Next-generation Jeep Cherokee 2029: STLA One platform, Belvidere production, release timeline

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The Jeep Cherokee barely returned to the market, and its successor already has a production date. The next-generation crossover is set to enter production in the second half of 2029 — roughly four years after the current model debuted. That’s an unusually short cycle for a modern model, and Carscoops suggests the 2026 Cherokee may skip a full mid-cycle refresh entirely.

It’s not just the styling that will change. The current Cherokee is built on the STLA Large platform and uses a 1.6-liter hybrid powertrain rated at 210 hp. The next generation will be the first vehicle built in the United States on the new STLA One architecture, and production will move from the Toluca plant in Mexico to the Belvidere Assembly plant in Illinois. Stellantis is preparing to invest more than $800 million to restart the facility.

STLA One matters more here than the relocation itself. Stellantis says the platform is designed for B, C and D-segment vehicles and a range of powertrains. For electric vehicles, it supports LFP batteries, cell-to-body integration and 800-volt architecture. The company expects the new platform to cut costs by roughly 20%.

Which powertrains the 2029 Cherokee will get hasn’t been disclosed yet. The Belvidere plant is expected to handle multiple powertrain variants, so an electric version is possible, though nothing has been confirmed for the Cherokee. Meanwhile, the current hybrid remains a fully capable product on its own — SPEEDME.RU previously covered the details of its new electrified transmission.

Pilot production in Illinois is planned for the first half of 2028, with retail production targeted for the second half of 2029. That means buyers of the current Cherokee aren’t getting an outdated vehicle — they’re getting a generation with a defined shelf life: within a few years, the plant, the architecture, and potentially the powertrain lineup will all change.