There is a Jeep Cherokee name controversy happening as the SUV makes its return to the Jeep lineup. Some might have thought this issue was dead and gone.
Remember when the Washington Redskins and Cleveland Indians changed their names? A lot of people figured Jeep would eventually do the same thing with its Cherokee SUVs. Back in 2021, the Cherokee Nation asked Jeep to stop using the name, saying it was time for companies to move away from Native American names on products. Jeep politely declined then, and now that the Jeep Cherokee returns for 2026 after being discontinued in 2023, the question came up again.
The Cherokee Nation’s Jeep request was denied
The answer from Jeep’s current CEO Bob Broderdorf? A flat “No.” The company has been using Cherokee and Grand Cherokee for 50 years now, and they’re standing firm on their position that the names honor Native American people rather than exploit them. While other major brands bowed to pressure and rebranded, Jeep is betting that its longtime customers and the market at large will support keeping things as they are. Whether that’s the right call depends entirely on who you ask.
The Jeep Cherokee name controversy could be a sticking point of automotive cultural sensitivity
The Native American vehicle names debate goes back many years, but the Cherokee name is the most long-lasting of them all. The Jeep Grand Cherokee naming dispute came about in 2021, during a heightened year of cultural sensitivity. Although many teams and products have been changed to avoid being marked as insensitive, Native American names have been used for vehicles for many years, including:
- Chevrolet Apache
- Dodge Dakota
- Jeep Comanche
- Mazda Navajo
- Pontiac Chieftain
- Toyota Tacoma
- Volkswagen Taos
Some names you recognize as still part of the market, while others have gone by the wayside. Whether or not the name of the Cherokee during the SUV relaunch for 2026 will become a factor in sales or not is still to be seen. Considering the name is highly recognizable, it’s not likely to cause too much trouble, but it might be a bit culturally insensitive to continue to use the name for Jeep.
Jeep Cherokee name controversy aside, what is the returning SUV?
The Cherokee returns as the KM generation of the SUV to reenter the compact SUV segment. It’s larger than most rivals in this class, and that could make it the ideal bridge between smaller Jeep SUVs and midsize models, like the Grand Cherokee. This new model is built on a new platform and has a standard hybrid engine.
The Cherokee has been missing from the lineup for a few years, and something felt off and gone. There was a hole in the lineup that was supposed to be filled by the Compass, but that never quite happened. The use of a hybrid powertrain and impressive tech inside the cabin make this returning SUV an impressive choice in the compact SUV class. This Jeep returns with its sights set on the trails, making it easy to get behind the wheel and take it into the wilderness.
Plenty of power for your driving experience
The new hybrid system isn’t derived from the 4xe PHEV system, but it’s completely different. This will be Jeep’s first standard hybrid model in the United States. In other models, the hybrid powertrain was an option.
For the Cherokee, the hybrid powertrain is comprised of a 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with two electric motors providing the hybrid power. This setup is attached to a CVT, and the Cherokee will come with standard AWD. This powertrain produces 210 horsepower and 230 lb-ft of torque, which makes it powerful enough to handle your time on the trails, but also be efficient. The Cherokee is expected to reach 42 city/33 hwy mpg, which is nearly double the efficiency figures of the 2023 Cherokee.
The Jeep Cherokee name controversy isn’t the only thing straddling the line
The line between compact and midsize SUVs becomes blurred when you have a vehicle that doesn’t really fit in either category. That’s what we find with the new 2026 Jeep Cherokee. This can certainly be to your benefit, especially if you want a compact SUV but would like to have more interior space than most compacts have to offer.
Will the Jeep Cherokee name controversy cause problems for the SUV? If so, will Jeep need to change the names of two models? The 2026 version of this compact SUV is on the way and could be the right choice when you want a small SUV that is efficient, modernized, larger than most, and capable of tackling trails.
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