There’s no question the old Jeep Cherokee had run its course by the time production ended in February 2023. It was increasingly outdated, especially when it came to the sort of technology modern drivers expect. But rather than deliver an all-new package, Jeep simply walked away from the midsize market. And, considering that’s one of the largest segments in the U.S. industry, it quickly regretted that move, sales tumbling thanks to the gap this created.
Now, roughly a year after the off-road brand signaled it was going to come up with a replacement, we’ve finally gotten a look at the sixth-generation Cherokee, and the ground-up replacement appears to deliver on what Jeep has promised: a handsome and roomy SUV loaded with new features – including a first-ever hybrid powertrain.
Things has clearly heated up since the old Cherokee went away, and more than a few competitors now have upped their off-road game. But Jeep says it’s ready to take on all comers and will bring back the source of Trail-Rated capabilities its midsize offering long was known for.
Jeep
Longer, Roomier, Yet So Very Familiar
At first glance, you’d be forgiven if you don’t recognize the Jeep started all over again with the 2026 Cherokee. It doesn’t stray all that far from the classic formula, with an upright and boxy shape anchored by the brand’s familiar seven-slat grille. But a closer look reveals just how much things have changed, even down to the way that grille is framed by new LED lighting and the overall design was polished by extensive time in the wind tunnel.
Jeep’s product development team wisely abandoned the old Cherokee platform, switching to the new STLA Large architecture developed by parent Stellantis. This “multi-energy” platform eventually will underpin a wide array of products – of various sizes and shapes – sold by the Euro-American automaker’s many brands and will anchor products as diverse as the all-electric Jeep Wagoneer S and next-gen Alfa Romeo Giulia.
Here, the 2026 Jeep Cherokee grows 4.7 inches longer than the old SUV, an inch wider and two inches taller, with its wheelbase stretched 6.4 inches. Most of that added space will be found in the passenger compartment, among other things providing much-needed new legroom for rear passengers. But there’s about 30% more cargo space, as well, Jeep claims, with 33.6 cubic feet behind the second row, and 68 cf with the back row folded down.
Related: Jeep to Give More SUVs the Powerful Hemi V8
A First-Ever Hybrid – But More to Come
Somewhat counterintuitively, Jeep has become one of the most adventurous of the Detroit-based Stellantis brands when it comes to electrifications. It was the first to launch a plug-in hybrid, the Wrangler 4xe now the American market’s best-selling PHEV. And it not only has an all-electric model, the Wagoneer S, in showrooms, but will soon follow with the Recon. The 2026 Cherokee adds a hybrid to the mix.
It pairs twin electric motors with a 1.6-liter transverse-mounted inline-four gas engine. No plug is required. The 1.0-kWh lithium-ion battery will stay powered up through regenerative braking. Combined, the system produces 210 horsepower and 230 pound-feet of torque. No launch times have been revealed yet but Jeep said the gen-6 Cherokee will have a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds. Yet it’s also expected to deliver up to 37 mpg combined, with a forecast EPA city rating of 42 mpg and 33 mpg on the highway.
“This will be the only propulsion system in this vehicle when we launch it,” Micky Bly, the head of global powertrain development for Stellantis, said during a media background briefing, but he broadly hinted that more could follow during a subsequent interview. Credit that multi-energy STLA Large platform which is flexible enough to handle any of the six different powertrain technologies Stellantis is developing. Insiders suggest a conventional gas engine will follow, along with either a plug-in hybrid or a range-extender – the latter system soon to appear in a version of the Ram pickup.
More Customization
Over the last several years, Jeep has made a number of “mistakes,” acknowledged the brand’s CEO Bob Broderdorf, including the decision to kill off the old Cherokee without a ready replacement. It’s racing to make things right, lowering prices, filling in gaps in the line-up and “giving more customization to customers,” he suggested.
With Cherokee, expect to see a wide array of accessories added to the Jeep catalog, along with an assortment of different trims targeting a broad range of buyers. That will start with a base model, as well as Laredo, Limited and Overland packages, while there’ll be “a Trail-Rated version coming in the near future,” Broderdorf added.
Even in those initial trims, the 2026 Jeep Cherokee will offer the sort off-road capabilities some key competitors struggled to match. All four launch versions will have eight inches of ground clearance with approach and departure angles of 19.6 and 29.4 degrees, respectively, which Jeep claims are best-in-class. Its breakover angle is 18.8 degrees. They’ll also feature All Cherokee trims will feature th Jeep Active Drive 4×4 system with the fuel-saving rear axle disconnect, as well as a four-mode Selec-Terrain management system that can instantly adjust vehicle settings for various road conditions such as mud, sand and snow.
New Technology
In keeping with competitive trends, the new Cherokee will be a technical showcase, with plenty of standard features and still more options. That includes features like a 360-degree surround-view monitor and a front tire-to-curb view system which should be useful both on-road while parking, as well as when you’re negotiating a tricky trail.
All trims get a new 12.3-inch high-resolution infotainment display, along with a 10.25-inch digital gauge cluster. The infotainment system is powered by the latest Uconnect 5 operating system and adds such niceties as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. While they’re standard, the Amazon Alexa voice assistant is an option. All Cherokees will be equipped to take smartphone-style over-the-air, or OTA, updates to keep onboard software both fresh and glitch-free.
All told, Jeep claims Cherokee will be available with 140 standard and optional safety tech features, including the new Active Drive Assist. It delivers many of the same capabilities as GM’s semi-autonomous Super Cruise, as well as the Ford BlueCruise.
Pricing and Availability
The base 2026 Jeep Cherokee will start at $36,995. The Laredo package at$39,995. Limited starts at $42,495, with Overland at $45,995. Add $1,995 in delivery fees to all packages.
Cherokee production should start this coming autumn, with the first vehicles arriving in U.S. showrooms by “late 2025,” according to Broderdorf. For now, the SUV will only be sold in North America, he said.
All versions of the Cherokee will be assembled at the Stellantis plant in Toluca, Mexico.
Paul A. Eisenstein
