Review: 2026 Jeep Cherokee Gets its Right

Abandoning the midsize SUV market three years ago was a mistake Jeep has been paying for ever since. Yet it also set the stage for what looks to be a triumphant return. The all-new 2026 Jeep Cherokee does more than just fill a yawning gap. With its first-ever hybrid drivetrain, the sixth-generation SUV is precisely the sort of ground-up entry the Stellantis off-road brand needs. Headlight.News has this first review.

It was the sort of decision Jeep immediately regretted. When it pulled the old Cherokee SUV from production three years ago without a successor, parent Stellantis realized it needed a replacement for its long-running entry in what has become the biggest segment in the U.S. automotive market. That set off a scramble to come up with the right successor – one only now rolling into U.S. showrooms.

Ironically, the wait may have helped Jeep deliver precisely the sort of product it’s been needing. The 2026 Jeep Cherokee might take some potential buyers by surprise, what with the decision to solely offer the midsize model with a hybrid drivetrain. Yet this sixth-generation package does precisely what it needs to do – and more.

The new Cherokee is attractive, capable, well-equipped – and surprisingly efficient, delivering an EPA-rated 37 mpg, Here’s a first-drive review from Headlight.News.

What’s new

Ask Jeep CEO Bob Broderdorf and he’ll readily acknowledge Jeep has made plenty of “mistakes” over the last few years, dropping the fifth-generation Cherokee without a replacement being among the most egregious. The good news is that the 2026 Jeep Cherokee is more than just a stop-gap stand-in – even if there were some skeptics who initially questioned the package the brand has come up with.

For starters, it seemed odd that Jeep would use the same, underlying STLA Large platform as the new Dodge Charger. Then add the idea that the sixth-generation Cherokee would be offered solely with a hybrid drivetrain. But the approach clearly pays off.

The 2026 Cherokee’s flexible “architecture” comes through in a variety of ways. Larger in all key dimensions, it’s substantially roomier than the old model, both in terms of passenger and cargo space. Then there’s the new hybrid drivetrain which delivers an estimated 500 miles range. The design is more contemporary and the SUV is loaded up with the sort of features buyers today expect, from its big touchscreen to the broad suite of advanced driver assistance systems.

And more is in the offing, Broderdorf recently confided. While the 2026 Jeep Cherokee doesn’t offer some features serious off-roaders might expect, such as skid plates, expect an even more rugged Trail-Rated package to follow.

Cherokee gets a 1^st-ever hybrid

With the exception of its troubled 4xe plug-in hybrid models, Jeep traditionally hasn’t the brand you’d turn to if fuel economy was a priority. The Cherokee takes things to the next level, however, with a first-time conventional hybrid EPA-rated at 39 mpg city, 35 highway and 37 combined once the EPA gives its official imprimatur.

The package pairs a transverse-mounted 1.6-liter inline-four gas engine with two electric motors mounted in its transmission drawing power from a 1.0-liter lithium-ion battery. The hybrid delivers a combined 210 horsepower and 230 pound-feet of torque. That’s enough muscle, Jeep claims, to tow up to 3,500 pounds. Pulling a lighter load, however, Cherokee’s 13.7-gallon fuel tank will let you go as much as 500 miles without stopping — if you and your bladder can hold out that long.

Power is nominally delivered to all four wheels but distribution can change depending upon road conditions, driver input and the driver mode setting. There’s also a disconnecting rear axle that further enhances fuel economy when there’s no need to pump torque to the rear wheels.

While Micky Bly, the global head of powertrain at Stellantis told Headlight.News the gas-electric package will be “the only propulsion system…when we launch it,” he left dangling the possibility there could be future options. But, after spending time with the hybrid package we came away confident Jeep made the right choice.

More Reviews

• A Week With the 2026 Mazda CX-90 Turbo S Premium AWD
• A Week With the 2026 Cadillac Lyriq-V
• First Drive; 2026 Toyota C-HR Battery-Electric Vehicle

Driving impressions

Here’s where the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee really shines, all the disparate elements of the new SUV coming together in a delightful package.

The new Jeep’s powertrain has been tuned to deliver a balance of power and fuel economy, rather than just focusing on efficiency. It delivers plenty of low-end torque, the plus that you can get with electric motors. That grunt follows all the way to highway speeds, power coming on smoothly whether pulling away from a stoplight or merging onto a freeway. The “power-split” transmission is essentially a CVT but there’s none of the rubber-banding that disappoints with so many other drivetrains.

Cherokee comes with four-mode driver control settings. If anything, the Sport mode is the option I’d stick with. It just enhances the overall feel of both powertrain and steering which tightens up ever so slightly. Even in Auto mode, however, the SUV has a nice feel providing a clear sense of the road. The other two modes, Sand/Mud and Snow, adjust the way the powertrain delivers torque to best cope with those specific conditions.

The big surprise: just how quiet this compact crossover can be until you absolutely nail the throttle to the floor. I recently had an EV out that suffered from more road and wind noise.

Off-road

Sadly, I can’t testify to Cherokee’s off-road capabilities. My trip to California came just after a week of biblical rain flooded out the off-road course Jeep had set up. I’ll have to cautiously trust the word of a few colleagues who did log a bit of time before everything got waterlogged. They found Cherokee more than capable of meeting expectations compared to what the prior generation was capable of.

The specs certainly look good. Cherokee has 8.0 inches of ground clearance and for those who actually plan to use one to get off the pavement, the SUV has a 19.2-degree approach angle, a 19.4-degree breakover and a 29.4% departure angle.

The Overland package is, for the moment, the likely choice for those who’ll want to go off-road. That said, I was surprised to learn Jeep currently doesn’t offer any skid plate options for the 2026 Cherokee. But hold tight if you’re a really serious rock-crawler. As Broderdorf told me, we won’t go long before one or more Trail-Rated versions of Cherokee roll out.

A more modern design

Flexibility is the key with the latest generation of Stellantis “architectures.” There better be, considering the STLA Large platform has to handle products as diverse as the Dodge Charger and, now, the 2026 Jeep Cherokee. But don’t think of it as a compromise. It comes through here in fine form.

The 2026 Cherokee grows 5 inches in length and adds 7 inches of wheelbase compared to the outgoing SUV, to 188.1 and 113.0 inches, respectively. Width increases to 74.7 inches, with the truck standing 67.5 inches at the roof rails. Perhaps the more important figure: a 30% increase in cargo capacity, starting at 33.6 cubic feet and growing to a maximum 68.3 cf with the second row folded down.

Overall, the look of the new Cherokee doesn’t stray radically from the prior generation, but it’s been nicely modernized, with a distinct new take on the brand’s classic seven-slot grille, and new, more tech-forward headlamps. The back end is perhaps the most generic looking element, relatively upright to maximize that cargo capacity.

Cherokee’s new cabin is decidedly more modern, with a nice, high-tech-focused horizontal layout. That’s underscored by the 12.3-inch touchscreen now offered in all trims, along with the 10.25-inch digital gauge cluster. But it’s more than just large screens. Even the base model’s cabin doesn’t look like it’s been loaded up with cheap plastic. And the material touches only get better as you move up the trim walk.

Lots of new tech

The cabin is loaded with new technology, starting with that new high-resolution infotainment display, and 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. An onboard WiFi hotspot also will be available.

Among other high-tech features, Cherokee gets a 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. I’m betting we’ll see other off-road-focused tech features, likely more camera views, when the Trail-Rated packages start rolling out.

Jeep claims there are “more than” 140 different driver assistance systems onboard the new Cherokee. A number of these, including forward collision warning with emergency auto braking, come standard. Options – depending upon your choice of trim, include 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

Those who’ve been anxiously waiting for the arrival of a new Jeep Cherokee can finally find it in the brand’s U.S. showrooms.

Set to be built at the big Stellantis assembly plant in Toluca, Mexico, Cherokee will be sold only in North America – at least for now. Such things can change over time.

Pricing for the 2026 Jeep Cherokee will start at $36,995. The Laredo package jumps to $39,995, Limited at $41,495 and Overland completing the initial trim quartet at $44,995. Add $1,995 in delivery fees to all packages.

For the moment, the 2026 Jeep Cherokee will be sold exclusively in North America but expect to see it reach select additional markets in the future. Note that production is being ramped up slowly so Jeep can avoid the sort of quality issues that had plagued some of its products in recent years.