2025 Dodge Durango vs. 2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee Comparison

Two of the most popular models from Dodge and Jeep are the Durango and the Grand Cherokee. Both are three-row SUVs with roomy interiors, and until recently, both were even built on the same platform. With the platform change for the Grand Cherokee, some more differences between the two emerged, though there are still quite a few similarities. To help make sense of all of this, we’ve put together a guide to the important differences and similarities.

The first thing to notice about these two is the price similarity. In fact, it’s even more similar than it looks at first. The Durngo comes with three rows of seats as standard, but since the Grand Cherokee is made to be off-road adventure-ready, there is a cargo area behind the second row of seats. You can opt for a third row of seats in the Grand Cherokee if you want one, though, and the starting price for that version of the Grand Cherokee is $39,035, just a few hundred off from the Durango. 

Both vehicles come with a standard 3.6-liter Pentastar® V6 engine. It makes two more horsepower in the Durango, but that’s not enough of a difference that you’ll feel it. Some of the biggest differences between these two vehicles are seen in the optional drivetrains. The Durango leans into the muscle car history of Dodge, offering two V8 options. The first is a 5.7-liter HEMI® that produces 360 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque. Move up to one of the Hellcat editions, and you get a supercharged 6.2-liter HEMI® V8 that produces 710 horsepower and 645 lb-ft of torque. For the Grand Cherokee, you have the option of a plug-in hybrid drivetrain. Power output for this sits between the two V8 options for the Durango, but it is unsurprisingly by far the most fuel-efficient of the drivetrains available for either vehicle. Towing capacity for both vehicles is the same when equipped with the V6, but the V8 options for the Durango raise the limit significantly. The optional plug-in hybrid drivetrain in the Grand Cherokee 4xe doesn’t change the towing capacity much, topping out at 6,000 pounds.

As we mentioned before, the Grand Cherokee comes standard with two rows of seats, and moving up to the Grand Cherokee L gives you a third row. With the seats up, the Durango and the Grand Cherokee L have the exact same 17.2 cubic feet of cargo space in the back, but there are some differences when it comes to passenger space. You get more first-row legroom in the Grand Cherokee, but more in the third row with the Durango, for example. The biggest difference is obviously between the 2-row Grand Cherokee and the three-row options, and the differences between the Durango and Grand Cherokee L are small enough that it’s likely to be other factors that determine which one works best for you.

The difference between these two vehicles boils down to intent. The Durango is intended to be a muscle car in SUV form, with the option of a big supercharged V8 that propels the Hellcat to 60 mph from a stop in a scarcely believable 3.5 seconds. The Grand Cherokee can’t match the on-road performance of the Durango, but it makes up for this with impressive off-road performance. Available equipment for the Grand Cherokee includes things like the Quadra-Trac II® 4WD System, Selec-Terrain® System, and Quadra-Lift® Air Suspension with Semi-Active Damping, all of which significantly improve the ease with which you can go off-road. In all, these two vehicles are similar enough in most areas that the way you intend to use your vehicle can be the main factor that informs your choice between the two. In fact, looks alone can be the determining factor for quite a lot of people. Whichever you choose, Sarchione Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram can help you find the one that’s a perfect fit for your lifestyle.