2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee Review
Our automotive expert shares opinions and new photos of the 2026 Grand Cherokee.
Manuel Carrillo III
Pros: The Grand Cherokee's lively new engine complements its freshened design.
Cons: That new engine sounds coarse at low speeds.
The Takeaway: Better than last year, but some Jeep magic is missing.
The 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee is lightly redesigned, but the real story lies under the hood, with an all-new 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine option. As recently as 2022, the top-level engine in the Jeep Grand Cherokee was a 5.7-liter V8. For 2026, it's the new four-cylinder — but don't call that a tragedy. The humble 2.0-liter turbo has come a long way over the years, and in the Grand Cherokee, it's capable of generating smiles with both its power and efficiency.Â
That should keep the Jeep in the running for shoppers of midsize two-row family SUVs, but both the luxury and rugged ends of its competition are only growing stronger.
What's New for the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee
QuickTake: The biggest change for the 2026 Grand Cherokee is its new engine option.
The 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee gets a subtle exterior and interior redesign, along with an available new 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen. The biggest news, however, is an all-new 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder option. The Hurricane 4 Turbo, as it's called, makes an impressive 324 horsepower.
Manuel Carrillo III
About the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited Reserve Review Vehicle
QuickTake: The Grand Cherokee trim range can satisfy a range of budgets.
The 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee comes in Laredo, Laredo X, Laredo Altitude, Limited, Limited Reserve, and Summit trim levels, and base prices range from about $40,000 to around $62,000, including the destination charge to ship the SUV to a dealership from its Detroit assembly plant.
Jeep also sells a lengthened three-row Grand Cherokee L, though it's not part of this review. Jeep discontinued the Grand Cherokee 4xe plug-in hybrid at the beginning of 2026.
For this Grand Cherokee review, I test-drove the Limited Reserve in Southern California. The manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) was $53,405, including the $1,995 destination charge. Jeep provided the vehicle for this Grand Cherokee review and paid for lodging and meals during the evaluation period.
Manuel Carrillo III
Design, Quality, and Interior Layout
QuickTake: This SUV is still handsome as ever, with light updates to keep things fresh.
When the current-generation Grand Cherokee (two-row) debuted for the 2022 model year, I was smitten with its appearance, so I'm glad Jeep exercised restraint for its 2026 design update. Look closely, and you'll see updated headlights, a new grille and lower fascia, and some light tweaks to the back, too.
Inside, the most noticeable change is a new 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen that integrates nicely with the rest of the cabin and helps it stay with the times. The rest of the Grand Cherokee's interior evolves ever so slightly to match the new screen. It's a nice place to spend time overall, but the greasy-looking plastic covering the lower half of the interior undermines the otherwise premium vibe.
The only annoyance I encountered interacting with the cabin's layout is the same one I experienced in the 2026 Dodge Charger. The steering wheel paddle shifters are placed almost atop the auxiliary volume and seek controls. I play the piano, and even my fingers missed a note, triggering a manual upshift when I really wanted to adjust the volume. I could see that quirk annoying a potential owner years down the road.
Comfort, Convenience, and Cargo Space
QuickTake: The 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee is comfortable and ready for road trips.
The 2026 Cherokee's plush driver's seat and elevated, commanding driving position combined to bolster my confidence just sitting behind the wheel with the engine off. This is the kind of vibe that makes me want to drive a vehicle across the country. To that end, the Cherokee offers more than enough comfort for four adults — five, if the three souls in the back like one another and are willing to take turns with the middle seat.
Behind your friends in the back is 37.7 cubic-feet of cargo space. Fold down the second row, and the volume goes up to 70.8 cu-ft. In a vehicle as spacious as the Grand Cherokee, there are plenty of spots to store your small items, or for children to lose fidget spinners, pogs, Pokémon trading cards — whatever the youths are into these days.
Manuel Carrillo III
2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee Infotainment System Review
QuickTake: The Grand Cherokee has its bases covered in the tech department.
The 2026 Grand Cherokee's lowest two trims largely carry over the 2025 model's exterior and interior design, and they use an 8.4-inch infotainment touchscreen. The Grand Cherokee's upper four trims get the new 12.3-inch display. Regardless of trim, all 2026 Grand Cherokees run Jeep's Uconnect 5 infotainment and feature a 10.3-inch digital instrument cluster.
Other standard features include:
- Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity
- Embedded navigation
- SiriusXM satellite radio
- Six-speaker stereo
Higher trim levels add:
- Wireless charging pad
- 506-watt Alpine premium audio with nine speakers and a subwoofer
- 10.3-inch passenger touchscreen
- 19-speaker, 950-watt McIntosh premium audio
As is the current trend, the 2026 Cherokee's interior is unfortunately light on physical buttons. Thankfully, the infotainment retains volume and tuning knobs, and at least the haptic climate controls to the sides and bottom of the touchscreen are logically presented. The whole interface looks sharp, and the touchscreen has a strong contrast ratio.
Uconnect 5 pairs and boots Apple CarPlay quickly, and the smartphone projection is responsive on the touchscreen. I found the native infotainment interface to be one of the easier systems on the market, though it could be easier still: In another Uconnect 5-equipped vehicle I recently tested, the voice recognition was inconsistent. In my experience, Apple's Siri shows more natural-language fluency.
I fell in love with the Alpine premium audio system in my Cherokee test example. It is head and shoulders more impactful than some Alpine systems I've tested in other Stellantis (Jeep's parent company) products. The Cherokee's 506-watt, nine-speaker Alpine blew away the Dodge Charger's 914-watt, 18-speaker Alpine system.
Manuel Carrillo III
Safety Features and Ratings
QuickTake: The 2026 Grand Cherokee has plenty of advanced tech to help you get down the road safely.
Jeep equips the Grand Cherokee with a generous collection of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) as standard equipment, including:
- Adaptive cruise control
- Forward-collision warning
- Automatic emergency braking
- Blind-spot monitoring
- Rear cross-traffic alert
- Rear automatic braking
- Lane-keeping assist
In addition to those features, my test car added:
- Lane-centering assist
- 360-degree camera
- Intersection-collision warning
The 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee earned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) highest overall safety rating of five stars, while the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the Grand Cherokee top crashworthiness marks of "Good" in its small overlap front and updated side-impact tests.
Manuel Carrillo III
2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee Specs and Fuel Economy
QuickTake: That new Hurricane 4 Turbo engine has some impressive numbers, but the towing capacity is down a little.
In addition to largely carrying the 2025 Cherokee's interior and exterior into 2026, the bottom Laredo and Laredo X trim levels are powered by last year's standard Pentastar V6. The 3.6-liter engine makes 293 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, and is connected to an eight-speed automatic sending power to the rear or all four wheels.
The Grand Cherokee's top four trim levels are powered by the all-new 324-hp Hurricane 4 Turbo, which also delivers an impressive 332 lb-ft of torque. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder is paired with an eight-speed automatic, with a choice of rear- or four-wheel drive, but the top Limited Reserve and Summit trims are exclusively 4x4.
The 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee is EPA-rated for 22 mpg in combined city and highway driving with the V6 and 23 mpg combined with the turbo four. Regardless of drivetrain, the '26 Grand Cherokee's maximum towing capacity is 6,200 pounds — down 1,000 from its maximum rating in 2022, when you could still get a Grand Cherokee with a V8.
Manuel Carrillo III
2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee Test Drive
QuickTake: Despite a less-than-pleasant sound at low speeds, the new Hurricane 4 Turbo engine is a delight.
Just by the numbers, the 2026 Grand Cherokee's new Hurricane 4 Turbo makes a terrific first impression. Less so when you test-drive it. Pulling out of the parking lot, it only took about 10 feet of travel for me to be disgusted by the Hurricane's coarse tone. At parking lot speeds, it sounds like an asthmatic diesel. But that's the only thing that displeases me about this new engine, and most owners probably won't notice its low-speed harshness anyway.
When I let loose on an open stretch of Mulholland Highway, the Hurricane flushed my disgust away. The new engine is eager to spool past 2,500 rpm, and once its lungs are full, its velocity builds, and the grating low-speed noise is swept away, aided by artificial engine sounds piped into the cabin.
The eight-speed automatic shifted smoothly no matter where my foot was on the gas pedal, and the Grand Cherokee always seemed eager to downshift and build speed urgently. The roughly 4,500-pound SUV handles with reasonable control, rides quietly and comfortably, and steers with decent precision. On soaked canyon roads, leaning into the brakes at various levels didn't affect the Jeep's stability.
Manuel Carrillo III
Alternatives to the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee
QuickTake: The 2026 Grand Cherokee has broad appeal, so potential alternatives run the gamut.
The 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee's new turbocharged beating heart moves the SUV forward with conviction and without sacrificing fuel economy, enhancing its practicality and appeal. Light design updates keep the Grand Cherokee looking good while it continues to battle the competition.
With such broad pricing, the Grand Cherokee competes with compelling contenders in both the luxury and mainstream markets. At the high end, the plusher and posher Genesis GV80 is worth a look. For something competitive with a lower-priced Grand Cherokee, the Honda Passport offers more off-road vibes.
Manuel Carrillo IIIManuel's passion for cars began at birth, when he was delivered home from the hospital in his parents' 1977 Porsche 911 S. He's been fortunate enough to channel his intense automotive enthusiasm into a successful media career as a writer, editor, photographer, and presenter. He's also a Hollywood actor. Manuel's byline has appeared in CNET, DUB Magazine, J.D. Power, Motor1, and Robb Report, and he's also cohosted MotorTrend's Seduced by Speed. That 911 S never left the family, thankfully, and is now under Manuel's ownership. He continues to enjoy and maintain it, working toward restoring it to the condition it was when his father purchased it brand-new.
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