Compare the2022 Porsche CayenneVS 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT

The Porsche Cayenne has standard driver and front passenger side knee airbags mounted low on the dashboard. These airbags helps prevent the driver and front passenger from sliding under their seatbelts or the main frontal airbags; this keeps them better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. Knee airbags also help keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Grand Cherokee SRT doesn’t offer a front passenger side knee airbag.

The Cayenne has a standard Multi-collision Brake System, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Grand Cherokee SRT 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.

A passive infrared night vision system optional on the Cayenne helps the driver to more easily detect people, animals or other objects in front of the vehicle at night. Using an infrared camera to detect heat, the system then displays the image on a monitor in the dashboard. The Grand Cherokee SRT doesn’t offer a night vision system.

The Cayenne offers an optional Surround View to allow the driver to see objects all around the vehicle on a screen. The Grand Cherokee SRT only offers a rear monitor and front and rear parking sensors that beep or flash a light. That doesn’t help with obstacles to the sides.

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

The Cayenne comes with a full 4-year/50,000-mile basic warranty, which covers the entire truck and includes 24-hour roadside assistance. The Grand Cherokee SRT’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The Cayenne’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Grand Cherokee SRT’s (12 vs. 5 years).

For smoother operation, better efficiency and fewer moving parts, the engines in the Cayenne have an overhead cam design, rather than the old pushrod design of the engine in the Grand Cherokee SRT.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Porsche vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Porsche second in reliability, above the industry average. With 55 more problems per 100 vehicles, Jeep is ranked 24th.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Porsche vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Porsche 10 places higher in reliability than Jeep.

The Cayenne E-Hybrid’s standard 3.0 turbo V6 hybrid produces 46 lbs.-ft. more torque (516 vs. 470) than the Grand Cherokee SRT’s 6.4 V8. The Cayenne Turbo S E-Hybrid’s standard 4.0 turbo V8 hybrid produces 195 more horsepower (670 vs. 475) and 193 lbs.-ft. more torque (663 vs. 470) than the Grand Cherokee SRT’s 6.4 V8.

As tested in Motor Trend the Porsche Cayenne is faster than the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT:

On the EPA test cycle the Cayenne running on electricity gets better mileage than the Grand Cherokee SRT:

On the EPA test cycle the Cayenne running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the Grand Cherokee SRT:

The Cayenne E-Hybrid can drive on battery power alone for up to 17 miles. The Grand Cherokee SRT must run its internal combustion engine to move.

Regenerative brakes improve the Cayenne’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Grand Cherokee SRT doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

In heavy traffic or at stop lights the Cayenne’s engine automatically turns off when the vehicle is stopped, saving fuel and reducing pollution. The engine is automatically restarted when the driver gets ready to move again. If the conditions warrant or the driver wishes, the system can be manually disabled at any time for the duration of a trip. The Grand Cherokee SRT doesn’t offer an automatic engine start/stop system.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Porsche Cayenne higher (3 to 5 out of 10) than the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT (1). This means the Cayenne produces up to 39 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Grand Cherokee SRT every 15,000 miles.

The EPA certifies the Porsche Cayenne as an “Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle” (ULEV). The Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT is only certified to “Low Emissions Vehicle” (LEV) standards.

For better stopping power the Cayenne CCB’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Grand Cherokee SRT:

The Cayenne offers optional heat-treated ceramic brake rotors, which last ten to twenty times as long as conventional cast iron rotors, don’t rust, don’t fade during repeated high speed braking, and their lighter weight contribute to better braking, handling and acceleration. The Grand Cherokee SRT doesn’t offer ceramic brake rotors.

The Cayenne Turbo has standard air brakes, which adjust the spoiler automatically during high-speed braking in order to shorten stopping distances. The Grand Cherokee SRT doesn’t offer air brakes.

The Cayenne stops shorter than the Grand Cherokee SRT:

The Cayenne’s optional 285/35R22 front and 315/30R22 rear tires provide better handling because they have a lower 35 series front and 30 series rear profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Grand Cherokee SRT’s 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Cayenne offers optional 22-inch wheels. The Grand Cherokee SRT’s largest wheels are only 20-inches.

The Cayenne offers active sway bars, which help keep it flat and controlled during cornering, but disconnect at lower speeds to smooth the ride and offer greater off-road suspension articulation. This helps keep the tires glued to the road on-road and off. The Grand Cherokee SRT doesn’t offer an active sway bar system.

The Cayenne offers an available adjustable active suspension system, which counteracts cornering forces actively, limiting body roll and improving handling and stability. Jeep doesn’t offer an active suspension on the Grand Cherokee SRT.

The Cayenne has a standard automatic front and rear load leveling suspension to keep ride height level with a heavy load or when towing. The Cayenne’s height leveling suspension allows the driver to raise ride height for better off-road clearance and then lower it again for easier entering and exiting and better on-road handling. The Grand Cherokee SRT doesn’t offer a load leveling suspension.

The Cayenne Turbo handles at .98 G’s, while the Grand Cherokee SRT pulls only .88 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Cayenne Turbo executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2.5 seconds quicker than the Grand Cherokee SRT (23.9 seconds @ .83 average G’s vs. 26.4 seconds @ .71 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Cayenne w/Rear Wheel Steering’s turning circle is 2.9 feet tighter than the Grand Cherokee SRT’s (35.1 feet vs. 38 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Cayenne has a greater minimum ground clearance than the Grand Cherokee SRT (8.2 vs. 8.1 inches), allowing the Cayenne to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged. The Cayenne Air Suspension’s minimum ground clearance is 1.5 inches higher than on the Grand Cherokee SRT (9.6 vs. 8.1 inches).

The Porsche Cayenne may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs up to about 600 pounds less than the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT.

The front grille of the Cayenne uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Grand Cherokee SRT doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Cayenne has .8 inches more front legroom, .4 inches more front shoulder room and 1.7 inches more rear legroom than the Grand Cherokee SRT.

The front step up height for the Cayenne is 4 inches lower than the Grand Cherokee SRT (16.75” vs. 20.7”). The Cayenne’s rear step up height is 4.8 inches lower than the Grand Cherokee SRT’s (16” vs. 20.8”).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Cayenne easier. The Cayenne’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 31 inches, while the Grand Cherokee SRT’s liftover is 32.6 inches.

The Cayenne’s cargo area is larger than the Grand Cherokee SRT’s in almost every dimension:

To make loading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the Cayenne’s available liftgate can be opened and closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Grand Cherokee SRT doesn’t offer a hands-free gesture to open its liftgate, forcing you to put cargo down if your hands are full.

The Cayenne’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Grand Cherokee SRT’s (7700 vs. 7200 pounds).

The Cayenne has a much higher maximum payload capacity than the Grand Cherokee SRT (1657 vs. 1350 lbs.).

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Porsche service is better than Jeep. J.D. Power ranks Porsche first in service department satisfaction. With a 79% lower rating, Jeep is ranked 28th.

Unlike the driver-only memory system in the Grand Cherokee SRT, the Cayenne offers an optional driver and passenger memory, so that when drivers switch, the memory setting adjusts the driver’s seat, steering wheel position, outside mirror angle and climate settings and the front passenger seat also adjusts to the new passenger’s preset preferences.

The Cayenne offers an optional heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning and navigation instruction readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Grand Cherokee SRT doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

The Cayenne’s power parking brake sets with one touch and releases with one touch. The Grand Cherokee SRT

The Cayenne’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 SRT’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Cayenne offers optional adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Grand Cherokee SRT doesn’t offer cornering lights.

Optional air conditioned front and rear seats keep the Cayenne’s passengers comfortable and take the sting out of hot leather in summer. The Grand Cherokee SRT doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats in the rear.

The Cayenne offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Grand Cherokee SRT.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Porsche Cayenne offers an optional wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. The Grand Cherokee SRT doesn’t offer wireless personal charging.

The Cayenne’s optional Active Park Assist can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. Remote Park Assist will park and retrieve your car remotely: press a button and watch it park itself. This is ideal for tight locations. The Grand Cherokee SRT’s automatic parking system requires operating the brakes and transmission to safely park and it doesn’t offer remote control parking.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Porsche Cayenne, based on reliability, safety and performance.