- 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve
- 2022 Genesis GV80 Prestige
- Ask the audience
- Which luxury SUV would I choose?
Based on a combined 4,200 kilometres of testing for various assignments and features, I’m happy to report that the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve and Genesis GV80 Prestige are two fabulous places to spend your time on the road.
The top-dog Jeep Grand Cherokee I previously reviewed was called the Summit Reserve. This range-topping model is built to entice upwards of $80,000 from the pockets of luxury SUV shoppers who need above-average off-road capability, as well as it’s knockout cabin with a fresh new look, interfaces, and design is a big part of the equation. With optional power from a 357-horsepower HEMI V8, 7,200 pounds of towing capacity, and an average fuel consumption of 14.1 L/100 km, my 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve tester clocked in around $84,000.
2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve Photo by Justin Pritchard
2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve Photo by Justin Pritchard
2022 Genesis GV80 Prestige AWD Photo by Justin Pritchard
2022 Genesis GV80 Prestige AWD Photo by Justin Pritchard
The Genesis GV80 isn’t a go-to off-roader in this segment (have you seen its wheels?!) and you’ll mostly experience its best work during highway cruising and backroads driving — two situations where its suspension system will prove to be an asset for shoppers after a comfort-first ride. With exclusive gadgets like remote controlled parking and the blind-spot camera mirror system, the GV80 is a similarly enticing way to spend the big bucks, perhaps even moreso for the shopper who loves their gadgets. Fitted with a 375-horsepower twin-turbo V6, 6,000 lbs of towing capacity, and an average fuel consumption of 11.8 L/100 km, my GV80 3.5T Prestige came priced around $86,000.
Assuming a yearly distance of 20,000 km driven and a fuel price of $1.90/L, the GV80’s turbo V6 will use about $875 less fuel annually than the Grand Cherokee’s HEMI V8.
Having to decide between these two luxurious SUVs is a nice problem to have, as they’re among the best in the luxury three-row game today. Below, let’s dig into the interiors of these two machines to help determine which one’s right for you.
Compare the specs of these luxury three-row SUVs
2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve
2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve Photo by Justin Pritchard
2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve Photo by Justin Pritchard
2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve Photo by Justin Pritchard
2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve Photo by Justin Pritchard
2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve Photo by Justin Pritchard
2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve Photo by Justin Pritchard
2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve Photo by Justin Pritchard
2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve Photo by Justin Pritchard
2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve Photo by Justin Pritchard
2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve Photo by Justin Pritchard
2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve Photo by Justin Pritchard
2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve Photo by Justin Pritchard
The first time I opened the door to this machine, it felt like I was getting punched in the face with a fragrant leather glove. From a quick glance, there’s a nearly overwhelming use of texture, colour, and materials, complete with a strong layering effect that stacks glossy plastics over metal trim, quilted and stitched leather, and ties it all together with satin aluminum accents to brighten up the scenery.
Speaking of brightening the scenery, my tester’s brightest on-board colours were found down low in the cockpit, allowing the quilted leather and silky-smooth centre console sides to really pop against the darker A-pillars and ceiling liner. This specific deployment of colour and contrast helps the cabin look brighter, more inviting, and more open.
Down to the steering wheel and door storage pockets, you’ll find beautiful materials, beautifully-assembled, and proudly displayed.
Favourite touches included the massage seat functionality, the big, high-gloss touch-screen interface with beautifully-sharp graphics, and the highly customizable digital instrument cluster. Front seat passengers get a built-in display touchscreen that’s not visible to the driver when activated, adding further high-tech flair.
Of the pair, I found the Grand Cherokee’s interior to have more visual impact from a mere glance, and a higher-performing instrument cluster and central touchscreen interface that’s much more straightforward to use.
On the downside? This unit’s interior is home to plenty of easily-smudged, constantly-dusty, and easily-scratched piano-gloss trim, which owners will need to clean frequently (and carefully) to keep it looking at its best. I’d recommend keeping a Swiffer handy, and being careful not to scratch the finish when cleaning.
Also, some infotainment system and instrument cluster text can be too small to read easily, and the climate control console, though easy to use, looks busy and primitive next to the ultra-modern interface in the Genesis.
Finally, the light-coloured lower dash does make splits and seams in the panels more apparent, slightly taking away from the cabin’s otherwise finely-finished look.
In the GV80, use of darker colours on the lower dash quiets the look of the cabin somewhat, but also conceals many of these gaps for an overall cleaner look. Both machines use leather-lined heated steering wheels with built-in thumb grips, though this writer gives the Jeep’s steering wheel the win for easier-to-use controls and a more conventional, richer look. Additionally, the Jeep’s steering wheel connects to the best steering system of the pair. In the GV80, I left my tester wanting for a more planted and precise highway steering feel, while in the Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve’s steering feel impressed more than any SUV steering system in recent memory.
2022 Genesis GV80 Prestige
2022 Genesis GV80 Prestige AWD Photo by Justin Pritchard
2022 Genesis GV80 Prestige AWD Photo by Justin Pritchard
2022 Genesis GV80 Prestige AWD Photo by Justin Pritchard
2022 Genesis GV80 Prestige AWD Photo by Justin Pritchard
Photo by Justin Pritchard
2022 Genesis GV80 Prestige AWD Photo by Justin Pritchard
2022 Genesis GV80 Prestige AWD Photo by Justin Pritchard
2022 Genesis GV80 Prestige AWD Photo by Justin Pritchard
The Genesis GV80 offered one of the nicest highway touring drives of any three-row luxury SUV I’ve tested recently, and the interior helps set the stage for laid-back cruising while surrounding occupants with the latest luxury design must-haves.
Opening the door to my tester for the first time, the GV80’s cabin looks more calm and subdued than that of the Grand Cherokee, while quickly inviting closer inspection and then rewarding it. Meanwhile, the Jeep’s cabin seems to want to show you everything at once, with colours and textures all captivating the eyes instantly.
In the GV80, there’s a more restrained colour and texture palette, but a stronger emphasis on flowing and unique shapes, as well as clean-cut interfaces that are nicely integrated into its surroundings. Cabin trimmings are mostly dark, but the most beautiful and unique elements (steering wheel, centre console controls) are cleanly trimmed with metal accents helping them stand out and making them a stronger part of the atmosphere.
With extended use of quilted leather that even wraps the centre console tunnel sides, and more leather or wood-grain trim apparent in areas where the Grand Cherokee uses piano gloss trim, I found the GV80’s interior to ultimately look and feel a touch richer and more upscale on closer inspection, especially with all the sparkly knurled control knobs.
The multi-layered instrument cluster creates a unique 3D effect, and drive modes call up unique gauge designs that are plenty of fun. It’s a more dynamic-looking instrument cluster than the Grand Cherokee’s, though I found the display more straightforward to use (and read) in the Jeep. Similarly, the Genesis’ central command system uses a big, wide screen and remote trackpad setup, though this writer preferred the bigger, more straightforward and more ideally-placed interface in the Jeep.
The GV80 also has the more luxurious and high-tech looking centre console and climate control interface, thanks to metal-trimmed controls, a more modern-looking climate control cluster with integrated display screens, and luxurious wood-trim to tie it all together.
Feature favourites in the GV80 included redundant controls mounted to the inboard side of the passenger seat, allowing drivers to recline a snoozing passenger or back the seat up for a larger occupant, without much of a reach over. Also, during highway touring, I found the blind-spot camera mirrors a strong feature that’s not available in the Jeep.
Still, the aluminum surface on the centre console of the GV80 is easily smudged, and harder to clean than the piano-gloss trim in the Grand Cherokee — so pick your poison. A few of the GV80’s control interfaces and buttons display inconsistent gaps which may disappoint some occupants who go in for a closer look.
2022 Genesis GV80 Prestige AWD Photo by Justin Pritchard
Ask the audience
Both of these interiors are beautiful and well-equipped places to spend some time on the open road, and neither is head-and-shoulders superior to the other — a result of both automakers throwing everything in their design and technology arsenals into the mix, at this price-point.
An informal poll on social media revealed the most controversy between the pair swirling around the strange oval steering wheel design of the GV80, which is a love-it or hate-it deal, as well as the button-soup climate-control console in the Grand Cherokee.
For your consideration, here are some snippets from the comments section of my Facebook photo survey of these machines.
“Not much in it. I prefer the location, size and shape of the Jeep screen. Prefer the Jeep colourway here as well.”
“The Jeep looks cluttered.”
“Wood trim is gorgeous in the Jeep and I’m a fan of big screens but overall the Genesis is more striking and modern. Love the steering wheel!”
“Jeep for the win, other than all the piano black. Better switchgear, and the Genesis interface is a hot mess.”
“Beaver panel = ugly, quilted seats = ugly”
“What TF is the GV80’s steering wheel!?”
“The Jeep’s cabin looks more engaging, but the GV80’s centre console and centre stack are the best of the pair.”
“Love the quilted details– but beige looks higher-value than dark, more designer.”
“Did the GV80 go overboard on the quilted stitching?”
“LOL @ the Jeep’s mess of a climate control control. Button soup, anyone?”
“Take the steering wheel, dash, and screens from the Jeep and give them the Genesis lower control panel. Parfait!”
2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve Photo by Justin Pritchard
Which luxury SUV would I choose?
My friend, colleague, and fellow auto-journalist Miranda Lightstone, sums things up very nicely for the GV80. “The Genesis has an artistic, architectural flare that the Jeep just seems to lack,” she says. “Both are gorgeous inside and so nice to be in and drive, but the Genesis just edges above in terms of design and placement for that centre console — plus I love the Genesis steering wheel, too.” (Miranda and I can agree to disagree on that last point, though.)
My preference, as someone who enjoys a busier-looking interior with more buttons and controls on display? The Jeep Grand Cherokee. It’s primarily because of the larger and more impressive-looking infotainment system, more energetic colour and materials palette, and higher-impact visuals.
Still, the GV80’s smooth, metal-trimmed consoles, 3D instruments and indispensable blind-spot cameras would be dearly missed. Not that steering wheel, though.
Keyword: Interior Comparison: 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve vs Genesis GV80 Prestige