Cherokee vs Grand Cherokee: Can You Spot the Differences?

Are you looking for a used Jeep Grand Cherokee for sale in Colorado Springs? Whether you’re determined to purchase a Grand Cherokee or are looking at both the Grand Cherokee and Cherokee, you may not be aware of all that separates these two models. It’s easy to confuse the two names, but there are some key differences to be aware of. As a younger sibling, the Jeep Grand Cherokee had a lot to prove when it arrived on the scene in 1993, but as time has shown, both the Cherokee and Grand Cherokee have remained popular throughout the last few decades.

Whether you’re looking to visit Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak, or Corral Bluffs, you’ll want something that can go the distance, something that you can explore off-road with. However, you’ll also want it to be comfortable, modern, and safe. A used Jeep Grand Cherokee is the perfect fit for those who enjoy spending time in the beautiful areas in and around Colorado Springs, whether you’re heading to the hot springs, taking in the scenery at Glen Eyrie, or driving up the winding road to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.

Every Bit of Space Counts

When you’re taking your family or group of friends out for the entire day, you want to make sure they’ll be comfortable. Dragging the kids along on a weekend road trip is definitely easier if you have space for them to stretch out. That’s one of the key differences between the Cherokee and Grand Cherokee––the Cherokee is a size smaller than the Grand Cherokee, and though they both allow for a driver and four passengers, the Grand Cherokee gives everyone extra space while also allowing more room for hiking poles, hammocks, and cameras.

Seeing the aspen trees turn bright yellow in the fall is a delightful experience, provided that people aren’t fighting over leg space or elbow room. You can take the Grand Cherokee over Gold Camp Road and visit Cripple Creek for a day of sightseeing, gambling, and shopping, but it’s easier to enjoy the experience if you’ve been able to stretch and your passengers don’t feel as if they’ve been stuffed in a sardine can for several hours. While it isn’t always a deal breaker, the extra space has its benefits, enough to make more of a difference than you’d expect. Why not go with the Jeep that starts everyone off in a good mood?

See You at the Track

Perhaps you’re not as into the natural beauty of Colorado Springs and the surrounding areas, but you are excited about other opportunities nearby: taking part in the activities hosted by the Pikes Peak International Raceway and the Pueblo Motorsports Park. Drag racing can be a blast, especially if you’ve found a used Jeep Grand Cherokee equipped with a Hellcat V8 engine. The Trackhawk trim level of the Grand Cherokee comes standard with this particular engine, which provides a whopping 707 hp and 645 lb-ft of torque. Never seen a Grand Cherokee put through its paces? A Grand Cherokee equipped with the supercharged Hellcat V8 can go from 0 to 60 in 3.5 seconds. This is something the Cherokee just isn’t equipped to handle.

That Premium Feel

People enjoy little luxuries, don’t they? One or two upgraded conveniences can make a world of difference when you’re carpooling to work in Colorado Springs, stuck in traffic on I-25, or waiting for construction (which is almost everywhere in the Springs) to give you the go-ahead. While the Cherokee does have luxurious trim levels available, the Grand Cherokee’s base trim level is already equipped with the little details that make driving more pleasant.

The 2020 Grand Cherokee with the base Laredo trim level, for instance, comes with illuminated cup holders and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob. If you wanted similar details in your used Cherokee, you’d have to go up a trim level or two. As far as exterior convenience goes, the Cherokee is, of course, equipped with side mirrors, but the 2020 Grand Cherokee has side mirrors that are heated and can be folded away when not in use.

While these might feel like small differences, the impact can be huge. How do you feel when you find yourself in a car with a basic cloth-and-plastic interior? Most of us, at one time or another, started there, but do we have to continue? It might be time to grow up a little and tell yourself that you’re allowed to feel a little fancy every now and then. It’s good for morale.

More Power To You

Revisiting the engine options for used Cherokees and Grand Cherokees, it’s obvious that one is clearly built to be more powerful. The Cherokee is light on its feet, fun to drive, and fuel efficient, but it can’t touch the Grand Cherokee’s powertrain capabilities. The larger vehicle provides more power and performance, and multiple engine options are available when you shop used. Some of the more recent models, in fact, have three different V8 engines to choose from, which is nearly unheard of for vehicles that aren’t made for specific purposes like racing, off-roading, or towing. In contrast, the Cherokee’s most powerful engine option is a smaller V6.

With such power at your fingertips, it’s easy to imagine what your Grand Cherokee is capable of––it can function in a variety of ways, as opposed to serving a single purpose, which gives you plenty of opportunities to test its limits. You can take it to the speedway, go off-roading the next weekend, tow a camper to the family vacation site that summer, go shopping at Outlets at Castle Rock before school starts for the fall, and then feel confident in handling inclement Colorado weather like snow, hail, and sleet over the seasons. The Grand Cherokee can do almost everything, which means you can too.

The World Is Your Oyster

We spend so much time in our vehicles, so it makes sense that we’d like them to be comfortable, stylish, and capable. We often keep our cars for several years, personalizing them, maintaining them, and taking them on all our wild adventures. While the Cherokee is a solid vehicle choice, if you truly want the best experience in all areas, the Grand Cherokee is the vehicle for you. It will go anywhere you can go and assist you in your travels.

You can drive it to Pikes Peak or take it to Helen Hunt Falls. You can test it against your friend’s sports car at the Pikes Peak International Raceway or visit Cave of the Winds with your family. Whether you’re new to Colorado Springs or your family has been living here for generations, the Grand Cherokee is ready to take you places you’ve never seen before. It is a willing companion for all your travels, from daily commutes to week-long road trips.

The Cherokee vs Grand Cherokee debate will continue, of course, but when it comes down to it, the Grand Cherokee has more to offer, including higher performance and the durability to withstand a variety of terrain. When you can choose between a lite version or a version that pulls out the stops, which one are you likely to go with?