The Jeep Grand Cherokee has a long history—and with it, a long engine history. There have been periods where the engine designs and options changed almost annually as Jeep sought to fine-tune the offerings. Trim availability and the engines they came with saw regular updates, too. If you are interested in a used Jeep Grand Cherokee for sale, these constant changes can make it difficult to find the SUV with the power you want.
I’ve seen the struggle of finding a needle in a used-vehicle haystack, and I decided to make the shopping process easier for prospective Grand Cherokee owners. Beginning with the debut of the fourth-gen midsize crossover in 2011, this guide looks at the Grand Cherokee engine options by model year, along with trim/engine combinations and other notable powertrain updates. I hope this synopsis will assist readers in their search for the right used SUV.
2011
As part of a major redesign that transformed the vehicle into a modern SUV, the fourth-generation Grand Cherokee WK2 also revamped the engine lineup. This iteration began with two engine choices that remained mainstays of the lineup well into the current decade:
- The main engine was the new 3.6L Pentastar V6, offering 290 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. It was the standard option on the Grand Cherokee Laredo, Limited, and Overland. In addition to providing plenty of power, it offered a remarkable for the day 18 MPG combined.
- The optional high-output choice was a 5.7L HEMI V8 with 360 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque. However, the added power dropped the fuel economy to 16 MPG combined. Both the 3.6L and 5.7L engines came with a five-speed automatic transmission.
2012
With the introduction of the high-performance Grand Cherokee SRT8 (Street and Racing Technology), Jeep gave the model an engine worthy of that designation. The new 6.4L HEMI V8 made 470 hp and 465 lb-ft of torque. It used the same five-speed automatic transmission as the 3.6L Pentastar, while the 5.7L HEMI was switched to a six-speed automatic. The other two engine designs were unchanged.
2013
Although the engine designs did not change, the trim lineup expanded greatly, and the engine availability depended on the trim. Here’s how everything broke down:
- The Laredo, Limited, Overland, Overland Summit, and Trailhawk had the 3.6L Pentastar V6 standard and the 5.7L HEMI V8 as an optional upgrade.
- The SRT8 continued to have the 6.4L HEMI V8 as the only available engine.
2014
As part of a mid-cycle refresh, the engine/powertrain lineup was increased and modified.
- The high-output 3.0L EcoDiesel V6 engine, previously only sold in export markets, was now offered to American customers, providing 420 lb-ft of torque and 25 MPG combined. It could be added to the Grand Cherokee Overland and Summit, giving these trims three engine choices.
- The Laredo trims could now only be purchased with the 3.6L Pentastar V6.
- The SRT8 was renamed simply the SRT but continued to be the only trim with the 6.4L HEMI V8.
- All engines were now connected to an eight-speed automatic transmission, improving fuel economy across the board to as much as 20 MPG combined for the base 3.6L Pentastar.
2015
The 6.4L HEMI V8 in the Grand Cherokee SRT was tweaked slightly, boosting output to 475 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. However, the rest of the engine lineup went unchanged for the 2015 model year.
2016
This model year, it was the 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine’s turn for a tweak, with the output increased to 295 hp (torque was still 260 lb-ft) and auto start/stop added. Beyond this, Jeep reduced the Grand Cherokee’s curb weight and added other features like reduced rolling resistance and electric power steering to improve handling and fuel efficiency for all engines except for the 6.4L HEMI V8.
2018
As it turned out, an uneventful 2017 that saw no changes to the Grand Cherokee engine options was to set the stage for a huge 2018 model year. Jeep debuted the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, which featured the same 6.2L supercharged HEMI V8 as the Challenger and Charger Hellcat muscle cars. This engine produced a whopping 707 hp and 645 lb-ft of torque with a purpose-built transmission and 4×4 system, making it the most powerful engine ever in a Jeep SUV. The other four engines stayed the same, continuing to provide a good mix of power and efficiency across the trim lineup.
2020
The 2019 model year again saw no changes, with the five-engine lineup carrying over unchanged. However, in 2020, the US market bade farewell to the EcoDiesel engine, cutting the portfolio back to four engine choices. The trim lineup, on the other hand, expanded again with options like the Grand Cherokee North Edition and Limited X. However, the 6.4L HEMI and 6.2L supercharged HEMI were still one-trim-only engines.
2021
Although 2021 marked the debut of the fifth-generation three-row Grand Cherokee L, Jeep held off on engine changes—perhaps because, in an automotive rarity, the fourth-generation Grand Cherokee was being sold concurrently. However, all fifth-gen Grand Cherokees from this model year were available with either the 3.6L Pentastar or 5.7L HEMI—the 6.4L HEMI and 6.2L supercharged HEMI didn’t make it to the new generation.
2022
The two-row Grand Cherokee WL arrived this year—though production of the Grand Cherokee WK continued for the Laredo E, Laredo X, and Limited trims. With the WL came some new engine choices and designs. The 3.6L Pentastar V6 remained the baseline, now making 293 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. The 5.7L HEMI V8 was still the upgrade, but the output was lower at 357 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque.
Most importantly, Jeep introduced the Grand Cherokee 4xe PHEV, which combined a 2.0L turbo-four engine with an electric motor for 375 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. The 4xe powertrain was available on the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk, Overland, Summit, and Summit Reserve, along with a 4xe Base trim. Horsepower fiends, though, were disappointed by the Grand Cherokee SRT and Trackhawk being discontinued, taking the 6.4L HEMI and 6.2L supercharged HEMI engines with them.
2023
All the engines from 2022 carried over, with one major catch—the 5.7L HEMI was no longer available in the two-row Grand Cherokee, becoming restricted to the three-row Grand Cherokee L. This meant that if you wanted more power in a two-row model, you needed to upgrade to the 4xe PHEV.
2025
Jeep slimmed the engine lineup down again in 2025, bidding adieu to the 5.7L HEMI V8 in the Grand Cherokee L as part of a larger Stellantis shift away from eight-cylinder internal combustion engines. This leaves the venerable 3.6L Pentastar V6 and the 4xe PHEV upgrade as the two available options for the current model year.
A Grand Cherokee With Your Kind of Power
The benefits of buying a used vehicle only go so far if it’s not a vehicle that does what you need it to. Getting a used Grand Cherokee without enough power will curtail your driving experience, leaving you short on speed, torque, or towing ability. Conversely, a model with too much power is a waste of money and may be difficult to control. Before heading to your local used Jeep dealer, consult this guide to know what engines may be available in the model years and trims on the lot. Since many trims had a choice of engines, be sure to confirm with the salesperson so there’s no doubt about what you’re diving into.
