- Jeep’s 2026 Cherokee will enter production later this year offering a hybrid option.
- The front end features styling cues borrowed from the upcoming electric Recon 4xe.
- Interior spy shots show a large digital instrument cluster and touch-sensitive controls.
Jeep is bringing the Cherokee back for 2026, and yes, contrary to some earlier reports, it’ll definitely be wearing that badge. So far we’ve seen heavily disguised prototypes, a couple of teaser images and a shot of an undisguised test car from behind, but now a new set of spy photos lays the SUV bare from all angles, and inside, too.
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Related: This Honda Looks More Cherokee Than Jeep’s New Cherokee
Before it disappeared from showrooms in 2023 the Cherokee was rocking a curvy aesthetic, but for ’26 it moves back to the solid geometric shapes that helped make the XJ Cherokee such a hit 40 years ago. We already knew from Jeep’s own images that the front end would take its lead from the upcoming Recon 4xe electric SUV, but these latest scoop pics confirm the Cherokee is really embracing the boxy look.
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While the front end borrows from the Recon, the profile view shares more in common with the luxury-focused Wagoneer S. The Cherokee has a similar squared wheelarch openings cut into the flat sides, the same flush door handles and a gently tapering roofline that gives a hint of sporty appeal without compromising on practicality as much as the Wagoneer S’s more aggressive rear screen rake does.
A previously published image showing an undisguised Cherokee from the back revealed a black-colored license plate panel between the two light clusters, but on this prototype the entire rear hatch is painted white. Below the rear bumper, the exhaust silencer confirms the Cherokee is sticking with combustion power for the launch, which is just as well given the weak demand for the Wagoneer S.
The Cherokee rides on the same Stellantis STLA Large unibody platform as the Dodge Charger and Jeep has promised to offer it with a “new, efficient, and powerful hybrid propulsion option,” as well as conventional gas engines.
A Closer Look at the Cabin
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Our spy team also managed to snap the Cherokee’s interior completely free of disguise for the first time. At first glance, the dashboard closely resembles the setup in the Wagoneer S, but there are a few notable differences. The Cherokee gets a flatter dash top, reshaped air vents, and a bank of capacitive-touch buttons for climate controls, all positioned just below what appears to be a 12.3-inch infotainment screen. Like the EV, it also features a separate digital instrument cluster behind the steering wheel.
Below the climate controls is another row of capacitive-touch buttons, this time for driver assist and safety functions, followed by a pair of USB-C ports. The lower console features a pair of generously sized cupholders, with a rotary gear selector and drive mode toggle nearby, both borrowing their design from the Wagoneer S.
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We won’t have to wait too much longer for the full reveal. Jeep is expected to make the Cherokee’s return official in the next couple of months, if not sooner, where we’ll get the final specs and, presumably, a better idea of what role this SUV is meant to play in the brand’s future.
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