Compare the2025 GMC AcadiaVS 2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee L

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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The Acadia has a standard front seat center airbag, which deploys between the driver and front passenger, protecting them from injuries caused by striking each other in serious side impacts. The Grand Cherokee L doesn’t offer front seat center airbags.

In a Vehicle-to-Vehicle Frontal Crash Prevention 2.0 test conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), the GMC Acadia achieved a “Good” rating - the highest possible - for its performance in forward collision warning and automatic braking systems, demonstrating its excellent capabilities in preventing collisions. The Jeep Grand Cherokee L has not been tested.

To deliver safety and visibility under dusty conditions the GMC Acadia’s backup monitor has a standard rear washer to keep the view clear. A camera washer system costs extra on the Jeep Grand Cherokee L.

Both the Acadia and Grand Cherokee L have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Acadia has Rear Cross Traffic Braking (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Grand Cherokee L’s Rear Cross Path Detection doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the Acadia and the Grand Cherokee L have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, 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, front parking sensors and driver alert monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the GMC Acadia is safer than the Jeep Grand Cherokee L:

	Acadia	Grand Cherokee L
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	20.1%	21%
Neck Compression	2 lbs.	84 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	32/13 lbs.	482/259 lbs.

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

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the Acadia is much safer than the Grand Cherokee L:

	Acadia	Grand Cherokee L
Overall Evaluation	ACCEPTABLE	POOR
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	118	252
Chest Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh/hip Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh Forces L/R	22/45 pounds	180/360 pounds
Leg/foot Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh Forces L/R	22/45 pounds	180/360 pounds
Leg Forces L/R	337/427 pounds	495/607 pounds
Restraints	GOOD	GOOD
	Rear Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	POOR
Chest Rating	GOOD	POOR
Thigh Rating	GOOD	GOOD

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 GMC Acadia is safer than the Jeep Grand Cherokee L:

	Acadia	Grand Cherokee L
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	64	89
Chest Movement	.6 inches	.8 inches
Abdominal Force	73 lbs.	147 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	14 inches	15 inches
HIC	346	376

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

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the GMC Acadia is safer than the Grand Cherokee L:

	Acadia	Grand Cherokee L
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	55	163
Neck Tension	178 lbs.	312 lbs.
Neck Compression	45 lbs.	67 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.47 in	1.06 in
Shoulder Force	-156 lbs.	178 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	.79 in	1.3 in
Torso Deflection Rate	4 MPH	7 MPH
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Compression	67 lbs.	134 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.83 in	1.38 in
Shoulder Force	-312 lbs.	268 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.06 in	1.69 in
Torso Deflection Rate	8 MPH	11 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	602 lbs.	915 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

The GMC Acadia achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2025 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated moderate overlap front crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Grand Cherokee L is not a “Top Safety Pick” for 2025.

Warranty

The Acadia’s corrosion warranty is 1 year longer than the Grand Cherokee L’s (6 vs. 5 years).

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Acadia has a 220-amp alternator. The Grand Cherokee L’s standard 160-amp alternator isn’t as powerful.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Acadia’s reliability 26 points higher than the Grand Cherokee L.

Engine

The Acadia’s 2.5 turbo 4-cylinder produces 35 more horsepower (328 vs. 293) and 66 lbs.-ft. more torque (326 vs. 260) than the Grand Cherokee L’s 3.6 DOHC V6.

As tested in Consumer Reports the GMC Acadia is faster than the Jeep Grand Cherokee L:

	Acadia	Grand Cherokee L
Zero to 60 MPH	7.6 sec	8.8 sec
45 to 65 MPH Passing	4.1 sec	5.7 sec
Quarter Mile	15.8 sec	16.7 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	93 MPH	85 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Acadia FWD gets better fuel mileage than the Grand Cherokee L RWD (20 city/27 hwy vs. 19 city/26 hwy).

Brakes and Stopping

The Acadia stops much shorter than the Grand Cherokee L:

	Acadia	Grand Cherokee L
60 to 0 MPH	113 feet	139 feet	Motor Trend
60 to 0 MPH (Wet)	148 feet	150 feet	Consumer Reports

Tires and Wheels

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Acadia Denali offers optional 22-inch wheels. The Grand Cherokee L’s largest wheels are only 21-inches.

The GMC Acadia’s wheels have 6 lugs for longer wheel bearing life, less chance of rotor warping and greater strength. The Jeep Grand Cherokee L only has 5 wheel lugs per wheel.

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Acadia is 2.4 inches wider in the front and 2.3 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Grand Cherokee L.

The Acadia Denali AWD handles at .81 G’s, while the Grand Cherokee L Overland pulls only .75 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Acadia Denali AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Grand Cherokee L Overland (27.5 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28.2 seconds @ .59 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Acadia Elevation’s turning circle is .8 feet tighter than the Grand Cherokee L’s (38.8 feet vs. 39.6 feet).

Passenger Space

The Acadia offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the Grand Cherokee L can only carry up to 7.

The Acadia has 2.8 inches more front headroom, 3 inches more front legroom, 1.8 inches more front hip room, 2.8 inches more front shoulder room, .1 inches more rear headroom, 2.1 inches more rear legroom, 2.1 inches more rear hip room, 4 inches more rear shoulder room, .9 inches more third row headroom, 1.8 inches more third row legroom, 5.7 inches more third row hip room and 6 inches more third row shoulder room than the Grand Cherokee L.

Cargo Capacity

The Acadia’s cargo area provides more volume than the Grand Cherokee L.

	Acadia	Grand Cherokee L
Behind Third Seat	23 cubic feet	17.2 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	57.3 cubic feet	46.9 cubic feet
Second Seat Folded	97.5 cubic feet	84.6 cubic feet

Towing

The Acadia’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Grand Cherokee L’s (5000 vs. 3500 pounds).

Ergonomics

The Acadia’s front and rear power windows all lower with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Grand Cherokee L’s standard power windows’ rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Acadia the driver can close them all from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can also lower the windows the same way. The driver of the Grand Cherokee L can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Acadia has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the Grand Cherokee L.

Compared to traditional radio, the GMC Acadia’s standard SiriusXM satellite radio provides an unmatched listening experience. Its extensive coverage guarantees consistent, crystal-clear reception across the continental U.S., and access to over 100 channels dedicated to a multitude of genres, including music, news, sports, talk shows, and comedy, many with only limited commercial breaks. Satellite radio costs extra on the Grand Cherokee L.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the GMC Acadia has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Grand Cherokee L.

The Acadia’s optional Enhanced Automatic Parking Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Grand Cherokee L Summit’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the GMC Acadia, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Jeep Grand Cherokee L isn't recommended.

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