Preview: 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee Gets a New Look — and a New Engine

Here’s an automotive recipe: take two cylinders away from the number your vehicle has always had, and then add extra torque.

That’s the deal with the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee, which gets a styling refresh, some new technology features, and the first use of an all-new engine that parent company Stellantis will eventually be using across its brands on a global basis.

While we’ve yet to drive it, we got a behind-the-scenes look at this new model at Stellantis’s design centre in Michigan. As is the case with the outgoing version, it will come as the two-row Grand Cherokee and the three-row Grand Cherokee L, plus there will be a plug-in hybrid (PHEV).

A New Hurricane Blows In

The Grand Cherokee will continue to offer its current engine, that being a 3.5L V6 making 293 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. But it will now also have an available turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder, the latest in the automaker’s so-called “Hurricane” family of engines. This little number will make 260 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque, while providing the same 2,812-kg (6,200-lb) maximum towing capacity as the V6. Fuel efficiency numbers weren’t available at the time of writing.

The automaker says it’s a clean-sheet design rather than an adaptation of an existing engine. It does share some technology with the company’s other engines, most notably its Turbulent Jet Ignition (TJI), originally used by Maserati and in some Formula One racers.

The key is a little perforated cup, which is smaller in circumference than an American penny (or a since-discontinued Canadian one). In a regular engine, a fuel-air mixture in the combustion chamber is ignited by the spark plug. If all goes as planned, this creates a “flame front” that moves evenly through the chamber, burning as much of the fuel as possible for the most power and efficiency. If that doesn’t happen, and instead there are several “hot spots” of combustion, it can create engine knock. High-performance engines can require premium fuel to prevent this.

This engine differs in that the aforementioned cup is at the end of the spark plug, which ignites a small amount of fuel inside it. This burning fuel exits the perforations into the chamber, where it ignites the fuel mixture there in a more-complete and faster detonation. This produces lots of power, and the engine runs on regular-grade gasoline. Each cylinder also has a second spark plug without a cap, igniting the fuel conventionally. Jeep’s rep said the engine will automatically switch between the two modes, prioritizing the best one for the driving conditions.

The new engine also uses a variable-geometry turbocharger, which adjusts to optimize performance as needed. Both the V6 and the new four-cylinder are mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. Four-wheel drive (4WD) is standard, and air suspension is available.

Put a Plug In It

Propulsion in the 4xe (say four-by-E) PHEV is unchanged. This version also uses a turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder, but it makes 270 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque on its own. With the engine and the hybrid electric motor combined, the system can make as much as 375 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque.

The 4xe works as a conventional hybrid, automatically switching between gasoline, electricity, or a combination, depending on driving conditions. But as a PHEV, it can be plugged in — using a regular 120-volt household outlet, or a 240-volt home or public charger — and is officially rated for 42 km of driving on electricity alone. Once that depletes, it returns to hybrid mode, self-charging its battery with regenerative braking that captures otherwise-lost energy during deceleration.

New Look Inside and Out

The Grand Cherokee’s exterior gets a gentle refresh, most noticeably in the grille, which is updated but retains its signature seven-slots across it; and new LED lighting. A Trailhawk trim on the 4xe adds red tow hooks and a unique fascia to improve its off-road approach angle.

Nothing is bright-and-shiny anymore; across its models, Jeep has announced “the death of chrome,” with satin finishes replacing it. Chrome-plating is actually a very toxic process, and Jeep says it’s switching due to the environmental benefits. Having paid for chroming on restoration projects, I can verify that it’s also very expensive, especially as more jurisdictions restrict it and more chrome suppliers close up shop; and there are undoubtedly financial benefits for the automaker as well.

The cabin is tweaked as well. The basic design is the same but nicely smoothed out, and with a new 12.3-inch infotainment screen standard on all trims. Climate functions now move up into a strip below it. The good news is that it looks less cluttered; on the down side, everything is now a touchscreen icon, rather than the hard switches in the previous model. Fortunately, real volume and tuning dials flank the stereo.

That stereo system can be upgraded to nine or 19-speaker units; and a 10.25-inch screen will be available for the passenger, providing entertainment, navigation, and other functions.

Depending on the trim, features will include faux- or real-cow leather upholstery, heated front and rear seats, ventilated and massaging front seats, an off-road camera, digital rearview mirror, dual-pane panoramic sunroof, night vision, and, in the three-row Grand Cherokee L, a “fam cam” to monitor what’s happening in the rear seats.

Final Thoughts

The 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee’s styling makeover is just enough to show that it’s changed without the time and expense required to turn it into an all-new model. The big news is that all-new engine under the hood, and, of course, that’s what we’re waiting to drive. Watch this space for our assessment once we get behind the wheel.