Trading the Forester…..Buying my first Jeep !!

[mattyd]

Originally Posted by Roach

However, with the Trailhawk, some of the on-road quality is lost. It's not as refined as the normal Cherokee and if you're not doing a lot of off-roading that's something to really think about. Personally, if I were in your situation I would go with a Grand Cherokee.

I was concerned about the same thing so I'm heading down to the dealer again tomorrow to test drive the Trailhawk and see how it compares to the Cherokee Limited we drove last Sat.

You again had me thinking of going 'Grand' for similar money but it would still be about $5k more by the time I optioned the GC Ltd (and I loose most of the tech pack feature unless I go to the Overland, then you're talkin more like $75 grand!).

But your feedback is much appreciated. Hearing stories about recent trips to the beach in the TH really help create a feeling of how she will handle the soft stuff.

That's about the 5th time I've heard about folks simply leaving the terrain selector in AUTO. Interesting hey? They said the transmission laboured a little longer in SAND mode and the engine struggled less by simply leaving it in Auto.

I'll do the right thing by Subaru and booked a test drive of the 2015 Forester XT Premium right before I take the Trailhawk for a spin in the morning. I think it will give me a better comparison than any review site could possibly offer

It's nice to have something a bit 'new' and dramatic looking on the roads and there's a certain 'X-Factor' that keeps me coming back to the TrailHawk each time

Your comments are most welcome - feel free to keep them coming.

(ps - I can't seem to find the 'like' button on your forum posts. Any advice?)

[COFFMAN]

Have you taken a Grand for a spin...?

[mattyd]

Originally Posted by Madrax573

Isn't the limited the one without low range etc?

Yep - that and the diff locker / 1" lift / skid plates are the things that keep swaying me towards the TH rather than the LTD.

But I'll find out today what the onroad differences are. I've read the suspension feels a bit stiffer, and the US folks say the tyres used on the TH make for a louder highway drive. But pretty sure the dealer said they use the same tyres on the Cherokee range here in AU (I'll double check today).

As Roach mentioned, if 90% of my driving is on road, than the LTD is still very much in consideration (particularly if on road handling is noticeably smoother to me).

I think the underfloor skid plates and 4WD tech add another ~200kg over the LTD as well so I'm expecting cornering may experience a little more roll.

Will let you know.

Cheers

[mattyd]

Originally Posted by COFFMAN

Have you taken a Grand for a spin...?

Not yet, but if time permits today I might ask Mr Dealer while I'm there

Just need to check I can get similar features that I'm getting on the TH in the same price bracket. I'm not even sure if the Grand has the same tech pack options as the TH. Some stuff comes standard in the upper models of the Grand, and others appear as options on lower models.

With the TH it's pretty much all or nothing between the LTD and the TH (at least for the tech pack / convenience pack).

[SJetc]

Originally Posted by mattyd

Not yet, but if time permits today I might ask Mr Dealer while I'm there

Just need to check I can get similar features that I'm getting on the TH in the same price bracket. I'm not even sure if the Grand has the same tech pack options as the TH. Some stuff comes standard in the upper models of the Grand, and others appear as options on lower models.

With the TH it's pretty much all or nothing between the LTD and the TH (at least for the tech pack / convenience pack).

Hi Matty

I'm a Lurker on AJOR but came out to post a response to your KL thread. We have both - MY14 Grand Overland and an MY15 KL Limited CRD (with Tech and Electronic/Conv Groups)

You've probably been to the dealer now and test driven the Grand but I wanted to just compare the two vehicles with specific regards to the Tech onboard once you have loaded up either the Limited or the Trailhawk KL (compared to our GC Overland).

Whilst they both share some of the Tech, the KL has more and what they do share, the KL is more refined in some instances. In no particular order (just as they come to my mind) -

- Blind spot monitoring/Cross path detection/FCW - Both

- Adaptive Cruise Control ie: Radar Cruise Control - Both although the KL is more refined whereby it will come to a complete stop and then go again still under the control of ACC.

- Park sense front and rear - Both but the KL has stop with the rear sense. ie: similar to the FCW whereby 'BRAKE' appears on the EVIC and it will brake by itself before you back into something.

- Lane Departure Warning - KL only
- Parallel and Perpendicular parking with Stop - KL only
- Remote Start - KL only
- QI wireless charging pad for phones - KL only
- Stop/Start - KL only (ie: at traffic lights, the transmission turns off and starts again when you take your foot off the brake - emissions control feature - you can turn it off with each driving cycle if you wish by pressing a button just below the Uconnect screen).

- 8" Uconnect screen - Both.
- Uconnect functionality - two differences; one minor, one major. Minor is that on the KL you can choose a different 'skin'. Nothing to write home about, it's just a different choice of background (there are 7 of them from memory). The major difference however, is that the Navigation via Voice Recognition works on the KL. It doesn't on the Grand.

- DAB+ radio. MY15 Grand Cherokee only (not on ours). Not on the KL either.

I think that's all - I may think of other things but they are the major differences in Tech between the two vehicles that we have.

Oh, also the KL has a 230v aux power outlet in rear seat area (below the air vents for the rear).

Hope that helps, but after visiting the dealer, you probably know all of this anyway.

My advice - Buy the Trailhawk. You know you want to.

[mattyd]

Originally Posted by SJetc

My advice - Buy the Trailhawk. You know you want to.

Damn SJet, that is quite the comparison mate. Thanks a billion for the in depth OWNER reviews of those two great vehicles. That's a real help, esp now we have another contender after the w'end visit to the dealership....

After reading (and researching!) a lot more into the advice - "you can get a Grand for that sort of money" ....in relation to the TrailHawk coming in at nearly $60k after the options....

We walked across the road into the dealership, and what was right at the front, all opened up,stereo blasting it's way across the whole car yard - the Grand Cherokee Limited What a fine specimen it looked, all class.

We took a close look at it all over and the extra cargo space was the first thing to jump out.

I really wanted to test drive the TH immediately followed by the Grand LTD, to get a good honest comparison of on road driving between the two.

By this time however, the Subaru dealership had already kept us too long after test driving the 2015 Foz XT, so we only had time for one drive of a Jeep.

I decided to drive the Grand LTD, as we had already tested the Cherokee KL LTD the week before so would be similar to the TH.

As you can appreciate, owning both of them, the Grand feels immediately 'large 4wd' when you're in the seat. The view over the bonnet felt so much higher and removed from the road. It took some getting used to. But the drive was silky, ample power from the V6, and cornering / u-turns in tight streets were impressive (we didn't think it would get around without a 3 point turn).

I did some calcs and although the stock Grand V6 Ltd only comes out about $5k more than the TrailHawk, to get some of the nicer features of the tech pack, you've got to fork out for the Overland ($75k). Interesting that DAB is featured on the MY2015 Grand - I've actually been hunting that feature but it is only stock in about 10 manufacturers in AU.

Also things like Quadra-Drive II (only avail on the diesel) and skid plates would be additional costs. Quadra Lift and ACC also goodies standard only on the Overland as you mentioned.

Due to time restraints I've had to delay driving the TH until next weekend.

It's always been the firm favourite, but it's hard to ignore how many fans of the Grand out there (esp the CRD Diesel), but at the end of the day it's still a lot bigger than what I was intending to go for at this stage. Also a lot more expensive to get the features and off road (sand) ability I was hoping to get out of it.

Done plenty of reading on this forum and others, about how the Grand goes in places like Fraser / Rainbow Beach / Bribie / Moreton Islands. It seems that skid plates and removing the front lower grille is often necessary. I can't help but think the TH may go better than the grand at the beach (stock), (assuming of course you've got the usual beach driving prep down pat, reduce tyres, treds, shovel, snatch strap etc etc).

But that's a total guess, only formed from lots of Grand beach reports, and really nothing much yet on the KL TrailHawk (except for maybe the US Cherokee forums).

I'll keep this thread updated with our decision, but I thank you genuinely for your post and feedback on the very models we're considering.

Cheers,

Matt

[SJetc]

Tough decision Matt.

Cargo space - the Grand knocks it out of the park compared to the KL.

Driving experience - Yes, the Grand is brilliant. I don't find it 'big' at all even after hopping out of the KL. We are semi-rural so most of our driving is on country roads with all that comes with (some crappy pot holey, some not). I have always felt very 'planted' with the Grand over those roads, it's brilliant, but in saying that, I was expecting a different experience with the KL and while it is different, I was very surprised at how well the KL soaked up the rough surfaces of those roads. I was not expecting the smooth ride that I got - even better than the Grand sometimes but I do have Bridgestone A/T's on the Grand which are firmer.

You won't get as much 'Tech' on the Grand (even if you went with the Overland or Summit) as you do with the KL but... you need to then look at the tech in detail.

- Lane Departure - Do you really need it?
- Remote Start - Do you really need it?
- Adaptive Cruise with Stop/Go - The KL betters the Grand in this respect but make no mistake, the Grand's ACC is outstanding.

And so on through the list.

I'm a bit perplexed at the price that dealership gave you for the tow-bar. We chose not to have one on the KL but do on the Grand and that was $900. The price quoted seems very steep to me.

Personally I love both vehicles. Some days I take the Grand, other days the KL. I enjoy both but I find myself spending more time in the KL.

My husband however much prefers the Grand. Whilst he doesn't dislike the KL, he thinks there is far too much 'Tech' on board for his liking. He is the one that takes the Grand on the long trips ie: 4-5 hours one way from where we are located and the Grand is the perfect vehicle for those trips.

I dunno... It's a tough call between the two.