The Jeep Cherokee Returns After a Long Vacation

The Jeep Cherokee has been on a break since it was discontinued in 2023, with no immediate plans to replace it. Its absence left Jeep without an entry in the compact SUV segment, which is the most popular in America.It was a perplexing move, but Jeep’s parent company, Stellantis, made several as it struggled to deal with the industry’s rush towards electric vehicles at the time. It has since righted the ship and is embarking on a new product onslaught in the U.S. that fills in some gaps and includes an all-new 2026 Cherokee.One smart move Stellantis made was developing “multi-energy” platforms that could be used for either electric or internal combustion vehicles to meet demand. The Cherokee is a result of that strategy. It shares its platform with the slow-selling all-electric Wagoneer S and splits the difference between the two worlds as a hybrid.The Cherokee Limited’s interior is finished in upscale trim. JeepIt is Jeep’s first conventional hybrid. All of its previous efforts were plug-in hybrids that could be charged and driven in all-electric mode for more than 20 miles before the gas engine had to be used.The Cherokee’s powertrain comprises a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, two electric motor-generators and standard all-wheel drive. Pricing starts at $36,995. That is roughly $2,000 more than an all-wheel-drive Toyota Rav4, which also only comes as a hybrid, and $1,500 less than an all-wheel-drive hybrid Honda CR-V.The styling is modern and fresh, but it incorporates Jeep’s iconic seven-slot grille and uses LED accents to create the illusion of round headlights, although they are actually rectangular. Another throwback element is a clamshell tailgate reminiscent of the one on the original compact Cherokee from 1984, which it turns out also reduces aerodynamic drag.The 1984 Cherokee provided inspiration for the new model’s tailgate design. JeepI spent a few days testing a mid-level $41,995 Limited model. While it is not a dedicated off-road trim, it does have eight inches of ground clearance and high-clearance bumper designs in case you want to put its all-season tires to the test. All Cherokees, up to the top-of-the-line $44,995 Overland, have the same powertrain and street tires. An all-terrain Trailhawk is expected to be added in the future, but has not yet been confirmed.Base Cherokees come with cloth upholstery and manually adjustable seats, but the Limited gets heated power seats and synthetic leatherette that does a good job of impersonating the real thing. The dashboard design is upscale and not at all rugged. It has a digital instrument cluster, a widescreen central touchscreen display, a row of touchpads with haptic feedback for the climate control and a lot of soft-touch surfaces that you wouldn’t want to get dirty.The new Cherokee is about a half-foot longer than the last one, with much of that stretch allocated to the rear seating area. A six-foot passenger can fit behind a six-foot driver with room to spare for their knees. The cargo space isn’t the largest in the class, but also not the smallest, at 33 cubic feet. The compact SUV combines modern styling with heritage design cues. JeepThe long wheelbase also contributes to a smooth ride. The Cherokee soaks up the miles and delivers very good fuel mileage along the way. The EPA rating is 37 mpg combined and 39 mpg highway, but I saw as high as 44 mpg on some stretches. Its power rating is a pretty average 210 horsepower, but the responsive electric motor makes it feel stronger than that when you hit the accelerator, and it can reach 60 mph in about seven seconds, which makes merging onto roads easy.One unusual element is the overly large, octagonal steering wheel with very strong power assist. It doesn’t take long to get accustomed to, but it is something you will likely notice if you jump into the Cherokee straight from any other vehicle.The Cherokee also comes standard with a suite of electronic driver aids, including emergency brakes, blind-spot monitors, and lane-centering adaptive cruise control. You need to keep your hands touching the wheel to keep the last one active, and it will warn you if a curve is too sharp for it to handle, but it does a great job on freeways with gentle turns.Although the Cherokee Limited isn’t specifically outfitted for off-pavement driving, it is a Jeep, so I couldn’t resist. The Selec-Terrain traction management system has settings for Sport, Snow and Sand/Mud. None perfectly matched the dry dirt and gravel road I chose, but the Auto setting did just fine, shuffling the power around without any tires spinning, even on uphill sections with my foot to the floor.The suspension also handled the assorted ruts and bumps without complaint. I wouldn’t advise venturing onto any rocks in it, but reaching a campsite should not be much of a challenge. The Cherokee also has a relatively stout 3,500-pound towing capacity for a camper, which is twice that of the Rav4’s and more than three times the CR-V hybrid’s.I don’t expect the Cherokee to rival either of those for the best-selling passenger vehicle title, but it is good enough to keep Jeep from letting it disappear from showrooms again anytime soon.

The Jeep Cherokee Returns After a Long Vacation

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