The V-8 engine is now completely dead in the Grand Cherokee, marking a notable moment for buyers looking to choose the engine for towing.
Near the end of the 2024 model year for the Jeep Grand Cherokee L the automaker quietly and unceremoniously killed the optional V-8 engine option.
On Tuesday, a Jeep spokesperson confirmed to Motor Authority the optional 5.7-liter V-8 was phased out of the 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee L lineup during the third quarter—the current quarter. An exact timeline wasn't provided. But consumers can no longer place an order for a Grand Cherokee L with a V-8.
In September 2021, Jim Morrison, who was at the time the vice president of Jeep, told Motor Authority the Grand Cherokee's V-8's time was limited. At the time it wasn't clear how limited.
The automaker quietly discontinued the V-8 engine option in the two-row Grand Cherokee in the middle of 2023. Jeep views the more powerful plug-in hybrid 4xe as the V-8's replacement. The 5.7-liter V-8 was rated at 357 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque, while the 4xe checks in with 375 hp and 470 lb-ft.
As it was with the two-row Grand Cherokee before it was discontinued, the V-8 was only an option in upper Overland, Summit, and Summit Reserve models.
The Jeep spokesperson told Motor Authority the V-8's take rate was less than 4% during the engine's last full year of availability.
The V-8 increased the Grand Cherokee's maximum towing rating to 7,200 pounds. The standard V-6 has a rating of 6,200 pounds in both the two-row Grand Cherokee and three-row Grand Cherokee L. The 4xe, which is currently only available in the two-row Grand Cherokee but is expected to arrive in the three-row Grand Cherokee L imminently, has a towing rating of 6,000 pounds.
It's widely expected that Jeep's new twin-turbo inline-6 will replace the V-8 in the Grand Cherokee. The Grand Cherokee is set for a refresh for 2026 with a mild facelift, the 4xe powertrain option in the three-row Grand Cherokee L, and the turbo-6 engine option in upper trim models.
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