2026 Jeep Cherokee Shows Its Face For The First Time

6 months ago - 1 June 2025, carbuzz

Bucking the trend of releasing a series of teasers, Jeep has decided that it's not going to play coy with the 2026 Jeep Cherokee. Instead, it just released photos showing the entirety of the midsize SUV, at least from the outside. We wish there were more photos, and indeed more information, but Jeep has given a couple of interesting details to go off of.

It Looks Much More Conventional

The previous generation of Cherokee was controversial when it launched. It had a wedge-shaped nose with scowling daytime running lights, and a somewhat bulbous behind. Frankly, it was a little weird. Even Jeep seemed to recognize that with a redesign that gave it simpler headlights.

That probably won't be the case with this new Cherokee, though. It's far more squared-off and broad-shouldered than its predecessor, and arguably even the Grand Cherokee above it. Combined with square-shaped headlights, it actually looks like a descendant of the original XJ Cherokee. Those headlights also feature slightly rounded daytime running light accents to tie into the Wrangler, because every Jeep must acknowledge the brand's icon. The rest of the vehicle looks pretty typical of a modern Jeep with clean, fuss-free flanks and a healthy amount of plastic cladding.

A camouflaged SUV believed to be the next-gen Jeep Cherokee has been spotted again, hinting at its upcoming debut.

It Will Have A Hybrid Engine

A previous version of this story listed the wrong engines for the previous-generation Cherokee. The text has been updated with the correct information.

For the first time in a Cherokee, Jeep is adding a hybrid powertrain. Exactly what that hybrid will be, is still a question. If we had to guess, we would expect the engine to be the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder used in the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee 4xe models, and plug-in capability is likely. Jeep didn't say anything about any other engines, but we would expect a non-hybrid engine to be offered, too. The previous Cherokee was available with either a 3.2-liter V6, a 2.4-liter four-cylinder or a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder. As for the new one, we could see the venerable 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 making an appearance. We could also see the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder from the Compass and Dodge Hornet as an option. Jeep will probably release additional details throughout the year, as the SUV will be hitting dealers late this year.