2021 Jeep Cherokee vs Ford Escape

The sun is shining and the birds are chirping, which means it’s time to get out and start exploring. If you’re looking for a road trip that’s unlike all the rest, you need the right ride to take you there. Both the 2021 Jeep Cherokee and the Ford Escape have the daring spirit you’re after, but which SUV is the right match for you?

Our team at Friendly Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram (DCJR) want to help drivers in the Penn Yan, Geneva, and Watkins Glen, NY, areas find the answer, so we put together this Cherokee vs. Escape comparison. Come take a closer look at some of the key differences between these two vehicles.

Jeep Cherokee Inventory

Jeep Cherokee Research

Jeep Vehicle Comparisons

Cherokee vs Escape: Dynamic and Bold Performance

Jeep Cherokee Performance Whether you’re staying local to go on your favorite trek or heading out of town to roam new areas, you’ll want an SUV with the peppy performance to take you there. Either of these models can offer a baseline motor that has the output to take you there.

Coming standard in the Cherokee is a 2.4-liter Tigershark® MultiAir®2 I-4 engine to invigorate your drives with 180 horsepower. The Escape’s standard motor offers a very similar performance with 181 horsepower.

Are you looking for a little extra oomph for your next getaway? Then, you’ll enjoy the available powertrain in the Ford Escape that takes the output up a notch to 250 horsepower and 280 lb-ft of torque. However, the 2021 Jeep Cherokee has two exciting motors to entice your journeys:

3.2-liter Pentastar® V6 engine: 271 horsepower and 239 lb-ft of torque
2.0-liter Turbo engine: 270 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque

With more horsepower to offer you in the Cherokee, you may notice a difference in the way in which these two SUVs perform.

When armed with the 3.2-liter engine and properly equipped, the Cherokee can easily haul up to 4,500 pounds, which allows your lightweight travel trailer to make the trek with you. You may have to leave it behind with the Escape, though, since it only has a maximum towing capacity of 3,500 pounds when properly equipped.

No Limits to Your Explorations

Jeep Cherokee Performance

When weather conditions change and the roads become a little slick, Intelligent All-Wheel Drive in the Ford Escape will lend a hand. It powers all four wheels as needed to help you cruise through heavy rains and snow.

While this system is very helpful in unpredictable weather, Four-Wheel-Drive (4WD) is more robust all around and can help you summit small mountains and tricky terrain. The 2021 Jeep Cherokee has three 4×4 systems to offer you, each one ready to take on various off-road situations:

Jeep Active Drive I: A fully automatic system that works with brake traction control to maintain balanced torque distribution through a range of weather and road conditions.
Jeep Active Drive II: Locks the front and rear driveshafts for added power at low speeds or when towing. It also increases ride height by an inch to help you sail over rocks and branches in your path.
Trail Rated® Jeep Active Drive Lock: Adds on a locking rear differential for even more capability when bouldering and tackling some of the trickiest off-road situations.

When you select a 4×4 system on your Cherokee, you’ll also be treated to a Selec-Terrain® Traction Management System with up to five selectable drive modes. Simply choose the best one to match the conditions you’re encountering and enjoy smooth sailing on a range of terrains.

The Escape is also available with selectable drive modes, but these are more tailored to road conditions and modes for rocks and mud are not available.

Stay Engaged Throughout Your Journey

Jeep Cherokee Tech Clearly these SUVs are ready for adventure. When you spend hours behind the wheel, heading from one thrilling destination to another, it’s important to stay engaged and entertained at every single mile.

To help you select the entertainment you’re looking for, the Escape is available with an 8-inch infotainment system while Cherokee is available with an 8.4-inch display. However, if you’re looking to stay with the baseline systems, you’ll notice some key differences between these models.

The standard infotainment system in the 2021 Jeep Cherokee measures in at seven inches for easy viewability and comes packed with Android Auto™ and Apple CarPlay® capability. Plug your compatible device into the USB port and you’ll gain instant access to an array of some of your favorite streaming apps as well as your curated music library.

In the Escape, though, the base display is much smaller at a little over four inches. Additionally, smartphone integration is not available with this system. If you want to make it available, you’ll need to upgrade to a higher trim level.

A Cozy Trek in the Cherokee and the Escape

Jeep Cherokee Comfort As you choose your favorite tunes from your center display, you’ll be able to relax in your front seat with available heating. During your winter treks, your passengers won’t be left out in the cold either, thanks to available heated rear seating as well.

No matter the time of year, both the 2021 Jeep Cherokee and the Ford Escape are sure to keep you and your fellow explorers cozy with an available Dual-Zone Automatic Temperature Control. This feature allows both you and your front-seat friend to select your desired cabin climate, so that there’s no need to spar over the controls.

When it comes to summer treks, though, you may prefer the Cherokee. This SUV is available with ventilated front seats as well to help cool you down quickly after long hikes in the sun. It may take you longer to chill out in the Escape since this feature isn’t available.