Compare the2025 Jeep Grand CherokeeVS 2025 Acura RDX

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Environmental Friendliness
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Model Availability
Recommendations

Safety

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In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Grand Cherokee are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The RDX doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Grand Cherokee has standard ParkSense Rear Park Assist with Stop that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The RDX doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the Grand Cherokee Overland/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 RDX doesn’t offer a night vision system.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee (except Laredo)’s optional360-degree camera can be optionally equipped with washers for its front and rear cameras, ensuring crystal-clear visibility in any weather condition. Conversely, the Acura RDX only offers a rear camera washer, which may not provide the same level of all-weather performance.

The Grand Cherokee Summit’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The RDX doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

Both the Grand Cherokee and the RDX have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, 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 and around view 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 Acura RDX:

	Grand Cherokee	RDX
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	129	300
Neck Injury Risk	21%	26%
Neck Stress	152 lbs.	262 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	482/259 lbs.	328/464 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	137	353
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.6 inches
Neck Injury Risk	28%	30%
Neck Compression	41 lbs.	84 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	400/347 lbs.	362/441 lbs.

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 and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Jeep Grand Cherokee is safer than the Acura RDX:

	Grand Cherokee	RDX
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Spine Acceleration	39 G’s	52 G’s
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	458	486
Hip Force	528 lbs.	704 lbs.

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

Warranty

Jeep pays for scheduled maintenance (up to 2 visits) on the Grand Cherokee for 1 year and unlimited miles longer than Acura pays for maintenance for the RDX (2/unlimited vs. 1/12000).

There are almost 9 times as many Jeep dealers as there are Acura dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Grand Cherokee’s warranty.

Reliability

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Jeep vehicles are more reliable than Acura With 26 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Jeep higher than Acura.

Engine

The Grand Cherokee’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6 produces 21 more horsepower (293 vs. 272) than the RDX’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder. The Grand Cherokee 4xe’s standard 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 103 more horsepower (375 vs. 272) and 190 lbs.-ft. more torque (470 vs. 280) than the RDX’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Car and Driver the Grand Cherokee 4xe 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid is faster than the Acura RDX:

	Grand Cherokee	RDX
Zero to 60 MPH	5.3 sec	6.2 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	6.1 sec	6.9 sec
Quarter Mile	13.9 sec	14.9 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	100 MPH	94 MPH
Top Speed	117 MPH	112 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Grand Cherokee running on electricity gets better mileage than the RDX:

			MPGe
Grand Cherokee
	AWD	4xe Electric Motor	57 city/56 hwy
RDX
			MPG
	AWD	2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/27 hwy
		A-Spec 2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/26 hwy

The Grand Cherokee 4xe can travel with zero emissions for 26 miles. The RDX can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the Grand Cherokee 4xe’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The RDX doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The Grand Cherokee 4xe’s standard fuel tank has 1.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the RDX (19 vs. 17.1 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Grand Cherokee’s standard fuel tank has 5.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the RDX (23 vs. 17.1 gallons).

Environmental Friendliness

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

Brakes and Stopping

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

	Grand Cherokee	RDX
Front Rotors	13.9 inches	12.4 inches
Rear Rotors	13.8 inches	12.2 inches

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 RDX are solid, not vented.

Tires and Wheels

For better traction, the Grand Cherokee has larger standard tires than the RDX (245/70R17 vs. 235/55R19). The Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the RDX (275/45R21 vs. 255/45R20).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve has standard 21-inch wheels. The RDX’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

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 RDX; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which has mileage and speed limitations, or roadside assistance and a tow-truck.

Suspension and Handling

The Grand Cherokee Trailhawk has active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The RDX doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

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 RDX doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Grand Cherokee’s wheelbase is 8.4 inches longer than on the RDX (116.7 inches vs. 108.3 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Grand Cherokee is 1.2 inches wider in the front and .7 inches wider in the rear than on the RDX.

The Grand Cherokee’s front to rear weight distribution is more even (52% to 48%) than the RDX’s (57% to 43%). This gives the Grand Cherokee more stable handling and braking.

For better maneuverability, the Grand Cherokee’s turning circle is .9 feet tighter than the RDX’s (38 feet vs. 38.9 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Grand Cherokee has a greater minimum ground clearance than the RDX (8.4 vs. 8.2 inches), allowing the Grand Cherokee to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Grand Cherokee Trailhawk Air Suspension’s minimum ground clearance is 2.7 inches higher than on the RDX (10.9 vs. 8.2 inches).

Chassis

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 RDX doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

Passenger Space

The Grand Cherokee has 3 cubic feet more passenger volume than the RDX (107 vs. 104).

The Grand Cherokee has .3 inches more front headroom, 2.4 inches more front hip room, 1.1 inches more rear headroom, 6.4 inches more rear hip room and 1.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the RDX.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Grand Cherokee’s rear seats recline. The RDX’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Grand Cherokee has a much larger cargo volume than the RDX with its rear seat up (37.7 vs. 31.1 cubic feet).

Towing

The Grand Cherokee’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the RDX’s (3500 vs. 1500 pounds). Maximum trailer towing in the Acura RDX is only 1500 pounds. The Grand Cherokee offers up to a 6200 lbs. towing capacity.

The Grand Cherokee 4WD with optional equipment can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Grand Cherokee can be unhitched and driven around locally. The RDX can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Grand Cherokee uses 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. The RDX doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Servicing Ease

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

Ergonomics

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the RDX, the Grand Cherokee Overland Luxury Tech/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 RDX does not have an oil pressure gauge.

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

The Grand Cherokee’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The RDX has an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Optional air conditioned front and rear seats keep the Grand Cherokee’s passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The RDX doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

The Grand Cherokee Overland Luxury Tech/Summit has standard massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the RDX.

The Grand Cherokee (except Laredo A) offers an optional 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The RDX doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

The Grand Cherokee 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 RDX doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

Model Availability

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

Recommendations

The Jeep Grand Cherokee outsold the Acura RDX by almost five to one during 2024.

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