One of my first cars was a Jeep. It was a 1989 Cherokee that came after my wacky Mitsubishi Starion gave up its electrified ghost. That Jeep was spartan with a couple seats, quarter-panel windows that spun in a circle, and a floor-mounted 5-speed with a lever approximately 18 feet long. That was the last time I spent significant time with a Jeep, one I absolutely adored. The 2026 Grand Cherokee Summit that I recently romped around in for a week is listed in Roget’s Thesaurus as the antonym of spartan. Jeep has come a long way in 37 years.
The, Um, Summit Of The Grand Cherokee Lineup
Summit models sit over all other Grand Cherokees with a price tag of about $62,000. Refreshed for 2026 with the usual round-up of a freshened face, new paint jobs, and other minor touches, it remains an unmistakable Jeep. The biggest news has to be the four-cylinder engine under the hood that comes standard on Limited and Summit models. I’ll admit, the idea of Jeep’s fanciest GC running a 2.0L turbocharged four-pot had me concerned about Stellantis’ mental state. Keep in mind, the HEMI hath returned, and a wickedly powerful twin-turbo straight-6 currently exists in the automaker’s lineup.
Jeep Debuts The Hurricane 4 Turbo
But this is no ordinary little four-cylinder. Well, it is little on the displacement scale. But its Hurricane 4 Turbo moniker is well-earned. Blending a huge array of ICE tech - turbulent jet ignition from Maserati, a variable geometry snail capable of 35 psi, and plasma transfer wire arc cylinder bore coatings, to name a few - this little 2.0-liter beast makes 324 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque. That translates to a specific output of 162 hp/L, which nearly matches a Lambo Urus (before it went full PHEV).
It makes unusual sounds when pressed, but not the thrashy garble you might expect. Instead, it’s growly and aggressive. Noises that sound good and provide enough oomph to move this 2-row SUV around with ease. At least under power. I found a bit more vibration at idle than I’d like to see in a semi-luxury rig like this and some stuttering while pulling away at low speed. It does run on regular and can tow the same 6,200 pounds as its ancient Pentastar V6 cousin, but for all that mechanical jazz, the Hurricane 4 is only marginally better on fuel than the V6. I saw 19 mpg in mixed driving.
Air Suspension For The Cushy Ride Win
Ride comfort is excellent, even with big 21” wheels mounted. Chalk it up to the adaptive air suspension, which is capable of huge ground clearance swings, but also politely drops low for occupant entry and exit. That helps with smoothing out rough paved surfaces and offers the kind of off-road capability Jeep is known for. I did not have a chance to put this to the test, but max clearance measures 10.9”, the Selec-Terrain Management System has many drive modes, and the off-road pages are loaded with the kind of vehicle stats you’d want to see when running trails.
Luxury In Spades
As for luxury digs, the Grand Cherokee Summit knows what’s up. Tupelo-colored Palermo leather, real oak trim, “Liquid Chrome” inlays, and a suede headliner are typical automotive ritz. But these ingredients must be executed with a careful eye to look premium, and Jeep does just that. The climatized and massaging front buckets help, as does the huge sunroof and touches like illuminated McIntosh lettering on the speaker grilles - part of an epic audio system with components that also dial up the fancy.
So Many Easter Eggs!
One of Jeep’s signature moves is hiding Easter eggs in its vehicles. I’m not a member of the It’s A Jeep Thing You Wouldn’t Understand bumper sticker club, but I still love these nerdy hidden notes. By my count, there are 8 Easter eggs in the 2026 Grand Cherokee:
Two Willy’s silhouettes - one behind the fuel door and another on the back side window
A map of Detroit’s M1 highway in the engine bay, along with a 313 area code callout
A little logo inside the windshield
“Since 1941” etched into the end of the dashboard
The front grille design replicated along the center console lid, and when you activate the cupholder keyholder trick
And finally, a lineup of all the current Grand Cherokee generations silhouetted in the other back side window
I appreciate how much work Jeep did to make this happen and hope that I missed some. Also appreciated is the throwback HDMI port in the center console. In conjunction with the 10” QLED screen integrated within the passenger-side dash and household-style outlet, you can hook up an Apple TV and watch your favorite shows. Very cool.
Technology Overload
Less liked is the overwhelming amount of technology on hand. Individually, these systems are excellent. Crisp 12” central touchscreen. Fully digital instrument panel. Helpful night vision. Head-up display. Digital rearview mirror. But when all 5 are going at once, it can be a mind-melter with so much data to absorb. Of course, you can switch some off to ease the melting, but I have found my personal limit on digital interfaces while driving. Specifically when the live streams of night vision (showing what’s out front) and the camera-based rearview mirror (what’s out back) are running at the same time.
Other noteworthy Grand Cherokee highlights are the strong, easily modulated brakes, the Steel Blue finish (new for 2026!) with black roof option that looks the stuff, and Jeep’s hands-free driving tech, which is crazy good.
An All-American Range Rover
I recently drove a Range Rover Sport. It was very nice and cost about $98,000. I’d argue you’re getting as nice a vehicle with equally serious off-roading chops in the Grand Cherokee, to the tune of at least $30,000 less. This Jeep is as American as the Range Rover is British, which may impact decision-making for some, but if you’re shopping high-dollar four-wheelers, the 2026 Grand Cherokee Summit should be on your list.
About the author: Niel Stender is an automotive journalist. More of his work can be found at muckrack.com/niel-stender