In 2021, Jeep announced that they’d be overhauling the Grand Cherokee for the 2022 lineup. The trim levels changed, as did much about the vehicle. Unlike the 2021 version, the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee comes in an entire hybrid line: the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe.

No matter what year you look at, the Jeep Grand Cherokee has been a staple in the lineup since 1992 (as an early 1993 model-year vehicle). The mid-size SUV continues to be a popular choice for drivers. The redesign represents the fifth generation of the vehicle.

This redesign is also responsible for a fairly significant difference in price. The base trim, the Laredo, sees an almost $6,000 price jump from 2021 to 2022. Yet the highest 2021 trim, the Trackhawk, soars over $23,000 more than the 2022 highest trim, the Summit Reserve.

To keep things on an even playing field, we’ll only be looking at the traditional 2022 model in the comparison between the two years. To find out more about the differences between these model years, keep reading!

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2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee vs. 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee: what’s the difference?

There’s a big difference between the appearance of the 2022 and 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee! Both fall in the middle of the pack for size in the Jeep lineup, but the 2022 design has changed the vehicle’s interior and exterior.

The most notable difference in the 2022 Grand Cherokee is the option for two or three rows. The Grand Cherokee has never offered three rows of seating before this most recent redesign, which might be a large factor in your decision-making process if you’re in the market for a Grand Cherokee.

The 2021 models also offered more luxurious trims that equate to a potentially higher price than a newer Grand Cherokee. The 2021 model also offered a special 80th Anniversary edition to celebrate Jeep’s 80th year of producing commercial vehicles.

Pricing

The overhaul of the Grand Cherokee changed the interior and exterior of the SUV and the price points. The trim levels are streamlined in the 2022 model. Check out the chart below to see how the pricing matches up across the two years.

Model	2022 MSRP	2021 MSRP
Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo	$40,720	E: $34,970 X: $38,470
Jeep Grand Cherokee Freedom	N/A	$37,165
Jeep Grand Cherokee (High)* Altitude	$45,430	$50,435
Jeep Grand Cherokee 80th Anniversary Edition	N/A	$43,240
Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited	$47,040	$40,950 X: $46,045
Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk	$54,630	$46,150
Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland	$56,635	$47,490
Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit	$60,695	$53,490
Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve	$65,175	N/A
Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT	N/A	$69,940
Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk	N/A	$88,445

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*=The Altitude and High Altitude trims aren’t the same level trim. The High Altitude falls between the Overland and Summit trim levels in the 2021 model, while the Altitude falls between the Laredo and Limited trims.

The 2021 models have different subcategories within trims, like the Laredo E or Laredo X and the Limited and Limited X trims. Compared to the twelve trims levels of the 2021, the 2022 offers only seven streamlined options. But note that the three-row option, the Grand Cherokee L, will increase the base price by $2,000 on all trims except for the Trailhawk, which only comes in the two-row option.

The differences in the price of the comparable trims is significant, usually falling in the $6,000 to $7,000 range. If price is a significant factor in your decision, the 2021 model offers both the more affordable and most expensive option, but the same trim level will cost you more in the 2022.

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General specs

Even with the new redesign, the mechanical specs remain nearly unchanged between the 2021 and 2022 model years. See the chart below for the basic specifications of the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

	2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee	2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Engine liters	3.6	3.6
Cylinder configuration	V-6	V-6
Horsepower (at 6,400 RPM)	293 (290 in the Grand Cherokee L)	293
Transmission	8-speed automatic	8-speed automatic
Drivetrain	Four-wheel drive	Four-wheel drive (AWD)
Maximum towing capacity	6,200 lbs	6,200 lbs
Interior Volume	145.0 cubic feet (152.0 cubic feet in the Grand Cherokee L)	140.5 cubic feet

The only noticeable difference, even though it is slight, is the interior volume of the vehicles. The 2022 has more space, which only gets higher with the addition of a third row.

The 2021 Grand Cherokee, however, does come in an SRT trim. SRT stands for street racing technology, and, as you might guess, the engine in that trim is much more powerful. The 6.4-liter V-8 offers 475 horsepower at 6,000 RPM. This trim level can put a real pep in your SUV’s step.

Fuel economy

The fuel economy is also similar on the 2021 and 2022 Grand Cherokees. The 2022 model increases the combined fuel economy by only one mile per gallon. The 2022 Grand Cherokee gets 22 mpg combined, while the 2021 Grand Cherokee gets 21 mpg combined on the Laredo trims.

Another slight difference between these two years is the size of the fuel tank. Although also a minor change, the fuel tank shrinks from a 24.6-gallon tank in 2021 to a 23-gallon tank in 2022. With the slight change in fuel economy and tank size, you’ll probably be hitting the gas station with the same frequency no matter which year you choose.

Safety ratings

Both the 2022 and 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokees received an overall five-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The two vehicles also receive the same ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

The NHTSA gives ratings on frontal crash, side crash, and rollover scenarios. Both years get four stars on the frontal crash test, with the driver side impact bringing down the rating. On the side crash testing, the SUV gets a five-star rating. The Grand Cherokee presents a 16.9% rollover risk, which earns it a four-star rollover rating.

The IIHS gives ratings on more discreet areas. The lowest rating is poor, which the Grand Cherokee receives on the small overlap front: passenger side impact and on some of the headlights. Meanwhile, it gets the highest rating, good, on four of the six in the crashworthiness category. And the optional front vehicle-to-vehicle collision prevention system gets a superior rating.

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Interior and exterior styling

The exterior look of the Grand Cherokee is the biggest change in this redesign. There’s an overall increase in size for the 2022 Grand Cherokee, even in the two-row edition, but the three-row is considerably longer. The 2022 Grand Cherokee has a more commanding presence and sleekness thanks to the overhaul (the first in over a decade).

The interior is equally as high-tech on both years. They come standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and each comes standardly equipped with an 8.4-inch infotainment screen, though that can be bumped up to a 10.1-inch screen.

Hybrid options

As previously noted, the 2022 overhaul came with new hybrid options in the Grand Cherokee 4xe. The 2021 Grand Cherokee does not offer a hybrid option.

The hybrid 2022 models only come in two-row models and the MSRP increases by over $10,000 on every trim. This doesn’t include the Loredo and Altitude trims, which aren’t available in the 4xe lineup.

However, the fuel economy increases in the hybrid option by more than double. This isn’t an exact conversion, because it relies on the engine being charged to get MPGe rather than just MPG. If you’re looking for better fuel economy, a hybrid 4xe model is definitely the way to go.

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2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee vs. 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee: which should you buy?

The 2022 and 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee present excellent choices for a mid-size SUV. The rankings from Edmunds and Kelley Blue Book only change by a small amount. Edmunds gives the 2022 a 7.9 while giving the 2021 a 7.4, and Kelley Blue Book gives them a 4.5 and 4.4 respectively.

So which year should you purchase? There’s no right answer. A lot depends on what you’re looking for from your vehicle.

The two model years look different, so if you have a preference for one design over the other, that’s probably what you should choose. Still, the redesign comes with a fairly large price increase while maintaining most of the mechanical specs. One exception is the 2021 Grand Cherokee SRT trim, which offers a sportier option you can’t find on the 2022 model.

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