Cars & Concepts

Jeep's lineup goes big — and small

2019 Jeep Cherokee (FCA US LLC/© 2017 FCA US LLC)
September 17, 2018 05:00 AM

Jeep will add a midsize pickup, a pair of new luxury SUVs and potentially three-row versions of both the Cherokee and Grand Cherokee to replace the Dodge Journey and Dodge Durango. And if that isn't enough, FCA's most valuable mass-market brand also will bring an A-segment vehicle to the U.S. to slot below the Renegade.

Jeepster: This A-segment starter Jeep is mainly designed for Europe and markets outside the U.S., but it will be offered to dealers as a way to introduce the brand to younger customers. It should arrive in the U.S. in 2020.

Renegade: A lightly freshened Renegade is due in the U.S. this year, while a redesign of the subcompact crossover featuring an optional plug-in hybrid powertrain is slated for 2020.

Compass: Redesigned for the 2017 model year, the Compass compact crossover won't get a freshening until 2019. Figure 2022 for the next redesign.

Wrangler: After its much-heralded redesign in 2018, the Wrangler will receive a diesel-powered variant in 2019 and an optional plug-in hybrid powertrain in 2020. But the next full redesign is a decade away.

Cherokee: The hot-selling midsize SUV greatly benefited from a styling refresh this year. A redesign is due in 2020. A three-row variant could arrive in late 2019 if FCA rebadges the Dodge Journey as a Jeep. It would be based on the current Cherokee, and so it could end up looking a lot like a toned-down version of the Jeep Grand Commander built in China for that market. However, the vehicle could remain a Dodge.

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Grand Cherokee: The next generation of the large SUV is planned for 2020, when it will move onto the Alfa Romeo Giorgio platform. A three-row variant could be added in 2021, replacing the Dodge Durango.

Wagoneer/GrandWagoneer: These are trim levels of the same vehicle, body-on-frame premium-level SUVs that return to the Jeep lineup in 2020 and are aimed squarely at the GMC Yukon and Lincoln Navigator. The Grand Wagoneer is the higher trim level.

Midsize pickup: The only thing still undecided about the brand's first pickup in a generation is what it will be called — the Scrambler name could be resurrected. The Wrangler-based midsize pickup goes into production in late 2018 and will arrive on U.S. dealer lots in early 2019. It will be all Wrangler up front, with two rows of seating, a Dana solid axle and all of the iconic off-roader's suspension goodies. The rear will get a 5-foot bed and a softer suspension to keep it firmly planted on the road. The pickup will share the Wrangler's powertrain and 4x4 systems.

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