[big brother]

Macans $52,000 starting price point smacks it down right in the middle of the Grand Cherokee lineup. More specifically the Grand Cherokee SRT. I had the chance to sit in a friends the other day and he took me for a little spin around the block and boys do i have to say was i ever impressed.

Fit and finish was fantastic for a Jeep, I'd written off all chrysler products for exactly that reason but the GC SRT actually brings a European feel to the interior. I only took one picture of the cluster and steering wheel but you can already see the attention to detail in the GC.

Real Carbon Fiber trim, flappy paddles that aren't flappy at all, Launch Control conspiring to send you to the moon and the throatiest, heftiest rip your face off low end pull.

Seriously, I know some of you will throw the SRT GC out the window and dismiss it as not a luxury product but I have to tell you its much nicer inside and out than my brothers Mercedes ML550. The Dash is leather wrapped and stitched with quality, big panoramic moonroof and the touch screen info system blows away the stupid wheels of BMW or Mercedes.

Speaking of BMW and Mercedes you know the SRT GC will eat their lunch right? Stock P-Zeros, 6.4L HEMI that kicks out 470 horses and 465 ft-lbs of twist which by the way outclasses all BMW X5 models except for X5M, same goes for ML, outclasses all MLs power wise except the north of $100K AMG.

Suspension is balanced, adjustable Bilstein dampers I believe he said, sport mode holds the revs on tap, quite the engaging drive.

So you may not get all the longing looks of a Cayenne or Macan but when you want to blow the doors of the smug Mercedes punk theres no better way to do it than in a Jeep, starting at $63K... for that type of performance and options from a Cayenne you're looking to at least the $100K+ Cayenne GTS...

This has quickly moved to the top of my list in a tie with Macan, and TBH the GC has more cargo space and more power. It will be tough for Macan to win outright but I wont make that decision until I've gotten my hands on one...

 

[MacanMan]

I don't know if i can ever get a Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT over a Macan Turbo S or Macan Turbo S. Those SRT SUV's are basically a poor mans Cayenne Turbo S at the moment. Also keep in mind the Cayenne has different suspension modes, lowering and rising depending what you select, unlike the Jeep, it's not just for 1/4 mile runs but the turns as well. It's a PORSCHE after all. Expect the Macan Turbo S to be just like this.

Depending who's driving, the year model, and some others, the Cayenne can come close and even beat the Cherokee. With the Macan being lighter, expect it to do the same, maybe even better :

 

[big brother]

I don't know if i can ever get a Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT over a Macan Turbo S or Macan Turbo S. Those SRT SUV's are basically a poor mans Cayenne Turbo S at the moment. Also keep in mind the Cayenne has different suspension modes, lowering and rising depending what you select, unlike the Jeep, it's not just for 1/4 mile runs but the turns as well. It's a PORSCHE after all. Expect the Macan Turbo S to be just like this.

Depending who's driving, the year model, and some others, the Cayenne can come close and even beat the Cherokee. With the Macan being lighter, expect it to do the same, maybe even better :

Jeep Cherokee SRT-8 vs Porsche Cayenne Turbo - YouTube

What Cayenne owner do you know who hits the twistys in theirs? AHAHA For street usage straight lines are about as close to racing as you can get, stop light racing is where the performance is at

There isn't even a Macan Turbo S at the moment, and when there is I expect it to scrape $100K which now puts it out of range of the SRT. I was thinking along the lines of the 2 Macans that will be with us from launch. The SRTs ~68K MSRP puts it right in the range of the two...

 

[gman]

I've driven the Chrysler 300, which afaik shares a fair bit of tech with the GC. I was also pleasantly surprised. It is extremely reasonably priced for the levels of luxury and performance it brings.

Nonetheless, I am not sold. The HEMI is terrible on fuel, and I'm pretty sure the styling of these Chrysler products will get tired fairly quickly. Resale value wont hold up like a Porsche, and I can't see anyone falling passionately in love with a Chrysler. Even if it is irrational to fall hard for a Porsche, people do it, and may work their whole lives just to get a chance to buy a used one. That type of loyalty creates a good aftermarket and makes for a car that will provide enjoyment to generations of owners, not just the first one.

 

[Bertuzzi]

I don't know if i can ever get a Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT over a Macan Turbo S or Macan Turbo S. Those SRT SUV's are basically a poor mans Cayenne Turbo S at the moment. Also keep in mind the Cayenne has different suspension modes, lowering and rising depending what you select, unlike the Jeep, it's not just for 1/4 mile runs but the turns as well. It's a PORSCHE after all. Expect the Macan Turbo S to be just like this.

Depending who's driving, the year model, and some others, the Cayenne can come close and even beat the Cherokee. With the Macan being lighter, expect it to do the same, maybe even better :

Jeep Cherokee SRT-8 vs Porsche Cayenne Turbo - YouTube

You can see the turbo lag in this video on the turbo. But when it comes to tech I dont think the SRT can beat the cayanne. Plus the interiror is way nicer.

 

[macnuts]

A Cayenne turbo S would be a better and more fair comparison.

 

[Zues]

The Macan will be more similar to the Cherokee, but it is unclear if the Cherokee will get a SRT performance version right now. Can't wait to see the Macan doing some racing. It should obviously be able to hold its own against most vehicles barring supercars and exotics. Video seems to show that the GC is faster off the line but the Cayenne wins in the end. Could just be the drivers though.

 

[MacanMan]

You can see the turbo lag in this video on the turbo. But when it comes to tech I dont think the SRT can beat the cayanne. Plus the interiror is way nicer.

I just noticed that, it also depends on the driver too. Best way is to have two drivers that understand each vehicle well and have them go head to head. I'll still take a Macan or Cayenne over a Cherokee any day.

 

[Luv2Drive]

If you appreciate the refinement of a German auto, any Jeep will not really satisfy. I've driven a couple SRTs, one just last year and one four years ago. The one last year, a 2013 model, although quite improved over the 2010 I drove, was still very course compared to German cars like Porsche, Audi, BMW OR VW.

We have a 2011 X5 Xdrive 5.0 Adaptive Drive Sports Package and it is night and day more enjoyable than the JGC SRT. Also, my daily driver is a 2013 Touareg TDI, and I would take it over the Jeep any day, if refinement of overall design and overall driving enjoyment is weighted highly.

My main complaints with the Jeep - the power train is not smooth, the downshifts could have been allot better. I found myself constantly wondering why it didn't shift sooner, later smoother, etc., etc. compared to our X5 or the Touareg, they both shift predictably and their 8 speed transmissions are wonderfully matched to their motors.

The JGC SRT has a great visual appeal and the motor is strong, but the sum of the parts is just not there.

 

[mikep89]

As much as I love how Chrysler has improved with Fiat and them bringing their italian engineers into the mix, i still think the Macan will be far superior on the grand scale.

 

[whoosh]

What Cayenne owner do you know who hits the twistys in theirs? AHAHA For street usage straight lines are about as close to racing as you can get, stop light racing is where the performance is at

Some people live surrounded by twisty roads, and at high elevation where the power from the NA V8 in the GC will get puny real fast. So performance wise, the GC isn't going to hold a candle to the Macan, at least in a magazine race.

Interior is okay on the GC; I've had one as a rental (not an SRT) and thought they've done a good job compared to what one used to get in a Chrysler product. Having said that, it's nowhere near the fit/finish on the latest gen Porsche products. Looking at the pic you posted, I see hard plastic on the center steering wheel cover, and the right and left side gauges that look like they came out of a Mitsubishi. I also don't really care for how they have integrated the digital display in between standard analog gauges. Looks as cheap here as it does on the $100k+ SRT Viper.

But that's subjective, and if it pleases you then that's all that matters.

One last thing to consider is quality of Jeep vs Porsche:

I will say that I've always been a MOPAR fan when it comes to the Big Three. I have a '96 Ram 2500 Cummins out in my driveway. So if I had to choose between an American auto, it would be a Chrysler product. Having said that, I'd still take the entry-level Porsche over the top-level Jeep.

 

[macnuts]

the refinement isn't there on the american cars. not like the german cars.

there is probably a reason why the porsche cost more

 

[mikep89]

the refinement isn't there on the american cars. not like the german cars.

there is probably a reason why the porsche cost more

Yup, these are not mass produced cars that are being pumped out within the thousands on a daily basis. You get what you pay for.

 

[macnuts]

some interesting Porsche vs Jeep GC Comparisons

2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 vs. 2013 Porsche Cayenne GTS Track Test

2011 BMW X5 M vs. 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 vs. 2011 Porsche Cayenne Turbo - Comparison - Motor Trend

 

[Transpower]

Macnuts, that was just a straight-line acceleration comparison. They didn't do any tests of fuel economy or skid pad or cargo carrying or off-roading.