Compare the2024 Audi Q5 SportbackVS 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee

The Q5 Sportback’s pre-crash front seatbelts will tighten automatically in the event the vehicle detects an impending crash, improving protection against injury significantly. The Grand Cherokee doesn’t offer pre-crash pretensioners.

Both the Q5 Sportback and Grand Cherokee have child safety locks to prevent children from opening the rear doors. The Q5 Sportback has power child safety locks, allowing the driver to activate and deactivate them from the driver's seat and to know when they're engaged. The Grand Cherokee’s child locks have to be individually engaged at each rear door with a manual switch. The driver can’t know the status of the locks without opening the doors and checking them.

The Q5 Sportback has a standard Secondary Collision Brake Assist, which automatically applies the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Grand Cherokee 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.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Q5 Sportback. But it costs extra on the Grand Cherokee.

Both the Q5 Sportback and Grand Cherokee have rear cross-traffic warning, but the Q5 Sportback has Automatic Brake Activation (automatically applies the brakes) to better prevent a collision when backing near traffic. The Grand Cherokee’s Rear Cross Path Detection doesn’t automatically brake.

Both the Q5 Sportback and the Grand Cherokee 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, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras, rear cross-path warning and available around view monitors.

For its top level performance in IIHS driver and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, side impact, roof strength and head restraint tests, its standard vehicle-to-vehicle front crash prevention system, its standard vehicle-to-pedestrian front crash prevention system, and its standard headlight’s “Good” rating, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Q5 Sportback its highest rating: “Top Safety Pick Plus” for 2022, a rating granted to only 131 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Grand Cherokee has not been fully tested, yet.

The Q5 Sportback 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’s 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty expires 1 year or 14,000 miles sooner.

The Q5 Sportback’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Grand Cherokee’s (12 vs. 5 years).

The Audi Q5 Sportback’s engine uses a cast iron block for durability, while the Grand Cherokee’s engines use an aluminum block. Aluminum engine blocks are much more prone to warp and crack at high temperatures than cast iron.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Q5 Sportback’s reliability 20 points higher than the Grand Cherokee.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Audi vehicles are more reliable than Jeep vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Audi 7 places higher in reliability than Jeep.

The Q5 Sportback’s 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder hybrid produces 16 lbs.-ft. more torque (273 vs. 257) than the Grand Cherokee’s standard 3.6 DOHC V6.

On the EPA test cycle the Q5 Sportback gets better mileage than the Grand Cherokee running its gasoline engine:

Both the Q5 Sportback and the Grand Cherokee have a standard automatic start/stop engine feature to stop unnecessary fuel waste and pollution at stoplights and heavy traffic. All Q5 Sportbacks have a standard disable switch for the system, so a driver can keep the engine from shutting off when the vehicle stops temporarily. A disable switch for start/stop is only offered on the Grand Cherokee V6.

The Q5 Sportback has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Grand Cherokee. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

The Q5 Sportback offers a standard sequential manual gearbox (SMG). With no clutch pedal to worry about and a fully automatic mode, an SMG is much more efficient than a conventional automatic but just as easy to drive. The Grand Cherokee doesn’t offer an SMG or a conventional manual transmission.

The Q5 Sportback’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Grand Cherokee doesn’t offer launch control.

The Q5 Sportback’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Grand Cherokee Laredo’s standard 70 series tires. The Q5 Sportback Premium Plus/Prestige’s optional tires have a lower 40 series profile than the Grand Cherokee Summit Reserve’s 45 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Q5 Sportback has standard 19-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Grand Cherokee Laredo.

The Q5 Sportback is 8.9 inches shorter than the Grand Cherokee, making the Q5 Sportback easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The design of the Audi Q5 Sportback amounts to more than styling. The Q5 Sportback has an aerodynamic coefficient of drag of .34 Cd. That is lower than the Grand Cherokee (.357). A more efficient exterior helps keep the interior quieter and helps the Q5 Sportback get better fuel mileage.

The front step up height for the Q5 Sportback is 1.9 inches lower than the Grand Cherokee (18.3” vs. 20.2”). The Q5 Sportback’s rear step up height is 3.5 inches lower than the Grand Cherokee’s (18” vs. 21.5”).

A low lift-over cargo hatch design makes loading and unloading the Q5 Sportback easier. The Q5 Sportback’s cargo hatch lift-over height is 29 inches, while the Grand Cherokee’s liftover is 33 inches.

Pulling a handle automatically lowers the Q5 Sportback’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Grand Cherokee doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

The Q5 Sportback’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Grand Cherokee’s (4400 vs. 3500 pounds).

J.D. Power and Associates surveys of service recipients show that Audi service is better than Jeep. J.D. Power ranks Audi 8th in service department satisfaction (above the industry average). With a 31% lower rating, Jeep is ranked 26th.

The Q5 Sportback’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’s standard rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to open or close them fully.

If the windows are left open on the Q5 Sportback the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Grand Cherokee can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Q5 Sportback’s rain-sensitive wipers adjust their speed and turn on and off automatically based on the amount of rainfall on the windshield. This allows the driver to concentrate on driving without constantly adjusting the wipers. The Grand Cherokee’s standard intermittent wipers change speed with vehicle speed, but can’t turn on and off or change speed based on changing rainfall.

Heated windshield washer nozzles are standard on the Q5 Sportback to prevent washer fluid and nozzles from freezing and help continue to keep the windshield clear in sub-freezing temperatures. The Grand Cherokee doesn’t offer heated windshield washer nozzles.

In poor weather, headlights can lose their effectiveness as grime builds up on their lenses. This can reduce visibility without the driver realizing. The Q5 Sportback Prestige has standard headlight washers to keep headlight output high. The Grand Cherokee doesn’t offer headlight washers.

To help drivers avoid possible obstacles, the Q5 Sportback has standard cornering lights to illuminate around corners when the turn signals are activated. The Grand Cherokee doesn’t offer cornering lights.

The Q5 Sportback 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 Grand Cherokee.

Consumer Reports® recommends the Audi Q5 Sportback, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Jeep Grand Cherokee isn't recommended.