The Jeep Cherokee is coming back to the small SUV market after being away for a few years. At the moment, the Cherokee is only available as a hybrid. It faces many competitors, though the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid and Honda CR-V Hybrid remain the most popular choices. As far as space, powertrains, gas mileage, and other factors go, the new Jeep is in the same league as these two rivals. The 2026 CR-V and 2026 RAV4 all-wheel-drive hybrids are being compared to the Cherokee. The 2026 RAV4 isn’t even on the market yet. It’s important to note that the Honda and Toyota come with front-wheel drive and offer all-wheel drive as an option. The Jeep, however, includes all-wheel drive as a standard feature. Toyota only sells hybrid cars, but Honda has a model that isn’t a hybrid. The Jeep’s new hybrid drivetrain has a 1.6-liter inline-four turbocharged gas engine that makes 210 horsepower. This is a little less than the 236 horsepower of the Toyota RAV4, but a little more than the 204 horsepower of the Honda CR-V Hybrid. There are naturally aspirated gasoline engines in both the Toyota and the Honda. The Honda’s is 2.0 liters and the Toyota’s is 2.5 liters. In terms of gas mileage, Jeep says the Cherokee will get 37 mpg, which is the same as the CR-V. The EPA hasn’t given the 2026 RAV4 Hybrid a grade yet, but the last model got an average of 39 mpg combined. There are three types of Cherokee. Among the three, the 2026 Cherokee is the largest. All three are small SUVs. Along with being bigger and taller than the Honda and Toyota, it is also a lot longer. It measures 188.1 inches in overall length, with a wheelbase of 113 inches. The Cherokee, on the other hand, has 2.5 inches less back legroom than the CR-V Hybrid, so even though it’s bigger, it doesn’t have more space inside. Also, the CR-V has a few more cubic feet of space for goods behind the back seat than the Cherokee. The Cherokee can pull up to 3,500 pounds, the same amount as some 2026 RAV4 Hybrid models. The CR-V Hybrid has a towing capacity limited to 1,000 pounds. Although Jeep hasn’t released an off-road-focused Cherokee trim level yet, we expect a Trailhawk version to be added soon. At the moment, the Jeep has an 8.0-inch ground clearance, which is 0.2 inches less than the CR-V. The basic prices of both types are about the same, which makes sense since they are such close rivals. The 2026 Cheyenne starts at $36,995, while the 2026 CR-V Hybrid costs $37,080. The Honda CR-V with front-wheel drive costs more, starting at $38,580, but it’s the same car and has all-wheel drive. At $45,995, the Cherokee’s top trim level is Overland. The CR-V’s top trim level is Sport Touring, which costs $43,700. We don’t yet know how much the 2026 Toyota RAV4 will cost.
