2021 Jeep Cherokee vs 2020 Honda Passport

The 2020 Honda Passport was a quintessential Honda, featuring familiar parts and aesthetics that appealed to loyal Honda buyers. Its exterior resembled a smaller Honda Pilot or a larger CR-V, striking a balance in size, capability, looks, and price. The Passport's rugged and athletic styling cues set it apart from its siblings, with features like a scratch-resistant matte black grille, 20-inch black alloy wheels, and black-rimmed LED headlights.

Inside, the Passport offered a sophisticated cabin with a mix of durable and soft-touch materials. The Elite trim came with perforated, heated, and ventilated front seats, a leather-trimmed heated steering wheel, and a moonroof. The design emphasized spaciousness and practicality, with ample storage options and a layout that would be familiar to Honda enthusiasts.

The 2021 Jeep Cherokee's styling had evolved since its debut, with a more proportioned look despite its short grille and swept-back headlights. The exterior varied significantly by trim level, with the entry-level Latitude looking basic, while the 80th Anniversary Edition featured 19-inch Granite Crystal wheels and painted lower body cladding for a more upscale appearance. The Cherokee's optional panoramic sunroof was a standout feature, covering the entire top surface.

The Cherokee's interior was simple and businesslike, with a clean design that focused on functionality. The cabin's quality varied by trim, with the Latitude featuring rubberized black plastic, while the Trailhawk offered suede seat inserts and contrasting stitching. The Latitude Lux trim added perforated Nappa leather upholstery for a more luxurious feel.

The 2020 Honda Passport was powered by a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque, paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. While the engine provided sufficient power for various driving situations, its fuel economy was less impressive, with FWD models achieving 20 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and 22 mpg combined. AWD models performed slightly worse, with 19 mpg city, 24 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined.

The Passport excelled in off-road conditions, thanks to its torque-vectoring AWD system and additional ground clearance. It offered Snow, Sand, and Mud drive modes, making it more capable than expected. The Passport could tow up to 5,000 pounds with the available towing package, outperforming rivals like the Nissan Murano and Chevrolet Blazer.

The 2021 Jeep Cherokee offered three engine options: a 2.4-liter four-cylinder with 180 horsepower, a 3.2-liter V6 with 271 horsepower, and a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 270 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The nine-speed automatic transmission was standard across all models. The Cherokee's acceleration was adequate, with the V6 and turbo-four engines achieving 0-60 mph times of around 7.2 and 7.4 seconds, respectively.

The Cherokee Trailhawk excelled in off-road conditions, thanks to features like Jeep Active Drive Lock and Selec-Speed Crawl Control. However, the Cherokee was also available in FWD, making it more affordable for rental fleets and budget-conscious buyers.

The 2020 Honda Passport was practical, with a right-sized design that provided good visibility and spacious seating for four adults. The interior featured height-adjustable seatbelts, three full LATCH connections, and available tri-zone automatic climate control. The Passport offered 41.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seats, with ample under-floor storage and a power liftgate.

The Passport's small-item storage was impressive, with a large center console and secondary shelf space in the front doors. The interior materials were easy to clean, though the piano black trim pieces tended to gather dust.

The 2021 Jeep Cherokee offered 26 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats up and 55 cubic feet with the seats folded, placing it at the bottom among compact SUVs. The Cherokee's passenger volume was competitive, with 102 cubic feet of space. The interior layout was simple and functional, with quality varying by trim level. The Latitude featured rubberized black plastic, while the Trailhawk and Latitude Lux offered more upscale materials like suede and perforated Nappa leather.

The 2020 Honda Passport came with a 5.0-inch display on the base Sport model, while higher trims featured an 8.0-inch Display Audio infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration. The system was practical and easy to navigate, with additional features like Bluetooth, a USB port, and a seven-speaker audio system. Higher trims offered a 10-speaker audio system, satellite radio, and a Wi-Fi hotspot.

The 2021 Jeep Cherokee featured the Uconnect infotainment system, available with a 7-inch touchscreen on lower trims and an 8.4-inch touchscreen on higher trims. The system supported Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with a 4G WiFi hotspot and Amazon Alexa integration. The Cherokee also offered remote start, a feature not available from all manufacturers.

The 2020 Honda Passport prioritized safety, earning good scores from the IIHS and NHTSA, and being named an IIHS Top Safety Pick. The Passport came standard with the Honda Sensing suite, including collision mitigation braking, lane departure warning, lane-keeping assist, automatic emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control. Higher trims offered additional features like blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic detection.

The 2021 Jeep Cherokee did not earn a Top Safety Pick award from the IIHS but received top "Good" scores in crashworthiness categories. The NHTSA gave the Cherokee a four-star overall safety rating. The Cherokee offered standard safety features like lane departure warning, forward collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and blind-spot monitoring. However, adaptive cruise control was only available on higher trims.