How much off-road capability should we expect from the fully redesigned 2026 Jeep Cherokee? It fits in between the popular Grand Cherokee and the compact Compass but lacks the go-anywhere, body-on-frame ruggedness of the four-door Wrangler SUV, not to mention the four-door Ford Bronco.The latter two, by the way, are closer to the 2026 Cherokee's overall length of 188.1 inches than any other prospective rival. Built For Treacherous Terrain? But the all-wheel-drive Cherokee plays in a segment that is not about conquering treacherous terrain, measuring up pretty closely with the Kia Sorento, Hyundai Santa Fe, Honda Passport, and Subaru Outback.For context, the Outback has the most ground clearance of these competitors, with 8.7 inches, while the Cherokee has 8.0 inches, and the trail-happy Wrangler has up to 12.9 inches. These bread-and-butter crossovers are more likely to populate mall parking lots, but their owners may dream of venturing well beyond the pavement.2026-jeep-cherokee-instrument-panel Customers Want MPG, Tech, Value People buy Jeeps for different reasons, and the brand's product planners say Cherokee shoppers want efficiency, technology, safety, practicality, and value more than anything else. That explains why all-terrain tires are not offered on this version of the new Cherokee, which comes in four trim levels, starting at $36,995 with $1,995 destination charge from the Stellantis assembly plant in Toluca, Mexico.It would be nice to think that pricing for imported vehicles will stabilize now that the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that President Trump's tariffs are illegal, but his response on Friday was to promise new "global tariffs." Priced In The Middle Tom Murphy | TopSpeed The Cherokee's base sticker price places it squarely in the middle of the rivals mentioned, from the $33,635 Sorento to the $46,200 Passport. Before the previous-generation Cherokee left the market in 2022, it was nearly five inches shorter overall and two inches lower than the new Cherokee. That means the old Cherokee was battling smaller crossovers like the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Chevy Equinox, Hyundai Tucson, Subaru Forester, and Volkswagen Tiguan.This all sets the table for the redesigned 2026 Cherokee to face its new, bigger competitors with a capable hybrid powertrain (Jeep's first without a plug), a long list of standard features, unmistakable Jeep styling, and a welcoming interior that represents a significant step forward, even in base trim. Familiar Jeep Styling Cues Tom Murphy | TopSpeed The exterior design checks all the right boxes, from the trapezoidal wheel wells and prominent seven-bar grille to the rectangular head lamps and the wraparound, no-nonsense tail lights that carry forward a familiar Grand Cherokee styling cue.While the shape and sheetmetal will draw in shoppers for carrying on many traditional stylistic elements, it's the cabin that should seal the deal with its attractive layout, materials, ergonomics, and — perhaps most importantly — its harmonious aesthetic. Even the all-black fabric interior is well done and doesn't show much evidence of cost-cutting. Cohesive Cabin, Even In Base Trim Tom Murphy | TopSpeed This cohesive interior reflects a true group effort, with supportive, durable seats that appear to be an extension of the handsome soft-touch door trim. The elegant center console, with its knurled shifter next to two simple, functional cupholders, flows neatly up to an instrument panel that almost looks sculpted, with brushed aluminum trim and a distinctive, textured decorative element that, unlike any other surface inside, bears an earthy color (pictured below) that is reminiscent of an open-air World War II Jeep. An Upper Hand On Grand Cherokee Tom Murphy | TopSpeed Maybe these flowery descriptions are a little overboard, but it isn't every day that an all-new interior does so many things so well, like the burly, octagonal-shaped steering wheel with heavy contrast stitching or the clean integration of a 12.3-inch horizontal display screen that has both capacitive touch controls and physical knobs for volume and tuning.The all-new 10.25-inch digital cluster behind the steering wheel is easy to navigate, beautifully lit, and — to be perfectly honest — looks nicer than the older cluster in the more expensive Grand Cherokee.Second-row seating for a 5-foot-9 adult is comfortable, even in the middle seat when there's a panoramic roof adding headroom. The second-row seatbacks can lock in at two angles, for those who want to lean back a bit farther. Two Electric Motors + 1.6-Liter Turbo Tom Murphy | TopSpeed The new Cherokee's powertrain is all-new — a DOHC 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with Peugeot Citroën "Prince" roots dating to the early 2000s and now produced in Dundee, Michigan. In this newest application, the engine is paired with two electric motors and a 400-volt 1.08-kWh NCM-Graphite battery.Altogether, the new Cherokee produces 210 horsepower and 230 pound-feet of torque, and its EPA fuel economy ratings come in at 39/35/37 miles per gallon in city/highway/combined driving. This powertrain is an important fuel-economy play for Jeep, especially now that Stellantis is phasing out 4xe plug-in hybrid versions of the Wrangler, Grand Cherokee, and Chrysler Pacifica minivan. Off-Roading Washed Out Tom Murphy | TopSpeed Torrential rains in Southern California washed out plans for light off-roading at last week's media test drives, so we can't say much about how the Cherokee's Selec-Train traction management system works in snow, sand, or mud. But AWD is standard on all models and is designed to disconnect the rear axle during steady-state cruising to save fuel.There is no center differential or low-range gear ratio, but the single-speed transfer case ensures the rear axle will be re-engaged whenever torque is needed out back. Forget About Sport Mode Tom Murphy | TopSpeed Most of our driving was on undulating two-lane roads in the Santa Monica Mountains west of Los Angeles, where the 1.6-liter hybrid smoothly transitioned to more electric boost going uphill, then phasing out going downhill. The electronic CVT does a pretty good job adapting to these swings in needed propulsion without the noisy rubber-band sensation that can make many CVTs annoying.A lever in the center console, just below the rotary shifter, lets you cycle through drive modes on the fly, and it's best to just leave it in Auto mode, which is the default at startup. Switching to Sport adjusts the CVT "gearing" to run the engine at higher RPM, which improves throttle response but also makes the entire powertrain sound overworked and crude. When ESC Light Goes On Tom Murphy | TopSpeed Does a Jeep Cherokee driver ever need Sport mode? Probably not, especially when switching it on illuminates the light on the dashboard warning that stability control is off, just like in your Corvette, 911, Enzo, or Huracan.We asked the Jeep powertrain team for an explanation and learned that, even though the lighted icon shows a car with squiggly skid marks in front of it, the new Cherokee will still have full brake-based yaw control for stability, but traction levels will be reduced to allow for a little slip. For Cherokee drivers who want to drift? Lagging In HP, Torque The Cherokee's combined output of 210 horsepower and 230 pound-feet of torque puts it behind most of its rivals mentioned above. But on the fuel-economy front, the Cherokee with its standard hybrid powertrain beats all comers, except the Sorento plug-in hybrid, if it's actually plugged in. More Power On The Way? Tom Murphy | TopSpeed Jeep says the new Cherokee is rated to tow up to 3,500 pounds. We didn't get to tow anything, but you can expect the 1.6-liter turbo will be laboring to tug a popup trail if you're in the hills.Cherokee shoppers might feel like they're stepping down to 230 horsepower if their previous Cherokee had the 270-horsepower 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo, with 295 pound-feet of torque. But don't make the decision until you've had a test drive.And during the Cherokee hybrid reveal last August, Stellantis powertrain boss Micky Bly offered an important bit of information: “This will be the only propulsion system in this vehicle when we launch.” Are those last three words giving hope for something more punchy? Nobody's Perfect Tom Murphy | TopSpeed The new Cherokee is a solid effort all around, but nobody's perfect. The lower corners of the liftgate come to a point (pictured above), which means a potential head injury for a tall individual needing to lean into the cargo hold.And while the interior fit-and-finish appears pretty clean based on our first inspection of these pre-production models, we did spot a misfit panel gap on the dashboard to the right of the center display screen (pictured above), along the left edge of that textured piece of trim referenced earlier. If I were a front-seat passenger, that misfit panel would consume too much of my attention. Four Trims Offered Tom Murphy | TopSpeed If your budget allows for the entry-level Cherokee, priced at $36,995, you'll get 18-inch aluminum rims, LED headlamps and taillamps, the 12.3-inch touchscreen, 10.25-inch instrument cluster, and a host of driver-assistance technologies, including adaptive cruise control.Stepping up to the $39,995 Laredo gets you fog lamps, an eight-way power driver's seat, heated front seats, and remote start, while the $41,995 Limited adds Capri leatherette seats, a heated steering wheel, power liftgate, wireless phone charging, and power six-way passenger seats. Goal: Reclaim Market Share The $44,995 Cherokee Overland tops the range with 20-inch aluminum wheels, dual-pane sunroof, black painted roof, perforated leatherette seats, foot-activated power liftgate, and front and rear park assist. Every Cherokee gets the same 210-horsepower hybrid powertrain and on-demand all-wheel drive.The 1974 SJ Cherokee and the next-generation XJ that arrived a decade later were both well known for their rugged off-road capability. But times and consumer needs have changed, and Jeep product planners are hoping the all-new Cherokee can now reclaim the market share the previous Cherokee surrendered three years ago.2026-jeep-cherokee-dashboard