2021 HE vs 2016 Differences - Is there already a thread? (1 Viewer)

[Dan Higgins]

I'm no Search guru but I did try to find a single thread that identified all of the differences between a 2016 (which I used to have) and a 2021 HE (which I now have). I realize this includes the differences that were introduced in 2018 and later. I think I have identified most of them but not sure. So here is what I have:

• Auto-raise upper lift gate (can disable)
• Soft close tailgate
• 3rd row optional (mine came with the 3rd row and I kept the RH jump seat in while removing the LH for my ARB drawer)
• No Rear Entertain monitors. Which is good as I had removed those on my 2016
• Auto-folding side view mirrors
• Different headrests. This surprised me as I hadn't heard of this. But the Blue Ridge Overland headrest velcro wraps I had on my 2016 almost didn't fit the headrests on the 2021 HE.
• The upholstery threading is different on my seats. Is the leather also different? It seems that way but that may simply be because I had 5 years and over 100K on my 2016 leather!
• The 2021 HE came with a rooftop cargo basket which I let the dealer keep but I guess that is standard on the HE versions
• And then there is the cosmetic stuff like the wheels (which were the same size on my 2016), the black side mirrors the "supposedly" darker chrome (yes it is darker but I hardly notice. And of course the retro insignia on the rear pillars.

Is that it? I'm particularly interested if there are any functional differences I have missed. Something that I may not be using because it didn't exist on my 2016.

Thanks!

(Sorry if this has all been addressed elsewhere.)

 

[CharlieS]

Heritage: No cool box. No running boards. Bronze painted forged BBS rims (except spare which is a base alloy) . Darkened chrome trim. No door guards. Yakima basket rack. Two row seating with cargo cover, and optional 3rd row (2021 only option). Different non-analine (?) leather with bronze contrast stitching. D-pillar retro badge. Black mirror shells. Different rear springs on two row. Maybe an all weather cargo mat with the two row version, but I think that is a dealer installed option.

They also seem to come with rattling headrests, according to many posts here.

Plus the 18+ stuff you listed: power opening upper tailgate, soft close lower tailgate, auto fold mirrors, kdss screws changed to external hex, radiator updated.

edit: I forgot the darker headlights (pointed out by someone else below) on the HE. Also the infotainment screen changed the way it senses inputs (capacitive vs resistive?) somewhere after 2016.

 

[04UZJ100]

Your 2021 has CarPlay and more USB ports











/s

 

[AnyMal]

Heritage: No cool box. No running boards. Bronze painted forged BBS rims (except spare which is a base alloy) . Darkened chrome trim. No door guards. Yakima basket rack. Two row seating with cargo cover, and optional 3rd row (2021 only option). Different non-analine (?) leather with bronze contrast stitching. D-pillar retro badge. Black mirror shells. Different rear springs on two row. Maybe an all weather cargo mat with the two row version, but I think that is a dealer installed option.

They also seem to come with rattling headrests, according to many posts here.

Plus the 18+ stuff you listed: power opening upper tailgate, soft close lower tailgate, auto fold mirrors, kdss screws changed to external hex, radiator updated.

Do you know anything more about the rear springs on the two row? I have my third row seats and second row screens removed and 10lbs less in the spare location and desperately trying to solve my drivers side leaning ahc and starting to think its the rear springs.

 

[residualboulders]

Your 2021 has CarPlay and more USB ports

Nope. No CarPlay in 2021. I had to install Naviplus to get it. I doubt more USB ports too. Single up front, that's it. Disappointing on both fronts, but can be resolved I guess. Shouldn't have to on a car this expensive, but it is what it is.

 

[Madtiger]

Your 2021 also has a different front differential carrier…slightly thicker. Benefits is unknown. Just FYI.

And in 2018+, you have cool key fob design.

 

[Tex68w]

THERE IS "NO" CARPLAY, I'm not sure who started that rumor but it's not true. Trust me, I wish that it were true lol.

 

[04UZJ100]

Nope. No CarPlay in 2021. I had to install Naviplus to get it. I doubt more USB ports too. Single up front, that's it. Disappointing on both fronts, but can be resolved I guess. Shouldn't have to on a car this expensive, but it is what it is.

You didn’t see my /s at the end of my post, did you.

 

[Madtiger]

You didn’t see my /s at the end of my post, did you.

I am not down with the current lingo…”/s” what does that mean?

 

[CharlieS]

Do you know anything more about the rear springs on the two row? I have my third row seats and second row screens removed and 10lbs less in the spare location and desperately trying to solve my drivers side leaning ahc and starting to think its the rear springs.

Sorry, I don’t. Someone, maybe @bloc was collecting info, but I don’t know if they came to any conclusions.

 

[04UZJ100]

I am not down with the current lingo…”/s” what does that mean?

Sarcasm.

 

[residualboulders]

Sarcasm.

Yeah sorry, I guess I'm too old to know what that means. My bad. But now that i know, it was funny and I feel like an idiot. Won't be the last time.

 

[HSTexan]

Slightly different front grille design and blacked out headlight backgrounds as well

 

[bloc]

Sorry, I don’t. Someone, maybe @bloc was collecting info, but I don’t know if they came to any conclusions.

I have 2-row HE, and ~150k mile 2013 base 3-row springs at the moment. HE has thinner wire and similar number of wraps, but are longer.

Thinner wire implies less rate.

Really need to find a way to check the rate of each but I don’t have a good way to measure that.

 

[TORCHO]

Heritage also has the dark headlight housing and no chrome side door trim. Which IMHO really looks better

 

[Tex68w]

Heritage also has the dark headlight housing and no chrome side door trim. Which IMHO really looks better

I agree. I wish the chrome side molding was only stuck on with double-sided tape, I would have removed it day one if it were.

 

[CharlieS]

Yeah sorry, I guess I'm too old to know what that means. My bad. But now that i know, it was funny and I feel like an idiot. Won't be the last time.

I had no idea what /s was either. I learn something new every day.

 

[yonah]

One thing that I noticed not mentioned is that HEs (2021s) all appear to have the black headliner and black/slate gray pillar trim pieces.

From what I’ve seen, these back accent pieces are only found on 200s that normally have brown/saddle leather seats. Maybe I am wrong or haven’t viewed enough listings online, but that is my observation.

I thought this was interesting.

 

[RocketCityLC]

The 2021's have different A/C refrigerant. My 2021 has R-1234yf, and my parents' white 2020 has HFC-134a.

 

[CharlieS]

One thing that I noticed not mentioned is that HEs (2021s) all appear to have the black headliner and black/slate gray pillar trim pieces.

From what I’ve seen, these back accent pieces are only found on 200s that normally have brown/saddle leather seats. Maybe I am wrong or haven’t viewed enough listings online, but that is my observation.

I thought this was interesting.

I think you are right. I remember chatting with Eric Sarjeant (where is that guy?) last year when I was looking to buy a new one, and he said that the black headliner and pillar trim was on the HE but not the base with black interior. I’d much prefer a black headliner rather than the light grey in my rig.