Since the Indian car lovers have started taking more interest in premium SUV segment, many automobile manufacturers have also commenced bringing their players into the game. If we talk about the recent scenario, Fiat has brought its most in-demand luxury SUV maker here in the country along with three of its expensive, dynamic and performance vehicles. Undoubtedly, Jeep has its own best place in the auto world that has taken almost seven decades or above to become real. It doesn’t mean that there is less competition in this particular segment. Absolutely not! Even a list of examples is available there, out of which we are considering Range Rover Sport and Toyota Land Cruiser Prado that are the closest rivals of this beast.

All of them are highly extravagant models in the country and it stands to reason that each of them is well-balanced in terms of opulent design and has excellently assembled powertrain. However, just like our fingers are not of the same size, similarly all things in this world carry certain differences or qualities that make them either inferior or better than the rest. All three aforementioned units also have some specific features and technical specs which separate them from one another. Here in this blog, we have spotlighted the odds and evens between Jeep Grand Cherokee, Range Rover Sport and Toyota Land Cruiser Prado.

Comparison of Jeep Grand Cherokee Vs Range Rover Sports Vs Toyota Land Cruiser Prado:

Exterior:-

Exterior

Jeep Grand Cherokee took almost 20 years to come to India. First launched in 1993, the model is celebrating its fourth generation and recently touched the Indian soil. Best known for its perfect off-road capability and highly advanced technology, the Cherokee is available in two different variants that have more or less similar features over the design. From the aesthetic front, it looks simply outstanding with aggressive styling cues, broad shoulders, wide bumper, chrome finished air dam, multi-slat radiator grille and HID headlamps with daytime running lights. Standing on a set of 20-inch alloy wheels, it can lead you comfortably on both on and off roads. Tyre monitoring system is also there to let you inform about the actual pressure for each tire.

The original 2005 Range Rover Sport didn’t get much appreciation in the country because it was considered as the cheaper version of the conventional model in terms of both price and features. After years of efforts, the latest version of the unit has been revealed in India, which is based on the new lightweight aluminum architecture and shaved off 420 kgs weight over its predecessor. Longer and wider, the Sport has also shared some design cues with Evoque compact SUV including the new headlamps. Wide windscreen, black finished grille, projector headlamps, large bumper are some of the features, dominating the front-fascia completely. Besides, no compromises were made over the design as the proportions have been crafted beautifully with a sturdy and rejuvenated presence.

Toyota Land Cruiser Prado was a great hit in the Indian automobile market when it was first launched in India in late 2004. Thanks to the sophisticated design along with massive power, the SUV has gathered numerous footfalls towards the dealership. Also called as Baby Land Cruise, it has also celebrated many upgrades over the years and one of the newest version of the unit has recently been launched in the market. Upfront is equipped with projector headlamps, impactful fog lamps, large bumper and a large perforated radiator grille along with vertical chrome slats. Moving to the rear end, it houses tail light cluster combined with turn indicators and reverses lights as well all new set of 18-inch alloy wheels are bringing out more power to its stance.

Power and Performance:-

Power and PerformanceThe India-based Jeep Grand Cherokee comes with a 3.0-litre V6 turbo-diesel engine that is capable of running the car with a maximum power of 243 PS and 570 Nm of torque. Available in Limited and Summit variant, both are powered by the same engine, which is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission featured with steering-mounted paddle shifters as well. Moreover, power is going to be delivered at all the corners through an active four-wheel drive scheme for both the mills, while the Limited is also packed with a limited slip differential support. Along with this mechanism, it can sprint 0 to 100 kmph under 9 second that is also quite a good number in this particular segment.

Range Rover Sport has been offered in both petrol and diesel motors in India. The specification of the petrol unit includes a 5.0-litre supercharged V8 motor, generating 503 Bhp of power and 625 Nm of torque. The diesel motor, on the other hand, is fitted with the 3.0-litre turbocharged SDV6 unit, which makes out 290 Bhp of power with 600 Nm of torque. An eight-speed automatic ZF gearbox is coupled to the engine for sending the power to all four wheels. It takes nearly 8 seconds to hit 100 kmph mark, which is undoubtedly very good figure to get ahead of all the rivals.

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Under the hood, Toyota Land Cruiser Prado is hiding a 3.0-litre, 4-cylinder, D-4D with Intercooler turbocharger charger diesel engine, which can propel the unit with 171 bhp of maximum power and 410 Nm of peak torque. The output is very low as compared to the above-stated units and so is the performance of the old-school transmission. Yeah! There is a five-speed automatic transmission accompanied with the engine to dispatch power to the wheels.

Interior:-

interiorAs Jeep is renowned for imparting somewhat off-road facilities, you might be thinking that the car features average stuff inside the cabin, but rest your thoughts here for a while. Step inside the cabin and the myth will be gone. Upholstered with high-quality Natura plus leather trim, the cabin will make you feel more comfortable in both cold and hot weather. Besides, the premium headliner, a personalized instrument console, 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system with navigation, Bluetooth connectivity, and the cozy legroom are the perfect examples of a luxurious interior. Moreover, the company didn’t forget the second-row passenger and has offered an entertainment system, featured by Blu-Ray that supports all the DVDs, CDs and Blu-ray discs as well as allows you to connect wireless headphones and remote.

The Range Rover Sport has been nicely picked up from where it was abandoned earlier and brought a plethora of updates to the interior. Needless to say, picking up the task was never so easy, but thanks to the manufacturer, who has completed the job very well. Move inside the cabin and you will feel an instant sense of pleasure at each and every corner that is bestowed with masses of lovely fabric, leather and all the characteristics that you could imagine for. Still, lack of an advanced infotainment system like that of the other luxurious SUVs can disappoint you a little. However, the dual tone colored interior altogether with state-of-the-art cockpit and other control layouts will bind you to say wow. Moreover, the dash is equipped with an instrument cluster and a larger cooled glove box, as well as second-row seats, have also been offered with a comfortable legroom.

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Of course, you are expecting a host of features including premium upholstery and comfy space inside the cabin of Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, honestly, it is. The entire scheme is furnished in dual toned paint facility as well as several accents mark their presence with a view to enhance the appeal of the compartment. The third-row option is also available in this unit, but it’s really tough for a person to sit there easefully. Along with the third-row seats up, it has hardly enough room to carry heavy luggage. But, with seats folding up, you can think even for a road trip with almost all the basic and welcome luggage. Furthermore, some of the other noticeable features are also present there, like an 8-way adjustable driver seat option along with memory function, automatic climate control, 7-inch touchscreen system with navigation and Bluetooth connectivity, etc.

Safety Features:-

Safety FeaturesSpeaking of safety which is the first priority of every consumer, Jeep Grand Cherokee has left nothing unticked as well and brought up enough attributes to keep you safe from hazards. Despite having larger and heavier body style, the handling of the beast allows you to accelerate the unit without rolling the body over the corners. The multistage driver, front occupant and side curtain bags come as a standard attachment along with side guard door bags, front crush zones, 3-point center rear seat belt, hill descent control and many others. Besides, it also sports some network of sensors such as electronic stability control, brake assists, ABS, all-speed traction control, etc to keep a track of your car on the road. Park view camera with backup memory is also facilitated with the vehicle.

The performance-focused variant of Tata-owned Land Rover’s premium SUV, the Range Rover Sport has been designed using the all-aluminum material for giving it a much rigid body shape within a lighter weight as well. Along with these, it has also been featured with a modern engine immobilizer further integrated with an alarm system to safeguard your vehicle from any unwanted entry or theft. In order to prevent you from accidents or any other misfortune, it has ABS (anti-lock braking system), electric parking brake and emergency brake assist to perform. Keeping the off-road qualities in mind, the automaker has also offered advanced suspension mechanism as well as hill start assist, electronic traction control, roll stability control and much other contemporary stuff to keep your unit well balanced, whether you are driving at the highway or on rough roads.

No matter if it’s an entry-level hatchback or a full-sized SUV, safety features are really an important factor, lack of which will certainly bother you. Well, you are not going to have such kinds of frustration here as the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado has been armed with the ample number of attributes, which will help under various circumstances. As the Indian streets always suffer from an uncalled guest, it has also been incorporated with an anti-lock braking system along with electronic brake force distribution to stop the unit quicker. Some of the other safety features are also there namely, seven airbags, child safety locks, day and night rear view mirror, parking assist system with rear camera, hill assist, central locking system, etc.

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Verdict:-

After making a lot of discussion about the Jeep Grand Cherokee, the Range Rover Sport, and the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado, one thing is clear that all the three units have some unique set of features to offer. However, buyers also have their certain boundaries and taste. While some of those would buy the car for its power and performance, others would love to buy the unit for its interior.

Although, Jeep Grand Cherokee is new to the market,, it has all the merits to rule the Indian car segment. Ride height which is absolutely necessary to be good on the Indian roads can make you worry a bit.  It stands at 206 mm, well it’s good to beat all the potholes but still less than from the Toyota Land Cruiser and Range Rover Sport that has a ground clearance of 225 mm and 227 mm respectively.

In terms of the powerhouse and performance, Prado might lose the race here, but Cherokee and Sport are taking the competition head to head equally, however, performance is quite good for all the three units. Surely, buying a car is not an easy task and when it comes to premium SUVs that kick out from INR 90 Lakhs, it becomes a hard nut to crack. Hence, we have mentioned all those points that can help you a little to find out the best one for you. I hope, it will help you!!