Here is the family-SUV dilemma nobody warns you about: you walk into a showroom wanting something comfortable for the kids and the commute, and the salesperson steers you toward a three-row behemoth you will never fill. But what if your family of four or five does not need a third row at all? What if you would rather have a quieter cabin, a smoother ride, and a little more dignity in the driveway?
That is the question sitting between the 2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit 4x4 and the 2026 Ford Explorer ST. The Jeep is the flagship of the two-row Grand Cherokee line — Nappa leather, massaging front seats, standard air suspension, just over $60,000. The Ford is the hot rod of the three-row world — a twin-turbo V6, sport-tuned suspension, standard BlueCruise, about $5,600 less. One whispers luxury. The other shouts back roads.
The early verdict: the Explorer ST is the one most Ohio families should take home — faster, cheaper, more seats, hands-free highway driving standard. But the Summit makes a case no spec sheet fully captures: it rides better and feels calmer than anything near its price. Read on for the full breakdown.
Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why it wins |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | Ford Explorer ST | 400 hp twin-turbo V6, 0-60 in 4.9 seconds — a different league |
| Comfort | Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit | Standard Quadra-Lift air suspension, massaging seats, library-quiet cabin |
| Towing | Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit | 6,200 lbs max vs 5,000 lbs for the Ford |
| Fuel economy | Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit | 22 mpg combined vs 20-21 for the ST |
| Technology | Ford Explorer ST | Bigger screens, standard BlueCruise hands-free driving |
| Value | Ford Explorer ST | Starts about $5,600 less and includes more standard tech |
| Best for families | Ford Explorer ST | Three rows, 6-7 seats, stronger resale in the segment |
At a Glance
| Spec | 2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit 4x4 | 2026 Ford Explorer ST |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 3.6L Pentastar V6 | 3.0L twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 |
| Horsepower | 293 hp @ 6,400 rpm | 400 hp (Ford advertised; some late-build 2026 units show 385 hp SAE net) |
| Torque | 260 lb-ft | 415 lb-ft |
| Transmission | 8-speed automatic | 10-speed automatic |
| Drivetrain | Quadra-Trac II 4WD + rear ELSD, standard | RWD standard, Intelligent 4WD optional |
| EPA fuel economy | 19 city / 26 hwy / 22 combined | 18/25/21 (RWD); 18/25/20 (4WD) |
| 0-60 mph | ~7.3-8.0 sec (tested; no factory claim) | 4.9 sec (tested); 5.24 sec (AWD tested) |
| Max towing | 6,200 lbs | 5,000 lbs |
| Cargo (behind 2nd / 1st row) | 37.7 / 70.8 cu ft | ~46 / 85.3 cu ft (max) |
| Seating | 5 | 6 standard; 7 available |
| Starting price | $60,555 incl. destination | $54,905 RWD / $56,905 4WD (plus destination) |
Design & Exterior
Park them side by side and the difference in mission is obvious. The Grand Cherokee Summit is the tailored suit of the pair: a chrome seven-slot grille, polished 20-inch wheels, body-color cladding, and restrained brightwork that reads expensive without shouting. Jeep's WL-generation styling has aged gracefully, and in Summit trim it has genuine presence — it looks like it costs more than it does, which is exactly what a flagship trim should do.
The Explorer ST goes the opposite direction: black mesh grille, 21-inch Magnetite wheels, red brake calipers, quad chrome exhaust tips, and ST badging that tells the neighborhood this is the Explorer for people who optioned the fun. The 2025 facelift sharpened the front end, and the ST wears the changes well — the SUV equivalent of sneakers with a blazer.
Size tells the practical story. The Explorer is the longer, three-row machine at about 199 inches, while the two-row Grand Cherokee is more garage-friendly at roughly 193 inches — and in a crowded Columbus parking garage, those six inches matter. On curb appeal alone, this one is a tie broken by taste: chrome and calm, or black trim and attitude.
Interior, Comfort & Technology
Step into the Summit and the first thing you notice is the quiet. Jeep layers this cabin with Nappa leather, real wood trim, multi-color ambient lighting, and acoustic glass that hushes the highway to a murmur. The front seats are heated, ventilated, and — genuinely unusual in this class — massaging. The 10.1-inch Uconnect 5 touchscreen with navigation is crisp, backed by a digital cluster and a 360-degree camera. Second-row passengers get heated seats and four-zone climate, and the hands-free power liftgate is standard.
One honest correction to a common misconception: the Summit does not get the 19-speaker McIntosh audio or Palermo leather — those are Summit Reserve exclusives. The factory window sticker on a real 2025 Summit 4x4 lists nine amplified speakers with a subwoofer. Good sound, but do not let a salesperson upsell you on McIntosh at the Summit price point.
The Explorer ST's cabin is a different philosophy: dark, driver-focused, and tech-forward. The 13.2-inch Ford Digital Experience touchscreen dominates the dash, backed by a 12.3-inch digital cluster, and the front seats are heated, ventilated, multicontour massaging buckets trimmed in Onyx Miko suede with red stitching. Second-row captain's chairs are heated, and a bench is newly available for 2026 if you want seven seats. Materials are a half-step below the Jeep's — more hard plastic in the lower dash — but the layout feels a generation newer.
The tech verdict goes to the Ford, and it is not close on one count: BlueCruise hands-free highway driving is standard on the ST, while Jeep's Active Driving Assist keeps your hands on the wheel. For an Ohio family that regularly runs I-71 between Columbus and Cleveland, BlueCruise is the single most relaxing feature in either SUV. The Jeep counters with a more serene cabin and better seats. Pick your priority: silence or screens.
Performance & Driving Feel
This is where the comparison stops being polite. The Explorer ST's twin-turbo 3.0-liter makes a Ford-advertised 400 horsepower and 415 lb-ft, routed through a 10-speed automatic to the rear wheels (or all four, for $2,000 more). Car and Driver clocked 0-60 in 4.9 seconds — quicker than many sports sedans. The sport-tuned suspension keeps body motions in check, the steering has actual weight, and on an empty stretch of Route 33 the ST is genuinely fun. It is the family SUV for the parent who still takes the long way home.
A note of honesty on the horsepower figure: Ford's current US listing and several dealer window stickers for real 2026 ST VINs show 385 hp SAE net rather than 400. The likely explanations are a gasoline particulate filter added to later 2026 production or an emissions-variant calibration. Ford still advertises 400, and either way the ST is the decisively quicker SUV here — but the number on your particular window sticker is worth checking.
The Summit plays a completely different game. Its 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 makes 293 horsepower and 260 lb-ft — and 2025 is the first Grand Cherokee model year with no V8 option at all: the 5.7-liter HEMI is gone, quietly discontinued, and the Hurricane turbo six does not appear on any 2025 Grand Cherokee either. What the Summit offers instead is refinement: the standard Quadra-Lift air suspension with semi-active damping floats over frost-heaved Ohio pavement in a way the Ford cannot match, and the 8-speed automatic is smooth to the point of invisibility. Tested 0-60 times run 7.3 to 8.0 seconds — unhurried, but never inadequate. Merging onto I-270 requires planning, not prayer.
Around town, the Summit's standard Quadra-Trac II system with its rear electronic limited-slip differential gives it an all-weather confidence the rear-drive ST cannot match without the $2,000 4WD option. The Ford is the driver's SUV; the Jeep is the passenger's SUV. Which seat you spend more time in decides this round.
Fuel Economy & Towing
Here is the plot twist: the more luxurious SUV is also the more frugal one. The Summit 4x4 is EPA-rated 19 mpg city, 26 highway, 22 combined — the tall highway number a benefit of the V6's relaxed cruising. The ST manages 18/25/21 rear-drive and 18/25/20 with all-wheel drive. Over 15,000 miles a year, the Jeep saves roughly 40-60 gallons — a nice rebuttal to anyone who assumes the luxury badge always drinks more.
Towing flips the script again, and in the Jeep's favor: the Summit is rated to tow 6,200 pounds, a full 1,200 pounds more than the ST's 5,000-pound maximum. If your weekends involve a 21-foot boat on Lake Erie or a camper headed for Hocking Hills, the Grand Cherokee's rating covers trailers the Ford simply cannot legally pull. Ironic, given the ST wears the sporty badge.
Safety & Driver Assistance
Both SUVs arrive well-armed for family duty. The Summit carries adaptive cruise, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keep assist, forward collision warning with automatic braking, the 360-degree camera, and Active Driving Assist for semi-automated highway cruising. The Quadra-Lift air suspension even lowers the body at highway speed for stability, and the standard all-wheel drive with the rear limited-slip differential is a genuine winter asset on unplowed Summit County roads.
The Explorer ST answers with Ford Co-Pilot360 Assist+ — adaptive cruise with stop-and-go, lane centering, evasive steering assist, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic braking, a 360-degree camera — and the headline act: standard BlueCruise hands-free highway driving. On divided highways, BlueCruise manages lane position and speed while your hands rest, and it is the most relaxing way to cross this state in either vehicle.
Pricing, Trims & Value
The numbers favor the blue oval. The 2026 Explorer ST starts at $54,905 rear-drive and $56,905 with all-wheel drive, before destination. The 2025 Grand Cherokee Summit 4x4 starts at $58,560 plus $1,995 destination — $60,555 before options. That is a gap of roughly $3,650 to $5,650, and the Ford includes BlueCruise, the bigger touchscreen, and the stronger powertrain as standard.
Value, though, is not just the sticker. The Summit justifies part of its premium with standard equipment the ST charges extra for or does not offer: air suspension, the rear limited-slip differential, full-time four-wheel drive, and a demonstrably quieter, richer cabin. The ST Experience — a complimentary one-day performance driving school for 2026 ST buyers — is a charming Ford exclusive no Jeep trim can match.
Our honest math: if you want three rows and the most performance per dollar, the ST is one of the best values in the SUV market. If you want two rows done to a luxury standard and will use the towing capacity, the Summit's premium buys serenity you can feel every day.
Pros and Cons
2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit — Pros
- Superb ride quality from standard Quadra-Lift air suspension
- Genuinely luxurious cabin: Nappa leather, massaging front seats, wood trim
- Higher tow rating (6,200 lbs) and better fuel economy (22 mpg combined)
- Standard full-time 4WD with rear limited-slip differential
- Quieter, calmer highway manners
2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit — Cons
- 293-hp V6 feels unhurried next to the Ford; no V8 or Hurricane option for 2025
- Only five seats and two rows — no third-row option
- About $3,650-$5,650 more expensive than the ST
- No hands-free highway driving; smaller 10.1-inch screen
- No McIntosh audio or Palermo leather at this trim (Summit Reserve only)
2026 Ford Explorer ST — Pros
- Seriously quick: 400 hp, 0-60 in 4.9 seconds
- Three rows, 6-7 seats, and 85.3 cu ft of maximum cargo
- Standard BlueCruise hands-free driving and big 13.2-inch touchscreen
- Lower starting price with more standard tech
- Sport-tuned chassis is genuinely engaging
2026 Ford Explorer ST — Cons
- Lower tow rating (5,000 lbs) and slightly thirstier
- Rear-drive standard — 4WD costs $2,000 extra
- Cabin materials a step below the Jeep's
- Horsepower rating muddled: advertised 400 hp, some 2026 builds show 385 hp SAE net
- Sport suspension rides firmly over rough pavement
Who Should Buy Which?
Buy the 2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit if your priority is daily serenity: the smoothest ride in the class, a cabin that feels a class above its price, real towing muscle for the boat or camper, and no need for a third row. It is for the buyer who has outgrown caring about 0-60 times and just wants every commute to feel easy. If you are cross-shopping full-size luxury, our Expedition Timberline vs Jeep Wagoneer Series III comparison covers the bigger Jeep end of the spectrum.
Buy the 2026 Ford Explorer ST if you need three rows, you like driving, and you want the most performance per dollar in the family-SUV world — the pick for the parent hauling kids to travel soccer who still wants to smile on an on-ramp, with BlueCruise easing the highway legs. If the ST-Line's value angle interests you more than the ST's speed, see our Explorer ST-Line vs Toyota Grand Highlander Limited breakdown; and for the full-size three-row value question, our Expedition Active vs Tahoe LS guide covers the bigger Ford.
Final Verdict
For most Ohio families, the one we would take home is the 2026 Ford Explorer ST. It is faster, cheaper, seats more people, tows enough for the average family trailer, and BlueCruise standard is a genuine quality-of-life upgrade on long highway runs. The value equation is simply hard to argue with: more speed, more seats, more tech, less money.
But the 2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit earns its place as the connoisseur's choice: the quietest cabin, the smoothest ride, and the highest tow rating of the two, in an interior that embarrasses SUVs costing $10,000 more. If your family fits in five seats and your idea of luxury is silence rather than speed, the Jeep is the better SUV for your life.
Drive them back to back on the same day, over the same broken pavement, with your family aboard. Thirty minutes in each will tell you which philosophy is yours: the Ford's grin or the Jeep's hush. Which one would you pick? Tell us in the comments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is faster, the Grand Cherokee Summit or the Explorer ST?
The Explorer ST, by a wide margin: 400 hp (Ford advertised) and 60 mph in a tested 4.9 seconds, against roughly 7.3 to 8.0 seconds for the Summit's 293-hp V6.
Does the 2025 Grand Cherokee Summit come with a V8?
No. 2025 is the first model year with no V8 anywhere in the Grand Cherokee lineup — the 5.7-liter HEMI was discontinued, and the Hurricane turbo six is not offered on the 2025 either. The Summit is 3.6-liter V6 only.
Which tows more, the Summit or the Explorer ST?
The Grand Cherokee Summit: 6,200 pounds maximum versus 5,000 pounds for the Explorer ST. If your trailer weighs more than 2.5 tons, the Jeep is the only choice of the two.
Does the 2026 Explorer ST really make 400 horsepower?
Ford advertises 400 hp and 415 lb-ft, but some late-production 2026 units show 385 hp SAE net on their window stickers — possibly due to a gasoline particulate filter added during the model year. Either rating still makes it far quicker than the Summit; check your specific window sticker.
Which is better for Ohio winters, the Summit or the Explorer ST?
The Summit has the edge: full-time Quadra-Trac II four-wheel drive with a rear limited-slip differential and air suspension are all standard, while the ST is rear-drive unless you pay $2,000 for Intelligent 4WD. With 4WD equipped, both are confident winter machines.
By Stefany Aurora, ABBOhio editorial. Specs verified from manufacturer window stickers, KBB, Edmunds, MotorTrend, Autoblog, and dealer inventory data, October 2026.
