2026 Jeep Cherokee First Drive Review + Video

For a brand that likes to boast about building (almost) nothing but SUVs, going without an entry in the exceptionally popular compact segment has left Jeep in an awkward position.

Yes, the Wrangler still puts the pancetta on the table, plus it provides all kinds of credibility, but letting the Cherokee lapse this long without a replacement is a bit like opening an Italian restaurant and skipping any sort of spaghetti dish. Bizzarro.

But it’s back after a two-year absence, putting Jeep in a place it should have been all along. More than an obligatory offering, the 2026 Jeep Cherokee is competitive in a way that wasn’t possible for its quirky-looking predecessor, with (slightly) safer styling to go with standard hybrid power.

A Complex Powertrain

For the gas portion of the powertrain, Jeep has repurposed a turbocharged 1.6L four-cylinder that was previously used in Europe and shoved it under the hood of the new Cherokee. It checks a bunch of boxes as far as internal-combustion trends — direct injection, a high compression ratio, and plenty of boost pressure — and makes 177 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque on its own, numbers that would be more than adequate in isolation.

This being a hybrid, however, the Cherokee has a bunch of hardware that makes it more efficient. And it all starts with the transmission.

It’s an electronically controlled continuously variable unit like the ones used by Toyota and Honda, with the twin electric motor-generators built right in. Jeep will happily brag about all the ways this setup is unique, and it is, with the mechanical and electrical portions of the powertrain split in two for optimized torque delivery.

And while the system is capable of reasonable acceleration — or at least nothing that’s noticeably worse than its competitors — there’s a considerable delay between when the accelerator pedal meets the floor and the time it takes for the entire propulsion system to respond. But then a hybrid like this one is about efficiency over everything else, and the 2026 Cherokee is rated to consume 6.4 L/100 km combined, which is similar to the Honda CR-V Hybrid (6.4).

All-wheel drive is standard, although it’s a mechanical system instead of the electric one employed by the Toyota RAV4. Either way, it can divide the net output — 210 hp and 230 lb-ft of torque, according to Jeep — in a 50/50 front-to-rear split, or disconnect the back half of the system in the interest of efficiency and run in front-wheel drive instead.

A Simple Experience

Setting off in the Cherokee is about as simple as it should be. Oh, sure — there are a few foibles, including the impossibly thick steering wheel, which isn’t really a wheel at all considering its oblong octagonal shape; and the normal and comfort settings for the steering system itself lack so much feel they could be described as apathetic.

The regenerative braking also isn’t adjustable the way it is in gas-electric rivals including the CR-V and Kia Sportage Hybrid, just to name a couple. Or at least the button-selectable low-range mode that sort of functions the same way isn’t as intuitive to use as the steering wheel-mounted paddles those competitors employ, especially since it’s all but impossible to find at a glance.

Beyond those annoyances — which are admittedly minor — this Jeep functions a lot like a conventionally powered crossover, which is entirely by design. In fact, there isn’t a single badge that tells of the way this new Cherokee is powered.

Engaging that low-range mode is perhaps the one way it seems different from a conventional crossover, although it’s entirely a result of the way the gas engine revs to what seems like 6,000 rpm on steep downhill stretches. Otherwise, it behaves a lot like it should, with quick response to the largely lifeless steering system, and easy around-town throttle management.

A Bit Bigger This Time

Looking past the powertrain or the way it performs, the 2026 Cherokee is marginally bigger than the one that came before it — standard practice in the industry at large, although in this case it’s exactly what customers were asking for, according to Jeep. So the wheelbase has been stretched to 2,869 mm (113.0 in) from 2,707 mm (106.6 in); and it measures 4,778 mm (188.1 in) from bumper to bumper instead of 4,650 mm (183.1 in).

It’s wider this time, too, and spans 1,898 mm (74.7 in) versus 1,859 mm (73.2 in). Taken together, the Cherokee is inherently more practical, with a bit more hip- and shoulder room than last time. The cargo area, too, measures 952 L behind the back seats compared to 731 L. And it’s a much more square and simple space, including an enormous opening at the tailgate to accommodate all kinds of stuff.

The front half of the cabin feels a lot less bulky than before, with a low dash design that leans into horizontal elements including the 12.3-inch touchscreen along with the 10.25-inch digital instrument display, both of which are standard. Both are positioned in such a way that they aren’t distracting, either — exactly the way they should be in today’s age of excessive screen acreage.

And while the space itself is impressive, as is the way it’s been designed, it also manages to deliver a look and feel that’s at (or near) the top of the segment. OK, the particular unit tested here had a few annoying squeaks and rattles; but the overall atmosphere in the range-topping Overland trim is one that’s a clear and obvious step above a similarly equipped RAV4 or CR-V, and all for about the same amount of money.

Competitively Priced

The 2026 Jeep Cherokee starts at $39,995 before freight ($2,295) and tax, which puts it somewhere between the entry-level RAV4 and the cheapest Sportage Hybrid. For that kind of money it comes with those digital displays, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, heated front seats, and dual-zone automatic climate control. It also has an advanced safety and driver-assist suite with forward collision warning, pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, lane-keeping, and adaptive cruise control.

From there, the Laredo trim adds items like a heated steering wheel for $44,995, while the Limited trim gets a wireless phone charger and power tailgate, among others, for $49,995. Finally, the Cherokee Overland has ventilated front seats, a 10-speaker stereo (up from six), and a panoramic power sunroof, among others, for $53,995.

Notably, that top-of-the-line price is more than every one of its key competitors, but not by an astronomical amount. The most expensive Sportage Hybrid is $47,995 before freight ($2,150) and tax and the top-of-the-line CR-V Hybrid is $51,200 ($2,000), while the RAV4 tops out at $52,000 ($1,930).

Final Thoughts

It’s more than a little weird for the brand that essentially invented the modern crossover to let its own entry in what’s arguably the most important segment in North America idle for two years. But it’s a sign of the times for Jeep parent company Stellantis to let the situation get as bad as it did before making it right. That alone is enough to make the 2026 Jeep Cherokee a welcome return to the market, while the addition of yet another conventional hybrid is worth celebrating.

That doesn’t mean it’s gold stars all around for Jeep, which in some ways delivered a winner while in others ended up with something that seems like it’s a short step or two behind its key competitors in terms of the finer points of powertrain performance and driving dynamics. But then this new Cherokee is vastly superior to the one that came before it in just about every way, including the ones customers asked for.