Acura RDX vs Jeep Grand Cherokee: Specs Compared

Running cost over five years: at the EPA's 15,000-mile-a-year assumption the Jeep Grand Cherokee burns about $2,650 of fuel annually against $3,150 for the Acura RDX. That $500 yearly gap compounds to roughly $2,500 over five years and $4,000 over eight — often more than the price difference between two trims of the same vehicle, and the single largest running-cost line item separating these two.

City and highway economy: the Jeep Grand Cherokee leads in both cycles — 23 mpg city and 30 mpg highway against 22 and 28 mpg — so its fuel-efficiency advantage holds whether you commute in traffic or cover long highway miles.

Powertrain choice: the Acura RDX is recorded with 2 distinct engine configurations (SIDI, 3.5), the Jeep Grand Cherokee with 4 (SIDI, 3.6, SIDI; PHEV). Across 34 recorded Acura RDX configurations and 87 for the Jeep Grand Cherokee, the wider the engine spread the more the real-world fuel efficiency depends on which version you actually buy, so check the specific model year and drivetrain rather than the headline number.

Drivetrain and class: the Acura RDX is offered with All-Wheel Drive, Front-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel Drive, the Jeep Grand Cherokee with Rear-Wheel Drive, All-Wheel Drive, 4-Wheel Drive. All-wheel drive typically costs one to two mpg combined against the same vehicle in front- or rear-wheel drive, which is worth remembering when the gap between these two is small. The EPA classes them as Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD and Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD respectively — the class drives the interior volume, cargo space and passenger space each one is measured against.

Tailpipe emissions: at their cleanest configurations the Jeep Grand Cherokee emits 177 g/mile of CO2 versus 370 g/mile for the Acura RDX. Emissions track fuel consumption almost exactly, so the cleaner vehicle here is also the cheaper one to fuel.