I have a 2014 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk, 3.2L, V6 with the UConnect (8.4") infotainment system, Comfort/Convenience group, and Technology Group. It has many features that my 2015 Jag F-Type S Coupe does not have. Just for illustration, the Jeep has but the Jag does not have.......

> Navigation system voices street names for turns
> Navigation display shows speed limit
> Adaptive cruise control including full stop and automatiic resume
> Front collision avoidance warning and braking
> Blind spot monitoring adds audible alarm with turn signal on and vehicle in respective blind spot
> Lane Sense including guiding vehicle back into lane
> Parallel and perpendicular parking assist (space selection and steering)
> Verbal speed limit warning if exceeding the speed limit by the driver selectable amount
> Voice control of climate system, navigation/POI, phone, and media system
> Driver info center of vehicle systems: battery voltage, tire pressures, oil pressure, oil temperature, transmission temperature, and remaining oil life
> Remote start with key fob
> Compass heading display in driver information center
> Automatic parking brake set (selectable)
> 911 emergency call assist
> Media hub includes SD card slot
> Full 1 year trial subscription for Sirius/XM
> Reads text messages received; dictate and send text messages
> Speed compensated audio volume
> 120 volt power outlets (2x) @ 150 watts each

I don't expect the Jag to take me off-road, ford streams, and climb rocks and I don't expect the Jeep to get me off the line fast and handle like a sports car. But frankly, I miss a lot of these Jeep features when enjoying the F-Type (as a daily) and hope that Jag catches up on the technology and driver information features.

Desert Hiker

 

Too bad all the cars coming near me don't have these things
made mandatory.

> Blind spot monitoring adds audible alarm with turn signal on and vehicle in respective blind spot

This one ought to have a minimum clearing distance of say 30 feet triggering
a LOUD KLAXON inside the vehicle to fix those idiots now relying on them
to do blind lane changes right on top of the car in the next lane.

++

 

I think this is fair criticism, especially considering that my 2013 XF has voice control. I was pretty surprised the F Type didn't have this...and for no apparent reason.

 

Kinda sounds like you want a luxury gt car and not a sports car. Typically they aren't so concerned about putting all of that crap in something like this. Most cars in the f type's class don't have this stuff either. And let's not compare anything to the u connect system, because no one can compete with that at the moment.

 

I get what you're saying - the F-Type is designed for speed and handling. OTOH, lots of people would say that an off-road vehicle (like a Jeep or perhaps even a Land Rover) doesn't need that tech either - but Jeep makes it available for those of us who want it. When racing, street racing or "active driving" in the F-Type all that tech is unused, but when used as a daily driver, it's nice to have. For most driving, I suspect most drivers would still appreciate these capabilities in the F-Type.

Desert Hiker

 

We do not have uconnect! We have the head unit from the MTC system. It is not connected by cell to anything. I had the emergency system in both my last Merc and Audi and was glad to have it, but it wasn't free! It was an annual subscription. The Jag is a driver centric car and doesn't need most of those features.

 

I wouldn't call the Cherokee an off road vehicle. An off road capable vehicle maybe but 90% of people never go a foot off road in their trailhawks. The wrangler on the other hand is absolutely an off road vehicle and it doesn't have any of that stuff. I still think that's a similar reason we don't get that in the f type. You'd have to take a lot of performance out of the car or drastically raise the price to include those features. You can't spread development costs across 30,000 vehicles a year like you can with a standard car like the Cherokee...

 

i have all that tech in my MY16 Audi S3 i bought to use as a daily. The price you guys pay for the same car in US (almost half what we do), makes it a no brainer to buy something similar for daily duties if you really must have all those driver aids

the speed limit on nav is a great idea i never thought i'd rely so much on, the Audi will also read street sign speed limits with the radar too

i ordered every option on my f-type, so most of the modern tech stuff is there, the only thing i really think is missing is radar cruise

but as most have said, it really isn't necessary in a car like this with driving first and foremost. I also don't think it'll be offered in upcoming models unless jag do a comprehensive facelift. That sort of tech is well integrated into the canbus in modern cars, and not as easy/cost effective to include as you may think. Plus where would you put the radar, maybe they could re-design the front badge to hide the radar behind it like merc do, it's something i just don't see as a priority for jag in the f-type - remember no M cars have radar cruise as M argue they don't want the radar blocking cooling

the new XF looks to have a newer nav setup, not sure of it's just graphics or a completely new unit, but id imagine that will soon start filtering through the model line up as they come up for facelifts

 

I also have a Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk with the all the options you listed except adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring, parking assist, and collision warning aids. The leather interior is beautiful, and the UConnect system is the best in the industry. I like it a lot. I'm still getting used to the idea of driving the first "Fiat" Jeep built on a Alfa-Romeo chassis, with a 9-speed ZF transmission, but for an SUV, it's a good-handling, comfortable driver.

However, I'd rather drive my stripped-down, base F-Type hands down, anytime, except off-road, in nasty weather, or if I need to haul cargo, and more than one person. In the F-Type it's purely about the driving experience, sound, and feel. I don't use what tech there is in the F-Type, and don't care to because for me, it interferes with the experience. As I've said here before, I wish I could order one even more stripped-down.

In the Trailhawk, I'm just in a very comfortable, insulated cocoon, like many other well-appointed vehicles these days, which is nice at times, but far from exciting.

 

I prefer the seat of the pants feel rather than staring at the TV screen in the middle of the dash.

(Or being hacked from the Uconnect interface, but I guess that part is a bit cruel to FCA)
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/25/bu...ing-issue.html

 

I assume you realize it's the Trailhawk version of the Cherokee, which is the subject here, and I know you're an FCA employee, so you should know. Before getting rid of my 5th Wrangler from 4 different generations, I read a lot of reviews of the Trailhawk including a rigorous test on the infamous Rubicon, which was highly complimentary of it's off-road prowess on a difficult course.

As the only Cherokee to carry the "Trail-Rated" badge, and a lot off-road equipment and a suspension set-up other Cherokee's don't have, I would hope it lives up to the claims. I don't do any radical off-road stuff, but I do enjoy some moderate stuff.

 

all that driver assistance tech is needed on a jeep to avoid a driver actually having to make a collision avoiding maneuver

 

That's a Grand Cherokee, which is an entirely different and much heavier vehicle than the subject of this thread.

 

Yes that's all very nice and fruity, but it's still a jeep and you know what Sarah said about lipstick and pigs.

 

Well, actually it's quite different from the Jeep stereotype. It's a product of the first design collaboration between Fiat and Jeep/Chrysler, and a new vehicle from the ground up.

You'd likely say something different if you actually drove one. They've proven to be very popular in the US and selling very well.

 

Interesting conversation.

Agreed, not all F-Type drivers value this type of technology. That's the benefit of options...to suit different drivers' priorities and preferences.

Also agreed that the Cherokee is not a Wrangler, but writers and critics were surprised by it's off road capability. If off-roading is a dedicated hobby, then the Wrangler is a better choice. If off roading supports hiking, backpacking, hunting, fishing and back country exploring, then the Cherokee Trailhawk is very well suited.

The notion of "low volume" Jag not being able to fund development falls a bit hollow. It appears to have many of the sensors involved, but need the lines of code to implement. Licensing is a good solution if Jag can't keep up in this category. The nav system displaying the speed limit has been in cheap free standing systems for years, and (in the Jeep Cherokee) voicing overspeed limits is based on the nav system speed limit data, not reading speed limit signs. The Jag can determine heading/orientation, so it's just a display question - again software.

If Jeep can jam all that technology into a $40,000 vehicle then Jag surely could at their MSRP level. Keep in mind that only a limited % of all Jeep owners order the full 3 options to get all that capability.

Jag has some gaps to fill IMHO.

Desert Hiker

 

I'm mostly (not entirely) kidding I have driven several and the newest ones drive ok, but not very long ago they were awful, but people having lots of problems with the latest grand Cherokees here. They sell lots here too, although that's mostly because they are cheap and most of the current jeep range is useless off-road. The Cherokee trail hawk is getting good reports though.

 

Yes, much like Jaguar, Chrysler/Jeep went through a very dark period plagued by financial problems after they were dumped by Daimler Benz. With the exception of the Wrangler, most of their products were inferior, and they came very close to dissolving, but were saved by US government loans.

Also much like Jaguar/Tata, they have experienced a resurgence under Fiat ownership, and are leading all US auto manufacturers lately in terms of sales and market share growth. That's largely the result of products that are much more appealing.

 

My BMW has pretty much everything he mentioned. I had to pay extra for most of it, but the tech packages available in the car is one of the things that attracted me to the BMW.

I knew going in that the F-Type wouldn't have that kind of stuff though, so I don't really expect it. As you mentioned, most sports cars don't cater to that kind of experience.

Either way, I still think HUD should be mandatory in every vehicle though, as a safety feature if nothing else.

 

Buying a minivan will get you all of the toys you crave.

Next.