2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Summit Edition Review

Refreshed and ready for new adventures, the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Summit returns with a decidedly Wagoneer look, a load of new features and a tough little turbo engine. At Napleton News, it is better to look tough than to be tough but a little posing hurt no one. So here we are road tripping with the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee L. Take a look!

What’s the Grand Cherokee L all about?

Now in its mid-cycle life, the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee L continues as one of the most bulletproof large SUVs on the road today. No, it’s not bulletproof in the literal sense but in customer satisfaction, it’s certainly a favorite.

There are two engine choices with the new Jeep Grand Cherokee L. The base offering is the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine. Naturally-aspirated, it is tried and true, and delivers 293 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. Our Summit edition was optioned with the new turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine producing 324 horsepower and 332 lb-ft of torque. They run all that torque through an eight-speed transmission and include all-wheel drive as standard. The AWD system is optional in other trim levels. Towing capacity tops out at 6,200 pounds.

It’s all about the Grand Cherokee’s Looks.

It’s recognizable and breaks new ground at the same time. Bearing a slight, but more stylish resemblance to the Jeep Grand Wagoneer, it gets rid of the boxy Wagoneer look and brings a more stylish profile. The traditional seven-slat grille continues on, flanked by new LED lighting and other grille bits.

Inside the Grand Cherokee L.

Start with the tech: The interior features three screens across the dashboard with two adjustable screens behind the front row headrests. The 12.3-inch gauge display was a bit glitchy on our tester, flickering between gauges and navigation at random. It was disturbing and at first, we thought it was a result of a bad USB-C cord. I figured a switch to Bluetooth would cure the problem but it persisted.

The central screen functioned properly and even better than expected, thanks to the addition of tuning and volume knobs on what was previously just a touchscreen. Finally, the passenger side of the dashboard featured a screen that was embedded into the surface and included a privacy screen so that only the front passenger could view it. Privacy glass, indeed!

Our Summit model was equipped with captain’s chairs in the middle row and a third row with room for two adults or three child safety seats. Legroom in the third row is a bit questionable, though.

Regardless of where you sit, you’ll find the McIntosh audio system beyond compare.

Behind the wheel of the Jeep Grand Cherokee L.

It’s big, but not quite unwieldy enough to think of it as uncontrollable. Instead, we have a family hauler and then some, eager and ready for a trip across town or across the country. Acceleration is actually decent but occasionally got off the line with some hesitation.  Once at speed, it was cruising like normal with no issues.

Ride quality was supremely satisfying, displaying the feeling of a luxury vehicle rather than the utility of, er, a sports utility vehicle.

Passing on the highway, while not challenging in the least, did let us know the engine was working overtime. How did we know? The engine gets rather loud when pushed hard. Still, the well-insulated interior did a fine job of isolating us from most of the noise intrusion.

A rapidly approaching summer made exterior temperatures veer towards the high 90s here in South Florida. No matter, though, as we just kicked on the ventilated seating that took care of the situation. That cool-seat function, along with the built-in seat massager to work out the kinks, made our drive a thing of beauty. What more could we ask for?

Jeep Grand Cherokee L Summit  SUV Specifications