After disappearing from the lineup in 2023, the Jeep Cherokee returns for 2026. Rather than trying to be everything to everyone, the new Cherokee embraces everyday practicality with enough Jeep DNA to make weekend adventures more than just marketing copy.
At a glance
- Much better looking than its predecessor
- Smart design for its hybrid powertrain, thanks to Toyota
- A few downers and annoyances are inevitable
- Less about compromise and more about smart practicality
The outgoing Cherokee always had one problem it couldn't escape: its face. Jeep's experiment with split headlights and futuristic styling never really connected with buyers. I thought it was ugly and not particularly Jeep, either. It felt out of place amidst the stronger looks of its siblings.
The 2026 model fixes that, taking on a sort of “mini Wagoneer” look. No more sharp-nosed, thin-grilled oddness.
This new Cherokee has an upright grille, a squared-off body, and chunky proportions borrowed from the Grand Cherokee. The Cherokee still presents its own identity, but it fits into the Jeep lineup a lot better and is unmistakably a Jeep now. The boxier design isn't just nostalgic, of course. It also improves cargo space and passenger room behind that more purposeful stance.
It's the kind of redesign that makes you wonder why the company ever wandered away from the formula in the first place. Where Jeep did wander a little is under the Cherokee’s hood. This is a new experiment for the brand that goes halfway between the excellent but problematic plug-in hybrid 4xe system, and a straight-up turbo-four gasser.
Gone are the naturally aspirated V6 and optional turbo-four found in other Jeeps. Instead, every Cherokee now gets a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder paired with two electric motors, producing a combined 210 horsepower (154 kW) and 230 pound-feet (312 Nm) of torque. This marks Jeep’s first serious attempt at a hybrid-electric setup without a plug. Standard all-wheel drive and an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission round out the drivetrain.
The engine is a good little compromise between power output and efficiency, mating nicely with the idea of electric propulsion. As a whole, with the electric torque output making up for the turbo lag and the generally weaker engine, it’s a great powertrain design. The CVT, however, looked like a weak point on first glance. It’s rare for a vehicle this large to do well with a belt-driven transmission. Physics just say that an SUV like this is going to be hard on that setup.
Good thing Jeep didn’t go with that version. The e-CVT being used is Toyota’s design, more or less, using a planetary gearset instead of belts. This transmission has held very fast for Toyota, doing really well in both its own and Ford vehicles that licensed it. Toyota recently made the patents for this e-CVT – and a few other related technologies – free to use in the interest of promoting electrification via hybrids. Stellantis grabbed onto that and here’s the result: the first-ever truly gasoline-electric, non-plug-in, hybrid Jeep product. The patents are open and free to use until 2030, so expect the Cherokee to remain as-is, powertrain-wise, until then.
The end result is a Cherokee which is far more efficient than its predecessors, but that doesn’t feel like a dead fish when the right-most pedal is pressed. To be frank, though, acceleration is adequate rather than thrilling. Around town, the electric assistance smooths out launches from stoplights and makes the SUV feel more responsive than the horsepower figure suggests. Highway merging requires a bit more planning than you'll need in some competitors, but the hybrid system remains refined and unobtrusive. If you remember Jeep models from the 1990s and early 2000s, you’ll understand. Where those were compromising with torque-heavy, off-road-centered output, this new Cherokee is compromising with daily driving on pavement and fuel efficiency. Off-roading is still possible, and the 2026 Cherokee is more than capable compared to its competitors, but it’s not the focus.
Fuel economy is where Jeep deserves genuine credit. The Cherokee delivers an EPA-estimated 37 mpg (6.4 l/100km) combined and more than 500 miles (805 km) of driving range, making it one of the most efficient all-wheel-drive compact utilities available. That's a dramatic improvement over the previous generation, and puts it squarely in the conversation with hybrid heavyweights like the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid and Honda CR-V Hybrid. And the Cherokee is larger than both of those options.
In the real world, I was able to get close to those EPA estimates. Most drivers should be within 1 or 2 mpg of that 37, hitting on one side or the other. Factors like driving habits, location, and driving conditions will determine that outcome. I was closer to 35.5-36 mpg (~6.6 l/100km) in my week with the Cherokee, but I live at high altitude with a lot of cross winds and higher-speed “around town” driving. If you live in suburbia or the city, you’ll likely see higher returns than I did. If you live even farther out in the country than I do and drive a lot more dirt and highway, you’ll see less.
Speaking of driving around, the 2026 Jeep Cherokee’s ride quality leans toward comfort rather than sportiness. The suspension absorbs rough pavement without feeling floaty, and road noise remains well controlled even at interstate speeds. Steering is light, predictable, and completely devoid of drama. Those driving on dirt roads will especially like this Jeep’s suspension design.
Off the road, its eight inches of ground clearance, Jeep's Selec-Terrain system, and standard AWD, means that dirt, muddy campsites, and snowy highways won't faze the Cherokee much. Serious trail enthusiasts will probably hold out for the inevitable Trailhawk variant, but for the overwhelming majority of owners, this Cherokee goes well beyond what they'll ever ask of it. And for those who bring teardrops, ATVs, or bikes with them, the Cherokee can tow up to 3,500 lb (1,588 kg).
On the inside, Jeep finally has the Cherokee joining the current decade. A 12.3-inch Uconnect 5 touchscreen dominates the dashboard, joined by a crisp 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard, menus are intuitive, and physical controls remain for many frequently-used functions. Something I am a big fan of. Material quality is noticeably improved as well. In short, unlike previous Cherokee models, this one no longer feels like it belongs in the bargain bin.
Rear-seat passengers gain usable space, while cargo capacity expands to more than 68 cubic feet (1,926 liters) with the seats folded. That puts it firmly into family-hauler territory without making the vehicle feel oversized. There’s no third row, but in vehicles this size, those are usually a gimmicky joke rather than a realistic-use addition.
There are some problems with the new Cherokee. Nothing’s perfect. Infotainment is sometimes finicky and the design of the center console meant that I, a tall man, was bumping my knee against it regularly. Parents using child safety seats might find the rear seating a little rough to get those installed into if they don’t have the LATCH system or a separate base. And nobody in my house, including me, is fond of Stellantis’ “reach inside the hatch to close the hatch” button placement. Instinctively, it’s assumed it is going to slam down and chop off your hand. No matter how many times you witness that slow close.
My biggest gripe, though, is with the engine’s noise output. In everyday driving, it’s generally quiet and easily ignored. At higher speeds and when under pressure, such as on an on-ramp or while towing, the engine gets very noisy. Sometimes wheezily so. It’s not exactly confidence boosting, to say the least. It was at those times I was happy to have some heavy metal to stream into the well-done stereo system of the Cherokee. At volume.
I think that, even with all of those downers, the 2026 Jeep Cherokee is exactly the reboot the nameplate needed. You can get better fuel economy out of that RAV4 or CR-V and you can get similar off-road capability out of that Bronco Sport Badlands or Outback Wilderness model. But none of those look as grown up and frankly SUV-like as does the Cherokee. And none bring together this total package of hybrid efficiency and off-road goodness.
Just compared to itself, the Cherokee is now more practical, dramatically more fuel-efficient, significantly better looking, and far more competitive than the model it replaces.
Perhaps the biggest compliment is this: nothing about the Cherokee feels like a bad compromise. It doesn't feel like Jeep reluctantly built a hybrid because regulations demanded one. Instead, it feels like engineers started with the question, "What do buyers in this segment actually need?" and then added Jeep branding.
Product page: 2026 Jeep Cherokee
