Think about everything your current vehicle does for you. It safely hauls your kids and their friends to school and their after-school activities, navigates your daily commute to work, hauls your groceries, and serves as a gateway to your vacations out of town. What if your next SUV offered all this and more? Slating two of the most popular family-sized SUVs against one another – the 2022 Nissan Pathfinder vs 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L – proves that those who ask shall receive.
While the minivan once reigned as the king of family vehicles, that’s no longer the case after drivers asked for more style and sophistication, easier maneuverability, improved responsiveness, and modern conveniences. Automakers like Nissan and Jeep have answered those demands over the last few decades with models like the Pathfinder and the Grand Cherokee. Today, that answer looks a little different with the reinvented 2022 Nissan Pathfinder and the extended 2022 Grand Cherokee L.
What distinguishes these vehicles as family-friendly SUVs? That’s the million-dollar question that everyone is asking, and fortunately, it’s not hard to answer. All it takes is looking at your priorities and must-haves in your next family-friendly SUV to see how the Pathfinder and Grand Cherokee L measure up to your demands. Remember, ask and you shall receive!
Value
Everyone appreciates a great deal, especially when it means keeping more money in your wallet that you can spend on your family. This is certainly the case on the 2022 Pathfinder with its starting MSRP of $33,680 that gets you behind the wheel of the Pathfinder S. The model comes standard with a 3.5-liter V6 engine that delivers 284 horsepower and 259 lb-ft of torque to make the Pathfinder responsive, quick to accelerate, and easy to maneuver. It also comes standard with the Nissan Safety Shield 360 suite of safety and driver-assist tools, a center touchscreen display, smartphone integration, and a host of other conveniences and luxuries that make it an exceptional value.
The 2022 Grand Cherokee L builds on the popular Grand Cherokee and extends its legacy as a three-row SUV. You’re paying for the Jeep name, however, and that pushes the SUV’s starting price to $39,220 for the entry-level Laredo. The Laredo comes standard with a similar suite of features that you’ll find on the Pathfinder, which makes the Nissan an even better buy considering its more affordable price tag.
Versatility
Versatility is a requirement for any family-sized SUV, and both the 2022 Pathfinder and 2022 Grand Cherokee L manage to deliver as three-row SUVs that can easily meet your every demand and need. The Pathfinder does it better than the Grand Cherokee L, and that’s courtesy of its configurable cabin. You can outfit the Pathfinder with second and third-row bench seats that give you seating for eight, or you can opt for second-row captain’s chairs that give you seating for seven with more room in the second row.
The 2022 Grand Cherokee L isn’t as passenger-friendly and only offers seating for up to seven passengers. The SUV offers seating for six passengers with captain’s chairs in the second row with or without a center console and a two-seat bench in the third row. To haul more passengers, your second-row passengers feel the squeeze with the additional seat added to the second row, which makes the cabin feel cramped and adds another level of difficulty to reach the third row.
Safety
While versatility is a top priority when you’re shopping for a family SUV, safety likely sits at the top of your must-have list. Nissan and Jeep go to great lengths to deliver cutting-edge safety and driver-assist tools on the 2022 Pathfinder and 2022 Grand Cherokee L. These tools are designed to give you more confidence when you’re behind the wheel, whether you’re dropping the kids off at school, running errands in town, or heading out of state for your annual family vacation.
On the 2022 Pathfinder, you’ll find Nissan’s Safety Shield 360 is standard on every trim and equips the SUV with Automatic Emergency Braking with Pedestrian Detection and Rear Automatic Braking that can bring the SUV to an emergency stop if a collision is imminent. Blind Spot Warning gives you an extra set of eyes around the SUV while Rear Cross Traffic Alert keeps an eye out for traffic passing behind you. Lane Departure Warning helps you keep the SUV safely in its lane while the High Beam Assist headlights automatically dim for oncoming traffic.
Nissan gives you plenty of options to extend these features with its suite of Intelligent Driving tools. Intelligent Forward Collision Warning is a class-exclusive tool that watches two cars ahead to detect deceleration. Intelligent Blind Spot Intervention notices when you’re changing lanes and alerts you to vehicles in your blind spots; if you fail to respond, it can apply the brakes and guide the SUV back in its lane. Intelligent Lane Intervention uses subtle brake signals to help you keep the SUV centered in its lane. Other available tools include the Intelligent Around View Monitor and ProPILOT Assist with Navi-link, the latter of which builds on traditional cruise control by actively monitoring the roadway and traffic ahead to adjust your speed accordingly.
You’ll find similar features available on the Grand Cherokee L. Jeep’s three-row SUV offers Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go, Full-Speed Collision Warning with Active Braking and Pedestrian/Cyclist Detection, Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear Cross Path Detection, and Active Lane Management. Like the Pathfinder, you can add a variety of advanced safety tools to the Grand Cherokee L, including Intersection Collision Assist and Active Driving Assist, the latter of which is comparable to the Pathfinder’s ProPILOT Assist.
Connectivity Tools
Staying connected and informed is vital when you’re behind the wheel, and that’s why Nissan and Jeep ensure that you never miss a call, text, or notification in the Pathfinder or Grand Cherokee L. Both models offer state-of-the-art infotainment systems (Pathfinder’s NissanConnect and Jeep’s Uconnect 5). Housed on digital touchscreen displays, the systems are a hub of connectivity, information, and entertainment. On both the Pathfinder and Grand Cherokee L, you’ll find the displays offer smartphone integration via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, a WiFi hotspot, available navigation, and a standard rearview camera.
The Pathfinder and Grand Cherokee L offer even more connectivity from the palm of your hand thanks to smartphone apps like NissanConnect and Jeep Connect. The apps give you more insight into the SUVs as well as more control even when you’re not in the driver’s seat. For example, you can use Jeep Connect to activate Alexa or Google Assistant, remotely start or stop the engine and lock or unlock the doors, check tire pressure, and flash the lights. Through NissanConnect, you have access to these tools and a suite of others, including customizable alerts for boundary and speed limit restrictions, an Automatic Collision Notification that calls emergency personnel when the airbags deploy, and voice-activated navigation that allows you to use a voice command to search for your destination and have the directions sent to the SUV.
Your Next Family Adventure Is Calling…How Will You Answer?
The 2022 Nissan Pathfinder and the 2022 Grand Cherokee L are remarkable SUVs that are ideal for families because of their three-row layouts and configurable cabins. Spacious and versatile, the Pathfinder and Grand Cherokee L are inundated with modern technology that extends from safety and driver-assist tools to connectivity features that keep you informed, connected, and safe wherever the road leads. That makes choosing between these two sophisticated and stylish SUVs more about your style, budget, and your family’s needs. So, which will you choose?
