The new Jeep Cherokee has been missing a signature Trailhawk model…until now.
After a three model year hiatus, the Jeep Cherokee formally returned to the brand’s lineup with the 2026 model year. Much like the updated version of its larger Grand Cherokee sibling, though, something was missing: an off-road-focused Trailhawk model. Well, Jeep rectified that issue by announcing the new GC Trailhawk for 2027, and now it’s doing the same for the KM-generation Cherokee.
Of course, we had a good idea this was coming already thanks to the Upland Concept unveiled at this year’s Easter Jeep Safari. While “concepts” (and especially EJS concepts) aren’t ever a given for a green-light to production…the Cherokee Trailhawk was more of a shoo-in. It’s something folks expect in the lineup, and it gave the last Cherokee KL some much-needed off-road cred, even as a unibody off-road SUV.
Stellantis said in a statement Monday: “Following the 2027 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk and Overland this month, the Jeep brand is gearing up for more off-road capability with the Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk. The brand continues to listen to customers and return capability to the core of the brand’s ethos. More information will come at a later date.”
There’s not too much you can really glean from the statement in itself, as far as technical details go. I’m particularly curious on whether the new Cherokee Trailhawk will stick with the underlying formula — namely the 1.6-liter hybrid powertrain and eCVT — as the standard models. We tested a new Cherokee Limited on the dirt and…it struggled, to say the least. New wheels and tires will undoubtedly be part of the new Trailhawk trim, and the Upland Concept’s designs lend credence to a reshaped front and rear fascia to improve approach and departure angles.
On paper, the 210 horsepower and 230 lb-ft of torque from that 1.6-liter four-pot and two electric motors is fine, if you’re just looking for a compact SUV to take on the sea of other four-cylinder crossovers on the streets. For a Trailhawk solution, it’s possible we could see a bit more grunt out of those electric motors to make slow-speed off-roading more feasible. Since the Grand Cherokee now has the 2.0-liter Hurricane engine as its go-to powertrain (including with the Trailhawk), I suspect Jeep will make some effort to change up the Cherokee’s output or how it puts its power to the wheels for its off-road application.
As ever, we’ll have to wait and see. With this teaser, though, it’s clear we won’t have to wait long for more updates.
