The ManufacturersThe Jeep Cherokee has been gone for a few years, but it’s re-entering the compact-SUV segment at an interesting time. Now available only as a hybrid, the Cherokee faces a wide range of competitors, chief among them the top-selling Honda CR-V Hybrid and Toyota RAV4 Hybrid. Here, we’re seeing how the new Jeep stacks up against these two rivals in terms of powertrains, fuel economy, space, and other capabilities.For the sake of comparison, we’re putting the Cherokee up against the all-wheel-drive hybrid versions of the 2026 CR-V and the 2026 RAV4, the latter of which hasn’t gone on sale yet. It is worth noting that the Jeep comes standard with all-wheel drive, while the Honda and Toyota come standard with front-wheel drive and offer AWD as an option. The Toyota is also hybrid-only, while the Honda offers a nonhybrid variant.View Exterior PhotosJeepPower and MPGThe Jeep features a new hybrid system that uses a turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-four gas engine and produces 210 horsepower in total. That’s slightly more than the Honda CR-V Hybrid’s 204 horsepower, but less than the new RAV4’s 236 horsepower. The Honda and Toyota both use naturally aspirated gasoline engines, with the CR-V having a 2.0-liter unit and the Toyota using a 2.5-liter unit.Toyota2026 RAV4Honda2026 CR-VJeep claims that the Cherokee will be EPA-rated at 37 mpg combined, which matches the CR-V’s combined figure. The 2026 RAV4 Hybrid hasn’t yet been rated by the EPA, but the old model got 39 mpg combined.Size and Interior SpaceWhile all three of these models are classified as compact SUVs, the 2026 Cherokee is the biggest of the group. Its 113-inch wheelbase and 188.1-inch overall length make it significantly longer than the Honda and Toyota, and it’s wider and taller, too. The extra size doesn’t pay dividends inside, though, as the Cherokee has less rear legroom than the CR-V Hybrid by 2.5 inches. The CR-V also has the Cherokee beat in terms of cargo room behind the rear seat by a few cubic feet.View Interior PhotosJeep2026 CherokeeTowing and Off-Road CapabilityThe Cherokee is rated to tow 3500 pounds, which matches the max rating for certain versions of the 2026 RAV4 Hybrid. The CR-V Hybrid is only rated to tow 1000 pounds.Jeep hasn’t yet announced an off-road-oriented trim level for the Cherokee, but we’d expect a Trailhawk version to join the lineup later on. As it stands now, the Jeep offers 8.0 inches of ground clearance, which is 0.2 inches less than what the CR-V offers.ToyotaMichael Simari|Car and DriverPriceAs you’d expect for such close competitors, the base prices between these models are similar. The 2026 Cherokee starts at $36,995, while the 2026 CR-V Hybrid starts at $37,080. That price is for the front-wheel-drive CR-V, so the equivalent all-wheel-drive Honda is more expensive, at $38,580 to start. The Cherokee goes up to $45,995 for the top Overland trim, while the CR-V goes up to $43,700 for the Sport Touring trim. (2026 Toyota RAV4 pricing isn’t yet available.)More on the RAV4 and CR-V
- 2026 Toyota RAV4 Goes Hybrid Only, PHEV Has 320 HP
- Honda CR-V Dons Hiking Boots with New TrailSport
Source: caranddriver.com
