Audi Q3 vs Jeep Grand Cherokee

What's the difference?

So is this new Q3 good enough to remain Audi’s number one choice? In a word, yes.

Audi has resisted the temptation that some brands fall into by making too many changes to a proven sales performer. This new Q3 isn’t radically different from the old Q3, but it has improved in almost every way.

It isn’t different enough to widely expand its appeal to a new wave of customers, but there’s no reason it won’t remain Audi’s most popular choice for the foreseeable future.

Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.

A wise man* once said "Being first can sometimes feel like being wrong" and perhaps that's how it is with the 4xe, but at least Jeep Australia is giving the large SUV hybrid realm a good ol' try.

* Former CarsGuide Big Kohuna, Glen Knowles.

The company's first plug-in hybrid, the Grand Cherokee 4xe, is not perfect by anyone's standards, however, it is a definite move in the right direction.

It's a quiet and refined drive, it retains the brand's renowned 4WD capability, and even its hefty price-tag likely won't dissuade Jeep loyalists from giving it a go.

The brief to the designers was seemingly pretty simple - don’t mess with a good thing.

According to the company, they want it to be recognisable as an Audi from 100m away, but at the same time, it makes sense not to make any radical changes to a design that is clearly a hit with buyers.

There’s still a new grille, which is slightly larger, while the daytime running lights (DRLs) are now mounted high, on the top corners of the front fascia.

Audi prides itself on its lights and the Q3 features multi-segment DRLS, with dynamic light effects, plus the rear badge lights up red with the tail-lights are turned on.

Digital matrix LEDs are available as an option on the quattro grades, which is a first for such a small Audi. While based on the technology already deployed in the bigger, more expensive Audi models, this is an updated system with micro LED matrix capabilities that are better able to light up the road ahead without blinding cars ahead or oncoming.

One very noticeable element to the design of this new Q3 is the size - which hasn’t really changed. Audi has resisted the temptation that so many brands have to upsize a compact model and has instead retained the same size that buyers clearly find appealing. It is slightly longer, approximately 4cm, but is still unmistakably a Q3 in looks and size.

Inside the Q3 is a different story, with the designers clearly empowered to create more change. The elements remain similar, but there have been more dramatic changes compared to the exterior to keep the Q3 looking contemporary and luxurious.

For example, there are still two large screens, just like the old model, but the virtual cockpit and multimedia screen are integrated into the dashboard together and more prominently, moving higher up the centre fascia.

It works well, as the interior looks and feels premium, and very much an Audi, albeit on a smaller scale.

To cap it off there are four interior colour packages to choose from, plus four different choices for the inlays, including two real wood options and an aluminium trim.

As with any vehicle, some will like it, some won’t, and some simply won’t care all that much. 

The 4xe certainly has a distinctive Jeep look to it.

A few exterior design cues hint at its PHEV leanings: the plug-in point on the front left-hand panel and a ‘4xe’ designation on the rear door.

The biggest change to the interior is the technology, with a new multimedia interface with new, larger tiles as well as new ‘Control Unit’ for the key driving functions.

The ‘Virtual Cockpit’ display is much simpler, with a nice, clean look, plus the option to have the satellite image on the screen, whether you’re in navigation or not. The multimedia screen is a good size (12.8 inches) and the menus are easy to navigate. The decision not to have physical controls for the climate control is disappointing, but thankfully there is a volume/on-off dial for the sound system.

The most notable difference is the so-called ‘control unit’ that integrates the indicators, wipers and gear selector on a single ‘bar’ mounted to the steering column. It’s another example of modern cars reinventing something we’ve all become accustomed to, but after a day of driving it quickly becomes second nature to adapt to the slightly different controls.

While it may be the same size, Audi has managed to find more room inside, particularly the rear, by redesigning the door pockets and sculpting out the seat backs. It’s still not the roomiest cabin, but the rear seats will be fine for younger families, couples and singles.

Another plus is the 40:20:40 split/fold rear seats for maximum practicality and adaptability, while all three have child seat anchor points (although if you do have three small children, I wouldn’t be recommending an SUV this size). 

As for the boot, because Audi only measures to the top of the seats, it measures 488L in both the SUV and Sportback variants, so you’re not missing out on day-to-day practicality with the sportier-looking roof. However, if you drop the rear seats the cargo capacity expands to 1386L in the SUV but only 1289L in the Sportback.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve 4xe PHEV retains the regular model’s level of functionality but adds a reasonably classy touch to everything.

All seats offer adequate comfort, support and room.

There are plenty of storage spaces, cupholders etc, and charging points - two USB-A and two USB-C plus a 12V socket in the front and two USB-A and two USB-C plus a 230V point in the back.

Controls are generally easy enough to locate and operate although some buttons are positioned in awkward places – including drive-mode buttons under the steering wheel – and it sometimes takes a few finger-stabs at the multimedia touchscreen to get to where you want to go in the operating system.

In terms of packability, the rear cargo area has a listed 1067 litres of space, and, with the second row folded and out of the way, that space opens up to 2004 litres.

The five-seat Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve 4xe PHEV has a MSRP of $129,950 (excluding on-road costs).

Standard features include a 10.1-inch multimedia system (with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto), a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, 19-speaker audio system, quilted Palermo leather-trimmed seats, air suspension and 21-inch alloy wheels.

It also has a heated steering wheel, 12-way power-adjustable seats and four-way power lumbar adjustment with memory for driver and front passenger, driver and front passenger seat massage function and heated and ventilated seats (driver, front passenger and rear outboard passengers).

A Mode 2 charging cable is also included.

An 'Advanced Technology Group' pack is available as a $5500 option and that includes a head-up display, a 10.25-inch screen for the front passenger, wireless phone charger, and night vision camera.

Exterior paint options include 'Bright White', 'Diamond Black', 'Silver Zynith', 'Velvet Red', 'Baltic Grey', 'Rocky Mountain', 'Midnight Sky' and 'Hydro Blue'.

As mentioned above, there are three powertrains to choose from initially, with talk of a plug-in hybrid and hi-po RS Q3 just that (talk) for now.

The entry-level SUV and Sportback get a new 1.5-litre four-cylinder mild-hybrid, turbocharged petrol engine, which makes 110kW/250Nm and sends all that performance to the road via the front wheels through a seven-speed, dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Next up is the TFSI 150kW quattro, which is a bigger 2.0L turbo-petrol four-cylinder, producing (you guessed it) 150kW and 320Nm. It also has a seven-speed dual clutch but also unsurprisingly has a quattro, aka all-wheel drive.

Finally there’s the TFSI 195kW quattro, which has the same engine but tuned to make 195kW and 400Nm, also with the seven-speed, dual-clutch auto and all-wheel drive.

This is naturally the quickest Q3, at least until the RS Q3 arrives, taking just 5.7 seconds to accelerate 0-100km/h, compared to 9.1 seconds for the 110kW and 7.1 seconds for the 150kW.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve 4xe PHEV has a 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-charged petrol engine, two electric motors (one on each axle) and a 17.3kWh battery.

Combined engine and electric outputs for power and torque are 280kW and 637Nm, respectively. The 4xe has it over any of its stablemates equipped with the 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 petrol engine because that yields 210kW and 344Nm.

The 4xe has an eight-speed automatic torque-converter transmission and regenerative braking.

Drive modes include 'Hybrid' (with combined engine and electric motor providing “maximum instant torque and impressive acceleration”, according to Jeep), 'Electric' (“zero emissions”) and 'eSave' (aims to save battery power). 

There are a few options available when it comes time to charge the 4xe.

The 4xe vehicle has a Mode 2 charging cable so you can charge it at home in less than 10 hours, according to Jeep.

With a full charge, the 4xe has a claimed driving range, on electric charge alone, of 52km.

Jeep reckons a Mode 3 (wall box) single-phase electric vehicle charger will fully charge the 4xe in less than three hours.

If out and about and looking for a charge, a 4xe driver can use the onboard 'UConnect' system to locate an appropriate public charging station.

While it may only be a mild hybrid, Audi has done its best to make the TFSI 110kW as fuel efficient as possible. To that end, in addition to the hybrid help this new 1.5-litre engine also features cylinder-on-demand.

The result is a claimed combined cycle fuel use figure of 5.7L/100km for the entry-level model.

Naturally the more powerful engines require more petrol. The 150kW models are rated at 7.3L/100km, while the 195kW has a claimed 8.1L/100km.

It’s worth noting that all three engines require a minimum 95 RON ‘premium’ fuel, which will only add to the cost at the pump in these times of high prices.

The 110KW/150kW models are fitted with a 55-litre fuel tank, while there is a bigger 60-litre tank for 195kW. That means theoretical driving ranges of approximately 960km for the 110kW models and just over 740km for the 150kW and 195kW offerings.

As mentioned, the 4xe has a listed electric-only driving range of 52km.

On our official test day, we drove just under 50km on a full electric charge and then the rest of the trip was courtesy of the good ol’ petrol engine.

Jeep's official figure for the combined cycle is just 3.2L/100km, but that's predicated on keeping the hybrid battery charged at all times. On fuel-only we recorded 11.6L/100km.

The 4xe has a 72-litre fuel tank (you need 95RON premium to fill it), so going by that on-test fuel-consumption figure, you could reasonably expect to get a driving range of about 620km out of a full tank.

Add an approximate electric range of about 50km on a full charge to that figure and you have a total estimated driving range of 670km.

While it may not be an RS model or a more dynamic sedan, part of the price premium you pay for an Audi is a more polished driving experience.

With that in mind, what Audi calls ‘Progressive steering’ (which is a variable ratio steering rack) is now standard across the range. This decision was driven by a desire to make the Q3 feel ‘more hatch-like’ to drive, being more responsive to driver inputs.

It certainly felt quite nice to drive at the launch, where we drove across a wide variety of conditions, including long stretches on winding mountain roads. The 110kW Launch Edition was enjoyable to drive in these conditions, even if the other two options offer a sportier driving experience with their extra power and all-wheel drive.

It should be noted again, we only drove Q3s fitted with adaptive dampers as those are included on the Launch Edition, so we can’t tell you how the true entry-level TFSI 110kW model rides and handles.

One minor concern was there were some rattles in one of the three cars we tested, centred around the dashboard and front doors. It’s notable because we have experienced similar potential build-quality issues with Volkswagen and Skoda products recently. This raises some questions about an area Volkswagen Group products have traditionally excelled in.

Having said that, it was only a problem in one of the three cars we drove, so it could be an isolated incident. But it’s something we will have to keep an eye and ear open to in future test drives.

We’re all time-poor, right? So, why should I take up your time and rattle on about the 4xe for a thousand words when I can get the essence of it across to you, the reader, in a few sentences? Call me, Mr Thoughtful.

This is generally a big, quiet and refined, easy-steering large SUV, but it feels bulky at times and tends to be quite fussy on irregular surfaces, exhibiting a jittery ride on even brief sections of light corrugations on dirt tracks.

The 4xe’s PHEV set-up is smooth and highly responsive on-road and you can switch between the aforementioned drive modes to suit the circumstance.

Driving range on electric only is listed as 52km. I only recorded a total distance of just under 50km, and it’s a very quiet and smooth drive while relying on electric power.

It regenerates power rather quickly down big hills and via braking, but we’d exhausted all electric charge by the time we’d reached our 4WD test track.

As expected, this Grand Cherokee tackled every off-road challenge without any strife. 

The air suspension, set to full off-road height, is a bonus.

Our 4WD test track consists of difficult set-pieces, including one small steep rocky hill that I’ve seen heavily modified vehicles struggle to conquer and, to the Jeep’s credit, it climbed the incline, no sweat.

The 4xe’s efforts were only ever hampered by its 'all-season' Continental CrossContact tyres (275/45R21) which are much better suited to blacktop driving and the fact the 4xe costs upwards of $129,950 and I didn’t want to risk any damage to it.

The 4xe has a listed wading depth of 610mm but our test track was dry so I never had the chance to do any water crossings. 

The Grand Cherokee has a solid enough rep as a towing vehicle but, take note, the 4xe is rated to tow 2722kg.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve 4xe PHEV has the maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from assessment this year.

Safety gear includes AEB with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, driver monitoring, traffic sign recognition, intersection collision assist, and a surround-view parking camera.

The Summit Reserve spec brings with it 'ParkSense' parallel and perpendicular park assist and (low-level autonomous) 'Active Driving Assist'.

It has eight airbags including front, side, and knee (for driver and front passenger), sides (for second-row passengers) and full curtain airbags.

The Q3 is covered by Audi Australia’s standard five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty. This includes five years of roadside assistance too.

There is a standard five-year servicing plan for $3300, which is the same as the outgoing model, with servicing required every 12 months or 15,000km, whichever comes first.

Audi has an expansive, nationwide dealer network befitting its place as an established sales leader in the premium space.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve 4xe PHEV has a five-year/100,000km warranty and a lifetime roadside assist service.

Servicing is set at 12-month/12,000km intervals and capped price servicing keeps what you pay for each appointment at $399 for the first five.