The 2018 Ford Escape

Well-equipped and popular, the Ford Escape offers a fair degree of versatility for its size, along with a solid suite of technology-driven features. With a comfortable five-seat interior and solid cargo space, it's an all-around good SUV.

Performance: 2.5-liter inline-4 (168 horsepower, 170 pounds-feet of torque, 21/29 miles per gallon), 1.5-liter turbocharged inline-4 (179 horsepower, 177 pounds-feet of torque, 23/30 miles per gallon), 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 (245 horsepower, 275 pounds-feet of torque, 21/28 miles per gallon)

Feature Options: Sync Infotainment System, Dual-Zone Climate Control, Heated Seating, Built-In Wi-Fi, Blind-Spot Monitoring, Adaptive Cruise Control, Forward-Collision Warning, Lane-Keep Assist, Parking Assist

Starting Price: $24,845

Both the Jeep Cherokee and Ford Escape are great SUVs and in many of the same ways. Both have more muscle than many of their competitors, offer good interior comfort, and rock-solid feature suites. As capable as the Escape is, however, it can't match the Cherokee. None of its three powertrains are as powerful as the Cherokee's three, and the Escape has nothing like the off-roading centered Trailhawk trim. If performance is what you're looking for, the Jeep Cherokee is easily the better pick.

Would you like to know more about Jeep Cherokee and the rest of the new Jeep lineup? Drop us a line at Hondru Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram in Elizabethtown, PA. Our location serves customers in Harrisburg, Hershey, Lancaster, Columbia, Middletown, and more.