2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee Reveal Shows Off Sharper Styling & Revamped Interior in First Look
The Jeep Grand Cherokee has been around the block a few times, debuting back in 1993 as a more luxurious and off-road alternative to popular options like the Ford Explorer and Chevy Blazer. Today, the Grand Cherokee doesn't typically draw comparisons to luxury marques like Mercedes-Benz and Audi. No, it occupies a much more important segment, battling with volume sellers like the Toyota 4Runner and Ford Bronco. Introduced in 2021, the fifth generation is due for some updates and upgrades, and we just got our first, albeit blurry, peek at what the SUV has in store.
Jeep seems to have paid extra attention to the inside of the vehicle. Clutter is, overall, reduced, and most of the newfound space comes from removing the chunky climate control knobs. Fear not: rather than follow industry trends and move the controls to the screen, a sleek row of buttons sits below the screen. New knobs flank the potentially larger center screen, and the 2026 Grand Cherokee retains its available passenger-side display. It also might have grown, though if it has, only slightly. Either way, the dash is a bit of a different design. The upper portion of the center of the dash is also wider and shorter, lending it a more squared-off appearance.
Jeep is teasing only a small portion of the new Grand Cherokee's exterior design, but it's largely standard fare for how manufacturers present a mid-lifecycle refresh. Narrower lighting elements, a splash of new grille design, and some revised air ducting in the bottom of the bumper breathes life into a design that does a good job of bridging old and new. The wheels pictured appear to be the same 20-inchers that come standard on the existing penultimate Summit trim level.
While there isn't any shortage of changes for the new model year, the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee won't seem completely unfamiliar. Like the existing SUV, Stellantis has plans to offer the 2026 model year in two- and three-row configurations, the latter of which will be limited to Grand Cherokee L models that feature an extended wheelbase. A plug-in hybrid model, the 4xe, will also be available. Interestingly, Jeep actually lowered the Grand Cherokee's MSRP for the 2025 model year, so we expect a very modest price hike for the facelifted model. Mums the word on powertrains so far, but don't expect any huge revelations here, either. We figure four-wheel drive and the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 will be the stars of the show.
Stellantis sold nearly 30,000 more Jeep Grand Cherokee models in 2023 than 2024 (244,594, compared to 216,148). Not ideal, but we're betting those numbers will start looking a lot better when this refreshed Jeep hits the market some time later this year. As has been tradition for the nameplate's 30-year history, US market examples of the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee will be assembled in Detroit, Michigan.
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