The new 2026 Jeep Cherokee is here, in all of its hybridized and boxy glory. Right off the bat, here are the important bits to know: According to a press release from Jeep, the new Cherokee gets an estimated 37 combined mpg from its newly produced 1.6-liter turbocharged four-banger. Working with electric motors, it churns out a reasonable 210 horsepower. Additionally, it comes with all-wheel drive as standard. Starting price is listed at $36,995, putting it right in the middle of the fiercely competitive
SUV market against the likes of the Toyota RAV4 hybrid and the Honda CR-V hybrid.
A Jeep Cherokee with a small and efficient hybrid drivetrain as standard equipment is already pretty interesting. To borrow a quote from "Star Wars," it's "a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one." It propels the Cherokee from its somewhat niche enthusiast circles right into becoming serious competition for Toyota and Honda. That's big news in and of itself. However, within Jeep, the biggest shake up so to speak is that the new Cherokee improves on everything about the old Cherokee. Jeep, the brand steeped in tradition, isn't resting on its laurels for the 2026 Cherokee.
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Bigger And Better
Practically, the new Cherokee is much bigger than the 2023 Cherokee. The 2026 model has a longer wheelbase at 113 inches, compared to the old Cherokee's 106.6 inches. That translates to much more storage capacity. The previous Cherokee also measured in at 54.7 cubic feet of storage space behind the front row of seats. The new Cherokee gives you 68.3 cubic feet. That's almost an entire sedan trunk's worth of extra storage space.
While the 2026 Cherokee can only tow a maximum of 3,500 pounds compared to the former Cherokee's 4,000 pounds, the standard feature list of the new model is just flat out better. Four-wheel drive, for instance, is standard, prior to the 2022 model year Cherokee, it was an optional extra. Why you would want to buy a two-wheel drive Jeep is anyone's guess, so standard four-wheel drive is definitely a needed improvement, even if it's just to retain the Cherokee's "Jeep-ness." Jeep also notes that the safety equipment on every trim level has been beefed up significantly, including more driver assistance tech, rear automatic emergency braking, and even a pedestrian detection system for good measure.
A Competitive Mass Market Jeep
The old Cherokee's available V6 powertrain was a little beefier with slightly more towing capacity, the 2026 Cherokee is better in most ways. Not to say the old Cherokee was ugly, it certainly had its old charm, but the new Cherokee is as boxy as a new Jeep should be. This brings back some of that angular-ness that made the original Cherokee all the way back in the 1980s through the early 2000s so lovable.
All of the improvements serve a lot of purposes to the eventual buyers and drivers of the 2026 Cherokee. It's safer, more efficient, and more practical. Collectively, the improvements serve one big purpose for Jeep (and by extension, Stellantis). The Jeep Cherokee will finally be a competitive SUV for the mass market, as hinted at earlier.
Breaking down the numbers a bit, the $36,995 (plus $1,995 destination charge) 2026 Cherokee, with its standard hybrid and 4x4 drivetrain sits under the 2026 Honda CR-V hybrid, which starts at $37,130 (plus $1,395 destination charge). Fuel economy is the same at 37 combined mpg. Storage-wise, the CR-V fits a bit more, at 76.5 cubic feet with all of the seats folded down. For towing, the Jeep annihilates the Honda hybrid's 1,000 pound towing capacity. Comparing the 2026 Cherokee to the king of sensible SUV hybrids, the Toyota RAV4. The 2025 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid starts at $32,600 (plus $1,450 destination charge) for the base model LE trim. It clocks in at 39 combined mpg, has a towing capacity of 1,750 pounds, and a maximum cargo capacity of 69.8 cubic feet.
An Exciting Move
We can't believe this is being said in 2025, but Jeep has managed to make a competitive mass market hybrid SUV that's actually better in some ways than a similar Honda or Toyota. Now, obviously, the 2026 Jeep Cherokee actually needs to be driven before any substantive value judgments can be made. However, when it comes to specs, the Cherokee is pretty exciting.
It will, hopefully, be able to break the stigma that Jeeps are only for people who can afford big expensive SUVs like the Grand Cherokee, Wagoneer, and Grand Wagoneer, or for off-roading Wrangler enthusiasts for whom doors and a comfortable ride are an afterthought. For people who want to see the 2026 Jeep Cherokee for themselves, it will arrive in dealerships later this year. Jeep has not announced a specific date yet. It's certainly a good development for Jeep, hopefully one that translates to real sales.
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Read the original article on SlashGear.
