2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe vs 2023 Lexus GX

The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe lineup expanded to six trim levels, including the base trim, 30th Anniversary, Trailhawk, Overland, Summit, and Summit Reserve. Prices started at $61,660, with the Summit Reserve costing $80,320 before upgrades. Our test vehicle, a Trailhawk trim, came with a panoramic sunroof, Luxury Tech Group II, and Advanced ProTech Group II, bringing the MSRP to $72,630. A federal income tax credit of $3,750 could reduce the cost to $68,880. The Trailhawk was identifiable by its sky blue exterior detailing, matte-black hood decal, unique wheels, and Trail Rated badge. However, the interior fell short of luxury expectations, with excessive plastic and glossy surfaces that attracted dust and fingerprints.

The 2023 Lexus GX featured a massive spindle grille, 8.1 inches of ground clearance, and a height of 74.2 inches, giving it a commanding presence. The GX Black Line Special Edition returned for 2023, limited to 3,000 units in three paint colors. Despite its luxury badge, the GX's interior had a disappointing amount of plastic, reflecting its low sales and the need for easy manufacturing. However, it offered luxury touches like heated and cooled front seats, a power-retracting steering wheel, and impressive leather upholstery. The GX's design leaned sleeker compared to Toyota's blocky designs, making it easier to place in technical driving situations.

The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe featured a plug-in hybrid powertrain combining a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with a 17.3-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack and an 8-speed automatic transmission. This setup produced 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque, with a towing capacity of up to 6,000 pounds. The Trailhawk had a standard 4WD system with a two-speed transfer case, Selec-Terrain technology, and a hill descent control system. It also boasted a front-axle sway bar disconnect system and a height-adjustable air suspension, providing 10.9 inches of maximum ground clearance. The Grand Cherokee 4xe offered an EPA-estimated 25 miles of all-electric range and 23 mpg in combined driving. However, during testing, it only achieved 21.2 miles of electric range and 19.3 mpg in hybrid mode. The Trailhawk excelled off-road but had issues with drivetrain power delivery, regenerative braking, and body lean during daily driving.

The 2023 Lexus GX was defined by its 4.6-liter V8 engine, producing 301 horsepower and 329 pound-feet of torque, paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. While it didn't win on paper, the V8 provided a satisfying driving experience. The GX had a towing capacity of 6,500 pounds but lagged behind other SUVs in fuel economy, with EPA estimates of 15 mpg city, 19 highway, and 16 combined. The GX's weight made it roll through corners, but its roll felt predictable and controllable. The GX featured a Torsen torque-sensing limited-slip differential, distributing power in a 40:60 front:rear split, and adjusting based on wheel slip. It also had strong brakes and a Kinetic Dynamic Suspension System (KDSS) for leveling the vehicle in various driving conditions.

The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe struggled with practical storage and cargo space. The Trailhawk trim had eight-way power-adjustable front seats wrapped in leather and artificial suede, with heating and ventilation. However, the front seats were firm and flat, and the rear seat cushion lacked support. The Grand Cherokee offered 37.7 cubic feet of cargo space behind the back seat, expanding to 70.8 cubic feet with the seats folded down, which was small for a midsize SUV.

The 2023 Lexus GX excelled in cubby space for small items, with a deep center console bin, a handy space ahead of the shifter, and conveniently placed cupholders. The GX retained hard buttons for controls, making it user-friendly. The center console lid had sliding mechanisms for adjustable armrests, and the second row was comfortable with good legroom and headroom. However, the third row was too tight for regular use. The GX had a side-hinged door for the trunk, offering 11.6 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, 46.7 cubic feet with the third row folded, and 64.7 cubic feet with both rows folded, less than a Toyota RAV4.

The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe featured up to six screens, including a 10.3-inch digital instrumentation panel, a 10.3-inch front passenger infotainment screen, and a 10.1-inch touchscreen infotainment system. The Trailhawk's infotainment system used Uconnect 5 technology, offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, SiriusXM satellite radio, a navigation system, and Jeep Connect services. However, the graphics were low-contrast, making the display harder to read. The Trailhawk also had an Alpine premium sound system and optional tech features like wireless smartphone charging and a camera-based digital rearview mirror.

The 2023 Lexus GX had a 10.3-inch touchscreen, an improvement over the old system, with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Amazon Alexa integrations. The Lexus Remote Touch Interface (RTI) was still present but unnecessary due to the improved touchscreen. The GX included three years of Lexus Enform Remote and a 17-speaker Mark Levinson premium stereo. However, the touchscreen lagged, and the graphics were not as crisp as in competing models. The GX excelled in off-road capability, with a real 4WD system, a two-speed transfer case, and various driving-focused technologies like downhill assist, hill-start assist, and KDSS.

The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe came equipped with 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 an active blind-spot monitoring system, 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 the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick+ rating from the IIHS, though the latter did not specifically test the 4xe version.

The 2023 Lexus GX had not been crash-tested by the NHTSA or IIHS. Despite its older engineering, it included advanced driver assistance systems like automatic emergency braking, lane-departure alert, adaptive cruise control, parking assist, and automatic high beams. While it lacked some top-end features, it offered a solid suite of safety technologies.