Is the Jeep Grand Cherokee more reliable than the Subaru Outback?

No. The Outback comes out ahead by a clear margin. It has far fewer federal recalls, a lower yearly repair cost, and a slightly lower chance of a major repair. The Jeep does make fewer unscheduled shop visits, but its transmission, steering and brake complaints are more serious.

Which has more recalls, the Grand Cherokee or the Outback?

The Grand Cherokee has far more. Federal recall records show 97 recalls across nine model years for the Jeep and 22 for the Outback. That is a big gap, though a recall count alone does not say how well the fix worked or how many cars were affected.

Which costs less to repair?

The Outback costs less, at $607 a year against $666 for the Grand Cherokee. Over five years that is about $295 saved. The Outback also has a 12% chance that a repair is major, compared with 13% for the Jeep, so the gap is modest.

Why does the Outback have more complaints if it is more reliable?

Owners filed more complaints per vehicle sold on the Outback, with 26.1 per 10,000 against 6.8 for the Jeep. Most are about windshields that crack with little impact and batteries that keep dying. Those are frequent, but less tied to failed drivetrains than the Jeep's problems.

What are the biggest Grand Cherokee problems to check for?

Start with the transmission, where owners report harsh shifts, slipping and full replacements. Next, check the 3.6L V6 for ticking and misfires from camshaft and rocker arm wear. Also test the power steering, which some owners say cuts out without warning, and watch for acceleration surges when parking.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Jeep Grand Cherokee vs Subaru Outback: Reliability Compared

Jeep Grand Cherokee

Good

More Reliable

Subaru Outback

Good

On reliability, the Subaru Outback beats the Jeep Grand Cherokee by a clear margin, mainly on far fewer federal recalls and a lower repair bill. Owners do file more complaints about the Outback, mostly cracked windshields and dead batteries.

How Do the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Subaru Outback Generations Compare?

Older designs fill most of this comparison. The Jeep's 2018 to 2022 years belong to the fourth generation, which ran from 2011 to 2022. The fifth generation started in 2021, so 2021 and 2022 overlap the two designs. The Outback's 2018 and 2019 years were fifth generation, with a facelift in 2018. The sixth generation covered 2020 to 2025, with a refresh in 2023, and the seventh began with the 2026 model year. The Outback's weakest years, 2019 and 2020, sit at the end of one generation and the start of the next. The newest years have had little time to collect complaints.

Verdict

The Subaru Outback is more reliable than the Jeep Grand Cherokee, scoring 72/100 vs 66/100.

Reliability favors the Outback by a clear margin. Federal recall records show 22 recalls across nine model years for the Outback against 97 for the Grand Cherokee. Independent repair-cost data also puts the Outback's yearly bill lower, with a slightly smaller chance that a repair is major. The Outback draws more complaints per vehicle sold, but its biggest groups are cracked windshields and battery drain. The Jeep's complaints include transmission replacements and engine wear, which are more serious failures.

Key Differences

1Subaru Outback has 75 fewer total recalls
2Subaru Outback costs $59 less per year to repair
3Jeep Grand Cherokee has 19.3 fewer complaints per 10k sold

Category Scoreboard

2Jeep Grand Cherokee

—

4Subaru Outback

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair Risk

Jeep Grand Cherokee vs Subaru Outback: Which Is More Reliable?

Jeep Grand Cherokee vs Subaru Outback at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Jeep Grand Cherokee	Subaru Outback
Reliability Score	66/100	72/100
Years Tracked	9	9
Total Recalls	97	22
Complaints per 10k Sold	6.8	26.1
Annual Repair Cost	$666/yr	$607/yr
Repair Frequency	0.3/yr	0.4/yr
Major Repair Risk	13%	12%
Year Wins	2	7

What Are the Common Problems With the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Subaru Outback?

Trouble looks different on each. Jeep owners report sudden acceleration while parking, engines shutting off with a "place vehicle in park" message, harsh transmission shifts that end in replacement, and camshaft and rocker arm wear on the 3.6L V6. Service brakes are a crash-linked area for the Jeep, including a pedal that went to the floor. The Outback's top complaints are windshields that crack with little impact and batteries that die repeatedly, which some dealers trace to the data communications module. Its listed problem areas do not include service brakes. Both models have touchscreens that delaminate.

Jeep Grand Cherokee vs Subaru Outback common problem areas comparison
Component	Jeep Grand Cherokee	Subaru Outback
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	2.2Low	7.2Above Avg
VISIBILITY/WIPER	—None	8.3Above Avg
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.9Very Low	3.9Average
VISIBILITY	—None	1.5Low
POWER TRAIN	0.7Very Low	0.6Very Low
STEERING	0.6Very Low	0.6Very Low
SERVICE BRAKES	0.5Very Low	0.2Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.2Very Low	0.5Very Low
ENGINE	0.4Very Low	0.2Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	0.1Very Low	0.4Very Low
STRUCTURE	—None	0.4Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	0.1Very Low	0.2Very Low
SUSPENSION	0.2Very Low	—None
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	—None	0.2Very Low
SEATS	0.1Very Low	—None
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	—None	—None
LANE DEPARTURE	—None	—None
BACK OVER PREVENTION	—None	—None
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Jeep Grand Cherokee or Subaru Outback?

Repair bills favor the Outback at $607 a year against $666 for the Grand Cherokee. That $59 gap adds up to $295 over five years. The Jeep does better on unscheduled shop visits, at 0.3 a year against 0.4. The chance that a repair is major is 13% for the Jeep and 12% for the Outback. The cost gap is small, so recalls and the type of failure matter more than price.

How Does Jeep Grand Cherokee vs Subaru Outback Reliability Compare by Year?

Jeep Grand Cherokee vs Subaru Outback year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Jeep Grand Cherokee	Subaru Outback	Edge
2026	70/1002R / 0C	82/1000R / 0C	Subaru Outback
2025	75/1003R / 59C	82/1000R / 43C	Subaru Outback
2024	66/10020R / 204C	82/1000R / 69C	Subaru Outback
2023	63/10022R / 363C	77/1002R / 83C	Subaru Outback
2022	62/10014R / 192C	67/1004R / 435C	Subaru Outback
2021	63/10015R / 427C	69/1004R / 283C	Subaru Outback
2020	72/1003R / 207C	60/1006R / 884C	Jeep Grand Cherokee
2019	67/1007R / 336C	63/1003R / 1017C	Jeep Grand Cherokee
2018	60/10011R / 804C	64/1003R / 779C	Subaru Outback

Best years to cross-shop: The 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee scored 72/100 and the 2024 Subaru Outback scored 82/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Jeep Grand Cherokee vs the Subaru Outback?

If you want lower running costs and fewer recalls, buy the Outback. Skip 2019 and 2020, its weakest years. Before you sign, ask about windshield history, since owners report repeat cracks and say replacement glass can need the EyeSight camera recalibrated. Also ask whether the battery has been replaced more than once. The 2025 and 2026 years show few complaints mostly because they have had little time on the road, so do not treat that as proof they are better. Choose the Grand Cherokee if fewer unscheduled shop visits matter most and you can live with a higher recall count. Target 2020, its strongest year with a real track record, and avoid 2018 and 2022. Whatever year you pick, ask for transmission service records and listen for ticking from the 3.6L V6. Test the steering and brakes on a long drive, because both areas have crash-linked reports.

Jeep Grand Cherokee vs Subaru Outback: Common Questions

Is the Jeep Grand Cherokee more reliable than the Subaru Outback?: No. The Outback comes out ahead by a clear margin. It has far fewer federal recalls, a lower yearly repair cost, and a slightly lower chance of a major repair. The Jeep does make fewer unscheduled shop visits, but its transmission, steering and brake complaints are more serious.
Which has more recalls, the Grand Cherokee or the Outback?: The Grand Cherokee has far more. Federal recall records show 97 recalls across nine model years for the Jeep and 22 for the Outback. That is a big gap, though a recall count alone does not say how well the fix worked or how many cars were affected.
Which costs less to repair?: The Outback costs less, at $607 a year against $666 for the Grand Cherokee. Over five years that is about $295 saved. The Outback also has a 12% chance that a repair is major, compared with 13% for the Jeep, so the gap is modest.
Why does the Outback have more complaints if it is more reliable?: Owners filed more complaints per vehicle sold on the Outback, with 26.1 per 10,000 against 6.8 for the Jeep. Most are about windshields that crack with little impact and batteries that keep dying. Those are frequent, but less tied to failed drivetrains than the Jeep's problems.
What are the biggest Grand Cherokee problems to check for?: Start with the transmission, where owners report harsh shifts, slipping and full replacements. Next, check the 3.6L V6 for ticking and misfires from camshaft and rocker arm wear. Also test the power steering, which some owners say cuts out without warning, and watch for acceleration surges when parking.

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How we score the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Subaru Outback

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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