2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe vs 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross

The 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross presented a conservative design approach, contrasting with some of Toyota's more daring recent launches. Its styling, reminiscent of the Toyota Tundra with a snub nose and obligatory SUV features like a tall ride height and plastic fender flares, was understated. This seemed intentional, perhaps to ensure it didn't overshadow the larger RAV4. The Corolla Cross was notably compact, being 5.3 inches shorter than the RAV4, yet larger than the Toyota C-HR, offering more interior space. Subtle design elements included scalloping around the rear door handles and hidden Corolla Cross logos throughout the vehicle. The interior mirrored the Corolla sedan and hatchback, with oversized door handles akin to the RAV4. However, material quality felt subpar, with the base L model resembling a taxi and even the XLE trim feeling basic despite its SofTex leatherette upholstery and available moonroof.

In contrast, the 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe, particularly in the Trailhawk trim, showcased a rugged yet upscale design. The Trailhawk was identifiable by its sky blue exterior detailing and matte-black hood decal, designed to reduce glare. It featured unique wheels with aggressive all-terrain tires and the Trail Rated badge, signifying its off-road prowess. Despite its rugged exterior, the interior fell short of luxury expectations, with excessive plastic and gloss black surfaces that attracted dust and fingerprints. The leather and artificial suede upholstery was a highlight, but overall, the interior leaned more towards style than substance. The Trailhawk's interior prioritized aesthetics, with glossy surfaces making controls hard to read and some controls awkwardly placed. However, the steering wheel controls were well-designed, offering excellent radio tuning and stereo volume control.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross was equipped with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, delivering 169 horsepower and 150 pound-feet of torque. It featured a continuously variable transmission (CVT) with an actual first gear for improved acceleration. While acceleration from stoplights was responsive, the transition to normal CVT operation was abrupt. At higher speeds, the powertrain exhibited typical CVT issues like engine droning and rubber-banding. The engine worked hard to maintain highway speeds, but the interior remained impressively quiet. The optional AWD system, similar to that in the Toyota Camry, could send 10% to 50% of torque to the rear wheels. Despite its SUV-like 8.2 inches of ground clearance, the Corolla Cross wasn't designed for off-roading, and its 1,500-pound towing capacity was modest.

The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe combined a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with a 17.3-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack and an 8-speed automatic transmission, producing 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. It boasted a towing capacity of up to 6,000 pounds. The Trailhawk featured a standard 4WD system with a two-speed transfer case, Selec-Terrain technology, and a hill descent control system. Its front-axle sway bar disconnect system and height-adjustable air suspension provided 10.9 inches of ground clearance. The Grand Cherokee 4xe offered an EPA-estimated 25 miles of all-electric range and 23 mpg in hybrid mode. However, during testing, it fell short of expectations, averaging 19.3 mpg after battery depletion. The Trailhawk excelled off-road but struggled with drivetrain power delivery and regenerative braking during daily driving. Despite quick acceleration and impressive ride quality, its handling felt sketchy due to fast steering response and all-terrain tires.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross offered more passenger and cargo space than the Corolla hatchback, with an extra 2.1 inches of rear legroom and 1.4 inches of rear headroom. It featured standard rear climate-control vents and dual-zone automatic climate control in XLE models. Cargo space was 26.5 cubic feet with FWD and 25.2 cubic feet with AWD, expanding to 66.8 cubic feet with FWD and 65.5 cubic feet with AWD when the rear seats were folded. Despite its spaciousness, the interior lacked comfort, with hard and unsupportive seats and a tall, upright driving position.

The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe Trailhawk had eight-way power-adjustable front seats wrapped in leather and artificial suede, with heating and ventilation. The interior was exclusively black, and the rear outboard seats and steering wheel were heated. However, the front seats were firm and flat, and the rear seat cushion was low and unsupportive. Rear legroom was tight, and protruding plastic hooks on the front seatbacks could be uncomfortable. Cargo space was 37.7 cubic feet behind the rear seats, expanding to 70.8 cubic feet with the seats folded, which was small for a midsize SUV.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross featured a standard 7-inch touchscreen on base models, with an 8-inch touchscreen on LE and XLE models. The XLE also had a 7-inch digital instrument cluster. Standard features included Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Bluetooth, WiFi, Amazon Alexa compatibility, and SiriusXM satellite radio. The infotainment system was user-friendly but lacked sophistication, with plain graphics and slow boot-up. Two front USB-A ports were standard, with a third port and wireless charging available on LE models. Pushbutton start was only available on LE and XLE models.

The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe Trailhawk boasted up to six screens, including a 10.3-inch digital instrumentation panel and a 10.3-inch front passenger infotainment screen. The 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system used Uconnect 5 technology, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, navigation, and Jeep Connect services. The Alpine premium sound system was standard. Uconnect 5 had a simple interface, but the graphics were low-contrast and hard to read. The voice recognition system was average, and the system's Apps screen could be customized. The Trailhawk also had a 10.3-inch infotainment screen for the front passenger, which went unused during testing. Optional tech features included wireless smartphone charging and a camera-based digital rearview mirror.

The 2022 Toyota Corolla Cross came with Toyota Safety Sense 2.0, offering forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic high beams, traffic-sign recognition, and Lane Tracing Assist. The LE trim added blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, while the XLE included rear automatic braking and front and rear park assist with automatic braking. Crash-test ratings from NHTSA and IIHS were not available at the time.

The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and a reversing camera with rear parking sensors. The Trailhawk added active blind-spot monitoring and the Advanced ProTech Group II, which included intersection assist, a surround-view camera, front parking sensors, automatic reverse braking, and a Night Vision system. The Grand Cherokee 4xe received a five-star overall rating from NHTSA, with a four-star rating for driver protection in a frontal-impact collision. IIHS awarded it a Top Safety Pick+ rating, but this did not specifically apply to the 4xe plug-in hybrid version.