Compare the2026 Honda PilotVS 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee L

Safety
Reliability
Transmission
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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For enhanced safety, the front and second-row seat shoulder belts of the Honda Pilot have pretensioners to tighten the seatbelts and eliminate dangerous slack in the event of a collision. The Jeep Grand Cherokee L doesn’t offer pretensioners for its second-row seat belts.

Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Pilot deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Pilot’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Grand Cherokee L’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

With its standard Collision Mitigation Braking System, the Honda Pilot is better at preventing collisions with pedestrians than the Jeep Grand Cherokee L, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety:

	Pilot	Grand Cherokee L
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Crossing Child - DAY
12 MPH	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH	-20 MPH	-11 MPH
	Crossing Adult - NIGHT
12 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
12 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
	Parallel Adult - NIGHT
25 MPH Brights	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
25 MPH Low beams	AVOIDED	AVOIDED
37 MPH Brights	-34 MPH	-33 MPH
Warning Issued-Brights	2.4 sec	2 sec
37 MPH Low beams	-28 MPH	-28 MPH

The Pilot has standard Post-Collision Braking System, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Grand Cherokee L doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

The Honda Pilot TrailSport/Touring/Elite/Black Edition’s Multi-View Camera System is equipped with washers for its front and rear cameras, ensuring crystal-clear visibility in any weather condition. Conversely, the Jeep Grand Cherokee L only offers a rear camera washer, which may not provide the same level of all-weather performance.

Both the Pilot and the Grand Cherokee L have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning, available all wheel drive and around view monitors.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety does 40 MPH moderate front offset crash tests on new cars. In this updated test, results indicate that the Pilot is much safer than the Grand Cherokee L:

	Pilot	Grand Cherokee L
Overall Evaluation	ACCEPTABLE	POOR
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Chest Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Thigh/hip Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Leg/foot Rating	GOOD	GOOD
Restraints	GOOD	GOOD
	Rear Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck Rating	GOOD	POOR
Chest Rating	GOOD	POOR
Thigh Rating	GOOD	GOOD

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Honda Pilot is safer than the Jeep Grand Cherokee L:

	Pilot	Grand Cherokee L
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	53	89
Chest Movement	.6 inches	.8 inches
Abdominal Force	59 lbs.	147 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	10 inches	15 inches
HIC	340	376

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Honda Pilot is safer than the Grand Cherokee L:

	Pilot	Grand Cherokee L
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Structure	GOOD	GOOD
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	31	163
Neck Tension	112 lbs.	312 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.67 in	1.06 in
Torso Max Deflection	.59 in	1.3 in
Torso Deflection Rate	5 MPH	7 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Pelvis Force	335 lbs.	870 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Compression	89 lbs.	134 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Shoulder Deflection	.71 in	1.38 in
Torso Max Deflection	.75 in	1.69 in
Torso Deflection Rate	6 MPH	11 MPH
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	513 lbs.	915 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD

Instrumented handling tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and analysis of its dimensions indicate that the Pilot is 3% to 4.2% less likely to roll over than the Grand Cherokee L.

The Honda Pilot achieved a “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for the 2025 model year. This recognition was based on its impressive performance in the small overlap frontal crash test, updated moderate overlap front crash test, updated side impact crash test, headlight evaluations, and pedestrian crash prevention testing. The Grand Cherokee L is not a “Top Safety Pick” for 2025.

Reliability

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Pilot’s reliability 37 points higher than the Grand Cherokee L.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Honda vehicles are better in initial quality than Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in initial quality. With 7 more problems per 100 vehicles, Jeep is rated lower.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Honda above average in long-term dependability. With 1 more problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, Jeep is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda fourth in overall reliability. Jeep is ranked 19th.

Transmission

A 10-speed automatic is standard on the Honda Pilot, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Grand Cherokee L.

Tires and Wheels

The Pilot TrailSport has a standard full size spare so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare costs extra on the Grand Cherokee L. Without the option you must depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

Suspension and Handling

For better handling and stability, the average track (width between the wheels) on the Pilot is 1.9 inches wider in the front and 2.2 inches wider in the rear than the track on the Grand Cherokee L.

For better maneuverability, the Pilot TrailSport’s turning circle is 1.9 feet tighter than the Grand Cherokee L’s (37.7 feet vs. 39.6 feet). The Pilot’s turning circle is 1.8 feet tighter than the Grand Cherokee L’s (37.8 feet vs. 39.6 feet).

Chassis

The Pilot is 5 inches shorter than the Grand Cherokee L, making the Pilot easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

Passenger Space

The Pilot offers optional seating for 8 passengers; the Grand Cherokee L can only carry up to 7.

The Pilot has .7 inches more front headroom, 1 inch more front hip room, 2.7 inches more front shoulder room, .3 inches more rear headroom, 1.4 inches more rear legroom, 1.1 inches more rear hip room, 3.7 inches more rear shoulder room, 2 inches more third row headroom, 2.2 inches more third row legroom, 1.7 inches more third row hip room and 7.6 inches more third row shoulder room than the Grand Cherokee L.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Pilot’s middle and third row seats recline. The Grand Cherokee L’s third row seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Pilot’s cargo area provides more volume than the Grand Cherokee L.

	Pilot	Grand Cherokee L
Behind Third Seat	21.8 cubic feet	17.2 cubic feet
Third Seat Folded	59.5 cubic feet	46.9 cubic feet
Max Cargo Volume	111.8 cubic feet	84.6 cubic feet

Servicing Ease

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Honda service is better than Jeep. J.D. Power ranks Honda 7th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 19% lower rating, Jeep is ranked 21st.

Ergonomics

The Pilot’s front and rear power windows all open or close fully with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside the car. The Grand Cherokee L’s standard rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open them fully. Only its driver’s window closes automatically.

Compared to traditional radio, the Honda Pilot’s standard SiriusXM satellite radio provides an unmatched listening experience. Its extensive coverage guarantees consistent, crystal-clear reception across the continental U.S., and access to over 100 channels dedicated to a multitude of genres, including music, news, sports, talk shows, and comedy, many with only limited commercial breaks. Satellite radio costs extra on the Grand Cherokee L.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Honda Pilot, based on reliability, safety and performance.

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