2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee Drops 5.7L HEMI V8, Grand Cherokee L Still Has It

The WK-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee received it a couple of years later. Based on the Alfa Romeo Giorgio platform, the current-generation WL isn’t available with said powerplant for model year 2023.

No fewer than six trim levels are currently available to configure in the United States, with the entry-level Laredo priced at $41,530 sans freight. At the other end of the spectrum, the 4WD-only Summit Reserve grade can be had from $68,685 excluding the $1,795 destination freight charge.

The best-equipped trim is listed with the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, which packs 293 horsepower and 260 pound-feet (353 Nm). Not bad for a two-row sport utility vehicle, but it’s not stellar either. The Grand Cherokee L, as in the seven-seat sibling of the Grand Cherokee, still features the 5.7-liter “Eagle” HEMI V8 as an option in Overland 4x4 and higher grades.

Good for 357 horsepower and 390 pound-feet (nearly 530 Nm), the larger engine makes plenty of sense in this application. Be that as it may, what can two-row customers do in these circumstances? Rather than stepping up to the Grand Cherokee L Overland 4x4, they can switch to the Grand Cherokee 4xe plug-in hybrid. Capable of delivering up to 25 miles (circa 40 kilometers) of all-electric range, this variant packs a 2.0-liter engine.

Introduced by the Alfa Romeo Giulia, the four-cylinder turbo is joined by an eight-speed automatic transmission, two electric motors, and a lithium-ion battery pack. Total output is estimated at 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet (637 Nm), which is better than the aforementioned HEMI.

There is, however, an elephant in the room. The most affordable Grand Cherokee 4xe costs $61,660 including freight, which is a lot of money for a mid-size utility vehicle that seats five. On the other hand, the V8-engined Grand Cherokee L Overland 4x4 is $65,985 including freight.

Dropping the torquier V8 from the five-seat Grand Cherokee may be seen as bad news, but still, what did you expect? Electric vehicles are expected to make up 100 percent of Jeep’s new vehicle sales in Europe by 2030. The target for the U.S. market is 50 percent by 2030. It’s not all doom and gloom, though, because Jeep has recently premiered a straight-six turbo engine family that will effectively replace the 5.7- and 6.4-liter HEMIs.

Unveiled in March 2022, the Hurricane 3.0-liter I6 is available in standard- and high-output variants. The former produces 420 horsepower and 468 pound-feet (635 Nm) in the Wagoneer, whereas the latter is good for 510 horsepower and 500 pound-feet (678 Nm) in the Grand Wagoneer.

On that note, the configurator for the Grand Cherokee presently lists V6 trims with up to $2,000 bonus cash applied toward the purchase or lease.