2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Debuts as a Plug-In Hybrid

Grand Cherokee 4xe provides our first official look at the two-row version of the popular Jeep.

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L introduced the world to the next generation styling of the brand’s bestselling model, but we had only seen the three-row “L” version prior to yesterday’s Stellantis EV Day video campaign. In the Jeep video, we learned all about the brand’s plans for hybridization of every model, but more importantly, we got our first look at the two-row version of the next generation Jeep Grand Cherokee.

2022 Grand Cherokee – No L

When the fifth generation of the Grand Cherokee was introduced in its first-ever three-row form, many loyal Jeep owners were quick to ask for information on the next generation of the two-row SUV. Before EV Day, the company had only issued images and information on the new Grand Cherokee L, but there have been plenty of spy shots showing the shorter, two-row versions being tested on the streets of Metro Detroit.

In the EV Day video below, some of the questions about the next generation two-row Grand Cherokee were answered as the Jeep brand debuted the more traditional model in hybrid 4xe form. We didn’t get any information about the Grand Cherokee 4xe or the two-row models in general, but the video provides our first official look at a production-spec, two-row 2022 Grand Cherokee.

Jeep also issued a press release relating to the 2022 Grand Cherokee 4xe, but they only included an image of the vehicle at a solar charging station. We have taken the liberty of capturing the other angles from the video for those who want to see the new two-row Grand Cherokee without watching 6 minutes of information about the brand’s electrification plans.

As you can see in the pictures here, there really aren’t any surprises with the two-row Grand Cherokee. It looks a great deal like the Grand Cherokee L up front and out back, with slightly different proportions to accommodate two rows of seats rather than three.

Jeep 4xe Power

No information was provided on the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe, so we don’t know if it will have the same basic attributes as the Wrangler 4xe that is already on sale today. That 4xe vehicle is powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine that is mated to a hybrid drive system, leading to a total system output of 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. The current Grand Cherokee L with the 5.7-liter Hemi offers 357 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque, so it seems safe to say that the Wrangler 4xe drivetrain in the two-row Grand Cherokee would provide more than enough power.

Of course, the new Grand Cherokee will likely come with the 3.6-liter Pentastar eTorque and the 5.7-liter Hemi eTorque just like the L, but for the time being, the 4xe model is the first new two-row to show its face. The odds are good that if you like the look of the Grand Cherokee L, you will like the two-row version and in 4xe form, it might be the quickest in the lineup.

If you missed the EV Day video from the Jeep YouTube channel, you can check it out below for a closer look at the future of the brand’s hybrid and electric plans.

Photos: Stellantis

Join the JK-Forums now!

Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com

Facebook   Twitter