2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee V8 Discontinued

The majority of two-row midsize SUVs are available with turbocharged four-cylinder engines with V6 engines being the more powerful option. The Jeep Grand Cherokee isn’t like other SUVs in the segment. It comes with a V6 engine as standard and is offered with either a plug-in hybrid powertrain or a burly V8. Unfortunately, it looks like Jeep will be dropping the available V8 engine on the Grand Cherokee as a sign of where the model is heading in the future.

Last September, Jeep Vice President Jim Morrison told Motor Authority that the Grand Cherokee’s V8 engine would only be around for a limited time. Now, the outlet claims that the V8 option for the Grand Cherokee has disappeared in the middle of the 2023 model year.

The Grand Cherokee used to be available with a 5.7-liter V8 engine that makes 357 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque. It was one of the few available V8 engines in the midsize segment and one of the more powerful engines available. The V8 engine was a hefty $3,795 upgrade over the base V6, but brought a massive upgrade in performance, as the 3.6-liter V6 engine is rated at 293 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque.

As the outlet points out, the V8 has disappeared from the 2023 Grand Cherokee’s configurator, leaving the V6 engine for the regular lineup. The Grand Cherokee L, which is the three-row version of the Grand Cherokee is still available with the 5.7-liter V8 engine, but it’s only offered as a $3,995 option on the Reserve trim.

Kristin Starnes, a Jeep spokesperson, told Motor Authority that dealers and consumers would not be able to configure a two-row Grand Cherokee with a V8 engine anymore. With the V8 engine getting the axe, Jeep sees the available 4xe PHEV as the way for consumers to get an upgrade with their SUV. The PHEV model comes with a turbo 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and two electric motors for 375 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque.

With Jeep looking to come out with more electrified models in the future and the automotive industry moving toward electrified vehicles as a whole, there’s no space for a V8 anymore. Especially not in a segment where no other SUV is offered with one.

We don’t think many people will find the available plug-in hybrid powertrain to be down on power compared to the V8, but it doesn’t offer the same towing capacity. With the V8, the Grand Cherokee could tow up to 7,200 pounds, while the PHEV caps out at 6,000 pounds. The V6 can tow up to 6,200 pounds.

The Grand Cherokee 4xe is also a lot more expensive than a model with a V8. The cheapest V8-powered Grand Cherokee used to be the Overland which cost $62,785. A similarly equipped Grand Cherokee 4xe Overland costs $69,675.

Source: Motor Authority

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