How Much Will the 2026 Jeep Cherokee Cost? A Lot
The hybrid Cherokee costs more than most other compact hybrid SUVs—but doesn’t offer a cheaper non-hybrid version like some competitors.
Justin BannerWriterManufacturerPhotographerAug 21, 2025
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It’s been a minute since we last saw the Jeep Cherokee, but it’s coming back and looks rather good for a compact SUV with mechanical AWD. It’s also coming with some electrification via a hybrid system. We now also know it will not be cheap when compared to its competitors.
Let’s start with the good news regarding the 2026 Jeep Cherokee Hybrid. The 1.6-liter gas engine puts down 177 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque, and the latter provides solid grunt at just 2,000 RPM. It’s coupled to a 1.08-kWh battery and a 33-hp, 9-lb-ft hybrid system for a total output of 210 hp and 230 lb-ft.
While all that power is sent through a planetary-type continuously variable automatic transmission, it can also go to all four wheels through a transfer case. That said, the Cherokee Hybrid doesn’t get a dedicated low gear. Sorry light crawler fans. It will have 8.0 inches of ground clearance, 19.6 degrees of approach angle, an 18.8-degree breakover angle, and 29.4 degrees of departure angle, so there is some real SUV left in the 2026 Jeep Cherokee. The Cherokee can also tow up to 3,500 pounds, Jeep says, so there’s some good news for those looking to attach a small camper to the new version. Keep in mind, these are stats for the mainstream Cherokee—an off-road Trailhawk version is surely coming, but has yet to be detailed.
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So, How Much Will It Cost?
However, with a starting ticket of $36,995, the 2026 Jeep Cherokee Hybrid is starting off on a relatively pricey foot. It’s not the most expensive in its class (compact SUVs), but it isn’t the cheapest by a long shot. We’ll compare prices to its competition shortly. The next level up is the Cherokee Laredo at $39,995, followed by the Limited trim at $42,495, and the upscale Overland at $45,995.
The Cherokee is not your cheep Jeep anymore, but this is an issue for the smaller Compass, too. As the smallest Jeep you can buy, even the latter comes in at $28,895—that’s for a subcompact crossover, a class where a low-$20,000 starting price is possible.
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Pricey Not Only for a Compact SUV, but for a Compact Hybrid SUV, Too
The Jeep’s premium pricing becomes more apparent when you compare it to top small hybrid SUVs. First up is the 2025 Toyota RAV4 Hybrid and, comparing base-for-base trims, the Cherokee costs $2,945 more. The up-level RAV4 Limited is $3,640 cheaper than the similarly named and fancy Cherokee, too.
OK, so what if we compare the Cherokee to our second-best-ranked hybrid SUV in the segment, the Kia Sportage Hybrid? The Sportage S, at $34,035, is $2,960 cheaper than the Cherokee. The X-Line, the off-road special of the Sportage Hybrid lineup at $36,935, is $9,060 less than the Cherokee Overland and represents the biggest price gap of all our comparisons here. The SX Prestige, the top-of-the-line Sportage Hybrid, is $41,835, or a gap of $4,160.
The Jeep isn’t the most expensive outright, however. The 2026 Honda CR-V Hybrid, at $38,580 in entry-level Sport Hybrid trim is $1,585 more expensive than the new Cherokee. However, the TrailSport Hybrid—at $40,250—eats the Jeep for breakfast in price by being $5,745 cheaper than the Cherokee Overland, and surely the upcoming Trailhawk will be even more expensive. But the CR-V Sport Touring Hybrid AWD is $1,205 more than the Cherokee Limited.
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Overall, for the price, the 2026 Jeep Cherokee does sort of hit a high middle ground in pricing. On average, it is around $3,827 more expensive than our MotorTrend top-three-ranked small hybrid SUVs (including the two Honda CR-V trims that are cheaper). It seems more expensive overall because, well, most of its competitors also offer cheaper non-hybrid powertrain options; the Cherokee is hybrid-only, so there’s no version you can buy for less that lines up with entry-level gas-only CR-Vs, Sportages, and the like. Toyota’s RAV4 is going all-hybrid, too, for 2026, but we don’t yet know how much that version will cost. If the Camry sedan is any indication—it, too, recently went all-hybrid—Toyota will hold entry-level prices for the new RAV4 hybrid close to those of the gas versions it’s replacing.
Justin Banner
Having experience in many forms of the automotive industry, Justin Banner has done more than just write about cars. For more than 15 years, he’s had experience working as an automotive service technician—including a stint as a Virginia State Inspector—service advisor, parts sales, and aftermarket parts technical advisor (a fancy way of saying he helped you on the phone when you had trouble fitting your brakes over your aftermarket wheels and the like). Prior to his tenure as a full-time editor, Justin worked as a freelance writer and photographer for various publications and as an automotive content creator on YouTube. He’s also covered multiple forms of motorsports ranging from Formula Drift, drag racing, and time attack, to NASCAR, short course off-roading, and open desert racing. He’s best known for breaking down complex technical concepts so a layperson can more easily understand why technologies, repairs, and parts should matter to them. At MotorTrend, Justin is part of the news team covering breaking news and topics while also working as a judge for MotorTrend Of the Year events and other major comparison tests.
