Jeep Grand Cherokee vs GMC Acadia

The Grand Cherokee offers two engines: a standard 3.6L Pentastar® V6 with up to 293 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque (with electronic stop/start) and an available 2.0L turbocharged plug-in hybrid (4xe) that produces up to 375 horsepower and a hefty 470 lb-ft of torque.*

The Acadia runs a single 2.5L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine rated at 328 horsepower and 326 lb-ft of torque. In short, Jeep’s turbo 4xe delivers substantially more peak power and torque than the Acadia’s engine.

Cargo room favors Jeep. The Grand Cherokee (2-row) offers up to 70.8 cubic feet of cargo volume behind the second row, and the Grand Cherokee L (3-row) extends that to 84.6 cubic feet with both second third-row seats folded, giving you plenty of space to stretch out your legs and for all passengers to stay cozy.

The Acadia’s maximum cargo capacity behind the first row is larger, 97.5 cubic feet, with all seats folded, but behind the second row, it’s 57.3 cubic feet, and only 23.0 cubic feet behind all three rows.

In practice, the Grand Cherokee L’s cargo area with seats folded slightly undercuts the Acadia’s total max, but Jeep’s 2-row SUV has more usable space when carrying 4–5 occupants. Both offer flexible cargo configurations (power-folding seats are available on top trims of each), but Jeep’s two-row model leads when the rear bench is needed.

The Grand Cherokee comes standard with Uconnect® 5®, featuring a 10.1-inch touchscreen and available TomTom Navigation. On Summit and Summit Reserve models, an available McIntosh® premium audio system delivers 19 surround sound speakers.

Jeep also offers a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and an optional 10-inch head-up display to project key data on the windshield.

The Acadia’s interior tech is competitive: it offers up to a 15-inch diagonal touchscreen infotainment display and an 11-inch digital driver information center.

Available Bose® premium audio (12-speaker) is standard on GMC’s upscale trims. GMC bets on a larger touchscreen and classic luxury feel, while Jeep emphasizes cutting-edge features (bigger cluster/HUD on Jeep, bigger touchscreen on GMC).

The Grand Cherokee includes modern features such as wireless Apple CarPlay® Android Auto™, multiple user profiles, a wireless charging pad, and ubiquitous USB ports.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve is among the class leaders in luxury. It features leather-trimmed seating with 16-way power adjustments, memory settings, massage functions, and multicolor ambient LED interior lighting. Heated and ventilated front seats are available.

The Acadia Denali also offers luxury comforts: genuine leather upholstery, heated/cooled front seats, second-row one-touch fold-flat seats, and third-row power folding seats. Both

Jeep touts its best-in-class second-row legroom in seating comfort, while GMC emphasizes its refined cabin and amenities (for example, Denali’s wood and chrome trim).

Jeep’s heritage shines here. The Grand Cherokee Trailhawk® (and 4xe models) are Trail-Rated vehicles designed to handle rough terrain. They feature up to 10.9 inches of ground clearance, best-in-class approach/departure angles, and can ford up to 24 inches of water when properly equipped.

Multiple 4×4 systems (including one with rear limited-slip diff) provide traction over mud, sand, or rocks.

By contrast, the Acadia is built primarily for on-road use. Its available AT4 trim adds moderate off-road upgrades: an all-wheel-drive system with active torque control, an off-road-tuned suspension, all-terrain tires, and skid plates. Acadia also offers a Traction Select system with up to 7 drive modes (Snow, Mud, Towing, etc.) to adapt to conditions. Grand Cherokee maintains a clear advantage in true off-road capability and rugged trail performance, whereas Acadia AT4 is more of a light off-road performer.

Both SUVs take safety seriously. Jeep notes that every Grand Cherokee has “the most standard safety and security features in its class”.

Standard Jeep systems include forward collision warning with active braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot and rear cross-path detection, full-speed automatic braking with pedestrian/cyclist detection, 360° surround-view camera (on higher trims), and lane departure mitigation.

The Acadia likewise offers a comprehensive safety package. While both vehicles score highly on crash tests and offer similar advanced driver assistance, Jeep touts have the most significant number of available safety features.