Jeep Is Teasing The Return Of A Beloved Model, But Can It Really Recapture The Magic?

The Jeep Cherokee has had a bit of a tumultuous production history. It first premiered in 1974 and rode on the SJ platform. Later, in 1984, AMC (before it was bought by Chrysler), brought out the Jeep Cherokee XJ. Very quickly became a popular off-roader. Even today, the XJ is revered as incredibly reliable due to its legendary 4.0-liter inline-six, and as an embodiment of what everyone loves about Jeep. It's been more than a couple of decades since the first generation Jeep Cherokee ceased production as it stopped in 2001, but you can still see plenty driving around, and even more at any off-road park or mudding event. 

The next generation Cherokee premiered for the 2014 model year and, while it had some serious off-road components like a locking rear differential and a number of different drive modes, skid plates, tow hooks, and the like. It remained in production until the 2023 model year. Despite a healthy production life, the Jeep Cherokee for the 21st century didn't seem to capture much of the magic of the XJ. It was a more pedestrian crossover.

Now, Stellantis and Jeep hope to change that with the unveiling of the new Jeep Cherokee, set to debut in all of its off-road glory later this year. Jeep seems serious about breathing new life into its lineup, and the new Cherokee might be evidence of that initiative.

Jeep hasn't revealed too much about the new Cherokee, but there is some good news. It's going to be boxy, and if you're a Jeep Cherokee XJ fan of old, that should be cause to rejoice, provided of course it performs well. The new Cherokee will also debut with a (likely optional) hybrid drivetrain. Jeep hasn't announced whether or not it's similar to the plug-in hybrid 4xe system in the Wrangler and the Grand Cherokee. However, that might be a welcome addition to the nameplate of the storied off-roader. Underneath the environmentally friendly guise, modern hybrid systems can deliver incredible amounts of torque through the integrated electric motors. More torque means better rock-crawling ability.

Like the previous generation, Jeep says the new Cherokee will fit between the existing Jeep Compass and Jeep Grand Cherokee. Jeep's CEO Bob Broderdorf says in a press release: "The all-new Jeep Cherokee headlines our efforts to deliver more product, innovation, choice and standard content to customers than ever before..."

You'll have to wait until later this year to see if there's a new legendary off-roader coming from Jeep. The chances are slim that Jeep will be able to recreate the lightning in a bottle that was the Cherokee XJ, but it doesn't hurt to stave off the cynicism until it's seen in action.