2026 Jeep Cherokee vs 2025 Land Rover Defender

The 2025 Defender lineup includes the 90, 110, and 130. The 90 is the short and stubby two-door, the 110 is the standard four-door, and the 130 is the extended four-door. They’re available with turbocharged four-cylinder and six-cylinder engines, as well as a turbocharged or supercharged V8. They’re all equipped for off-roading right out of the box, but you can add more tech for more challenging situations. The big news for this model year is the high-performance 2025 Land Rover Defender OCTA.

Verdict: There is a Land Rover Defender for almost anyone, and any of them can take you farther into the wilderness than you expect. They’re rugged but refined, comfortable yet capable, and plenty of fun to drive. But the Defender comes at a cost, both on the window sticker and at the pump.

The Jeep Cherokee returns for the 2026 model year after a two-year hiatus. It’s once again a compact crossover SUV aimed at popular models such as the Honda CR-V and the Toyota RAV4, but it features more traditional styling than its predecessor. That’s not the only thing about the Cherokee that got a major rethink. This is also the first Cherokee — and the only current North American-market Jeep — with a hybrid powertrain.

Verdict: The redesigned Cherokee successfully merges traditional Jeep styling with the winning template for mainstream crossover SUVs.