2020 GMC Acadia vs 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee

The 2020 GMC Acadia was positioned as a middle-tier premium SUV, falling between its Chevrolet and Cadillac cousins. Built on the same platform as the Cadillac XT5 and assembled in the same factory in Tennessee, it shared many of its sibling's components while offering unique trims like the SL, SLE, SLT, rugged AT4, and luxurious Denali. The Denali variant, with its optional all-wheel drive and satin steel metallic paint, had a sticker price of $52,385, including destination charges.

The Acadia underwent noticeable design changes in 2020, particularly with its blunt and squared-off front-end design, new headlights, and a boxier grille with intricate detailing. This aesthetic shift aimed to reinforce GMC's upscale image, especially evident in the shiny chrome details of the Denali trim. Inside, the changes were subtle, with new electronic transmission shift switches, a redesigned center console, and open-pore wood trim in the Denali version. The overall cabin design blended soft surfaces with hard plastics, maintaining a utilitarian aesthetic even with leather upholstery and slight bronze-tinted accents.

In contrast, the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee, despite its decade-old design, continued to charm with its timeless appeal. Traditional Jeep cues like the 7-slot grille and trapezoidal fenders made it equally suitable for off-road trails and upscale settings. Its balanced appearance appealed broadly across different demographics, transcending social class.

Pricing for the Grand Cherokee ranged from $32,150 for the base Laredo to $52,495 for the high-end Summit, with multiple variants in between. The Limited X trim tested here came to $53,275, painted a captivating Slate Blue Pearl. Features like a ventilated hood, sport-themed bumper, and 20-inch aluminum wheels added to its mild-custom, rugged aesthetic. However, as one moved higher up the price spectrum, the interior's hard plastics became more noticeable and disappointing, detracting from the premium feel.

The 2020 GMC Acadia offered three engine options. The base models had a 193-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. The mid-tier SLT featured a new turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine generating 230 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. The AT4 and Denali variants came with a 310-hp 3.6-liter V6 engine, which was also available in other trims. All these engines were paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The Acadia provided both FWD and AWD options, with the AT4 exclusively coming with a dual-clutch AWD system suited for off-road conditions.

The Acadia Denali’s V6 engine and nine-speed automatic transmission offered smooth and refined performance, with a towing capacity of up to 4,000 pounds. My test vehicle averaged 20.1 mpg in combined driving, close to the EPA rating of 21 mpg. The Acadia's dynamics were well-tuned, providing reliable but unremarkable driving behavior, rendering it a competent but forgettable driving experience.

The 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee came standard with a 295-horsepower, 3.6-liter V6 engine, paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission. My test vehicle averaged 19.4 mpg, slightly under the EPA's combined rating of 21 mpg. For those seeking more power, Jeep offered three V8 engine options: a 5.7-liter V8 producing 360 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque, a 6.4-liter V8 in the SRT model generating 475 hp, and the supercharged 6.2-liter V8 in the Trackhawk delivering a staggering 707 hp.

For off-road enthusiasts, the Grand Cherokee included the Trailhawk trim with enhanced off-road capabilities, such as all-terrain tires and multiple 4WD systems. The Limited X's Quadra-Trac II 4WD system, coupled with a 2-speed transfer case, enabled seamless transitions into 4-Lo, making it ideal for rugged terrains. On pavement, however, the Grand Cherokee's driving dynamics were mixed, offering good grip but causing motion sickness due to excessive suspension movements.

The 2020 GMC Acadia could seat five, six, or seven passengers, depending on the configuration. The Denali trim standardly offered six-passenger seating with its second-row captain’s chairs, although a bench seat was available at no extra cost. Up front, 10-way power-adjustable, heated, and ventilated seats ensured comfort. The second-row captain’s chairs were also heated, providing a comfortable ride with additional conveniences like air-conditioning vents, USB ports, and a household-style power outlet.

While modern Acadias were smaller inside compared to their predecessors, the third-row seats offered surprisingly decent room if the second-row occupants were willing to adjust their seats. However, interior storage improved in the 2020 model with reconfigured center consoles leading to 12.1 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, expanding to 41.7 cubic feet with this row folded, and further reaching 79 cubic feet with the second row down.

Conversely, the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee was limited to five-passenger seating. Cargo space measured 36.3 cubic feet behind the rear seats and expanded to 68.3 cubic feet when the seats were folded. Front seats were 8-way power-adjustable and heated, though ventilation wasn’t an option on the Limited X. The seat heater controls were integrated into the infotainment system, which was somewhat inconvenient.

Rear passengers enjoyed decent comfort with air-conditioning vents and USB ports, and adults found the legroom adequate. In terms of interior storage, the Jeep offered practical solutions like a center console tray and sizable door-panel bins, although the glovebox was less spacious compared to the Acadia. A thoughtful touch was the grocery bag hooks, perfect for securing plastic sacks.

Every 2020 GMC Acadia was equipped with modern infotainment features including Bluetooth connectivity, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. The Acadia's 8-inch touchscreen provided a higher resolution and improved voice recognition. My test vehicle’s system, equipped with navigation and a Bose premium sound system, generally responded well to voice commands, although it occasionally required multiple attempts.

Additional tech upgrades in 2020 included new USB-C ports and a more powerful wireless charging pad. The high-definition surround-view camera and rear camera mirror, which provided an unobstructed wide-angle view of the rear, were particularly helpful features.

The 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee featured the renowned Uconnect infotainment system with an 8.4-inch touchscreen display, navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, Amazon Alexa, and SiriusXM satellite radio. The system was user-friendly but selecting virtual buttons could be challenging due to the SUV’s bouncy ride. Voice recognition was straightforward and reliable.

In Limited X trim, Uconnect also offered a 9-speaker Alpine premium sound system. Additionally, Jeep’s Uconnect included unique apps like Off-Road Pages, which provided real-time data for off-road excursions. For high-performance enthusiasts, SRT and Trackhawk models came with Performance Pages to track performance metrics.

Safety-wise, the 2020 GMC Acadia provided a mix of standard and optional features. Standard equipment included a rear-seat reminder system and Teen Driver technology. Most trims came with blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. However, advanced safety features like forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking were only available on higher trims such as SLT or AT4 and Denali.

GMC’s Connected Services offered features like automatic collision notification and SOS emergency calling, though the free trial period was short. Crash-test ratings were generally positive, with the NHTSA awarding the Acadia 5 stars in most tests but 4 stars for rollover resistance. However, the IIHS had incomplete data for the Acadia, lacking tests for headlight performance and small overlap frontal-impact protection for the front passenger.

The 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee featured three levels of ADAS. The standard ProTech I package included a reversing camera, parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. For more features like low-speed forward-collision warning and automatic emergency braking, the ProTech II package was available. The Advanced ProTech II package added features like full-speed forward-collision warning and adaptive cruise control.

Despite these safety features, the Grand Cherokee's crash-test performance was lackluster. It received an overall rating of 4 stars from the NHTSA and a 3-star rating for rollover resistance. The IIHS rated it Marginal for driver protection and Poor for front passenger protection in small overlap frontal-impact tests. Headlight performance was also rated Poor unless upgraded to the Acceptable HID headlights in higher trims.