Is the Ford Explorer Better Than the Jeep Grand Cherokee L?

When you’re shopping for a three-row SUV, you’re likely prioritizing space, safety, and versatility—especially if you’re transporting kids, gear, or pets. But there’s more to it than that. With gas price fluctuations, evolving technology, and an increasing demand for hands-free driving features, today’s buyers want more than just seats; they also want smart, efficient performance wrapped in comfort and style. And if you’re deliberating between the 2025 Ford Explorer vs 2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee L, you will find that the Explorer offers some significantly better features in specific categories. If you want a reliable, performance-driven SUV that offers you good fuel economy for its size and robust tech and safety features, the Explorer is the three-row crossover SUV that you need to consider shopping for. Let’s break down the reasons why.

The Explorer Has Better Performance

The larger the vehicle, the more robust the powertrain needs to be in order to move it around. Responsive acceleration and acceptable cruising speeds require a capable engine, and the options for the Ford Explorer stand out compared to its Jeep competitor. Despite having far more trims, the Grand Cherokee L only offers one engine, whereas the Explorer provides two different engine options.

The 2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee L’s 3.6L Pentastar V6 makes 293 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque and is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Meanwhile, the 2025 Ford Explorer comes equipped with either a turbocharged 2.4L EcoBoost engine that makes 300 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque or a turbocharged 3.0L EcoBoost V6 that makes 400 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque. Both of the powertrains for the Ford Explorer are also paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. So overall, the Explorer just has better specifications.

The significance of this is that you have a vehicle that is more responsive and provides you with better acceleration thanks to the higher torque. You have better cruising capabilities thanks to the higher hp ratings. Most importantly, the extra gears mean smoother shifts, as there are smaller steps between them. With the Explorer’s 10-speed transmission, you have a smoother ride, making it more comfortable for the driver and passengers alike. If that level of smoothness and access to higher-end performance is important to you, then the 2025 Explorer is going to easily stand out as the preferable three-row SUV compared to the 2025 Grand Cherokee L.

The Explorer Provides Better Fuel Economy

Fuel economy can have a big impact on range, and that’s one of the noticeable differences between the 2025 Explorer vs 2025 Grand Cherokee L. The fuel economy for three-row SUVs is a balance between efficiency and performance, but in this area, the Explorer manages to outdo the Grand Cherokee L where it counts. Looking at their base drivetrain configurations, the Explorer provides greater power and efficiency with the 2.3L EcoBoost compared to the Grand Cherokee L’s 3.6L Pentastar V6.

The 2025 Grand Cherokee L’s Pentastar manages to achieve an estimated 19 MPG in the city and 26 MPG on the highway in rear-wheel drive, for 21 MPG combined. The 2025 Explorer, by comparison, manages an estimated 20 MPG in the city and 29 MPG on the highway for 24 MPG combined. With the Explorer, you get additional efficiency in the city, on the highway, and combined. It’s an important feature to consider if you want to get the most out of your tank for both daily driving and long road trips. Extra efficiency means fewer stops and more time spent reaching your destination without interruptions, and the Explorer provides you with that advantage in this category.

When equipped with four-wheel drive, the 2025 Grand Cherokee L has the same fuel economy as the Explorer’s optional 3.0L EcoBoost V6 with four-wheel drive, both of which manage an estimated 18 MPG in the city and 25 MPG on the highway. However, while the Pentastar and the EcoBoost V6 both share the same estimated ratings, you get far more performance out of the EcoBoost. This makes the Explorer the better option, whether powerful performance is important to you or better overall fuel economy is what you’re after.

Ford’s BlueCruise Offers More Coverage

Hands-free driving is a huge selling point for vehicles that offer the feature. When comparing the hands-free driving systems available between the 2025 Explorer and 2025 Grand Cherokee L, it’s obvious that the Explorer provides more coverage. While both offer some impressive safety, awareness, and monitoring functionality to ensure that the driver and passengers are safe during travel, the Explorer provides you with more roads to travel and gives you access to better compatibility.

Jeep’s Hands-Free Active Driving Assist feature for the 2025 Grand Cherokee L provides you with 125,00 miles worth of coverage across the United States and Canada. It can change lanes when a turn signal is activated and can slow or stop the vehicle if another vehicle in front slows down or stops. However, the BlueCruise system that comes with the 2025 Explorer offers more extensive coverage across 97% of controlled-access highways throughout the United States and Canada. BlueCruise is also powered by the many Ford Co-Pilot360 safety assists, including patented technology like BLIS, the blind-spot monitoring system with cross-traffic detection.

If hands-free driving is an important feature for you, and you want that extra sense of safety and coverage, then BlueCruise will provide you with that benefit. While both the 2025 Grand Cherokee L and the 2025 Explorer offer over-the-air updates and features to keep their hands-free driving systems up to date, BlueCruise has an advantage thanks to the added coverage. With further updates, the system will only expand across the nation, giving you broader access to hands-free driving.

Ford Has Free FordPass Connected Services

Connected services such as Jeep Connect and FordPass Connect act as extensions of the respective three-row SUVs’ infotainment systems. Jeep Connect is available for the 2025 Grand Cherokee L, providing remote accessibility for the three-row crossover through a smartphone app. However, Jeep only provides a three-month free trial and requires a paid subscription after that to access navigation, remote operation of your vehicle, drive alerts, and more. FordPass, however, is free.

You can access all of the FordPass features for the 2025 Explorer by simply downloading the app and scanning or inputting your vehicle’s VIN. This includes complimentary remote accessibility features such as locking, unlocking, and starting the car that Jeep makes you pay for. This gives you a lot more remote accessibility and control without having to pay extra for those features. Not having to pay a premium for these convenient features adds additional value to the 2025 Ford Explorer over the 2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee L.

Interested in Shopping for a 2025 Ford Explorer?

Are these the kinds of features that appeal to you? Are you interested in owning an Explorer? We can help you out. If this 2025 Ford Explorer vs 2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee L breakdown has led you to discover Ford’s three-row crossover is the better SUV that has the features and content that appeal to your shopping tastes, we can help you find the right trim and configuration. There’s a lot to enjoy about the latest model year, thanks to its redesigned interior, new features, and exciting updates. If you need to learn more about the 2025 Ford Explorer, definitely check out our resources for it, or feel free to reach out so we can help answer any questions you might have.