2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee vs 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee, with its timeless design, continued to impress even a decade after its debut. It combined rugged utility with upscale sophistication, featuring big wheels, flared fenders, and a balanced aesthetic that defined what an SUV should look like. This appealing design contributed significantly to its ongoing success, making it difficult to categorize as just a mainstream, luxury, or performance SUV—it was all of these and more.

The Grand Cherokee lineup ranged from the affordable Laredo and Limited trims to the upscale Overland and Summit, and the performance-oriented SRT and Trackhawk models. For 2021, minor updates were made to the Laredo and Limited trims, and new versions like the Laredo X and 80th Anniversary Edition were introduced. Pricing spanned from about $35,000 to nearly $90,000. The Summit trim, equipped with a 5.7-liter V8 engine and various premium packages, had an MSRP of $68,185. The interior featured premium materials and a luxurious design, though it showed signs of aging with outdated switchgear and non-flush panel fits.

The 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid, introduced with a two-motor hybrid powertrain in 2020, retained its freshened look for 2021. It featured updated styling, improved interior storage, standard Honda Sensing safety technology, and available wireless smartphone charging. The hybrid model looked similar to the gas-only variants, with subtle differences like "Hybrid" badges, blue Honda logos, and unique LED fog lights and rear bumper design.

Inside, the CR-V Hybrid had unique trim and instrumentation to display battery-charge status, power regeneration, and power distribution. The steering wheel paddles managed the regenerative braking system. Available in EX, EX-L, and Touring trims, all with standard AWD, pricing ranged from $30,560 to $36,350. The Touring trim, priced at $37,920, featured extra-cost Platinum White Pearl paint and ivory leather upholstery. Despite some fake wood trim, the interior offered a rich two-tone contrast and high-quality materials.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee came standard with a 3.6-liter V6 engine, producing 295 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It could tow up to 6,200 pounds and offered both rear-wheel and all-wheel drive options. For those seeking more power, an optional 5.7-liter Hemi V8 engine was available, delivering 360 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque, with a best-in-class towing capacity of 7,200 pounds. The V8 engine featured cylinder deactivation technology for improved fuel efficiency, though it still only achieved 17 mpg in combined driving. The Quadra-Trac II 4WD system, Quadra-Lift air suspension, and Selec-Terrain traction management system enhanced its off-road capabilities.

The Grand Cherokee Summit, equipped with the V8 engine, provided a smooth and responsive driving experience, though it could feel bouncy on uneven surfaces. Its tight turning radius and effective brakes made it easy to maneuver in various driving situations. However, the lack of surround-view and forward-view camera systems was a drawback for an SUV with such off-roading capabilities.

The 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid featured a two-motor hybrid system combining a 2.0-liter gasoline engine with an electric assist motor and a generator/starter motor, producing a total of 212 horsepower and 232 pound-feet of torque. It offered three driving modes—EV Drive, Hybrid Drive, and Engine Drive—automatically selecting the most appropriate one based on the situation. Additionally, driver-selected modes included Econ, Sport, and EV. The hybrid system added 194 pounds to the vehicle's weight, improving weight distribution and maintaining the standard CR-V's 8.2 inches of ground clearance.

The CR-V Hybrid provided a quick and enjoyable driving experience, with smooth acceleration and predictable handling. However, it fell short of its EPA rating of 38 mpg in combined driving, achieving only 33.7 mpg on the testing route. This was significantly lower than the 39.7 mpg obtained from a RAV4 Hybrid in similar conditions.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit featured a luxurious interior with quilted and perforated leather seats, leather-wrapped panels, and a heated steering wheel. Both front seats offered eight-way power adjustment, heating, and ventilation, though the controls were embedded in the Uconnect infotainment system, causing some distraction. The rear seat provided comfort but had somewhat snug legroom for taller adults. The optional rear-seat entertainment system added to a sense of claustrophobia, though large windows and a panoramic sunroof helped alleviate this. Interior storage was adequate, but the rear-seat entertainment system took up valuable space in the center console bin.

The Grand Cherokee offered 36.3 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat, with additional storage bins around the spare tire. Folding the second-row seats was easy, providing a maximum cargo space of 68.3 cubic feet, which was relatively small for a midsize SUV.

The 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid excelled in interior space and comfort. The front seats were supportive and provided 12-way power adjustment for the driver, though the front passenger seat lacked height adjustment. The rear seat offered remarkable legroom and comfort, with air conditioning vents and quick-charge USB ports. Interior storage was impressive, though the Touring trim's wireless smartphone charger took up significant space on the center console.

The CR-V Hybrid provided 33.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the rear seat, slightly less than the standard CR-V due to the battery pack. Maximum cargo space was 68.7 cubic feet, which was still less than the standard CR-V but more than the Grand Cherokee. The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid offered more cargo space by volume.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee featured the Uconnect 4C with Nav infotainment system, which provided a nearly flawless user experience with fast response times, pleasing graphics, and separate stereo controls. It included navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a 4G LTE WiFi hotspot, and a Jeep Skill for Amazon Alexa. SiriusXM services were also included, with six months of satellite radio and five years of Traffic Plus and Travel Link services. The voice recognition technology worked well, and the Summit trim featured a 19-speaker Harman Kardon audio system.

The Grand Cherokee's technology offerings were relatively basic, with essential features and advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) but lacking more modern digital advancements.

The 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid's infotainment system, redesigned in 2017, felt outdated despite its large, flush surface and power/volume knob. The seven-inch touchscreen was small for the segment, and the lack of a tuning knob impacted the user experience. The system was slow to start, and the voice-recognition technology was limited. The navigation map display was cluttered, and the HondaLink connected services were minimal.

The CR-V Hybrid offered dual quick-charging ports for the rear seat and standard wireless smartphone charging in the Touring trim, though it took up significant space on the center console. The nine-speaker premium audio system in the Touring trim sounded good, and the infotainment system supported text messaging, SiriusXM satellite radio, and Pandora internet radio.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee had mixed safety ratings. It received a five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for the 4WD model, but the 2WD model received a four-star rating due to a three-star rollover resistance rating. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave it a "Marginal" rating for small-overlap frontal-impact collisions for the driver and a "Poor" rating for the front passenger. The standard headlights also rated "Poor" unless upgraded to high-intensity discharge headlights with automatic high-beam assist.

The Grand Cherokee offered numerous safety features, including 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. It also had a backup camera, parking sensors, and a ParkSense parking assistance system.

The 2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid came standard with Honda Sensing, a suite of advanced driving-assistance systems. This included adaptive cruise control, forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and Road Departure Mitigation. The CR-V Hybrid also featured blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert.

These systems worked smoothly and accurately, though the CR-V's technology was not as advanced as some competitors. The CR-V Hybrid earned a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA and a Top Safety Pick rating from the IIHS.