Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Vs. Overland: What's The Difference?

The Jeep brand was born in the 1940s, with the company's first 4X4 vehicles being manufactured for use by the U.S. Army on World War II battlefields across Europe. Having proven its mettle on the battlefield, Jeep was quick to introduce a more civilian-friendly 4X4 to the American public in 1945. The company has since released a celebrated line of 4X4 vehicles over the ensuing decades. Some might even argue Jeep played a key role in ushering in the era of the SUV, introducing the International Harvester Scout and Wagoneer in the 1960s, and the best-selling Cherokee in the 1980s. 

By the time the 1990s hit, Jeep bosses had luxury on the brain, with the Jeep Grand Cherokee hitting the market in 1993 after making its debut at the '92 Detroit Auto Show. Some great and not-so-great versions of the Grand Cherokee have been in the company's lineup of SUVs ever since, with the luxury build now several generations into its production run.

Each generational upgrade of the Grand Cherokee has brought with it myriad interior and exterior design changes. That includes the celebrated 2024 version, which is available in several different models and trim packages, among them the Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland and the Summit. Those models are pretty comparable on paper, but each offers consumers something distinctly unique from the other. While the Overland is a slightly cheaper (not cheap) and more rugged model, the Summit offers a sleeker design with a few more bells and whistles relating to safety and entertainment. 

We'll start with the Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland. It's the cheaper of the two models, but a base model will still set you back $60,995 at the time of writing. Rest assured that there's not much that should be considered "base" about the Overland, with the 8-speed SUV coming equipped with a 3.6L V6 engine that can push an impressive 293 horsepower at 6,400 RPM.

That powerful engine will no doubt come in handy for folks looking to steer their Overland headlong into off-road terrains or charge it up mountain roads in search of parts unknown. Drivers can also pull a load weighing as much as 6,200 pounds when properly equipped. Meanwhile, features like Selec-Terrain ABS and stability control package with anti-rollover measures ensure drivers can tackle the toughest of roads in relative safety. Unfortunately, the Overland won't do much for your gas budget, delivering an average of just 19 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the freeway.

The four-door Overland can also be purchased in a 2-row or extended 3-row model, offering the option to add more seats for those with large families (or families that are still growing). As for the interior, it appears as luxurious as you'd imagine from the Grand Cherokee line: The Overland also boasts several elevated standard options like massaging driver and passenger-side seats, adaptive cruise control, leather trim, and voice-activated entertainment features, while allowing buyers to upgrade the interior and entertainment packages to their liking.  

If luxurious is what you're looking for in your SUV, the Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit might be the better option. As noted, the vehicle comes with many of the same essential features as the Overland, including the 8-speed transmission and 3.6L V6 engine. It also comes with the same 36-month or 36,000 mile limited warranty and an extended 60-month or 60,000 warranty on the powertrain. Likewise, the $62,520 price tag includes roadside assistance within the same parameters as the powertrain coverage and the SUV offers 2 or 3-row build options.

Similarities aside, in a side-by-side visual comparison between a Grand Cherokee Overland and a Summit, drivers will begin to spot the differences, with the latter Jeep fronting a sleeker front-end design and elevated chrome work in the grill. The modified front-end is not the only difference, as the Summit offers a few more creature comforts than the Overland once you're in the driver's seat. Among the interior upgrades are the Summit's 10.1-inch in-dash touch screen, which is almost 2 inches larger than the Overland's. 

If you like to kick out the jams when cruising down the road, Summit boasts an upgraded sound system with a whopping 19 speakers — a full nine more outputs than its counterpart. The luxury Grand Cherokee also comes equipped with several upgraded safety features, including Jeep's Intersection Collision-Assist System, Highway Assist System, and Surround-View Camera System, each of which will cost you a few extra bucks to add to the Overland package. So, if you're torn between an Overland and a Summit, it's really just a matter how safe and how swanky you need your SUV adventures to be.