2026 Jeep Cherokee spied with new details

• A redesigned Jeep Cherokee is expected to debut in 2025
• Latest prototype sighting points to a bigger, brawnier design for the new Cherokee
• Jeep officials have hinted at a hybrid powertrain for the new Cherokee

Stellantis’ SUV brand, Jeep, has several new models in the pipeline, and a prototype for one of them has just been spotted.

The prototype is believed to be for a redesigned sixth-generation Jeep Cherokee, expected to hit the market later this year, likely as a 2026 model. The last Cherokee bowed out after the 2023 model year.

The heavily camouflaged prototype is unmistakably a Jeep, given its signature design elements including the trapezoidal wheel arches and seven-slot grille. A closer look at the greenhouse also suggests a strong resemblance to the Jeep Wagoneer S introduced for 2024, indicating that the new Cherokee will likely share the electric SUV’s STLA Large platform.

The section between the A- and C-pillars appears to closely match the Wagoneer S, though the Cherokee features a taller rear section, which should improve cargo space but may impact aerodynamic efficiency. Stellantis may have already hinted at the design during an investor presentation in 2021, where it showcased the outline of an SUV—albeit an electric one—with styling very similar to what we see here.

Former Jeep boss Antonio Filosa announced during the 2024 Los Angeles auto show that a compact crossover to fill the Cherokee’s void is coming in 2025. He didn’t explicitly refer to it as a Cherokee, but earlier in 2024 he mentioned that a compact crossover with a familiar name was on the way.

Filosa also stated at the L.A. auto show that the upcoming crossover will feature a hybrid powertrain. However, he didn’t clarify whether it will use a plug-in system like Jeep’s 4xe models or a traditional hybrid system that doesn’t require charging. At the time, Automotive News reported that a traditional hybrid is the likely option—something Jeep officials have hinted at in recent months.

The STLA Large platform supports gasoline, hybrid, and electric powertrains, and the new Cherokee may offer all three. The prototype is fitted with a gas engine, as evidenced by its exhaust pipe, though it’s unclear whether a hybrid system is also onboard.

Other new Jeeps headed to showrooms soon include the Recon electric off-roader, expected later this year, a redesigned Compass in 2026, and an electric Renegade coming in the near future, with a price tag anticipated to start below $25,000. Jeep recently confirmed that the new Compass would also offer an electric option, in addition to hybrid and plug-in hybrid options.