Sometimes the news is so obvious that we have to double-check to make sure it hadn't happened before. This is one of those times. A Jeep engineering lead has all but confirmed that the Hemi V8 will return to the Grand Cherokee. It's a decision that, in an era of dead EPA regulations and general Hemi madness, would surprise us more if it didn't happen. 'Stay Tuned' For Jeep Hemi News Stellantis Joe Aljajawi, Vehicle Integration and Validation Manager for the latest Grand Cherokee, dropped the nugget to The Drive earlier this week. "I would say for the Grand Cherokee customers that we are listening to you, and then stay tuned for more," were his exact words in response to being asked if the Hemi was coming back.When Jeep pulled the Hemi from the Grand Cherokee, the engine was on the way out across all the US Stellantis brands. It disappeared from the standard version in 2023 and then from the Grand Cherokee L a year later. Not long after, it was gone from Ram's half-ton trucks and all but dead.Then Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares quit at the end of 2024. What felt like seconds later, former Dodge and Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis was back in the saddle, and six months after that, he proclaimed that the Hemi was back in the trucks for 2026. Ram truck sales took quite a nosedive with only six-cylinder engines in the full-size lineup, despite the 3.0-liter I6 Hurricane engines offering more power than the old Hemi.In the pickups, we've tested the sixes and the Hemi, and found the more modern engines to be quicker and more efficient. But, of course, some buyers need that V8 rumble. More importantly for Stellantis, they've shown they're willing to pony up.But why in the Grand Cherokee, where we would presume buyers would want a quieter, more luxurious engine to go with their quieter, more luxurious ride? It might be that the Hurricane in the latest Grand Cherokee isn't the right one. Hemi Actually Makes Sense For Grand Cherokee JeepWith its latest refresh, the Grand Cherokee gained a new engine badged Hurricane, but this is the Hurricane 4. It's a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 324 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of torque. It's not much less than the old 5.7 Hemi made, but it's hardly up to the 420 hp of the standard output Hurricane I6.So Jeep's new four-pot makes less power, but, as The Drive points out, it also suffers when it comes to towing. The last time you could get a Hemi in the Grand Cherokee, it could tow up to 7,200 pounds. An impressive figure for the segment. With the standard 3.6-liter V6 or the Hurricane 4, the new Grand Cherokee can only tow 6,200 pounds.Jeep calls that class-leading, but we're not exactly sure what that class is. Yes, it's more than, say, an Infiniti QX60 (by 200 pounds), but a Lexus GX crushes it with up to 9,603 pounds. Most of the European luxury SUVs, like a BMW X5, can tow 7,700 pounds.Jeep confirming a V8 might sound familiar, and that's not just because of the Ram and Dodge overlap. Last summer, Jeep CEO Bob Broderdorf hinted about more Hemi Jeeps, too. At the time, he was referring to the 6.4 Hemi, as found in the Wrangler 392. He was hinting at a Gladiator 392, which got a similar "stay tuned" response.
