2017 Audi Q5 vs Jeep Grand Cherokee

What's the difference?

Like just about every SUV in the Australian market, Audi’s Q5 is up against some hot competition, including Range Rover’s new sleek and slick Velar. But it’s popular for a reason, with heaps of standard equipment for the money, a punchy drivetrain, and excellent dynamics. A full-house suite of safety equipment is the icing on the cake.

The mid-life changes to the Grand Cherokee range, along with an overhaul of its warranty offering and (as it claims) a ground-up look at the way it deals with customers, should help to put the car back onto shopping lists.

At its heart, the new Trailhawk offers more off-road chops that don't come at the expense of on-road civility.

For us, Jeep could have taken the Trailhawk idea even further, with a more utilitarian interior, a spare wheel on the rear door and the like, while the addition of driver aids like AEB should be a given at this price point.

If you're looking for a distance eater that's quiet, can tow like few others and still looks pretty sharp seven years on, it's definitely worth a look.

Emerging from Audi’s corporate garage a decade ago, the Q5 was the second SUV in the Bavarian maker’s line-up, following the larger Q7, which kicked things off in 2005.

It received a relatively mild facelift refresh in 2012, and this new, second-generation version still doesn’t stray a million miles away from Audi senior designer David Caffrey’s original vision.

Angular (standard) matrix LED headlights, sitting either side of a blacked-out version of the brand’s distinctive ‘Singleframe’ grille, give the car a mildly annoyed expression. It feels like it’s staring you down, and large gill-like vent apertures, also housing the front fog lights, enhance the imposing look.

The edges of the broad, subtly straked alloy bonnet close neatly over the top of the front fenders, with shutlines so even and accurate they’d make a Swiss watchmaker proud. This is partly down to the fact Audi uses laser sensors to measure how the sheet behaves during forming, and to make fine pressure adjustments if necessary. 

A clear, undulating character line confidently defines the side of the car, and continues around to the rear, which conforms strictly to Audi’s corporate design philosophy. There’s a spoiler at the top of the hatch door, inward-tapering (LED) tail-lights, and dual exhaust pipes neatly integrated in a single graphic piece under the bumper.

As the name implies, this limited edition features a ‘Titanium black’ styling package, including the black highlights around the grille, black trim strips on the side windows, roof rails and mirror caps, plus heavily tinted privacy glass, as well as 20-inch Audi Sport alloy rims finished in ‘Anthracite Black’. Our test example’s non-metallic ‘Quantum Grey’ paint looked uber cool.

Overall, it’s an evolutionary take on a proven design theme, but adventurous competitors like the Range Rover Velar will appeal to those looking for a more contemporary approach.

The cabin, while not exactly black, is definitely dark, with many square metres of top-shelf nappa hide used to trim the seats, complete with impressive diamond pattern quilting on the centre panels, and beautifully detailed contrast stitching.

There’s also Alcantara in the door inserts, and patches of the same tough material on the inner front seat bolsters to handle wear from buckling and unbuckling the seat belt. A thoughtful touch.

The interior treatment is classy but relatively conservative (again, next to the Velar, or the flashy Lexus RX) with the broad centre console a familiar Audi element. 

The dash is borderline plain, with a compact binnacle surrounding the ‘Virtual Cockpit’ digital instrument display, and the 8.3-inch high-res colour display up high in the centre, although brushed ‘Aluminium rhombus’ and carbon fibre highlights add a premium, high-tech look and feel

Jeep has tweaked the visage of the Grand Cherokee for 2017, narrowing the headlights and front grille, while the Trailhawk also gets items like an anti-glare bonnet decal, badging and special 18-inch rims.

At its heart, though, it's still a big, brash and honest five-seat SUV, where size takes precedence over subtlety. That's not to say it isn't handsome in its own way, though.

The interior has also been lightly made over, with the biggest change being a switch back to a T-bar style automatic shifter. The previous iteration worked more like a rocker switch, and was implicated as the cause of several nasty incidents over the last couple of years.

The multimedia screen has also been updated, and there's thicker windscreen and side glass to reduce noise intrusion.

It may sit in the middle of Audi’s SUV line-up, but the Q5 delivers full-size accommodation for five, and practicality is well taken care of.

Up front there's a pair of cupholders in the centre console, and door bins with bottle holders. The glove box is a decent size, a useful lidded box sits between the front seats, and there are smaller oddments trays in the centre console.

Connectivity and power are covered by a pair of USB ports, an ‘auxiliary in’ socket and a 12V outlet.

In the rear, head and legroom are generous. Sitting behind the driver’s seat, set for my 183cm position, I enjoyed a surprisingly large gap to my knees and adequate fresh air above the bonce. Three adults across the rear would be tight, but do-able for shorter trips.

Backseaters are provided with adjustable ventilation control (including a digital read-out) as well as two cupholders in the fold-down centre armrest, door bins big enough for bottles, net pockets on the front seatbacks, and a 12V outlet.

Cargo space is bang on for the Q5’s competitive set, offering 550 litres (VDA), with the split-fold (40/20/40) rear seat upright. Thanks to the ‘Black’s’ sliding rear seat (see Equipment) that can grow to 610L.

For reference, BMW’s X3 and the Mercedes-Benz GLC offer 550L, the Range Rover Velar offers a fair bit more (673L) and the Jaguar F-Pace a bit less (508L).

Despite those differences, it’s able to swallow the CarsGuide pram with ease, or our three-piece hard suitcase set (35, 68 and 105 litres) with room to spare.

Use the neatly positioned release handles in the boot to fold the rear seat down, and that volume grows to 1550 litres, which is the same or slightly less than its competitors, although the Velar ups the ante again, with more than 10 per cent extra space (1731L).

There are netted pockets back there, a pair of bag hooks, two lights, as well as four tie-down anchors and a cargo net, plus welcome additions like a high-vis emergency vest and first-aid kit.

The power tailgate features foot-gesture control (always a winner, just kick your foot and up comes the door), and its opening height can be customised to match your garage. The spare is a space-saver.

The Grand Cherokee is a straight five-seater in a category that's full of seven-seat rivals like the Toyota Prado and Ford Everest. It might lose the ability to take the neighbour's kids to cricket, but it frees up cargo space for more stuff.

Drop the seats and you'll easily jam a full sized mountain bike in the back. Small tie-down hooks also allow you to secure it.

Jeep says there's 782 litres of space behind the rear seats, and 1552 litres when they're laid flat.

A pair of cupholders supplements  bottle  holders, while a medium-depth centre bin can hide the largest of phones.

The seats themselves are big, well bolstered and very comfy front and rear, with three adults able to sit across the back with ease. They can also recline the seatbacks, charge devices and control their own climate, while sipping from bottles stashed in the doors.

If you leave a friend behind, the fold-down centre armrest hides two cupholders, and ISOFIX child restraints can be added to the outside rear pews.

Up front, the comfort is similar, with Jeep's excellent digital dash facing the driver. It can be configured in a number of ways, and is amongst the clearest and most easy-to-read dashboards on the market today.

A pair of cupholders supplements bottle holders, while a medium-depth centre bin can hide the largest of phones.

Given the nature of the Trailhawk name, you'd be forgiven for thinking the car would be more biased towards dirty climes, but with carpet throughout and leather trim everywhere else, a set of rugged floor mats might be a good thing to grab before going bush.

The Trailhawk retails for $74,000, which is a $5000 lift over the Limited model on which it's based.

It scores a locking rear diff, longer travel air suspension and a set of 18-inch Goodyear Wrangler all-terrain tyres, along with unique rims, underbody protection panels, the matt black bonnet decal and distinctly coloured tow hooks front and rear.

The electric power steering system that debuted in the Chrysler 300 in 2015 has been added to the Cherokee line-up for 2017, and there have been changes to the front and rear suspension, too.

Alloy suspension knuckles up front replace steel items, while hollow sway bars front and rear also take weight out of the big Jeep.

As for specs, the Trailhawk comes standard with items like leather trim, powered tailgate, LED lights front and rear, automatic headlights and wipers, four USB ports (with two for rear seaters), dual zone climate control, heated steering wheel, heated seats (front and rear), as well as an 8.4-inch multimedia touchscreen, nine-speaker stereo, and more.

The 2.0-litre, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol ‘TFSI’ engine features dual-injection, with a multi-point set-up supplementing the main direct-injection system at partial load, for optimal throttle response.

Add Audi ‘valvelift” (variable valve timing on the exhaust side), and of course a turbo (with electric wastegate) and you arrive at 185kW from 5000-6000rpm, and 300Nm from 1600-4500rpm.

Drive goes to a seven-speed dual clutch, and on to all four wheels via the latest gen version of Audi’s ‘quattro’ all-wheel drive, featuring ‘ultra technology’.

What that means to you and I is that the system operates predictively, acquiring and evaluating dynamic data (steering angle, transverse and longitudinal acceleration, and engine torque) in 10-millisecond cycles, to distribute drive to the wheel that can make best use of it, including (amazingly) a seamless shift from all-wheel drive to front-wheel drive (and back).

The Trailhawk runs Jeep's well known 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 diesel engine, which produces 184kW at 4000rpm and a hefty 570Nm at a low 2000rpm.

It also uses a second-generation ZF eight-speed automatic transmission with flappy paddles (now standard across the Grand Cherokee range), along with a new electric steering system that's been poached from the Chrysler 300.

The engine is a beauty, with quiet operation and loads of go right off the bat. The ZF auto, designed in conjunction with Chrysler, is a ripper as well, with plenty of gears available when needed.

The Grand Cherokee also offers low-range off-road capability via its two-speed transfer case and electronic rear diff. Various modes can be activated inside the cabin depending on the terrain, including mud and gravel modes.

There's a very clever hill descent feature that also works as a hill climbing mode, with the driver adjusting the speed of the descent and ascent via the wheel paddles.

Claimed fuel economy for the combined (ADR 81/02 - urban, extra-urban) cycle is 7.3l/100km, the petrol engine emitting 167g/km of CO2 in the process.

The Q5 features stop-start, and a fuel-saving coast mode, where the drive system allows freewheeling between 55 and 160km/h if the driver releases the accelerator.

Over roughly 300km of city, suburban and freeway running we recorded a (dash-indicated) figure of 10.8L/100km. Still not shabby for a 1.7-tonne SUV.

Fuel requirement is 95RON premium unleaded, and you’ll need 70 litres of it to fill the tank.

Jeep claims a combined fuel economy figure of 7.5 litres per 100km, and after 940km of on- and off-road testing, we used 77 litres of diesel, which equates to a combined fuel economy figure of 8.1L/100km.

Thanks to its 93 litre fuel tank, the Grand Cherokee has a theoretical range of over 1200km.

Two things stand out when the Q5’s wheels start moving; the smooth, civilised, and surprisingly urgent nature of the 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, as well as the feelsome response of the variable ratio, electro-mechanical steering.

Maximum power of 185kW is a pretty handy number, and Audi claims 0-100km/h in only 6.3sec. But that peak arrives at a lofty 5000-6000rpm (the rev ceiling is around 6750rpm). It’s more the 370Nm of torque (available all the way from 1600-4500rpm) that gets the job done.

The drive select system allows tuning of the throttle, transmission, and steering. In ‘Dynamic’ mode, mid-range thrust is strong, and delivered in fuss-free, linear fashion, with the seven-speed dual-clutch keeping things in the sweet spot.

The Q5 is so agile it’s easy to forget you’re driving it, rather than it’s more compact Q3 sibling. Suspension is a five-link set-up front and rear, and despite 20-inch rubber and the ‘S sport’ suspension fitted to the Black edition (firmer springs and dampers), the balance between ride comfort and dynamic response is spot on.

Audi says it’s paid particular attention to ‘aero acoustics’ and cruising noise levels are pleasantly low (the car’s claimed drag co-efficient is 0.30). 

The sports front seats are grippy and proved comfortable on longer runs, the brakes are reassuringly powerful and consistent, and the ergonomics are top-notch. 

For those determined to head off the highway, ground clearance is 208mm, approach angle is 25 degrees, departure is 27 degrees, and ramp angle is 17 degrees.

If you want to hitch something up to the back, maximum towing capacity for a braked trailer is 2400kg, and 750kg without stoppers.

The Trailhawk uses air-sprung suspension, which naturally softens and smooths out the ride. The all-terrain tyres do feel a tad stiffer, but given the deeper sidewalls on the 18-inch wheels, it doesn't impact on ride comfort at all.

The electric steering is good, albeit a bit remote, while the drivetrain is essentially custom designed for long journeys. The diesel is quiet and smooth, while the eight-speed auto always has the right gear to hand.

Even through the wilds of New Zealand – where any straight bit of road is a rarity – the almost three-tonne Grand Cherokee is an unflustered touring companion.

Off-road, the new hill descent/ascent control system is brilliant, while the Jeep's 260mm maximum ground clearance helped us clamber over some solid climbs. The tyres are biased towards on-road work, though, and need pressure taken out of them to work at their best when the going gets dirty.

About the only complaint we had was the failure of the front USB panel – which really shouldn't be happening on cars that are seven years into their life-cycle. Jeep also insists on keeping the antiquated foot-operated parking brake, which is annoying.

The Grand Cherokee comes with seven airbags, front and rear parking sensors, a rear view camera, trailer sway control and brake pre-fill and rain-prepping.

It misses out on Jeep's driver aid systems that include radar cruise control, AEB, blind spot monitoring and more as standard. Jeep offers it as part of an 'Active Safety Group' kit, but the $3250 asking price is a real eye opener, especially on a seventy grand car. AEB, at least, should be offered as standard.

It still earns a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating, which was issued in 2011.

Audi provides a three year/unlimited warranty, with three years paint cover, and a 12-year rust perforation guarantee. ‘AudiCare’ 24-hour roadside assistance is complimentary for three years.

The recommended service interval is 15,000km/12 months, and the ‘Audi Genuine Care Service Plan’ is available to cover scheduled servicing for three years/45,000km (whichever comes first). And for the Q5, the indicative price is $1870 (for petrol and diesel variants).

Jeep is ramping up its warranty and service efforts on the back of a few years of lacklustre results in customer satisfaction surveys and a raft of technical recalls.

It now offers a comprehensive five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty that can be transferred to private buyers for $99 if the car is sold, while lifetime roadside assist is also available for Grand Cherokees serviced through a Jeep dealer.

Fixed price servicing costs over the first five years equals $4285, with service intervals set at 20,000km or 12 months.