Certified Benz & Beemer Compares 2013 Ford Explorer VS 2013 Jeep Grand Near Scottsdale, AZ

The middle row seatbelts optional on the Explorer XLT/Limited inflate when a collision is detected, helping to spread crash forces over a much larger area of the body and limiting head and neck movement. This can help prevent spinal and internal injuries. The Grand Cherokee doesn’t offer inflatable seatbelts.

The Explorer Limited’s optional lane departure warning system alerts a temporarily inattentive driver when the vehicle begins to leave its lane and gently nudges the vehicle back towards its lane. The Grand Cherokee doesn’t offer a lane departure warning system.

The Explorer’s optional driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Grand Cherokee doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

The Explorer (except Base) offers optional SYNC, which uses a global positioning satellite (GPS) receiver and a cellular system to get turn-by-turn driving directions or send emergency personnel to the scene if any airbags deploy. The Grand Cherokee doesn’t offer a GPS response system, only a navigation computer with no live response for emergencies, so if you’re involved in an accident and you’re incapacitated help may not come as quickly.

Both the Explorer and the Grand Cherokee have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height-adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding and available all-wheel drive.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Ford Explorer is safer than the Jeep Grand Cherokee:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH, results indicate that the Ford Explorer is safer than the Jeep Grand Cherokee:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The Explorer comes with free roadside assistance for 5 years 60,000 miles. Ford will send help if you run out of gas, need a jump start, lock your keys in or need any assistance on the road. Jeep doesn’t give free roadside assistance for the Grand Cherokee.

The Explorer’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Grand Cherokee runs out after 100,000 miles.

There are over 38 percent more Ford dealers than there are Jeep dealers, which makes it easier should you ever need service under the Explorer’s warranty.

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the engines in the Explorer have an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of the 5.7 V8 in the Grand Cherokee.

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Explorer has larger alternators than the Grand Cherokee:

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2012 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Ford vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ford 8th in reliability, above the industry average. With 55 more problems per 100 vehicles, Jeep is ranked 30th.

As tested in Car and Driver the Ford Explorer V6 is faster than the Jeep Grand Cherokee V6:

For more instantaneous acceleration and better engine flexibility in any gear, the Explorer’s engines produce their peak torque at lower RPM’s than the Grand Cherokee:

On the EPA test cycle the Explorer gets better fuel mileage than the Grand Cherokee:

The Explorer has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Grand Cherokee doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

The Explorer stops much shorter than the Grand Cherokee:

The Explorer’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 65 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Grand Cherokee Laredo’s standard 70 series tires.

The Explorer has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the Explorer flat and controlled during cornering. The Grand Cherokee’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Explorer is 3.1 inches wider in the front and 2.9 inches wider in the rear than on the Grand Cherokee.

The Explorer Limited 4WD handles at .77 G’s, while the Grand Cherokee Laredo 4x4 pulls only .73 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The Explorer Limited 4WD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.3 seconds quicker than the Grand Cherokee Limited 4x4 (27.4 seconds @ .61 average G’s vs. 28.7 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

The design of the Ford Explorer amounts to more than styling. The Explorer has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .35 Cd. That is lower than the Grand Cherokee (.37). A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Explorer get better fuel mileage.

As tested by Car and Driver while at idle, the interior of the Explorer Limited 4WD is quieter than the Grand Cherokee Laredo 4x4 (35 vs. 40 dB).

The Explorer offers optional seating for 7 passengers; the Grand Cherokee can only carry 5.

The Explorer has 46.3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Grand Cherokee (151.7 vs. 105.4).

The Explorer has 1.5 inches more front headroom, .3 inches more front legroom, .3 inches more front hip room, 2.6 inches more front shoulder room, 1.3 inches more rear headroom, 1.2 inches more rear legroom, .5 inches more rear hip room and 3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Grand Cherokee.

The Explorer’s cargo area provides more volume than the Grand Cherokee.

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Explorer easier. The Explorer’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 31.3 inches, while the Grand Cherokee’s liftover is 32.4 inches.

The Explorer’s cargo area is larger than the Grand Cherokee’s in almost every dimension:

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Explorer XLT/Limited/Sport’s exterior keypad. The Grand Cherokee doesn’t offer an exterior keypad entry system.

The Explorer’s standard speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Grand Cherokee Laredo’s standard manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Optional SYNC for the Explorer (not available Base) allows the driver and passengers access to select programs on their smartphones, including playing internet radio stations and other online activities without taking their eyes off the road or their hands from the wheel. The Grand Cherokee doesn’t offer factory integrated smartphone program access.

The Explorer Limited’s optional Active Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Grand Cherokee doesn’t offer an automated parking system.