Jeep Confirms That the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk Will Make Its Return This Year

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      Attention off-road enthusiasts: the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk is making its return! Well, almost. Since Jeep phased out its 4xe plug-in hybrid powertrain, this 4x4-focused model has been missing from the lineup. However, Jeep announced on Friday that this absence will come to an end later this year.

      The ongoing changes in the Grand Cherokee lineup have unfortunately left the only serious off-road variant without a place. This clearly indicates that the Trailhawk will reappear with a new powertrain, but Jeep has not specified which one. In fact, they shared very little detail regarding the vaguely cropped teaser image.

      “Today, we are thrilled to confirm that the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk will be coming later this year,” the company stated. “Enclosed is your first look at the Trail Rated model as the brand continues its new product surge with valued Jeep content, capability, and more, reflecting the brand’s purpose-built identity.”

      Realistically, several possibilities could unfold. This generation of the Grand Cherokee has been offered with the Pentastar V6, the Hemi V8, the 4xe plug-in hybrid, and most recently, the new “Hurricane” inline-4. The 4xe is no longer in production, which is what led us to this situation. That leaves us with the I4 and V6, both of which are currently in production, alongside the inactive Hemi V8—the return of which Jeep has previously hinted at.

      We don’t want to raise anyone’s expectations too much, but consider this: the 4xe effectively replaced the Hemi in the Grand Cherokee lineup. It was the high-power, high-torque engine that ended up in the most exciting model. This one.

      If you were in Jeep's position and aimed to make a significant impact without overspending, which model would you choose to launch it in?

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