- The mid-size SUV slots in Jeep’s range between the Compass and the Grand Cherokee.
- It looks like the new Wagoneer S, but has a squarer back and ICE powertrains.
- Stellantis hinted Jeep could ditch the controversial Cherokee name for the MY26 SUV.
Jeep dealers will happily sell you a Grand Cherokee in regular and L versions right now, but the straight Cherokee has been missing from the lineup since 2023, leaving a big gap between the two Grands and the little Compass. That gap is due to be filled for MY26 with the new Cherokee you see in these fresh scoop shots.
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Spy photographers snapped the new Chezza a month ago but those first pictures were taken from a long way off in rotten weather. This time we get to see the mid-size SUV in close quarters, albeit still covered in disguise.
Related: Did Jeep Just Confirm Plans To Ditch Cherokee Name?
The central section of the body, including the front and rear doors complete with flush handles, appears to have been lifted straight from the Wagoneer S. But the Cherokee has a more upright rear end and the D-pillar looks fatter because the rear quarter window doesn’t extend right to the back of the car as it does on the Wagoneer S.
And of course, while both models are built around Stellantis’ STLA Large platform, the Wagoneer S is strictly an EV and the Cherokee will launch with combustion and hybrid powertrains, with an EV option potentially coming later. We’re expecting some hot ICE models built around the Hurricane inline six, but judging from the simple sliding caliper brakes this prototype has something milder under the hood.
The close-up shots also show it’s wearing Pirelli Scorpion tires, which is road-biased off-road rubber. You can be sure Jeep will offer something more serious for those who want take their Cherokees off the beaten path, or pretend to everyone else that they do.
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We’ve been referring to this SUV as the Cherokee because it’s a replacement for the Cherokee Jeep retired two years ago, but it’s possible the automaker might not use that name this time around. The Cherokee nation has made its displeasure about the use of the name clear and Jeep has previously referred to the MY26 machine as the “new mainstream UV [utility vehicle].” We should get some clarity on that in the coming months when Jeep gives the SUV its full debut.
Speaking of the debut, a leaked document from earlier this month suggests the new Cherokee – whether it keeps its name or not – will enter production this October, which means we could see it even earlier.
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