Compare the2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee LVS 2026 Lincoln Navigator

For enhanced safety, the front and middle seat shoulder belts of the Jeep Grand Cherokee L are height-adjustable to accommodate a wide variety of driver and passenger heights. A better fit can prevent injuries and the increased comfort also encourages passengers to buckle up. The Lincoln Navigator doesn’t offer height-adjustable middle seat belts.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee L has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags help prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Navigator doesn’t offer knee airbags.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the Grand Cherokee L 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 Navigator doesn’t offer a night vision system.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee L 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 Navigator doesn’t offer a camera washer, requiring manual cleaning.

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the Grand Cherokee L uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. The Navigator uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the Grand Cherokee L and the Navigator have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact 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.

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 L’s warranty.

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.

On the EPA test cycle the Grand Cherokee L gets better mileage than the Navigator:

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

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

The Grand Cherokee L 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 Navigator doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Grand Cherokee L offers an optional full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Navigator; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

The Grand Cherokee L 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 L’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 Navigator doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The Grand Cherokee L 4x4 handles at .82 G’s, while the Navigator Black Label pulls only .79 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

For better maneuverability, the Grand Cherokee L’s turning circle is 2.1 feet tighter than the Navigator’s (39.6 feet vs. 41.7 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Grand Cherokee L Overland/Summit has a 2 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Navigator (10.9 vs. 8.9 inches), allowing the Grand Cherokee L to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee L may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 950 to 1400 pounds less than the Lincoln Navigator.

The Grand Cherokee L is 5.1 inches shorter than the Navigator, making the Grand Cherokee L easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Unibody construction lowers the Grand Cherokee L’s center of gravity significantly without reducing ground clearance. This contributes to better on the road handling and better off-road performance and stability. In addition, unibody construction makes the chassis stiffer, improving handling and reducing squeaks and rattles. The Navigator doesn’t use unibody construction, but a body-on-frame design.

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

The Grand Cherokee L has 1.5 inches more front headroom and 2 inches more rear headroom than the Navigator.

The front step up height for the Grand Cherokee L is .9 inches lower than the Navigator (20.1” vs. 21”). The Grand Cherokee L’s rear step up height is 2.8 inches lower than the Navigator’s (20.2” vs. 23”).

The Grand Cherokee L’s liftgate lifts up in one piece, completely out of the way of loading and unloading, while sheltering the cargo loading area. The Navigator’s tailgate’s top part raises up, but the bottom part lowers, getting in the way of loading and making an uneven surface for sliding cargo.

Trailer Sway Control is standard on the Grand Cherokee L, using the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. A trailer sway program costs extra on the Navigator.

The Grand Cherokee L has a higher maximum payload capacity than the Navigator (1400 vs. 1360 lbs.).

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Navigator, the Grand Cherokee L 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 L 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 Navigator doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

When the Grand Cherokee L Summit is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Navigator’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee L stands out above the Lincoln Navigator by offering not one, but two Qi-compatible phone chargers in the front seat. 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 L Summit’s Parallel and Perpendicular Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling speed with the brake pedal. The Navigator doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

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

According to iSeeCars.com the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee L retains 53.18% of its original value after 5 years, significantly more than the 40.85% resale value of the 2026 Lincoln Navigator after five years, which can save the Jeep’s owner up to $40866 in depreciation.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee outsold the Lincoln Navigator by over 9 to one during 2025.