The market for sport utility vehicles has drastically changed over the past couple of years. So, we've round up a couple of the hottest in the market and pitted them against each other to check out how they stand side by side: 2017 Mercedes-AMG GLC43 versus the 2017 Porsche Macan GTS versus the 2017 Jaguar F-Pace S.
There was a time when, say SUV, you meant big, clunky, brutes on wheels that could ferry you through the roughest terrains imaginable. In fact, they used to be known simply as 4X4s.
And with little to no amenities, it was a vehicle for the toughest drivers willing to rough it out on the local trail. All that has changed as the SUVs of today come with all the bells and whistles of a luxury car and the grunt of a mild-mannered sports car.
Sadly though, the tall, go-anywhere sports wagon image is but a memory. Compromises have to be agreed upon if the modern SUV is to fit the bill of its new image. It has to be big enough to fit five people and their luggage and it has to be all-wheel drive.
The 2017 Mercedes-AMG GLC43 runs a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 that makes 362 horsepower and a class-leading 384 lb-ft of torque. The AMG-tuned V-6 is mated to a nine-speed automatic tranny and the AMG-tuned suspension gives it a sportier ride compared to non-AMG GLCs. Price as tested is an attractive $63,505.00 but base price starts at $55,825.00, reports MotorTrend.
Designed to fill the gap between the Macan S and the higher spec'd Macan Turbo, the 2017 Porsche Macan GTS is fitted with a 3.0-liter, twin-turbo V-6 from the Macan S. The ECU, however, is tuned to enable the V-6 to produce 360 horses and 369 lb-ft of torque.
Transferring all that power to the all-wheel-drive system is Porsche's PDK seven-speed twin-clutch auto. An optional brake-based Porsche Torque Vectoring System is available for the all-wheel drive.
The 2017 Porsche Macan GTS inherits the Turbo's electronic dampers coupled to a standard air suspension giving it a lowered ride height. The price as tested is a whopping $89,070.00 with base models starting at $68,250.00.
The 2017 Jaguar F-Pace S, on the other hand, is the British company's first SUV in the market. But even so, the Jag is easily the most powerful SUV of the bunch. Its 3.0-liter supercharged V-6 produces an impressive 380 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque, reports CarAndDriver.
All that power is channeled to the rear-biased all-wheel-drive system via an eight-speed automatic transmission with an electronic torque vectoring system. Prices start at $58,695.00 with the tested version going for $72,018.00.
Although talking about a modern-day SUV requires discussing all major amenities, we have mostly focused on each of their drivetrains with a slight touch on pricing details. We will, instead, create a separate comparison of their cabin tech and interior arrangement.
Based on engine alone, we are nowhere near how these beasts will outperform each other. But then again, it is always up to the driver's taste if he is going for the cheapest of the 3, the 2017 Mercedes-AMG GLC43 or the powerful 2017 Jaguar F-Pace S, or the 2017 Porsche Macan GTS with a lowered height. So, which SUV is the hottest for you?
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