Midsize SUVS: Passport better value than Jeep offering

Midsize SUVS with two rows of seating are an excellent option if you want something a little bigger than the ubiquitous small SUV. They have room for five and plenty of storage space but also are less expensive and easier to park than three-row SUVS. Among the available models, the Honda Passport and Jeep Grand Cherokee are worthy ambassadors.

Each delivers the SUV attributes people love, such as a commanding view of the road and all-terrain prowess. But which is the better buy?

Engines, fuel economy

Under the hood of the Passport is a 280-horsepower V6 that scoots you through traffic and makes easy work of highway merges. During testing, Edmunds noted its punchy acceleration that made it among the quickest in its class.

The Jeep holds the horsepower advantage courtesy of its 293-horsepower V6. But the Grand Cherokee’s 0-60 mph sprint required about 8 seconds in Edmunds testing versus 6.8 seconds in the Passport.

Jeep does offer the Grand Cherokee with a more powerful 375-horsepower, plugin hybrid powertrain called the 4xe. Yet its starting price of about $60,000 is more than $20,000 higher than the base V6 Grand Cherokee.

When it comes to performance at the fuel pump, this is pretty much a wash. The Grand Cherokee with fourwheel drive gets an Epa-estimated 22 mpg combined, compared with 21 mpg combined in the Passport.

Winner: Honda Passport

Driving, comfort

Both the Passport and Grand Cherokee inspire confidence in the driver thanks to their easy steering and strong brakes. They are also pretty comfortable, though Edmunds found the Grand Cherokee has a slight edge. It rides more smoothly over bumps, and its front seats are a little more supportive and comfy for long drives.

Also to the Jeep’s advantage is its dual-purpose nature; it’s equally at home on paved surfaces or when venturing off-road. The Passport Trailsport trim provides a decent amount of all-terrain capability, but it’s not quite up to the potential of the Grand Cherokee.

Winner: Jeep Grand Cherokee

Utility, towing

The Passport has 41.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind its rear seats, which is pretty good for a midsize SUV. The Grand Cherokee trails it a bit at 37.7 cubes. Edmunds has also found it’s a little easier to load heavy items into the Passport because of its lower cargo floor.

The Grand Cherokee counters with superior towing capability. It’s rated for a maximum of 6,200 pounds, compared with the Passport’s 5,000 pounds.

Winner: tie

Features, value

Edmunds found the quality and design of the Passport’s cabin to be exceptional; everything looks good and feels built to last. While its starting price is a little above the norm for two-row midsize SUVS, the number of standard features in the Honda helps offset the premium.

Inside there’s an 8-inch touchscreen with Apple

Carplay and Android Auto smartphone integration. Edmunds’ experts came away impressed by the Honda’s easy-to-reach controls and generous lineup of standard driver aids.

The Grand Cherokee also ticks many of the right boxes when it comes to its interior design and extensive comfort and safety features. Its infotainment system is bigger than the Passport’s and one of the best thanks to its clear menus and crisp graphics.

Winner: Honda Passport

Edmunds says

The Grand Cherokee provides the utility you would expect from a Jeep SUV. It can also be impressively luxurious in its most expensive trim levels. But the Honda Passport is the better allaround choice. It does nearly everything the Jeep does but at a substantially lower price.