2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee vs 2020 Honda CR-V

The 2020 Honda CR-V, part of Honda's fifth-generation compact crossover lineup, had a design that was both familiar and enjoyable. Its exterior styling was characterized by soft, curvy lines that gave it a car-like appearance, reminiscent of Honda's sedan lineup. The CR-V's design leaned more towards a station wagon than an SUV, making it a modern family transportation staple. However, the interior was a mix of textures and materials, with upscale touches like wood-look trim and leather upholstery clashing with lower-quality plastics, reminding drivers that even the pricier CR-V models were upgrades of a commodity car rather than premium products.

In contrast, the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee maintained a timeless design that combined rugged utility with upscale sophistication. Its exterior was a balanced work of automotive art, with big wheels and flared fenders contributing to its appeal. The Grand Cherokee's design defied easy categorization, fitting into mainstream, luxury, and performance SUV categories. The lineup included affordable trims like Laredo and Limited, upscale models like Overland and Summit, and performance-oriented versions like SRT and Trackhawk. The Summit trim, in particular, featured premium leather, genuine wood, and real aluminum, creating a luxurious cabin feel, although the interior design was beginning to show its age.

The 2020 Honda CR-V featured a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine producing 190 horsepower and 179 pound-feet of torque, paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). This powertrain provided a well-matched driving experience, with the CR-V feeling quick, especially in Sport mode. The CR-V's car-like demeanor extended to its road manners, offering nimble handling and a firm yet comfortable ride. Its lightweight design contributed to excellent fuel economy, with FWD models achieving 30 mpg combined and AWD models managing 29 mpg. The CR-V also introduced a hybrid version for 2020, competing with hybrid versions of the RAV4 and Escape.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee came standard with a 3.6-liter V6 engine, delivering 295 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It offered a towing capacity of up to 6,200 pounds. For those seeking more power, an optional 5.7-liter Hemi V8 engine was available, producing 360 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque, with a best-in-class towing capacity of 7,200 pounds. The V8 featured cylinder deactivation technology for improved fuel efficiency, although it achieved only 17 mpg combined. The Grand Cherokee's Quadra-Trac II 4WD system and Quadra-Lift air suspension provided excellent off-road capabilities, while its tight turning radius and responsive brakes made it suitable for both city and off-road driving.

The 2020 Honda CR-V excelled in interior space and practicality. Its cabin was roomy, offering good head- and legroom for both front and rear passengers. Clever storage solutions, such as a deep center console and a two-position load floor, added to its practicality. The CR-V provided 75.8 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded, matching the Volkswagen Tiguan despite being shorter in length. The CR-V's design made it easy to live with, accommodating various storage needs.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit featured a luxurious interior with quilted and perforated leather seats and leather-wrapped interior panels. Both front seats offered eight-way power adjustment, heating, and ventilation. However, the rear seat had somewhat snug legroom for taller adults, and the optional rear-seat entertainment system added to a sense of claustrophobia. The Grand Cherokee provided 36.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat, with a maximum of 68.3 cubic feet when the second-row seats were folded. While interior storage was adequate, the rear-seat entertainment system took up valuable space in the center console bin.

The 2020 Honda CR-V's infotainment system showed its age, with a 5-inch screen in the base LX trim and a 7-inch touchscreen in higher trims. The system lacked hard buttons, making it challenging to operate, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were only available with the larger screen. However, the CR-V offered plenty of USB ports, with two in the front and two high-powered ports in the backseat. The Touring trim added a wireless phone charger for 2020.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee featured the Uconnect 4C with Nav infotainment system, offering a nearly flawless user experience with fast response times and pleasing graphics. It included navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot. The system's voice recognition technology worked well, allowing control of various features through voice commands. The Grand Cherokee offered a premium Alpine sound system, with the Summit trim featuring a 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system.

The 2020 Honda CR-V came standard with the "Honda Sensing" system, which included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, pedestrian detection, road-departure mitigation, and adaptive cruise control with lane-keeping assist. The CR-V earned a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick designation from the IIHS, with the Touring trim's LED headlights improving nighttime visibility.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee received a five-star overall safety rating from the NHTSA for 4WD models, but its performance in IIHS testing was less impressive, with "Marginal" and "Poor" ratings in small-overlap frontal-impact collisions. The Summit trim included the ProTech II Package, offering adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, and automatic high-beam headlights.