The new 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee was designed for adventure-seekers who appreciate the finer things in life.

Featuring modern technology, exceptional capability, and premium features, this rugged yet refined SUV lets you explore rugged off-road routes without sacrificing your comfort. It’s available in both two- and three-door versions, making sure you have the seating and space you need for the journey ahead.

But there's another SUV in the running for your attention as well. The 2026 Toyota Highlander, which offers three rows of seating, is also built for adventure, but can it offer the same level of capability, technology, and refinement as the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee?

We’re about to find out.

Join us as we dive into a Jeep Grand Cherokee vs. Toyota Highlander comparison below and see how these two SUVs measure up in terms of performance, capability, comfort, space, and technology.

Performance and Capability

The best way to start the battle between two legendary midsize SUVs is looking at what’s under the hood.

2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee

The new 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee lineup brings signature Jeep capability to every adventure, offering the option of a 4x2 or 4x4 drivetrain. The lineup also offers two engines to choose from: a new 2.0-liter Hurricane 4 turbo engine and 3.6-liter Pentastar® V6 engine.

Matched with an eight-speed automatic transmission, the new 2.0-liter Hurricane 4 turbo engine offers a maximum 324 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque. It boasts a best-in-class maximum towing capacity of 6,200 pounds,¹ and a manufacturer-estimated 21 city/27 highway MPG.²

Also matched with an eight-speed automatic transmission, the 3.6-liter Pentastar® V6 engine delivers a maximum 293 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. It also lets you tow up to 6,200 pounds, when the Grand Cherokee is properly equipped, and its fuel efficiency is a manufacturer-estimated 19 city/26 highway MPG.³

The 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee offers a best-in-class driving range of 529 miles,⁴ best-in-class available ground clearance,⁵ and a best-in-class departure angle,⁵ allowing you to go farther, whether on or off the road.

And with the available Selec-Terrain® Traction Management System, you can choose between five 4x4 drive modes to suit driving conditions: Auto, Sport, Rock, Snow, and Mud/Sand. Continuing the theme of variety, the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee for sale offers two available 4x4 systems to choose from: Quadra-Trac I® and Quadra-Drive® II, which includes a rear electronic limited-slip differential.

Not only that, the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee lineup offers a class-exclusive available Quadra-Lift® Air Suspension System.⁵ This innovative system helps lower the SUV at highway speeds to enhance aerodynamics and raises it when off-roading, allowing you to easily transition from one adventure to the next.

2026 Toyota Highlander

The 2026 Toyota Highlander also offers two engine options, a 2.4-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine and a 2.5-liter hybrid engine.

Matched with a direct shift-8AT eight-speed electronically controlled automatic transmission, the 2.4-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine delivers 265 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque and provides the power to tow up to 5,000 pounds, when the SUV is properly equipped. With this engine, the Highlander offers an EPA-estimated 21 city/28 highway MPG.⁶

Matched with an Electronically controlled Continuously Variable Transmission (ECVT), the hybrid powertrain delivers 243 combined net horsepower and 175 pound-feet of torque, allowing you to tow up to 3,500 pounds when the Highlander is properly equipped. As you would expect, the hybrid powertrain offers stronger fuel efficiency: an EPA-estimated 35 city/35 highway MPG with the Hybrid XLE trim and an EPA-estimated 35 city/34 highway MPG with the other two hybrid trim levels.⁶

Similar to the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Toyota Highlander AWD gas models come with Multi-Terrain Select, a feature which gives you four modes — Mud & Sand, Rock & Dirt, Snow, and Normal — for enhanced traction in different driving situations.

Cabin Comfort, Space, & Technology

2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee Interior

The two-row Jeep Grand Cherokee offers seating for five, while the three-row Grand Cherokee L version offers seating for six, with available seating for seven. In addition to offering extra seating, the Grand Cherokee L boasts best-in-class second-row legroom⁵ and best-in-class passenger volume.⁵

Cargo volume is generous, too. In the two-row Grand Cherokee, the maximum interior cargo volume is 70.8 cubic feet, while in the three-row Grand Cherokee, the maximum cargo volume is 84.6 cubic feet.

Versatility is a key feature of this Jeep SUV, demonstrated in features like the standard rear 60/40 folding seat and available third-row 50/50 manual folding seat, which make adjusting the cabin simple. In addition, an available hands-free power liftgate simplifies access to the rear of the SUV when you have a lot to carry.

Driver and passenger comfort is also a priority in the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Heated front seats and a heated steering wheel come standard in all but the base trim level, and higher trim levels add heated second-row seats. The top two trim levels come with ventilated front seats, and the very top trim level adds ventilated rear seats, ensuring supreme comfort for everyone. Not only that, the top trim level goes all out with front massaging seats. Enhance your drives further with an available power sunroof or an available dual-pane panoramic sunroof.

And when it comes to technology, you can enjoy access to the most standard and available technology features in this SUV’s class.⁹ The 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee offers a dazzling array of screens, including the standard 8.4-inch touchscreen and the available 12.3-inch touchscreen. There’s even a class-exclusive available front passenger interactive touchscreen that allows your front-seat companion to more easily help with navigation.

Enjoy the convenience of standard Apple CarPlay® or Android Auto™ and an available wireless charging pad, and upgrade your favorite road-trip playlist from the standard six-speaker sound system to the available nine amplified speakers with a subwoofer or the 19-speaker high-performance audio system, which is standard on the highest trim level. In fact, with this premium Mclntosh® audio system, which includes a 10-inch subwoofer, the Grand Cherokee earns another accolade as the SUV with the most available speakers in its class.⁵

But there’s even more. The Grand Cherokee L offers a class-exclusive⁵ available interior FamCAM, making it easy for parents to keep tabs on what’s happening in the rear. Plus, available second-row rear-seat entertainment screens with Amazon Fire TV help keep the kids occupied on long trips.

Additional tech features include an available 10-inch full-color Head-Up Display, a 10.25-inch digital cluster display, and an available digital auto-dimming rear-view mirror, enhancing your travels even more.

Now let’s see how the 2026 Toyota Highlander measures up.

2026 Toyota Highlander Interior

The Toyota Highlander comes standard with three rows of seating that accommodate seven occupants. However, if you want an additional seat, eight-passenger seating is an available option.

Maximum cargo volume in the Highlander is 84.3 cubic feet, which is nearly the same as the Grand Cherokee L’s max cargo volume. 60/40 split, fold-flat third-row seats with sliding headrests and a recline function come standard, and if you opt for available seating for eight, you’ll get a second-row bench seat with 60/40 split/fold seats, making it easy to adjust the cabin as needed.

The Highlander’s comfort features include standard heated front seats, an available heated steering wheel, available ventilated front seats, and available heated second-row seats. But if you want the luxury of massage seats in the Highlander, you won’t have that option like you will in the Grand Highlander. A power tilt/slide moonroof comes standard, and a panoramic glass roof and front power tilt/slide moonroof is available.

When it comes to technology, the Highlander gives you a standard 8-inch Toyota Audio Multimedia touchscreen and upgrades you to a 12.3-inch Toyota Audio Multimedia touchscreen in higher trim levels, both of which include wireless Apple CarPlay® and Android Auto™. You’ll also get standard wireless charging, and you can upgrade from the standard six-speaker audio system to the available 11-speaker JBL® Premium Audio, which includes a subwoofer and an amplifier. But that’s the limit for the speakers — there’s no available 19-speaker sound system like the Grand Cherokee offers.

Additional tech features include a standard 7-inch color LCD Multi-Information Display, an available 12.3-inch color digital gauge cluster, and an available Panoramic View Monitor. The Highlander also doesn’t offer the option of an interior FamCAM, nor does it offer rear-seat entertainment screens with Amazon Fire TV.

Setting the Standard for Safety and Driver Assistance

You can’t put a price tag on safety, but you can put a number on the amount of standard and available safety and driver-assistance features found within your SUV.

While both SUVs manage to deliver an incredible amount of standard safety features, it’s important to note that the new Jeep Grand Cherokee for 2026 offers the most standard safety and security features in its class!⁵

Size Matters: Side-By-Side Dimensions

When it comes to SUVs, size matters. A few extra inches of legroom can set the tone of a family getaway, resulting in a pleasant excursion or a disaster in the making.

Below, we’ve broken down the dimensions of both SUV lineups, looking at the base trim levels, from the wheelbase to third-row legroom.

2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trim Levels and Feature Highlights

Frequently Asked Questions

Start Your Search for the Perfect Midsize SUV at Santee CDJR!

Now that you’ve made it through our Jeep Grand Cherokee vs. Toyota Highlander comparison, we hope you have a better idea of which SUV is the right fit for you and your crew.

Though the Toyota Highlander offers many outstanding features, it falls short in a variety of ways when compared to the Jeep Grand Cherokee. If you want more horsepower, more towing capacity, more comfort, and more tech features, the new 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee is the stronger choice.

If you’re interested in driving home a new Jeep Grand Cherokee in 2026, stop by Santee Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram for a test drive today. Our team is happy to answer any questions you may have about the latest Jeep Grand Cherokee, so feel free to contact us today!