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Jeep plans to expand its lineup next year, including hybrid versions of its two largest SUVs and the return of a “mainstream” D-segment SUV that sounds an awful lot like the Cherokee. Car and Driver spoke with Jeep CEO Antonio Filosa at the debut of the 2024 Wagoneer S EV about future products on the horizon for the brand, and it appears the company is moving in the same direction as Ford and GM.

The Wagoneer S EV is set to carry the Jeep brand into its electrified future with a luxurious design that looks to have taken a page out of the Range Rover playbook, which is high praise. With 600 horsepower on tap and a range of drive modes, we imagine it will have a massive ripple effect throughout the Jeep lineup. Still, the company isn’t ready to turn away from its combustion models anytime soon.

The Return Of The Cherokee

Bowing out at the end of the 2023 model year, the Cherokee was a pivotal Jeep product in the mid-size SUV segment on and off for decades, and now it appears the company wants to see it return. Filosa previously admitted that killing off the Cherokee hurt the brand in a big way, and it seems he now wants to do something about it.

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Filosa didn’t outright say the Cherokee was the model being brought back, but he did say we “could probably guess what it will be called” when speaking of the model to be revived. The Cherokee, in its most recent iterations, offered a more rugged alternative to the average crossover crowd, but it was obvious by the time it was discontinued that it had overstayed its welcome, pried higher but with overall less to offer than competitors.

If the company wants the next generation to be competitive it needs to make some serious changes, with the most important being offering a hybrid powertrain with a modern interior. The company has seriously upped its interior game with models like the Grand Cherokee and Wagoneer, so we have little concern on that front. However, we also believe it shouldn’t lose sight of the rugged image it’s cultivated. Companies like Subaru have seen sales soar thanks to offering rugged Wilderness models, so continuing to offer capable Trailhawk variants – like the Wagoneer S Trailhawk Concept we saw earlier today – seems like a no-brainer.

Jeep’s Hybrid Lineup Is Expanding

Filosa also said we should expect more 4xe plug-in hybrid models next year, with the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer getting the electrified treatment, along with a hybrid Gladiator 4xe we’ve been expecting for some time. Both the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer are currently powered by the turbocharged Hurricane inline-six engine, which has ample power and slightly improved fuel economy, and the hybrid variants are sure to expand their appeal, but they may be a bit different from the 4xe variants seen so far.

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The hybrid powertrains will be “range-extenders” according to him, leading us to believe they will lean closer in the direction of the Ramcharger concept rather than conventional hybrid powertrains where the gas and electric components work in tandem. Will they offer 690 miles of range like the pickup or something a little more subdued? We’ll have to see, but it looks to be an exciting few years for one of America’s most storied brands.

Source: Car And Driver