Jeep Kills V8 Grand Cherokee L, Leaving V6 As The Only Option

Jeep has quietly axed the 5.7-liter naturally-aspirated V8 from the 2024 Grand Cherokee L, meaning it is now only available with the firm’s aging 3.6-liter naturally-aspirated Pentastar V6.

Dropping this engine from the line-up was only a matter of time. Jeep scrapped the V8 option in the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer last year and has also dropped it from the two-row Grand Cherokee. The carmaker recently confirmed the 5.7-liter was “phased out” for the Grand Cherokee L last quarter, although it didn’t provide an exact date for when the final V8 example rolled off the production line.

Read: Facelifted Jeep Grand Cherokee Spied Hiding New Look And Interior

The V8 was the ideal option for those looking to tow, thanks to its impressive 7,200 lb (3,265 kg) towing capacity, a full 1,000 lbs (454 kg) more than the V6-equipped Grand Cherokee L, Motor Authority reports. However, Jeep says that less than 4% of customers opted for the V8 during its last full year of availability, so clearly, there wasn’t a lot of demand for it.

While the 3.6-liter V6 is the sole remaining engine available for the Grand Cherokee L, it won’t remain that way for long. The smaller, two-row Grand Cherokee can be optioned with a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder and a pair of electric motors, for combined 270 hp and 279 lb-ft (378 Nm). This version is known as the 4xe, and while this powertrain isn’t yet available for the three-row version, it is expected to be added to the line-up soon.

One engine we’d love to see Jeep add to the Grand Cherokee range is the 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged straight-six Hurricane that premiered in the Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer. This engine can deliver as much as 510 hp and 500 lb-ft (678 Nm) and could give us a legitimate successor to the V8-powered Grand Cherokee models.