Everything you need to know about the 2026 Jeep Cherokee: Specs, pricing, launch details
Mark Phelan- The 2026 Cherokee midsize SUV goes on sale in late 2025.
- Part of a multibillion-dollar investment in Jeep, the 2026 Cherokee is a replacement for a core vehicle that went out of production in 2023, opening a gaping wound in Jeep’s lineup.
Fixing Jeep starts today. New from the ground up, with hybrid power and the promise of serious off-road capability, the 2026 Cherokee midsize SUV patches a gaping hole in the brand’s lineup.
Part of a multibillion-dollar investment in Jeep, the 2026 Cherokee is the overdue replacement for a core vehicle that went out of production in 2023, opening a gaping wound in Jeep’s lineup and finances.
Designed and developed in the United States, the Cherokee will also be an important proof point for people who worried Stellantis leaders did not understand what makes the brand special — and an irreplaceable profit center.
Jeep promises the new Cherokee will go anywhere the old Cherokee could and cover more than 500 miles on a tank of gasoline.
2026 Jeep Cherokee prices and trim levels
- Cherokee: $35,000
- Cherokee Laredo: $38,000
- Cherokee Limited: $40,500
- Cherokee Overland: $44,000
Source: Jeep. All prices exclude $1,995 destination charge.
Standard 4WD and hybrid
The 2026 Cherokee goes on sale late this year. It’s longer, taller and wider than the previous model.
Prices will start at $35,000, but don’t expect any base models in dealerships before early 2026. Sales will begin with the well-equipped Limited and Overland models, priced at $40,500 and $44,000, respectively. All prices exclude $1,995 destination charge.
Hybrid power and all-wheel drive will initially be standard, but the full lineup will likely include less expensive models with gasoline-only power and front-wheel drive.
The ‘26 Cherokee will offer a multitude of features that weren’t available on the old model, which went on sale in 2013.
Compared with older models, the 2026 Cherokee is:
- 4.7 inches longer.
- 1 inch wider.
- 2 inches taller.
- Built on a 6.4-inch-longer wheelbase.
Power comes from a new hybrid system expected to deliver 37 mpg in combined city/highway driving — a 54% increase from the most efficient version of the 2023 Cherokee, the last model Stellantis built before idling production.
2026 Jeep Cherokee key features
- Hybrid power
- 210 horsepower, 230 pound-feet of torque
- 37 mpg combined city/highway fuel economy
- 500-plus miles driving range
- Dual pane sunroof
- 360-degree camera
- Digital rearview camera
- Heated and ventilated front sets
- Heated rear seats
- Foot-activated tailgate width adjustable height
A new hybrid system
The hybrid uses a 1.6L engine Stellantis will build in Dundee, Michigan, and two electric motors. The four-wheel-drive system features a disconnecting rear axle to improve fuel economy. It’s a mechanical 4WD system, unlike some hybrids that have an electrically powered rear axle with no physical connection to the engine and front wheels.
Total system output is 210 hp and 230 pound-feet of torque. A continuously variable transmission is standard.
The system is entirely different from the mild hybrid available in the smaller European Jeep Avenger.
Driving modes:
- Auto
- Sport
- Snow
- Sand/mud
Designed and developed in the USA
Jeep’s not sharing any info on off-road ability, but outdoing midsize SUVs like the Honda Passport, Hyundai Santa Fe and VW Atlas is a must. Trail-rated models with more off-road equipment are in the works.
The Cherokee uses the new STLA Large architecture, which also underpins the Jeep Wagoneer S, Dodge Charger and Charger Daytona, and the upcoming Recon electric SUV. Engineered in Jeep’s Auburn Hills, Michigan, tech center, STLA was developed to accommodate electric, hybrid and gasoline power.
Key off-road specs:
- 19.6 degree approach angle
- 18.8 degree breakover
- 29.4 degree departure angle
- 8-inch ground clearance
2026 Jeep Cherokee standard features
- 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster
- 12.3-inch touch screen
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
- Rain sensing wipers
- Blind spot and rear cross traffic alert
- Automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist identification
- Intersection collision assist
- Rear parking assist and emergency braking
- 10 years of over-the-air updates
Familiar exterior, new interior
The Cherokee wears the mandatory Jeep brand identifiers: seven-slot grille and trapezoidal wheel arches. The silhouette is less rounded than its predecessor with a vertical nose, relatively boxy profile, chunky D-pillar and wide, upright rear opening. Rear LED lights recall World War II-era jerry cans for fuel. U-shaped LED running lights sit below rectangular headlights.
The interior features a striking new steering wheel, squared off top and bottom for visibility and comfort. A horizontally themed dash emphasizes width.
New storage cubbies and wireless charging are standard. Other goodies that didn’t exist when the last Cherokee debuted include available heated rear seats and a 10.25-inch customizable instrument cluster and 12.3-inch touch screen.
Passenger and cargo space both increase.
2026 Jeep Cherokee at a glance
Four-wheel drive five-seat midsize SUV
Base price: $35,000 (All prices exclude $1,995 destination charge.)
On sale late 2025
Power: 1.6L turbocharged four-cylinder engine, two electric motors
Output: 210 hp; 230 pound-feet of torque
Transmission: Continuously variable automatic
Weight distribution: 58.6% front and 31.4% rear
0-60 mph: 8.3 seconds
Wheelbase: 113 inches
Length: 188.1 inches
Width: 83.6 inches at mirrors
Height: 67.5 inches at roof rail/antenna
Ground clearance: 8 inches
Passenger volume: 107.3 cubic feet
Cargo capacity: 33.6 cubic feet behind second row; 68.3 with second row folded
Towing capacity: 3,500 pounds
Curb weight: 4,295 pounds
Assembled in Toluca, Mexico
Contact Mark Phelan: [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @mark_phelan. Read more on autos and sign up for our autos newsletter. Become a subscriber.