2019 Jeep Cherokee vs. 2019 GMC Terrain
Posted on January 15, 2021
On paper the 2019 Jeep Cherokee and the 2019 GMC Terrain are very similar. They are roughly the same length, width, height and have about the same wheelbase. They both seat five passengers and both have plenty of space for luggage. The range of the MSRP is comparable. But that's on paper. On-and especially off-the-road, the 2019 Jeep Cherokee is the clear choice.
Available Engines
Both the 2019 Cherokee and 2019 Terrain offer a choice of gasoline engines. The base model GMC Terrain is powered by a 1.5 litre four-cylinder dual overhead cam engine that produces 170 horsepower. In comparison the base Cherokee engine is the 2.4-liter PZEV MultiAir2 Tigershark I-4 engine that engine produces 180 horsepower, 10 more than the base GMC Terrain engine.
The GMC Terrain offers one additional gasoline-powered engine, the 2.0 litre LTG turbo I4, which produces 252 horsepower. In contrast, the 2019 Jeep Cherokee offers two additional engine choices, depending on model. There's the proven 271-horsepower 3.2L Pentastar VVT V6 that's Canada's most popular engine, as well as one of the most technologically advanced engines in the automotive industry, the all-new 2.0-litre direct injection turbocharged Hurricane four-cylinder engine rated at 270 horsepower. The 2.0 litre Hurricane turbocharged four-cylinder engine is available on higher trim levels of the Cherokee. Either engine provides around a 20 horsepower advantage over the GMC 2.0 litre turbocharged four cylinder.
Driveline
The Jeep Cherokee can be equipped with three different four-wheel drive systems: Active Drive I, Active Drive II, and Active Drive Lock. All of these systems come with Jeep's Selec-Terrain traction control system and rear-axle disconnect feature. The rear axle disconnect feature, a first for Compact SUV, disconnects the rear-axle when four-wheel drive is not needed. This lowers the amount of work the engine must do, which improves fuel efficiency.
The GMC Terrain offers an AWD system similar to the Active Drive I available on the 2019 Jeep Cherokee. However there's an important difference. The rear-axle disconnect system on the Cherokee seamlessly switches between two- and four-wheel drive for full-time torque management and does not require input from the driver. The GMC Terrain requires the driver to press a switch to change over from FWD and AWD and back to FWD. The Jeep system can react to changing road conditions before the driver even recognizes the change in available traction, as well as automatically switches off when AWD is no longer needed, so as to avoid inadvertently driving in the higher consuming mode when not needed, as you might in the GMC Terrain.
Off-road Capabilities
Despite its reputation as the manufacturer of trucks and SUVs, the Terrain offers no equivalent to the Jeep's Active Drive II and Active Drive Lock systems. Active Drive II. The recalibrated Jeep Active Drive II includes a two-speed Power Transfer Unit (PTU) with torque management and low range. The 4-Low mode locks the front and rear driveshafts for low-speed power or towing. Low range provides a 2.92:1 gear reduction that allows for enhanced climbing ability, as well outstanding crawl ratios for severe off-road conditions. Jeep Active Drive Lock includes all the features of Jeep Active Drive II and adds a locking rear differential for superior low-speed traction for severe off-road conditions.
Interior Space
While both the Cherokee and the Terrain offer comparable head room and shoulder room in both the front and second-rows, the Cherokee offers a small but significant advantage in leg room in both positions. While the difference is about an inch if you've traveled on aircraft over the past few years, you know how much of a difference there is when the airline shortens the distance between rows of seats by an inch.
Towing Capacity
In terms of towing capacity, the Jeep Cherokee is clearly the choice over the GMC Terrain for pulling heavy loads. The Jeep offers an impressive 4,500 pounds of towing capacity when properly equipped.
To view all models of the 2019 Jeep Cherokee and compare for yourself, drive into your Jeep dealer in Thornhill and Bolton, On, CarHub.