What are Jeep Grand Cherokee Engine Options, and which one is the best Jeep Grand Cherokee engine for you? Look no further we got you covered! The Jeep Grand Cherokee is a Compact SUV and a beast when it comes to off-roading and Overlanding Capabilities, thanks to its features and engine performance.
Searching for a Used Jeep Grand Cherokee or a brand-new Jeep Grand Cherokee can be a daunting task, especially if you want a Jeep Grand Cherokee engine that will not disappoint you, in this article, we will help you narrow down your research to the best Jeep Grand Cherokee engine that deserves your attention.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee has been around since 1992, so the Jeep marque of Stellantis has had plenty of time to perfect the Jeep Grand Cherokee engine, when compared with its competitors in the Compact SUV market, the 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee is competitively placed when we focus on its performance, efficiency, technological innovation, and value.
What Kind of Engine Does a Jeep Grand Cherokee Have?
There are three engine options for the 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee, the 3.6L Pentastar V6 Engine, a 5.7 HEMI V8 Engine, and a 2.0L I4 DOHC DI Turbo PHEV Engine with 375 hp and 470-pound feet of torque for the 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe. The 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT has a 6.4L SRT V8 engine and the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk has a Supercharged 6.2L HEMI V8 Engine.
Jeep Grand Cherokee Engine Options
See the chart below for 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee Engine Options and Specifications.
| Engine | Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe 2.0L I4 DOHC DI Turbo PHEV Engine | Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.6L Pentastar® V6 Engine | Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7L HEMI® V8 Engine | Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT 6.4L SRT® V8 Engine | Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk Supercharged 6.2L V8 Engine |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Horsepower | 375 hp | 293 hp | 357 hp | 475 hp | 707 hp |
| Torque (lb.-ft) | 470 lb-ft | 260 lb-ft | 390 lb-ft | 470 lb-ft | 645 lb-ft |
| EPA Estimates City/Highway | 23/24 City/Highway | 19/26 City/Highway | 14/22 City/Highway | 13/19 City/Highway | 11/17 City/Highway |
| Towing Capacity | 6,000 pounds | 6,200 pounds | 7,200 pounds | 7,200 pounds | 7,200 pounds |
| 0-60 Acceleration | 5.7 seconds | 7.5 seconds | 6.1 seconds | 4.5 seconds | 3.5 seconds |
What Engine Does my Jeep Grand Cherokee Have?
To know the type of engine in your Jeep Grand Cherokee, you must find the VIN of your Jeep Grand Cherokee, you can find the VIN of your Jeep Grand Cherokee attached to the top left side of the instrument panel.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee VIN contains 17 characters that provide data concerning the Jeep, you will need a VIN Decoder & Lookup to get information including the year of manufacturer, Jeep type, body style, engine size and type, model, assembly plant, and model year.
If you are buying a new or used Jeep Grand Cherokee, we have a summarized list of tables and Jeep Grand Cherokee Engines’ history from 1993 to the present in the tables below:
2021 to Present Jeep Grand Cherokee Engine Options.
| JEEP Grand Cherokee | Jeep Grand Cherokee Engine | Horsepower |
| Hybrid | 2.0L Turbo PHEV 1AT | 375 HP |
| Gasoline | 3.6L Pentastar V6 8AT | 293 HP |
| Gasoline | 3.6L Pentastar V6 8AT 4WD | 293 HP |
| Gasoline | 5.7L V8 4×4 8AT | 357 HP |
2020 to Present Jeep Grand Cherokee L Engine Options.
| JEEP Grand Cherokee L | Jeep Grand Cherokee L Engine | Horsepower |
| Gasoline | 3.6L V6 4×4 | 290 HP |
| Gasoline | 5.7L V8 4×4 8AT | 357 HP |
2018 to Present Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk Engine Options.
| JEEP Grand Cherokee Trackhawk | Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk Engine | Horsepower |
| Gasoline | 6.2L HEMI V8 8AT AWD | (719 HP) |
2013-2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Engine Options.
| JEEP Grand Cherokee SRT | Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Engine | Horsepower |
| Gasoline | 6.4L HEMI V8 8AT | 470 HP |
2013-2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee Engine Options.
| JEEP Grand Cherokee | Jeep Grand Cherokee Engine | Horsepower |
| Diesel | 3.0L V6 EcoDiesel 2WD 8AT | 243 HP |
| Diesel | 3.0L V6 EcoDiesel 4WD 8AT | 243 HP |
| Gasoline | 3.6L V6 2WD 8AT | 284 HP |
| Gasoline | 3.6L V6 4WD 8AT | 284 HP |
| Gasoline | 5.7L V8 2WD 8AT | 364 HP |
| Gasoline | 5.7L V8 4WD 8AT | 364 HP |
2012-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 Engine Options.
| JEEP Grand Cherokee SRT8 | Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 Engine | Horsepower |
| Gasoline | 6.4L V8 5AT | 461 HP |
2010-2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee Engine Options.
| JEEP Grand Cherokee | Jeep Grand Cherokee Engine | Horsepower |
| Diesel | 3.0L CRD 5AT AWD | 190 HP |
| Diesel | 3.0L CRD 5AT AWD | 241 HP |
| Diesel | 3.0L EcoDiesel 8AT AWD | 240 HP |
| Diesel | 3.0L EcoDiesel 8AT FWD | 240 HP |
| Gasoline | 3.6L V6 6AT AWD | 286 HP |
| Gasoline | 5.7L V8 6AT AWD | 352 HP |
2006-2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 Engine Options.
| JEEP Grand Cherokee SRT8 | Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 Engine | Horsepower |
| Gasoline | 6.1L V8 5AT | 425 HP |
2005-2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee Engine Options.
| JEEP Grand Cherokee | Jeep Grand Cherokee Engine | Horsepower |
| Diesel | 3.0L V6 CRD 5AT AWD | 218 HP |
| Gasoline | 3.7L V6 5AT AWD | 201 HP |
| Gasoline | 4.7L V8 5AT AWD | 231 HP |
| Gasoline | 5.7L V8 5AT AWD | 326 HP |
2003-2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee Engine Options.
| JEEP Grand Cherokee | Jeep Grand Cherokee Engine | Horsepower |
| Diesel | 2.7L CRD 5AT AWD | 163 HP |
| Gasoline | 4.0L V6 4AT AWD | 190 HP |
| Gasoline | 4.7L V8 5AT AWD | 225 HP |
1999-2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee Engine Options.
| JEEP Grand Cherokee | Jeep Grand Cherokee Engine | Horsepower |
| Diesel | 2.7L CRD 5AT | 163 HP |
| Diesel | 3.1L TD 4AT | 150 HP |
| Gasoline | 4.0L 4AT | 190HP |
| Gasoline | 4.0L 4AT | 195HP |
| Gasoline | 4.7L V8 4AT | 230HP |
| Gasoline | 4.7L V8 5AT | 225HP |
1993-1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee Engine Options.
| JEEP Grand Cherokee | Jeep Grand Cherokee Engine | Horsepower |
| Diesel | 2.5L TD 4AT | 116 HP |
| Gasoline | 4.0L V6 4AT | 184 HP |
| Gasoline | 5.2L V8 4AT | 211 HP |
| Gasoline | 5.9L V8 4AT | 237 HP |
Which Engine is Best in Jeep Cherokee?
There are three factors you will need to consider when choosing the best Jeep Cherokee engine, when purchasing a used Jeep Cherokee, you will need to check for a quality engine that is well maintained according to the Jeep maintenance schedule, and an engine with fewer engine issues, it’s also important to check for the reliability of the engine, and how the engine has maintained its quality over the years of being used.
When shopping for Jeep Grand Cherokee with newer engines you will need to consider features, engine reliability, and the cost of owning the engine such as maintenance, repairs, ease of use, and Jeep insurance costs.
Jeep Grand Cherokee 4XE Plug-in Hybrid Engine.
(Best in Fuel Economy)
The Jeep Grand Cherokee features a 2.0L I4 DOHC DI Turbo PHEV Engine found in the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4Xe that focuses on fuel economy and is sufficient for daily driving, it offers three driving modes on base models such as E Selec system: Hybrid, Electric, and eSave.
According to a survey by consumer reports 53% of used and new car buyers want a fuel-efficient vehicle and the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4XE plug-in hybrid tops the list of the most fuel-efficient Jeep Grand Cherokee engines.
The engine has an EPA of 49 mpg-e meaning it can get you 49 miles on electric, and 23 city/24 highway MPG once that range is depleted. 49 miles can get most people to work in the morning and get them back home without using gas saving them a lot when it comes to gas costs.
We have also used the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4XE plug-in hybrid engine on Jeep Trails and the 2.0L I4 DOHC DI Turbo PHEV instant torque did not disappoint and it served us well when rock climbing on our 4xe.
If you are into Jeep Cherokee Overlanding, and you need a compact SUV for towing your Jeep towed trailer, the 2.0L I4 DOHC DI Turbo PHEV Engine can only tow 6,000 pounds with its 375 horsepower and 470 lb.-ft of torque.
Depending on your towing needs the 2.0L I4 DOHC DI Turbo PHEV Engine offers the least towing capabilities compared to the 3.6L Pentastar® V6 Engine which can tow 6,500 pounds, and 5.7L HEMI® V8, 6.4L SRT® V8, supercharged 6.2L V8 Engines towing up to 7,500 pounds.
Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.6L Pentastar® V6 Engine.
(Best Electric Jeep Alternative)
The 3.6L Pentastar® V6 Engine was introduced in the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and its one of the most reliable Jeep Grand Cherokee engines with fewer engine problems and manual options, the 3.6L V6 will save you on repair costs once you follow the Jeep engine maintenance schedule.
Compared with the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe 2.0L I4 DOHC DI Turbo PHEV Engine, the Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.6L Pentastar® V6 Engine consumes more fuel at 19/26 City/Highway with no option of shifting to all-electric jeep mode, in terms of fuel economy we would at any time choose the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4XE plug-in hybrid engine.
If you are looking for an electric Jeep alternative, we would recommend getting yourself the Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.6L Pentastar® V6 Engine, it offers the same performance and has decent fuel economy compared to the 5.7L HEMI® V8, SRT 6.4L SRT® V8, and the 6.2L V8 Engine.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe plug-in hybrid engine is reliable, and efficient and comes standard in all Jeep Cherokee Trim levels, it has 295 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque that’s sufficient for occasional Jeep off-roading and daily driving in the city.
The towing capacity of the 3.6L Pentastar® V6 Engine is only 6,200 a small increase from the 4XE plug-in hybrid engine, for most Jeep Overlanders who have small Jeep Trailers, we would highly consider the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe plug-in hybrid engine over the 3.6L Pentastar® V6 Engine, the difference in towing capacity is very small and we would rather save money on fuel when towing.
Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7L HEMI® V8 Engine.
(Best Overall)
The Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7L HEMI® V8 Engine is one the most sought engines by Jeepers looking to swap their engines, this is because it offers optimal off-road and on-road performance and the best balance between towing capabilities, and dependable, and reliable performance.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee is one of the best off-roading and Overlanding SUVS, or simply getaway vehicles off the grid, for these reasons you might be looking for a reliable Jeep Cherokee engine that will be able to be dependable off the grid, and deliver solid performance with its 357 hp and 390 lb.-ft of torque that will allow visiting all Jeep Trails without having to worry about the performance of your engine and its capabilities.
If you are into Overlanding and would like to tow your trailer, the Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7L HEMI® V8 Engine is built for strength and can tow up to 7,500 pounds of the towed vehicle and its loaded cargo. If you are looking for a family getaway Jeep Cherokee, the Jeep Grand Cherokee with a 5.7L HEMI® V8 Engine is the best Jeep for you and you can tow Jeep Hitch racks on the rear of your Jeep
Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT 6.4L SRT® V8 Engine.
(Performance Runner-up)
For those looking for high-performance Jeep Grand Cherokee engines, the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT 6.4L SRT® V8 Engine is the second best after the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk Supercharged 6.2L V8 Engine.
We would recommend the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT 6.4L SRT® V8 Engine to off-roaders, Overlanders, and daily drivers who are into occasional driving to their favorite Jeep trails. The engine is a reliable engine with legendary off-road capability and agility. It offers 475 horsepower and 470-pound feet of torque that can withstand the tough terrains you will encounter off-roading.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT 6.4L SRT® V8 Engine is expensive to maintain and purchase and will eat up your gas and maintenance costs, considering its MPG of 13/19 City/Highway it’s not the best fuel economic Jeep Grand Cherokee engine in the market.
Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk Supercharged 6.2L V8 Engine.
(Best Performance)
The most powerful engine on the Jeep Grand Cherokee is the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk Supercharged 6.2L V8 Engine, we recommend the engine to extreme off-roaders, rock crawlers, and Overlanders with Overland campers that need powerful horsepower to tow.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk Supercharged 6.2L V8 Engine is also perfect for families looking for a family-friendly SUV with off-road and on-road capabilities beyond what is currently available in the SUV market.
For off-roaders (especially rock crawlers) and Overlanders, the Supercharged 6.2L V8 Engine is super responsive, and very powerful to pull you through elements and obstacles in your trails, for Jeep Camping off the grid, Overlanders can make use of the 707 horsepower and 645 pound-feet of torque to tow trailers, boats, campers, and motorhomes with unadulterated power and performance.
It’s important to note that the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk Supercharged 6.2L V8 Engine is expensive to maintain, and purchase and will consume more gas at 11/17 City/Highway, that’s 100% higher MPG compared to the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe plug-in hybrid of 23/24 City/Highway.
About the Author: James Ndungu
James Ndungu is a seasoned automotive professional with a deep passion for Jeeps. With 40 years of experience in owning, testing, and reviewing various Jeep models, James has gained extensive first-hand knowledge and expertise. He shares his insights, tips, and advice through his engaging writing, helping fellow Jeep enthusiasts navigate the exciting world of Jeeps.
