The compact crossover SUV segment is the most popular in the United States. Yet curiously, Jeep has been absent from this crucial space since the Cherokee faded into the sunset after the 2023 model year. Since then, the compact Jeep SUV has had time to reinvent itself while paying homage to its storied, rugged heritage. The result is the 2026 Jeep Cherokee: reemerging with added practicality and a hint of its familiar adventurous personality to rebuild its fan base in the fierce compact crossover popularity contest.
Photo: Manuel Carrillo III
The Jeep Cherokee is all-new for 2026 and is powered by a new turbocharged hybrid powertrain, the first non-plug-in hybrid for Jeep. The new Cherokee is offered in four trim levels, starting with the base Cherokee and moving up to Laredo, Limited, and Overland. Base prices range from $36,995 to $44,995, including the destination charge.
For this 2026 Cherokee review, Jeep provided a test vehicle equipped with the Limited trim and the following significant options:
The test vehicle’s manufacturer suggested retail price (MSRP) was $45,580, including the $1,995 destination charge to ship the crossover SUV from the Toluca, Mexico, assembly plant to a local dealership. The price does not reflect any current rebates, incentives, or price adjustments since Jeep manufactured the test vehicle.
Photo: Manuel Carrillo III
The 2026 Jeep Cherokee’s boxy design pays tribute to the past. At first glance, I found the exterior unattractive, but I have since come around to it. I now consider it to be adjacent to handsome. I am much more passionate about the attractive U-shaped daytime running lamps and the taillights inspired by the surfacing on a jerrican, an Easter egg Jeep fans will likely appreciate.
Step into the new Cherokee, and the redesign is even more striking. The interior, especially in my test example’s Black/Arctic (white) motif, is expertly sculpted from quality materials. It is a palpable departure from the previous generation Cherokee’s cabin, which offered no sense of sculptural form and was trimmed in greasy plastics.
The front seats are comfortable and offer firm support, and the same goes for the rear. By my estimates, the new Cherokee could accommodate a quintet of 6-footers for about an hour without complaint. Behind the back seat is 33.6 cubic feet of cargo space. Fold down the second row, and space expands to 68.3 cubic feet. According to Jeep, that’s 30 percent more room than the old Cherokee, or about a large dog crate’s worth of added volume.
Small item storage is strong, and I loved how easy it was to drop my phone into the available wireless smartphone charger. It is a slot ahead of the center console bin and is super convenient. However, an additional wireless charging pad under the infotainment screen would have been nice for my shotgun-riding passenger.
Photo: Manuel Carrillo III
All 2026 Cherokees run Jeep’s Uconnect 5 infotainment system on a 12.3-inch center touchscreen. Every Cherokee trim also includes a 10.3-inch digital instrument cluster ahead of the driver. Other standard tech features include:
My well equipped Cherokee Limited test vehicle featured the upgraded Uconnect 5 with navigation, which is great to have when you want to venture off the path served by mobile data coverage. That said, I still prefer smartphone-based navigation, which is almost always available. I also find Apple CarPlay’s natural voice recognition more capable than the Uconnect 5-powered Integrated Voice Command.
To my delight, Jeep equipped the test Cherokee with the upgraded Alpine nine-speaker premium audio system with a subwoofer. Compared with the previous Cherokee’s Alpine, the new array delivers crisper highs and cleaner lows. Still, I had to crank the volume to an unsustainable medium-high to hear the lower frequencies. The old Cherokee’s Alpine did not have this issue. I loved how full it felt, even when playing softly.
It was easy to pair my iPhone 17 Pro Max with Uconnect 5, and on subsequent drives, the system effortlessly fired up Apple CarPlay. Most of my music playback is via Spotify, but Uconnect 5 is one of the easier infotainment interfaces on the market, so switching between SiriusXM and smartphone music streaming is seamless.
Photo: Manuel Carrillo III
The 2026 Jeep Cherokee is powered exclusively by an electrically assisted turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine paired with a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) that sends power to all four wheels. This powertrain delivers 210 horsepower and 230 pound-feet of torque, and the maximum towing capacity is 3,500 pounds, which is good for the compact crossover class. Still, the previous Cherokee could tow up to 4,500 pounds when equipped with a V6, and even the one with the 2.0-liter turbo-four could out-tow the new model by 500 pounds.
The new hybrid Cherokee is EPA-estimated to return 37 mpg combined, matching the Honda CR-V Hybrid with all-wheel drive (AWD) and outpacing the AWD Hyundai Tucson Hybrid and Kia Sportage Hybrid by one and two mpg, respectively. Unfortunately, I conducted most of my roughly 100 miles of testing during a soaking rainstorm in the Santa Monica Mountains near Malibu, California. The poor weather, constant elevation changes, and ribbony tarmac sapped my average efficiency to 27.8 mpg.
On paper, the new Cherokee hybrid’s horsepower and torque figures appear adequate. Armed with that assumption, I merged onto Pacific Coast Highway from Zuma Beach with enough space ahead of an approaching Ford Explorer. Or so I thought. The Explorer had to merge into my lane because when I thought I was calling upon 210 hp, it felt as though only 185 were staffing the engine room.
Although its acceleration is lackluster, the rest of the driving experience is solid. The Cherokee shares the STLA-Large platform with the Dodge Charger, and much of that car’s appealing chassis behavior carries over to the Cherokee, especially the precise steering. I loved the thick steering wheel rim, which helped me appreciate the rack’s precision. Even a hint of feel came through the wheel, which is just enough for my taste.
The brakes were intuitive to modulate, and the Cherokee still felt planted under heavy braking on soaked canyon roads. The SUV’s handling is not sporty but it is sure-footed. The ride is comfortable, and the slight suspension firmness I felt seemed to help the vehicle corner with reasonable flatness. Some road noise filtered into the cabin, though it was no more than what I have experienced in other compact crossovers, and the Jeep attenuated wind noise beautifully.
Photo: Manuel Carrillo III
Jeep equips the 2026 Cherokee with a generous standard suite of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), including:
Just as I experienced with this suite of ADAS in the Charger, I particularly enjoyed the Cherokee’s lane centering system. It also felt as though it was working with me rather than second-guessing my inputs, unlike some other automakers’ lane centering features.
I had never tested the Charger’s lane centering on a curvy mountain road, admittedly because the Charger’s sporty character beckoned me to work the coupe’s muscle through the turns. I did not feel that urge in the much less exciting Cherokee, so I let its ADAS take over while meandering above Malibu. This is where I found the limits of lane centering.
After about a quarter turn of the steering wheel, the lane centering would slightly shuffle the wheel to regain its bearings. But even then, it did not feel like the system was fighting me, so I still was not compelled to turn it off, as I often am with other automakers. As a result, Stellantis’ lane centering system remains one of my favorite systems of this type.
As of this writing, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) have yet to conduct crash tests on the 2026 Jeep Cherokee.
According to the JD Power 2025 Initial Quality Study (IQS), the Ford Escape ranks highest in the Compact SUV segment. The Jeep Wrangler and the Nissan Rogue are the next highest-ranked models.
According to the JD Power 2025 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, the Nissan Rogue ranks highest in the Compact SUV segment. The Buick Envision and the Mitsubishi Outlander are the next highest-ranked models.
Other 2026 Cherokee competitors include the Chevrolet Equinox, Honda CR-V, and Toyota RAV4.
Though Jeep’s been out of the compact crossover arena for a few years, the return of the Cherokee for 2026 suggests the automaker did not get rusty during its time away. The new Cherokee is a worthy entrant in a crowded field, offering utility, efficiency, comfort, and refinement that should be enough to appeal to the practicality-focused crossover buyer.
However, for the adventurous Jeep enthusiast, I am not convinced. The Cherokee Limited I tested is competent enough for a crossover buyer, but what about the Jeep adventurers? For them, I am crossing my fingers for the return of the off-road-focused Cherokee Trailhawk. As for me, I am just crossing my fingers for more power. That Explorer should not have had to merge for little ol’ me.
An automotive writer/editor, presenter, and Hollywood actor, Manuel Carrillo III was brought home from the hospital in a 1977 Porsche 911 S. He's been obsessed with cars ever since. Manuel began his media career on the radio nearly 20 years ago and has worked in automotive journalism since 2012, holding editorial roles at CNET and Capital One Auto Navigator. He also co-hosted MotorTrend's Seduced by Speed, and his work has appeared in Motor1, Robb Report, DUB Magazine, and jdpower.com. He still owns and drives that very 911 S.
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