2025 Honda Passport vs Jeep Grand Cherokee: Where Utility Meets Legacy
2025 comparison of the Honda Passport and Jeep Grand Cherokee. Learn about SUV heritage, off-road ability, performance, safety technology, and more in this expert review.
The Ultimate Showdown of American-Built Adventure Icons
There’s something quintessentially American about the open road—a sense of freedom, toughness, and boundless horizons. AndThere are few cars that capture that spirit like the Honda Passport and the Jeep Grand Cherokee to the roots. These are not simply SUVs; they are declarations. One is precision and utility, the other in fearlessness and off-road adventure. Both serve two ideologies of mobility—differing in form, no less compelling in intent.
Let’s go on a road trip of history, engineering, luxury, and capability to find out which one deserves space in your garage.
The old Legacy
Back in the early ’90s, when America’s SUV culture started to roar.Honda, which made sedans and hatchbacks, jumped into the fray with the first Passport—tough, dependable, and ready to roll. Although it took a bow for a time, it came back with a bang in 2019 with updated looks and Honda’s reputation for bulletproof engineering. Today, the 2025 Passport is tougher, roomier, and smarter than ever, engineered for those families that camp, ski, kayak, and commute all in a week.
Then there’s the Jeep Grand Cherokee—a legend that was born in 1992 and walked into the SUV market instead of smashing through a glass door at the Detroit Auto Show. With a pedigree that was raised on off-road dominance, the 2025 Grand Cherokee has grown into a high-tech, leather-bedecked chariot that hasn’t forgotten its trail-rated heritage.
These are two battle-hardened veterans of the American SUV war—one honed by finesse, the other by mud and stone.
Interiors—Modern Cabins with Distinct Dialects
Honda Passport greets with an interior built for everyday life. Its design is practical but never boring. Each dial, button, and surface has a function. Soft-touch surfaces sculpted seats, and the leather is standard—no additional trim contempization necessary. The TrailSport trim cranks up the rough-riding style with orange-stitched seats and weather-resistant rubber mats.
An 8-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto integrated seamlessly into it anchors the center stack, with satellite navigation and premium audio coming on upper trims. It’s tidy, assertive, and traditional Honda: simple to use, difficult to damage.
In comparison, the Jeep Grand Cherokee welcomes you like a boutique motel in Moab. Real wood interior trim? Yes. Ambient lighting? Oh yes. Massaging front seats? Only if you’re one to indulge. The Uconnect 5 system is the dashboard king with a snappy 10.1-inch screen, and for music lovers, the McIntosh sound system makes your playlist sound live.
Honda’s interior is built to function. Jeep‘s interior is built to entice.
Performance—Power Where It Counts
The Passport’s 3.5-liter V6 is a veteran—280 horses dealt out with silky torque and a 9-speed automatic. It’s an assertive freeway cruiser, responsive on suburban corners, and reassuringly capable when the pavement disappears. Honda’s i-VTM4 all-wheel-drive system with terrain modes Snow, Mud, Sand distributes power wisely to get you, whether you’re carving Tahoe powder or traversing a muddy campsite.
But if you want variety, the Grand Cherokee has a whole buffet. The base 3.6L Pentastar V6 puts out 293 hp, but the plug-in 4xe hybrid takes things to 375 hp with an electric power boost loaded with torque. It’s faster, cleaner, and smarter. And with available air suspension and Jeep’s Quadra-Drive II system, it’s got poise where most SUVs don’t dare go.
One engine option? Honda. Powertrain playground? Jeep.
Safety—Confidence as Standard
2025 Passport carries on Honda’s tradition of keeping safety clear. All models feature Honda Sensing, with features including adaptive cruise control, collision mitigation braking, lane-keep assist, and more. No playing games, no packages. Just confidence.
Jeep outfits the Grand Cherokee with an expansive list of driver assists, but the most impressive tech—night vision, drowsy driver detection, and intersection assist—is reserved for trim levels or expensive options. It’s complete, but not necessarily a standard-for-all affair.
Getting safety just right without nickel-and-diming is something Honda actually does.
Capability—Weekend Warrior vs Trail Conqueror
If you’re the kind of person who lives for extended weekends and random getaways, the Passport is your best friend. With 5,000 lbs of towing capacity, available AWD on the better trims, and almost 8.1 inches of ground clearance, it’s ideal to tow boats, bikes up mountains, or that new pop-up camper trailer.
But if you’re the type who looks at a washed-out trail and says, “Challenge accepted,” the Grand Cherokee is your off-road match made in heaven. With up to 6,200 lbs of towing, dual 4×4 systems, skid plates, and adjustable air suspension (up to 11.3 inches of ground clearance), it’s not just up for the task—it’s the stuff of legend. The Trailhawk 4xe even throws in front sway bar disconnects and low-range gearing.
Honda gets you off the beaten track. Jeep gets you beyond the edge of the map.
Pricing—Value vs Variety
When SUVs are as expensive as small condos, the Passport simplifies your choice. With a price range of $43,000 to $49,000, it is well-appointed at every trim. It has fewer trims, gimmicks and less regret.
The Grand Cherokee begins at approximately $40,000, but that’s the kiss. Fully loaded 4xe models eclipse $65,000, each upgrade beckoning your inner car enthusiast. The versatility is great—but so is the ultimate cost.
If you seek simplicity with excellent resale, Honda’s your choice. If you seek bespoke luxury with capability, Jeep’s your playground.
Pros and Cons
Rock-solid reliability
Loads of standard amenities
Strong resale value
No electrified trim
Less off-road responsiveness than Jeep
Best off-road capability
Luxurious interior available
Hybrid powertrain option
Premium feature price tag
Busy option structure
Final Verdict—Choose Your Adventure
By the time we reach the end of the trail, it all boils down to who you are—and how you drive.
The 2025 Honda Passport is for those who prefer dependability, simplicity, and daily utility with enough ruggedness to spice up life. It’s authentic. It’s rugged. It’s a weekend adventurer with a soothing voice.
The 2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee for drivers who demand it all—power, status, and mission. It’s an upscale cabin on wheels that can scale boulders if need be. Need a sophisticated pioneer with a renegade soul? Jeep has got you covered.
So, are you the practical pioneer or the luxurious explorer? Either way, you’re in safe hands.
FAQs:
Q: Is the Jeep Grand Cherokee better then the Honda Passport for off-roading?
Yes. With more sophisticated 4×4 systems and higher ground clearance, the Grand Cherokee is better suited for off-road.
Q: Does the Honda Passport feature a hybrid power?
No. The 2025 Passport maintains its tried-and-true V6 without hybrids.
Q: Which SUV offers superior standard safety features?
Honda provides more advanced safety equipment as standard on all trims through Honda Sensing.
Q: Does the Jeep Grand Cherokee tow heavier than the Passport?
Yes, depending on the setup. The Jeep tows 6,200 lbs versus Honda’s 5,000 lbs.
Q: Which SUV is cheaper in the long run?
The Honda Passport is more affordable to own and maintain over time, with fewer trims and stronger resale value.
