The Jeep Cherokee is back after a bit of a hiatus, one we think off-road enthusiasts enjoyed for good reason. After all, the Cherokee hasn’t been much of a trail machine since the XJ, which has been out of production for over two decades. Many have wondered if it would follow in the Wrangler’s tire treads upon its return.
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The answer appears to be a resounding no. While the 2026 Jeep Cherokee looks boxier and more rugged, so does the current Toyota RAV4. Neither one has the mannerisms or setup for a true tail machine, having been designed almost solely for pavement adventures.
It’s a sad reality that Jeep, the brand which used to be at the forefront of the off-roading movement, has put much of its energy into creating vehicles used by commuters and not much else. That’s a dangerous position considering how many new off-roaders have come and are coming to market.
Sure, there’s an Overland version of the new unibody crossover, but we don’t think anyone in their right mind would use it to actually go overlanding.
That might be why the 2026 Cherokee’s reveal event was held in Brooklyn with LL Cool J performing, not in Wyoming with some cowboys showing off their lasso skills. This isn’t a rugged machine but instead is designed for traversing concrete jungles.
What the new Cherokee excels at is sipping gas. Its turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine teams up with an electric motor for a hybrid powertrain designed to squeeze every last mile out of each gallon of fuel. Stellantis says it can go over 500 miles on a single tank, achieving a combined fuel economy rating of 37 mpg.
Just don’t try taking this on anything other than dirt roads, otherwise all that driving range won’t do you much good.
Hopefully, Jeep doesn’t slap a Trail Rated badge on this thing, but at this point it wouldn’t surprise us in the least.
Images via Stellantis
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