Sports utility vehicles are a dime a dozen, but a truly exceptional model is a rare catch. After scouring your area and poring over online reviews, there's hope of finding a diamond in the rough.
Here's some good news: If you find yourself in the Bloomingdale, Kinnelon, or Butler area sometime soon, you'll definitely have the chance to test drive that elusive standout SUV. We're going to pit the 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee against the 2015 Ford Explorer so you'll know once and for all which vehicle deserves you behind its wheel.
Horsepower and Trailering
First, let's look at the two most important aspects of any SUV on the market: power and max load. To sum up, there's no real contest in this department, but a more in-depth inspection is in order.
The 2015 Ford Explorer's maximum trailering capacity is 2,000 lbs, while the 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee's is an astonishing 6,200 lbs. The max tongue weight of the Explorer's dead weight hitch is 200 compared to the 620-pound limit of the Cherokee's. For the Explorer and Cherokee, the weight distributing hitches' max tongue weights are 300 and 930, respectively.
Contrary to what you might think, the 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee isn't that much heavier than its Ford counterpart. The former SUV weighs in at 4,545 lbs, while the latter hits 4,432 lbs. What this means is that, despite the frames being equivalent in heft, the Grand Cherokee easily triples the power of its competitor. Finally, the Grand Cherokee unleashes 290 horsepower at 6,400 RPM and the Explorer manages 290 at 6,500 RPM.
The overall champion in this contest of strength is clear to see.
Fuel Economy and Warranty
When buying a SUV, you want to be certain that your vehicle will get you to from point A to point B without issue, and that you'll be driving in stylish comfort while your investment is protected.
First, a look at fuel economy: The 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee's 3.6-liter V6 with Flex Fuel achieves 17 mpg in the city and 24 on the highway, for a combined estimated average of 19 mpg. The Explorer's 3.5-liter V6 gives you 17 mpg in the city, 23 on the highway, and a combined average of 19 mpg.
However, the fuel tank of the Explorer holds only 18.6 gallons. Contrast that with the Grand Cherokee's, which can contain up to 24.6 gallons. That means fewer pit stops all around.
The basic warranties of both SUVs are comparable, but Jeep will cover your powertrain for five years or up to 100,000 miles. That's 40,000 miles more than Ford can offer. In addition, Jeep's roadside assistance program covers you for up to 40,000 miles over what Ford gives you.
Now that we've taken an in-depth look at both of these SUVs, the time has come to move past those late-night Google searches and head over to the dealership. Anytime you're in the Bloomingdale, Kinnelon, or Butler area, call your local Precision CJDR and schedule a test drive of the 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee today!
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