Compare the2023 Jeep CherokeeVS 2023 Audi Q5 Sportback

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Towing
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages

Safety

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The Jeep Cherokee 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 Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Cherokee has standard Active Head Restraints, which use a specially designed headrest to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Active Head Restraints system moves the headrests forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Cherokee has standard Parksense with Rear Stop that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

Both the Cherokee and the Q5 Sportback have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, 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, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Jeep Cherokee is safer than the Audi Q5 Sportback:

	Cherokee	Q5 Sportback
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	166	187
Chest Compression	.5 inches	.7 inches
Neck Compression	26 lbs.	30 lbs.

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

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Jeep Cherokee is safer than the Audi Q5 Sportback:

	Cherokee	Q5 Sportback
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	14 inches	15 inches
HIC	203	219
Hip Force	490 lbs.	600 lbs.

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

Warranty

Jeep’s powertrain warranty covers the Cherokee 1 year and 10,000 miles longer than Audi covers the Q5 Sportback. Any repair needed on the engine, transmission, axles, joints or driveshafts is fully covered for 5 years or 60,000 miles. Coverage on the Q5 Sportback ends after only 4 years or 50,000 miles.

Jeep pays for scheduled maintenance on the Cherokee for 3 years and unlimited miles. Jeep will pay for oil changes, lubrication and any other required maintenance (up to 3 oil changes). Audi only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Q5 Sportback.

There are almost 8 times as many Jeep dealers as there are Audi dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Cherokee’s warranty.

Reliability

To reliably power the ignition and other systems and to recharge the battery, the Cherokee has a standard 160-amp alternator (180-amp - Cherokee optional). The Q5 Sportback’s standard 110-amp alternator and largest (optional) 150-amp alternator aren’t as powerful.

To reliably start during all conditions and help handle large electrical loads, the Cherokee has a standard 700-amp battery. The Q5 Sportback’s 420-amp battery isn’t as powerful.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Jeep vehicles are better in initial quality than Audi vehicles. With 40 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Jeep higher than Audi.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2022 survey of the owners of three-year-old vehicles provides the long-term dependability statistics that show that Jeep vehicles are more reliable than Audi With 31 fewer problems per 100 vehicles in the first three years of ownership, J.D. Power ranks Jeep higher than Audi.

Engine

The Cherokee Trailhawk’s optional 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder produces 9 more horsepower (270 vs. 261) and 22 lbs.-ft. more torque (295 vs. 273) than the Q5 Sportback’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid.

Fuel Economy and Range

The Cherokee has a standard cap-less fueling system. The fuel filler is automatically opened when the fuel nozzle is inserted and automatically closed when it’s removed. This eliminates the need to unscrew and replace the cap and it reduces fuel evaporation, which causes pollution. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer a cap-less fueling system.

Transmission

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Jeep Cherokee, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only a seven-speed automatic is available for the Q5 Sportback.

Tires and Wheels

The Cherokee has a standard easy tire fill system. When inflating the tires, the vehicle’s integrated tire pressure sensors keep track of the pressure as the tires fill and tell the driver when the tires are inflated to the proper pressure. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Cherokee Trailhawk has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Q5 Sportback; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

Suspension and Handling

The Cherokee’s drift compensation steering can automatically compensate for road conditions which would cause the vehicle to drift from side to side, helping the driver to keep the vehicle straight more easily. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer drift compensation steering.

For better maneuverability, the Cherokee’s turning circle is 1 foot tighter than the Q5 Sportback’s (37.7 feet vs. 38.7 feet). The Cherokee Trailhawk’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Q5 Sportback’s (38.1 feet vs. 38.7 feet).

Chassis

The front grille of the Cherokee (except Trailhawk) uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The Cherokee uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Cherokee has .1 inches more front legroom, .8 inches more rear headroom and 2.5 inches more rear legroom than the Q5 Sportback.

Cargo Capacity

The Cherokee has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Q5 Sportback with its rear seat up (27.6 vs. 24.7 cubic feet). The Cherokee has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Q5 Sportback with its rear seat folded (54.7 vs. 51.9 cubic feet).

Towing

The Cherokee 4x4 with optional equipment can be flat towed on all four wheels (dinghy towed), allowing recreational vehicle owners to bring it with them on the road. When they reach their destination, the Cherokee can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Q5 Sportback can’t be towed flat on the ground.

Standard Trailer Sway Control on the Cherokee uses the Electronic Stability Control sensors to detect trailer sway, then uses individual brakes to counteract any swaying and help keep the tow vehicle and trailer steady. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer electronic trailer sway control.

Ergonomics

The Cherokee has a standard remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The climate system will also automatically heat or cool the interior. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the Cherokee has a standard rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper standard on the Q5 Sportback only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

The Cherokee has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the vehicle heater warms up. A heated steering wheel costs extra on the Q5 Sportback.

The Cherokee has a 115-volt a/c outlet on the center console, allowing you to recharge a laptop or run small household appliances without special adapters that can break or get misplaced. The Q5 Sportback doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Economic Advantages

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Cherokee is less expensive to operate than the Q5 Sportback because it costs $546 less to do the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance for 50,000 miles. Typical repairs cost much less on the Cherokee than the Q5 Sportback, including $289 less for a water pump, $39 less for front brake pads, $228 less for a starter, $286 less for fuel injection, $128 less for front struts and $122 less for a power steering pump.