- Jeep might put the Hemi V8 back into the Grand Cherokee.
- Customers are apparently asking for it.
- Ram, another Stellantis brand, has already resurrected its V8-powered 1500.
Under Stellantis’ stewardship, the American brands of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles have suffered. The automakers’ intended shift toward battery-electric vehicles and new combustion powertrains did not resonate with a customer base built on V8 engines. Ram has already corrected much of that, though, with the reintroduction of the Hemi in the 1500. Now, Jeep might do the same with the Grand Cherokee.
Speaking with The Drive, Joe Aljajawil, who led the engineering on the model’s mid-cycle refresh, told the publication that the Jeep brand is “listening” to GC customers who want the V8 back and that they should “stay tuned for more.” What that means isn’t entirely clear.
Photo by: Jeep
The fifth-generation Grand Cherokee WL, launched for 2021, originally featured the 5.7-liter V8. It made 357 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque in the SUV. Jeep discontinued the engine in the two-row version after 2023 and the three-row model after 2024.
Jeep refreshed the Grand Cherokee for 2026, making it the first vehicle to launch with Stellantis’ new Hurricane 4 Turbo, a turbocharged four-cylinder capable of 324 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque. The tried-and-true Pentastar V6 is also available, but just in the base model.
Motor1’s Take: There’s no replacement for displacement for some buyers, and there must be enough of them for Jeep to hint at the V8’s possible return to the Grand Cherokee lineup. The 5.7-liter has twice as many cylinders as the new Hurricane 4 Turbo while barely making more power—but that doesn’t matter to customers who want eight cylinders and nothing less.
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