Compare the2026 Jeep Grand CherokeeVS 2026 Lincoln Nautilus

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Grand Cherokee Summit’s standard Hill-descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Nautilus doesn’t offer Hill-descent Control.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the Grand Cherokee Limited Reserve/Summit helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The Nautilus doesn’t offer a night vision system.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee offers an optional 360-degree camera and it also offers an optional rear camera washer to make backing always safe, regardless of road dirt or grime, while the Lincoln Nautilus doesn’t offer a camera washer, requiring manual cleaning.

Both the Grand Cherokee and the Nautilus have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive, around view monitors and driver alert monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Jeep Grand Cherokee is safer than the Lincoln Nautilus:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH, results indicate that the Jeep Grand Cherokee is safer than the Lincoln Nautilus:

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

There are over 5 times as many Jeep dealers as there are Lincoln dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Grand Cherokee’s warranty.

The battery on the Grand Cherokee is under the seat, which protects it from hot under-hood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the Grand Cherokee’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The Nautilus’ battery is in the hot engine compartment.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Jeep vehicles are better in initial quality than Lincoln vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Jeep above average in initial quality. With 20 more problems per 100 vehicles, Lincoln is rated below average.

The Grand Cherokee Laredo’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 43 more horsepower (293 vs. 250) than the Nautilus’ standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The Grand Cherokee Laredo’s 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 8 more horsepower (293 vs. 285) than the Nautilus’ optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid. The Grand Cherokee’s optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 39 more horsepower (324 vs. 285) and 37 lbs.-ft. more torque (332 vs. 295) than the Nautilus’ optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Jeep Grand Cherokee uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Nautilus requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 84.9 cents more per gallon.

The Grand Cherokee has 3.2 gallons more fuel capacity than the Nautilus (23 vs. 19.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Jeep Grand Cherokee higher (6 out of 10) than the Lincoln Nautilus (5). This means the Grand Cherokee produces up to 6.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Nautilus every 15,000 miles.

For better stopping power the Grand Cherokee’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Nautilus:

The Grand Cherokee’s standard front and rear disc brakes are vented to help dissipate heat for shorter stops with less fading. The rear discs on the Nautilus are solid, not vented.

For better traction, the Grand Cherokee has larger standard tires than the Nautilus (265/60R18 vs. 255/60R19). The Grand Cherokee Summit’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Nautilus (275/45R21 vs. 255/60R19).

The Grand Cherokee has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Nautilus doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Grand Cherokee offers an optional full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Nautilus; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which has mileage and speed limitations, or roadside assistance and a tow-truck.

The Grand Cherokee offers an optional automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Grand Cherokee’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The Nautilus doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Grand Cherokee’s wheelbase is 2.5 inches longer than on the Nautilus (116.7 inches vs. 114.2 inches).

The Grand Cherokee’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (52% to 48%) than the Nautilus’ (56% to 44%). This gives the Grand Cherokee more stable handling and braking.

The Grand Cherokee Limited 4x4 handles at .78 G’s, while the Nautilus Black Label pulls only .74 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Grand Cherokee Limited 4x4 executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Nautilus Black Label (28.1 seconds @ .58 average G’s vs. 28.8 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

For greater off-road capability the Grand Cherokee has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Nautilus (8.4 vs. 7.9 inches), allowing the Grand Cherokee to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Grand Cherokee Summit’s minimum ground clearance is 3 inches higher than on the Nautilus (10.9 vs. 7.9 inches).

The front grille of the Grand Cherokee uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Nautilus doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Grand Cherokee has .3 inches more front headroom, .6 inches more front hip room and .3 inches more front shoulder room than the Nautilus.

The Grand Cherokee has a much larger cargo volume than the Nautilus with its rear seat up (37.7 vs. 36.4 cubic feet).

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Grand Cherokee. The Nautilus doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

The Grand Cherokee’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Nautilus’ (3500 vs. 0 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Lincoln Nautilus is only 1750 pounds. The Grand Cherokee offers up to a 6200 lbs. towing capacity.

The engine in the Grand Cherokee is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Nautilus. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Nautilus, the Grand Cherokee Summit has a passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position (with optional power wheel adjuster), outside mirror angle and radio stations and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The Grand Cherokee’s instruments include an oil pressure gauge and a temperature gauge - which could save your engine! Often ‘idiot lights’ don’t warn you until damage has been done. The Nautilus does not have an oil pressure gauge.

The Grand Cherokee Limited Reserve/Summit offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, certain gauge and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Nautilus doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

Manual rear side window sunshades are available in the Grand Cherokee to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Nautilus doesn’t offer rear side window sunshades.

The Grand Cherokee Limited Reserve/Trailhawk/Summit has standard front air conditioned seats and the Grand Cherokee Summit also has them in the rear. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The Nautilus doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee stands out above the Lincoln Nautilus by offering not one, but two Qi-compatible phone chargers. This convenience helps travelers with multiple devices to keep powered up on-the-go. Wireless charging eliminates lost or cluttered charging cables and one of them provide more flexibility.

The Grand Cherokee is available in both rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive configurations. The Nautilus doesn’t offer a two-wheel drive configuration.

According to iSeeCars.com the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee retains 47.26% of its original value after 5 years, more than the 43.1% resale value of the 2026 Lincoln Nautilus after five years, which can save the Jeep’s owner up to $11442 in depreciation.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee outsold the Lincoln Nautilus by over six to one during 2025.