Next-Generation Jeep Cherokee to Offer Powertrain Choices
Jeep is preparing the next-generation Cherokee for a launch next year, with plans to offer the SUV with a choice of either a petrol or electric powertrain. This new model will share a platform with the flagship Jeep Wagoneer S EV.
The new Cherokee will be built on Stellantis’s STLA Large platform, adopting design cues from the Wagoneer S. These shared features include a sloping roofline, squared-off haunches, rear doors integrated into the wheel arches, and recessed door handles.
Notably, the Cherokee is expected to feature a more prominent version of Jeep’s signature seven-slot grille compared to the Wagoneer S. At the rear end, the Cherokee seems to have a boxier tailgate and larger lights, reminiscent of the Grand Cherokee.
The presence of a tailpipe suggests that the prototype in testing is equipped with an internal combustion engine. It’s possible this will be the twin-turbocharged 3.0-litre ‘Hurricane’ inline-six from the petrol-powered Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, which offers outputs of 420bhp and 510bhp, respectively.
Later, an electric Cherokee is anticipated to follow the petrol model’s release. This electric variant is likely to use the 600bhp dual-motor, four-wheel-drive powertrain from the Wagoneer S. This powertrain is paired with a 118kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt battery in the Wagoneer S, allowing for a range of 303 miles according to the U.S. EPA test.
The new Cherokee will fit into Jeep’s range between the upcoming Compass (due this year) and the Wagoneer S. In Europe, the Grand Cherokee will be discontinued in the coming months to make way for the Wagoneer S. Similarly, a decision could be made regarding the Wrangler when the upcoming Recon EV arrives in Europe next year.
