When Jeep first showed off the new Cherokee, it felt like the brand had turned a corner when it came to product. A standard hybrid powertrain, 37 MPG combined, the right sort of size, the right sort of look. If it were smartly priced, it could’ve been exactly what Jeep needed to do battle in the hottest new vehicle segment on the entire planet after three years away from the table — three years that everyone else has used to grow stronger. Well, pricing is now out, and — though I haven’t driven the vehicle yet — the value of this crossover now seems, at the very best, meh.
Jeep has announced that this new hybrid crossover run you $36,995 including freight for the base trim. What do you get? Well, beyond the standard 210-horsepower hybrid all-wheel drive powertrain, LED lights, and alloy wheels, there’s dual-zone climate control, some driver assistance stuff, and not a ton more.
At that price point, Jeep doesn’t offer a moonroof, or heated seats, or a power driver’s seat, or even a glovebox light. That doesn’t seem like tremendous value, but the Cherokee isn’t quite a compact crossover on exterior dimensions. After all, it’s 188.1 inches long, which means it’s basically a midsize crossover, right? Not really. See, the Cherokee offers 107.361 cu.-ft. of passenger volume and 33.622 cu.-ft. of SAE cargo volume behind the second-row seats, which puts it on the level with several compact hybrid crossovers when it comes to practicality.
For instance, the Hyundai Tucson hybrid may be 5.4 inches shorter than the Cherokee but it seems to beat it on space efficiency, serving up 107.9 cu.-ft. of passenger volume and 38.7 cu.-ft. of SAE cargo volume behind its rear seats. At the same time, a Tucson Hybrid Blue with its standard mechanical all-wheel-drive system will run you $34,960 while essentially matching the base Cherokee on feature content, and the SEL Convenience trim gets you a panoramic moonroof, a power liftgate, leatherette upholstery, heated front seats, a power driver’s seat, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror for $37,960.
On a typical 60-month financing term, the extra $965 for a mid-range Tucson Hybrid over a base Cherokee works out to a Happy Meal a month. That sounds worth it for heated seats alone.
Then there’s the popular and trusted Honda CR-V Hybrid, and while its 103.5 cu.-ft. of passenger volume might not quite measure up, that could be apples-to-oranges, and you’ll want to sit in both to check them out. It seems Jeep measures passenger volume without a sunroof, and not only is the passenger volume of a hybrid CR-V identical to that of a purely combustion-powered CR-V, the base sunroofless CR-V has 106 cu.-ft. of passenger volume. That’s close enough to play ball, and the CR-V Hybrid’s 36.3 cu.-ft. of SAE cargo volume behind the second-row seats beats the Jeep by roughly 2.7 cu.-ft.
Although the least expensive CR-V Hybrid with all-wheel-drive stickers for $38,580 including freight, it comes standard with heated seats and a moonroof. You’d need to step up to a $39,995 Cherokee Laredo to get heated seats in an equivalent Jeep, and a moonroof is a $1,995 option on top of that.
For the outdoorsy sorts, there’s the Subaru Forester Hybrid, with 106.6 cu.-ft. of passenger volume, right in the ballpark of what the Cherokee offers. Granted, the Subaru is down on cargo volume behind the rear seats by 6.1 cu.-ft. (again, with all of these measurements, it’s worth checking the vehicles out in person). Regardless, the Forester Premium Hybrid gets a power driver’s seat, heated front seats, and a panoramic moonroof as standard for $38,015 including freight. A comparably equipped Cherokee Laredo with the optional panoramic moonroof will run you $41,990.
In addition to base and Laredo trims, two more variants of Cherokee will be available before the off-roady Trailhawk trim arrives. The Limited trim adds wireless smartphone charging, a power liftgate, and leatherette upholstery, but costs $42,495. Want a loaded example? The Overland trim with its kick-activated power liftgate, 20-inch wheels, and premium audio will run you $45,995 before options like a hitch receiver or ventilated front seats. That’s a strong ask, one that’s likely to turn some consumers off.
Though Car and Driver says “Jeep’s Pricing for the 2026 Cherokee SUV Should Be Popular,” from where I sit, for the features people want, the new Cherokee seems a bit expensive, and I’m not sure Jeep is in a position to charge such a premium over more well-established hybrid crossovers.
Part of what made the XJ Cherokee an icon was that it wasn’t pricey. In the early ’90s, it undercut competition like the Ford Explorer and Toyota 4Runner on price, and partly because it was relatively affordable, it sold in the millions over its lifespan. Given the basic feature content of the cheapest new Cherokee, I think it should be less expensive than it is, and the walk-up to get desirable features shouldn’t be so dramatic. On paper (and again, maybe this will change when I drive it), it appears Jeep is charging more than equivalent competitors simply due to the name on the hood, even if the name on the hood, to many, mostly just stands for heritage. In this segment, a name on the hood that stands “rock-solid reliability” might mean more.
Top graphic image: Jeep
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At $31,995 the Price is Right
Why the New Jeep Cherokee should be a Chrysler
It’s too soft to be a Jeep
Badge engineering is good when used correctly
Chrysler needs vehicles
Peugeot styling is perfect for Chrysler. Style Jeep Cherokee just like Peugeot 5008
thinking like “it’s only $X/month over the 1000 year loan you’re taking” is yet another reason cars are expensive. all those extras add up year after year and suddenly heated/ventilated/massaging cup holders are “required features for the modern driver”.
death by a thousand cuts.
I think the price is reasonable when going up against the competition, but at the end of the day, you’re still stuck with Stellantis garbage.
I think the missing answer is the Compass that’s no longer coming to America, this would offer similar space at a cheaper price with a lower power hybrid powertrain. It would probably meet the expectations of what people think when they hear hybrid better. The Cherokee would have better justification for it’s price with larger engines and a nicer interior that its platform could support.
That Hannibal Lecter fascia just screams no sale for me. Toss in its Stellantis origins and Porky Pig pricing and I won’t even slow down going by a Jeep dealership.
They’re just pricing in future rebates ahead of time. It’s Jeep. Other than the Wrangler, none of what they sell stays at MSRP unless the buyer is really desperate or has few options due to bad credit or something.
But if you made it cheaper then your local Dodge Jeep RAM dealer couldn’t have it say “$5,000 off for TRUCK MONTH” in the ad!
Now, strip out all the off road stuff, “pretty it up,” and give it to Chrysler too.
I declared this $5k too pricey on the top end trims, maybe $3k on the low end. Glad to know I’m not alone.
Kiundai sell for a wee bit less than Honda and Toyota; or where they’re equal, the Korean(-Americans) offer several nicer features instead.
The Jeep seems like it’s trying to price itself on part with Toyonda and the selling point is…a little more space? Hard sell with their reputation. This isn’t a Wrangler. You don’t just wave a magic wand and make people forget about Stellantis.
Meh. Some folks will pay sticker and not a dollar more. The rest of us will wait for the inevitable sale, play some dealers off against each other and walk away paying $5k less.
We’ve all been trained to shop for the inevitable sales.
It should also look better. That front end design is shite.
Stellantis reliability plus a not really competitive price equals DOA.
Why is the comparison for the new Cherokee always against the XJ? The KL existed and replaced the XJ, the XJ is beyond old news.
Everyone here is saying that the price is fine, and i agree to a point. The price is fine.
But the content is not. If i can get more for less with the hyundai or kia, ill go that route. Better warranty to boot! And its not like Jeep is known for reliability. Want to keep it for 10 years and not worry about problems? Honda, with heated seats and all that. For that price, it should have heated seats. Or even a glove box light! Thats sad.
Hate to be one of those “ackshually” guys, but I have to beg to differ with this:
“Part of what made the XJ Cherokee an icon was that it wasn’t pricey.”
There was an original window sticker on one of the last XJs produced (in 2001), and it had a base price of $21,915. Adjusted for inflation? $39,997. With options it was $25,080. Adjusted for inflation, that comes to $45,774.26.
Seems to me like they’re about on point with current pricing of the new Cherokee. I think the perception that XJs are cheap is survivor bias. They were so simple and durable, that many survived to the point that they were highly-depreciated. That, coupled with people viewing them as disposable gas guzzlers further devalued them until their resurgence in mainstream popularity in the last several years.
Part of what made the XJ Cherokee an icon was that it wasn’t pricey…
for the 3rd owner…
prior to the mid-2010s.
Whenever anyone says cars were cheaper 20 years ago, I always run the price through an inflation calculator.
My buddy was recently lamenting how expensive the Tacoma has gotten compared to the new one he bought in 2001, I looked it up and adjusted for inflation it was 39k.
IIRC, the same year 4Runner adjusts to about 50K today.
My 1995 Miata M-edition stickered for about $24,000. That equals about $50,500 in 2025 dollars. A new Miata 35th anniversary edition (basically the same idea, right down to the Merlot over tan color scheme) is about $37,000. The past is only cheap if you’re looking at the numbers without context.
I dunno, man. It seems pretty fair to me and maybe I’ve been ruined by the market over the last 5 years but a new hybrid midsized crossover starting at $37,000 seems downright reasonable. One thing to note is that Jeep makes their entire safety suite standard, which includes adaptive cruise control and lane centering. I believe that’s an up charge on some competitors.
The Jeep also has mechanical all wheel drive which gives it a leg up traction and capability wise over the CRV/RAV4 and can tow 3500 pounds, which is way more than the CRV. The Hyundai is a better buy on paper but the Hyundai is always the better buy on paper. Ownership wise I’d call it a toss up between a Santa Fe and a Cherokee. Neither Hyundai nor Stellantis are reliability or dealership quality stalwarts.
We don’t have the new RAV4 prices yet but they’re gonna be high because Toyota is going to keep raising prices until they can’t anymore. Toyota will also do what they always do as well-create artificial scarcity to drive up the value and prices. For the first year you’re going to be paying over MSRP for the new RAV4 because Toyota hates their customers.
With all that in mind, it seems like a fine buy to me. I also think it’s easily the most attractive out of all the midsized crossover blobs out there, but that’s subjective. Idk, this car is getting an inordinate amount of backlash but I honestly might look at one in a few years when I need a simple efficient dad car.
The Jeep will also have Stellantis’ 96-month financing as a option that, I’m sure, Toyota wouldn’t.
Which makes it more approachable for those only interested in the smallest monthly number
Oh you bet. Stellantis will happily give a credit challenged person a 96 month loan at 200% APR, but they’ll also have 0% over 48 months for people with good credit. Toyota’s in house financing will be like 4.9% for well qualified buyers or “there’s a Nissan dealership down the street” for credit challenged ones…in addition to the $5,000 ADM they have slapped on the RAV4 Woodland or whatever the fuck it is you want.
Do they actually have 96 month financing? I mean it wouldn’t shock me but would make me sad.
“It’s a Jeep thing, you wouldn’t understand.”
I think that phrase speaks to why people some people might have Jeep on their shopping list at all.
This all came full circle to me a few years ago when I parked behind a Compass or Liberty or whatever (it was so anonymous I can’t even remember the model lol) that was covered in hiking/national park stickers, had a bumper sticker that said “I’m the black Jeep of my family”, and had a line of rubber duckies on the dashboard.
I couldn’t stop laughing, to the point that my wife was like “I don’t get why this small crossover is humorous to you”…and then it dawned on me. For the average normie it’s still, somehow, a Jeep, and just as valid as a Wrangler or classic Wagoneer. I’m sure actual Wrangler owners probably have a laugh at that person’s expense but like…only real sickos like us even realize why the whole situation is so silly.
For 99% of people a front wheel drive Fiat crossover is just as much of a Jeep as anything else is. For those reasons, I think the new Cherokee will be a huge hit…and I’m a bit ashamed at admit that I really like it.
My comment was more tongue-in-cheek stab at Stellantis’ build quality, but your comment definitely helps illustrate how Jeep stays relevant in the market – some people just don’t care beyond the badge/image.
There’s a lot of badge-tax out there, ready to take someone’s money.
yep and the toyota tax costs as much or more than the jeep tax.
That typically only lasts a few years before the attitude trickles from the car guys/brand loyalists down to the normal people.
It is surprisingly easy to erode a brand’s image with a few year’s worth of bad product.
Content tsunami!
“Why the blankety blank should be cheaper” could apply to almost any model available today.
I was just thinking about how much I hate Jeep as of late, and it occurred to me that Jeep hasn’t had a solid lineup since 2001.
In 2001 you could go down to your local Jeep dealer and choose between a TJ Wrangler, a V8 WJ Grand Cherokee Overland, or the last year of the XJ Cherokee.
In 2001 those models would’ve shared a showroom with Plymouths.
Yes jeep with 3 models was as good as jeep got.
except if you go back far enough, the XJ was the not jeep enough jeep of it’s era. It is all relative. I think this could have been a Chrysler name on it and it would have been an even tougher sell. as it is, it is a wait and see how it is accepted spot for me.
I had a ZJ Grand Cherokee from 2001-2012, and when I first got it, I remember people seeing it for the first time saying “Oh, I thought you meant you got like a REAL Jeep”. (of course meaning the TJ)
Sometimes, I can’t tell if the Autopian commentariat hates Jeep because of the average driver, the smugness of the brand (they’re not the only ones guilty of that), or the parent company itself. That, or there’s a concerning trend of said commentariat being overall down and negative on cars these days, for various reasons, whether it’s cost, design, image, and so on. I thought this was an auto enthusiast site?
Auto enthusiasts don’t have to be enthusiastic about every single model/brand.
Reliability and cost aside, I think the Wrangler is fantastic for what it’s intended to be. It may be that I’m less angry at Jeep than I am Stellantis as a whole. It just seems that nearly everything they do is substandard yet pricey. I’ve watched the option list get more and more expensive for the JL over the years. The automatic is now a 4,500 option. JFC! In a time when other makers can’t give away manuals, that’s just robbery and fleecing the customer.
I’d say that’s fair, appreciate your perspective.
Yes that is a horrid charge for an automatic exp when the manual is junk. And dealers are not loading up on manuals so really it is a $4500 bait and switch on the advertised price.
Pricing like this is why domestics offer rebates within six months of a new model drop and the Asian competition just prices them correctly from the beginning.
I’ve worked for a multitude of brands and can say confidently that when at Ford or Chevrolet, the haggling was brutal. When at Honda or Kia, most people shockingly paid sticker or damn near.
Price your shit right, give a solid value proposition, people will pay it.
Yeah, this is pricing to make room to put cash on the hood.
Rarely does the big three give up profits up front. outside of the maverick and maybe the Lightning, the more likely business model is start at the high or middle of the segmanet for pricing and sell as many as you can for this price and then discount the rest that they forced a dealer to take if they have them on the lot still. often use bait and switch selling techniques once someone comes down looking for the one or two odd spec’d units that “look good on paper” because of price.
some people really like the ‘deal’ aspect of things. 97% off! is more important than quality or value for the money.
Thomas probably has the follow up article “Jeep is offering crazy discounts on Cherokees to clear a huge inventory backlog” saved in his drafts already.
Grand Wagoneer sales fell off an absolute cliff down to 400-ish/month now.
I’m wondering who was forking over 6-digits-plus for them in the first place.
Also in the drafts are “something, something…bricked at 500 miles” and “something, something…unexplained fires are a matter for the courts.”
Stellantis Jeep marketing meetings: “This is the way”.
Stellantis not being in a position to charge more for their product just cuz has never stopped them before and it won’t stop them now, either.
Stellantis is the Dashcon of automakers.
Not even two extra hours in the ball pit could save them now.