Compare the2023 Jeep WranglerVS 2023 Porsche Cayenne

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the Wrangler 4-Door are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Cayenne doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Wrangler’s optional Rear Cross Path Detection uses sensors in the rear to alert the driver to vehicles approaching from the side, helping the driver avoid collisions. The Cayenne doesn’t offer a rear cross-path warning system.

Both the Wrangler and the Cayenne have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, rearview cameras, available crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, blind spot warning systems and rear parking sensors.

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

Jeep pays for scheduled maintenance (up to 3 oil changes) on the Wrangler for 2 years and unlimited miles longer than Porsche pays for maintenance for the Cayenne (3/unlimited vs. 1/10,000).

There are over 12 times as many Jeep dealers as there are Porsche dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Wrangler’s warranty.

The Wrangler has a solid front axle with a floating power axle for durability that the Cayenne’s independent front suspension and exposed front driveshafts don’t offer.

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 Porsche vehicles. With 1 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Jeep higher than Porsche.

The Wrangler’s 3.0 turbo V6 diesel produces 110 lbs.-ft. more torque (442 vs. 332) than the Cayenne’s standard 3.0 turbo V6. The Wrangler’s 3.0 turbo V6 diesel produces 37 lbs.-ft. more torque (442 vs. 405) than the Cayenne S’ standard 2.9 turbo V6.

As tested in Motor Trend the Wrangler Rubicon 392 6.4 V8 is faster than the Porsche Cayenne turbo V6 (automatics tested):

On the EPA test cycle the Wrangler 4-door running on electricity gets better mileage than the Cayenne running on electricity:

On the EPA test cycle the Wrangler 4-door running its gasoline engine gets better mileage than the Cayenne running its gasoline engine:

The Wrangler 4-door can travel longer on electricity, only, on a full charge than the Cayenne on electricity, only, on a full charge:

An engine control system that can shut down some of the engine’s cylinders helps improve the Wrangler Rubicon 392’s fuel efficiency. The Cayenne doesn’t offer a system that can shut down part of the engine.

The Wrangler offers a manual transmission for better acceleration, control and sportiness. The Cayenne doesn’t offer a manual transmission.

In an emergency stopping situation, many drivers don’t press the brakes with enough force to stop the vehicle in the shortest distance. The Wrangler has a standard brake assist system to detect emergency braking situations (by how hard and how quickly the brake pedal is pressed) and then automatically apply maximum braking immediately in order to help prevent a collision. The Cayenne doesn’t offer a brake assist feature.

For better traction, the Wrangler’s optional tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Cayenne (315/70R17 vs. 285/40R21).

The Wrangler 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 Cayenne doesn’t offer vehicle monitored tire inflation.

The Wrangler has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Cayenne; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which has mileage and speed limitations, or roadside assistance and a tow-truck.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the Wrangler 4-door 4x4’s wheelbase is 4.4 inches longer than on the Cayenne (118.4 inches vs. 114 inches).

For better maneuverability, the Wrangler 2-door’s turning circle is .6 feet tighter than the Cayenne w/Rear Wheel Steering’s (34.5 feet vs. 35.1 feet).

For greater off-road capability the Wrangler Sport 2-door has a 1.5 inches greater minimum ground clearance than the Cayenne (9.7 vs. 8.2 inches), allowing the Wrangler to travel over rougher terrain without being stopped or damaged.

The Jeep Wrangler may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 450 to 650 pounds less than the Porsche Cayenne.

The Wrangler 4-door 4x4 is 5.3 inches shorter than the Cayenne, making the Wrangler easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

As tested by Car and Driver while under full throttle, the interior of the Wrangler Sport 4-door is quieter than the Cayenne (73 vs. 74 dB).

The Wrangler 4-door has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat up than the Cayenne with its rear seat up (31.7 vs. 27.2 cubic feet). The Wrangler 4-door has a much larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Cayenne with its rear seat folded (72.4 vs. 60.3 cubic feet).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Wrangler easier. The Wrangler’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 29.7 inches, while the Cayenne’s liftover is 31 inches.

The Wrangler’s rear cargo window opens separately from the rest of the left swing out door to allow quicker loading of small packages. The Cayenne’s rear cargo window doesn’t open.

The Wrangler 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 Wrangler can be unhitched and driven around locally. The Cayenne can’t be towed flat on the ground.

The Wrangler has a higher standard payload capacity than the Cayenne (1233 vs. 1104 lbs.).

The Wrangler (except Manual/Sport) offers a 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 Cayenne doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

The Wrangler’s power window, power lock, power mirror and cruise control switches are lit from behind, making them plainly visible and easier to operate at night. The Cayenne’s cruise control switches are unlit, making them difficult to find at night and operate safely.

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

Consumer Reports rated the Wrangler’s headlight performance “Very Good,” a higher rating than the Cayenne’s headlights, which were rated “Good.”

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the Wrangler has standard extendable sun visors. The Cayenne doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The Wrangler (except Sport) offers an optional 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 Cayenne doesn’t offer a house-current electrical outlet.

Insurance will cost less for the Wrangler owner. The Complete Car Cost Guide estimates that insurance for the Wrangler will cost $3463 to $13900 less than the Cayenne over a five-year period.

The Wrangler will cost the buyer less in the long run because of its superior resale value. The IntelliChoice estimates that the Wrangler will retain 70.15% to 81.11% of its original price after five years, while the Cayenne only retains 47.75% to 53.12%.

IntelliChoice estimates that five-year ownership costs (depreciation, financing, insurance, fuel, fees, repairs and maintenance) for the Jeep Wrangler will be $42233 to $89793 less than for the Porsche Cayenne.

Motor Trend selected the Wrangler as their 2019 Sport Utility of the Year. The Cayenne has never been chosen.

The Jeep Wrangler outsold the Porsche Cayenne by over 12 to one during 2022.