Jeep has revived the Cherokee nameplate for 2027, and the headline act is a Trailhawk variant that pairs hybrid power with genuine off-road hardware. It is the first Cherokee in this generation to offer a low-range transfer case, and it arrives with a locking rear axle, a suspension lift and a set of angles that Jeep claims are best in class.
The original Cherokee helped define the compact SUV segment, and its name still carries weight among buyers who remember the XJ. Jeep’s decision to bring it back with a Trail Rated flagship suggests the brand wants the badge to mean something beyond nostalgia. The Trailhawk is the trim that has to prove it.
Trail Rated means two-speed hardware, not just stickers
The centrepiece of the Trailhawk is the Jeep Active Drive II four-wheel-drive system. Unlike the standard Cherokee, which makes do without a low range, the Trailhawk uses a two-speed power transfer unit with a 37.5:1 crawl ratio. That is the kind of gearing that lets a driver creep down a steep descent under control rather than relying on brakes and hope.
An electronic locking rear axle backs it up, sending torque to both rear wheels when traction disappears on one side. Jeep has also fitted unique springs and dampers for a 25 mm suspension lift, which helps articulation as well as clearance.
The numbers stack up. Ground clearance stands at 229 mm, just shy of the 246 mm offered by a Wrangler Sport. Water fording depth is 610 mm. Approach, departure and breakover angles come in at 28.8, 31.8 and 21.9 degrees respectively, all claimed to be best in class. The standard Cherokee manages 19.6, 29.4 and 18.8 degrees, so the Trailhawk’s redesigned fascias are doing real work rather than decorative duty. Five Selec-Terrain modes cover Auto, Sport, Snow, Sand/Mud and Rock.
Armour underneath and all-terrain rubber
Trail Rated certification involves more than a spec sheet, and the Trailhawk’s underbody protection reflects that. Steel skid plates shield the front axle, wiring and fuel tank. The hybrid battery gets a dedicated protection plate of its own, a sensible addition given that a punctured battery pack on a rocky trail is not a roadside fix.
The Trailhawk rides on 17-inch wheels wrapped in 245/65R17 Nexen Roadian ATX all-terrain tyres. Smaller wheels with taller sidewalls are the correct choice here. They absorb impacts better than large rims with low-profile rubber, and they can be aired down for extra traction without risking damage.
Hybrid power with a real economy story
Under the bonnet sits a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid paired with two electric motors, a continuously variable transmission and a 1.08 kWh battery pack. Combined output is 210 hp and 312 Nm of torque. That is not enormous, but the electric motors should fill in low-down response where a small turbo engine would otherwise feel flat.
The efficiency figures are where the Trailhawk makes its case. Jeep quotes 33 mpg city, 29 mpg highway and 31 mpg combined, all on the US EPA cycle and therefore in US gallons. On the UK imperial gallon those figures would read roughly 40 mpg city, 35 mpg highway and 37 mpg combined, though they are not directly comparable with official WLTP numbers published for cars sold here. Either way, it is a drop versus the standard Cherokee, which is the price of all-terrain tyres, a lift and the extra hardware. Even so, that combined figure from a vehicle with a locking rear axle and a two-speed transfer case is a rare combination. Traditional off-roaders in this class struggle to break into the twenties.
An optional towing package raises towing capacity to 1,588 kg (3,500 lb), enough for a small caravan or a pair of trail bikes on a trailer.
Styling and cabin
Jeep has given the Trailhawk its own front and rear fascias with gloss black accents, shaped to improve those approach and departure angles. There is a clearance-maximising bumper, signature red tow hooks front and rear, Trailhawk tailgate badging and an anti-glare bonnet graphic. LED lighting, fog lights and a power liftgate with black accents complete the exterior package.
Inside, the Trailhawk gets Mantis Green upholstery with red contrast stitching and embossed backrests, Radical Red bezels and Black Spun Aluminium accents. Equipment includes heated power front seats, a heated steering wheel, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and a 12.3-inch infotainment screen. Optional packages add ventilated front seats, heated rear seats and the towing upgrade.
US pricing and availability
In the United States, the Cherokee Trailhawk is priced from $44,625 including a $1,995 destination charge. That slots it just below the Cherokee Overland at $45,125, which is an unusual arrangement: the more capable off-road variant undercuts the luxury-leaning one. Orders are open now, with production scheduled to begin later this year.
There is no UK pricing or availability information for the reborn Cherokee yet, and given the brand’s European lineup has shifted towards the Avenger, Renegade and Compass, a right-hand-drive Cherokee is not guaranteed. The hybrid powertrain is the same type already sold in other Jeep models in Europe, so the mechanical package is not the obstacle.
That question sits against a broader backdrop of electrification across the segment. Land Rover, for instance, has just revealed the Range Rover Sport Electric Revealed: 378-Mile Range, 542bhp and a 2027 Arrival, showing that even the most established off-road brands are betting on electric power for their next generation of vehicles. Jeep’s approach with the Cherokee Trailhawk is more incremental, using a hybrid to keep a two-speed transfer case and a locking differential in the package rather than abandoning them.
The wider market for off-road-capable vehicles has also been volatile. In the US, Texas Declares Diesel ‘Statewide Disaster’: Abbott Suspends Dyed Fuel Rules as Prices Hit $6.43 a Gallon, a reminder that fuel costs and supply rules can shift quickly and that efficiency claims carry more weight when prices spike. A hybrid that returns 31 mpg combined on the US cycle while still offering low range looks more sensible in that light than it might have a few years ago.
The verdict on Jeep’s hybrid trail rig
The 2027 Cherokee Trailhawk occupies a narrow slot in the market. It is not a Wrangler replacement, and it is not trying to be. What it offers is a practical five-seat SUV with a hybrid powertrain that can still handle a rocky trail, a water crossing and a steep descent without the driver worrying about overheating a clutch or scraping a battery pack.
Buyers who never leave tarmac should stick with the standard car. Buyers who want the capability without the fuel bills of a traditional 4×4 now have an option that did not really exist before. Whether it reaches UK showrooms is the open question.
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