2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Refreshed for 2026, the Jeep Grand Cherokee features a more potent and more efficient alternative to the base V6 in a new turbocharged 4-cylinder engine. The iconic midsize SUV wears a new face and sports more standard tech and creature comforts on all but the base Laredo.

Jeep’s bestseller comes in two forms, a standard 2-row model that seats five passengers, and the longer, roomier 3-row Grand Cherokee L, that seats seven passengers. The plug-in hybrid Grand Cherokee 4xe was discontinued for 2026.

Before buying a Grand Cherokee, check the Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price to know what you should really pay. Jeep Grand Cherokee resale value is historically about average for the segment. Recouping more money when selling a vehicle can mean a bigger down payment and lower monthly payments on the next one.

The 293-hp V6 in the base Laredo has been in the Jeep stable for the better part of this millennium, so our time in the 2026 Grand Cherokee was spent with the new Hurricane-4, which is a turbocharged 2.0-liter turbo-4 rated at 324 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque. It’s a more potent and efficient engine than the V6, and it carries the same tow rating of 6,200 pounds as the V6.

Developed in Michigan with some fancy pre-chamber combustion derived from F1 and Maserati, the small engine with pre-made explosions provided gobs of passing power in the hills up and down the coast of Santa Monica, Calif. Lag from a stop was pronounced, which doesn’t happen in the V6, and there were some inconsistencies with how the 8-speed automatic reacted to the power-packed engine.

Sport mode made it twitchier, by design, and it held gears longer. But on more than one occasion, when we let off the accelerator coming into a turn, it downshifted abruptly. Conversely, going uphill in the passing lane with the pedal floored, the transmission paused as if awaiting permission from the turbocharger. Paddle shifters sent a more direct message. It was much more in step on flat roads and in Auto mode. It’s a tuning thing that is likely being refined as you read. Otherwise, it outperformed the V6 and rival turbo-4s that are becoming common in midsize SUVs. Some active noise cancellation dialed in a sweet soundtrack that even audiophiles would not suspect was made by a 4-cylinder.

We didn’t off-road it and coastal rain slicked the roads enough to make us eager to test it again and report back on its handling. One last note is the steering feel can be loose in default Comfort mode, but nice and resistant in Sport mode. There is a Normal setting, as well. Unfortunately, those settings are not automated with the drive modes but buried a few too menus deep in the new touchscreen.

The Grand Cherokee seats up to five people, while the larger Grand Cherokee L adds a third row to seat up to seven passengers. Either configuration feels open up top with good headroom and clean sight lines over the low, horizontal dash.

The Grand Cherokee’s center console has been reworked with a new bank of climate control buttons positioned below a 12.3-inch touchscreen standard on all but the base Laredo. Small audio and tuning knobs flank the screen, which has some small icons but otherwise good receptivity and responsiveness, as well as crisp graphics. Vents and driver-assist controls sit above the screen on the top of the dash. The changes open up the sense of space but down low a wide center console that holds both cupholders and the gear and drive mode selector eats up some knee room.

The back seats are adult-friendly, and we can confirm that they’re wide enough to accommodate three child car seats in the second row.

On the 3-row Cherokee L, accessing the third row is easy with manual latches on the seat tops that tilt and slide the second-row captain’s chairs. Higher trims have power-folding second- and third-row seats via the cargo hold, from behind the rear door, or even from the touchscreen. That alone might be worth a trim upgrade. Otherwise it’s manual pull straps and latches.

The updated 2026 Grand Cherokee’s front end features a significant redesign of the lower front fascia, with a painted section splitting the lower grille in two. The upper grille predictably continues Jeep’s iconic seven-slat motif, but with new chrome or gloss black inserts and sharper angles. Additionally, the light signature now features a more dramatic curve in its LED lighting. The Grand Cherokee’s conservative design is aging well, and this year’s update helps keep it fresh.

In years past, Jeep was skimpy on the driver-assist features, but even the base Laredo now comes equipped with lane-keep assist and adaptive cruise control.

Volume and tuning buttons on the back of the steering wheel carry over, and keep the front of the steering wheel from becoming a mess of buttons. If you like using the paddle shifters, however, you might accidentally change the tunes or raise the volume.

The $45,850 Laredo Altitude feels like the best value, for our money. It has the upsized 12.3-inch touchscreen and synthetic leather upholstery. Heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and a wireless device charger add some key features, especially for snowbelt drivers where the Grand Cherokee proliferates. This trim also has a limited hands-free driving system that eases fatigue on road trips. It rolls on sharp 18-inch black alloy wheels and other gloss black exterior accents.

The base engine in the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo remains a tried-and-true 3.6-liter V6, producing 293 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. The EPA rates it at 22 mpg combined with RWD or 4WD.

Every other trim gets the turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder, rated at 324 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque. The EPA rates it at 23 mpg combined in all but the loaded Summit trim, which is 22 mpg combined.

Both send power to the rear or all four wheels via an 8-speed automatic transmission, and this Jeep can tow up to 6,200 pounds in any configuration.

3-Year/36,000-Mile Warranty

The 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee is backed by a par-for-the-course 3-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty.

Safety

We expect the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee to carry over as a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and a 5-Star overall safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).