Compare the2026 Jeep Grand CherokeeVS 2026 Acura RDX

For enhanced safety, the front and rear seat shoulder belts of the Jeep Grand Cherokee have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision and force limiters to limit the pressure the belts will exert on the passengers. The Acura RDX doesn’t offer pretensioners for its rear seat belts.

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

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, 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:

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:

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

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.

The battery on the Grand Cherokee is under the seat, which protects it from hot under-hood temperatures that can degrade battery life. By keeping the Grand Cherokee’s battery 20 to 30 degrees cooler, its life is increased by years. The RDX’s battery is in the hot engine compartment.

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 Acura vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Jeep above average in initial quality. With 12 more problems per 100 vehicles, Acura is rated below average.

The Grand Cherokee Laredo’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’s optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 52 more horsepower (324 vs. 272) and 52 lbs.-ft. more torque (332 vs. 280) than the RDX’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder.

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

The Grand Cherokee has 5.9 gallons more fuel capacity than the RDX (23 vs. 17.1 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups.

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.

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

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.

For better traction, the Grand Cherokee has larger standard tires than the RDX (265/60R18 vs. 235/55R19). The Grand Cherokee Summit’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 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.

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 Summit’s minimum ground clearance is 2.7 inches higher than on the RDX (10.9 vs. 8.2 inches).

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.

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.

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

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 Summit 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.

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.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the RDX, the Grand Cherokee 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.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Grand Cherokee Summit has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The RDX doesn’t offer cornering lights.

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.

The Grand Cherokee Limited Reserve/Trailhawk/Summit has standard front air conditioned seats and the Grand Cherokee Summit also has them in the rear. This keeps the passengers comfortable and takes the sting out of hot seats in summer. The RDX doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

The Grand Cherokee 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 Jeep Grand Cherokee stands out above the Acura RDX by offering not one, but two Qi-compatible phone chargers. 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 Laredo X/Altitude/Limited/Summit has a 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.

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.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Grand Cherokee third among midsize SUVs in owner reported satisfaction. This includes how well the vehicle performs and satisfies its owner’s expectations. The RDX isn’t in the top three in its category.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee outsold the Acura RDX by almost seven to one during 2025.