Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT vs Porsche Macan Turbo - pictures

The Jeep Grand Cherokee is the latest of the muscular performance SUVs to arrive on the scene. Can it topple the mighty Porsche Macan? 

The cars may differ in size, but the prices are what matches the cars up. We find out how they differ in terms of performance in this test. 

The Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT brings some muscle true American muscle to the sector with a 6.4-litre Hemi V8 producing 461bhp. It costs £63,995. 

The SRT will sprint from 0-60mph in 5.3 seconds and onto a top speed of 160mph. 

Inside, the Grand Cherokee is vast. The biggest problem with the car is that the quality doesn't feel worthy of the £64k price. 

As you'd expect, there's plenty of room for passengers in the rear. 

Jeep offers 782 litres of space in the boot with the rear seats in place. This is much more than the Macan, but the gap closes when you fold the seats down. At 1,554 litres, the Jeep has only 54 more litres than the Macan. At least acc

Put your foot down and the SRT launches itself in a wave of V8 noise. It's incredibly fast. 

The adaptivr suspension struggles to cope with the SRT's weight. The softer setting allows too much body movement, and the Sport set-up is far too uncomfortable. 

In a straight line, the SRT is incredibly rapid, but large mirrors and 20-inch alloys mean there's a noticeable amount of wind and road roar, despite Jeep's Active Noise Cancellation system.

SRT modifications have fitted well onto the already-handsome Grand Cherokee. The first thing you notice are the deeper bumpers and gaping vents. 

At the back there's a pair of tailpipes that hint at the performance on offer. The square-set stance and large proportions are very American, so the Jeep has plenty of presence on the road.

It may cheap to buy in comparison with competition like the Porsche Cayenne Turbo, but the Jeep is still a lot of money. Add in disappointing depreciation, around 20mpg and £100 fill-ups, the SRT is an expensive proposition.

20-inch alloys and Brembo brakes add to the Cherokee's beefy look.

Jeep and Porsche have taken different approaches to these cars, but both have plenty of presence and sporty touches.

In the corners, the Jeep isn't a patch on the Macan.

The Porsche Macan is already the best-handling SUV out there, but the Turbo model adds a 3.6-litre twin-turbo V6 to spice things up even more. It costs £61,689 and produces 394bhp.

In our performance tests, the Macan proved to have plenty of punch as it sprinted from 0-60mph in just 4.3 seconds. All-round, the Macan Turbo is faster than the SRT.

The cabin of the Porsche is more snug than the Jeep, but it feels much more driver-focused. 

Seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox is slick and lets the Porsche accelerate quickly through the gears. 

The Macan is smaller than the Jeep, so there's not as much room in the cabin, but there's still enough for most uses. 

With the seats in place, the Macan's boot comes in at 500 litres, and 1,500 litres with the rear seats folded. 

Huge torque is available from low revs, which makes the turbocharged Macan feel by far the more immediate performer along a twisty B-road.

Our car was fitted optional air suspension and adjustable dampers which serve up brilliant body control in all modes.

There's a firmer edge to the Macan's ride, but it's never uncomfortable.

From every angle the Porsche looks sportier than the Jeep, with three large grilles at the front and some extra strakes to add some style.

Sculpted doors, tapered roofline and smart rear-end make the Macan look like more of a tall coupe than a conventional SUV. Four fat exhausts, gloss black spoiler and distinctive rear lights complete the look.

Optional carbon-ceramic brakes deliver eye-popping stopping power.

The Macan can't compete with the Jeep for outright space, but it's not far off. 

Both cars have huge pace, so uprated brakes are standard on each of them.