October 28, 2025 - Jeep Launches All-New Four-Cylinder Engine in 2026 Jeep Cherokee

This is the Telemetry Transportation Daily for October 28, 2025, and I'm Sam Abuelsamid, Vice President of Market Research for Telemetry.  

The Jeep Grand Cherokee has consistently been the brand's top-selling model through most of the last three decades. The most recent fifth generation debuted in 2021 and, for the first time, added a longer three-row variant. Since its debut, the current generation has offered two powertrain options: the 3.6-liter naturally aspirated Pentastar V6 and the 4xe plug-in hybrid system with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four cylinder and about 25 miles of electric range. 

For model year 2026, Jeep is adding a third option, an all-new 2.0-liter four-cylinder dubbed the Hurricane 4. This engine is derived from the 3.0-liter Hurricane six-cylinder that debuted in the Grand Wagoneer several years ago. The previous four, known as the Global Medium Engine or GME, is used across a variety of Stellantis vehicles in addition to the plug-in hybrid. It has a sand-cast aluminum block with iron cylinder liners. 

Like the six-cylinder, the new Hurricane 4 has a high-pressure die-cast block with plasma-sprayed cylinder bores for durability. It also has a deep skirt block design for rigidity and balance shafts. What makes the new engine unique is the passive pre-chamber design that Jeep calls Turbulent Jet Ignition. It's a concept that was pioneered on Formula 1 engines and was used on the Maserati Nettuno V6. On this engine, there are copper alloy inserts pressed into the top of the combustion chamber with nine orifices drilled into it. As the piston goes up on the compression stroke, some of the air-fuel mixture is pushed into the chamber and then ignited by the spark plug. Nine flame fronts emerge from the pre-chamber to provide near homogeneous combustion of the rest of the air and fuel. 

Stellantis claims 324 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque, a 20% bump from the GME, as well as 10% better fuel efficiency. Production is starting now at Stellantis' Dundee, Michigan, engine plant, with additional capacity being added to the Kokomo, Indiana, plant in 2026. The 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee should be arriving at dealers by the end of the year. 

Thanks for listening.