Jeep Grand Cherokee 2026 News

It’s a brand new year and brand new car buying thoughts turn to vehicle build plates. Dealers are keen to shift their existing stock before prior year manufacturing dates become a millstone around their automotive necks.But what if the model in question has been publicly put to the sword and it’s not just a matter of a ‘2025 Plate Clearance Sale’?Some of these cars may have been around for quite a while. In rare instances, slow sellers celebrating a birthday (or two?) in retail captivity, waiting hopefully for a new owner to take them to their forever home.These are affectionately referred to as zombie cars. Still offered for sale but the production tap may be about to be turned off, or it’s even been twisted to the right some time ago.If you’re looking for a cut-price new car and you don’t mind if it’s been sitting on the shelf for a period of time, here’s a rundown of some four-wheeled zombies to give you a little extra leverage when twisting a salesperson’s arm.BMW Z4 - This sleek two-seat roadster was developed in a joint-venture with Toyota that also spawned the (similarly discontinued) fifth-generation Supra.Production is scheduled to end this March with a ‘Frozen Matt Black’ Final Edition model     including four- and six-cylinder variants, the order window for the car opening and closing this month.But don’t get too excited. Sadly, the Final Edition won’t be available in Australia. However, there are still Z4’s on showroom floors here and there around the country. After all, three found homes in December last year. Get in quick!Fiat 500 - The internal combustion version of this diminutive Italian (in Fiat and Abarth form) ceased production in June 2024 thanks largely to EU safety regulations sending it out of bounds.A 500 Ibrida Hybrid is due to begin production imminently, but it’s quite a different car designed to supplement 500e production (global demand for which has been underwhelming) and riding on the same platform.The ICE car is still offered up on the Fiat Australia website, in 1.2L four-cylinder Dolcevita form at around $30,775, drive-away.Hyundai i20 N - Hyundai has made no bones about the fact its i20N hot hatch is kaput, with production scheduled to finish this March.But Hyundai Australia has reached into the cash drawer and ordered up enough cars to satisfy predicted local demand through 2026.So, this brilliant little performance car will be a zombie in name only. But we wouldn’t leave it too late to get your hands on one. With 150kW/275Nm in a brilliantly responsive compact package it’s not to be missed.Jaguar E-Pace / F-Type - There isn’t a car company on the planet that’s been more transparent about ending production of a current model. In fact, (almost) every one of its models!Jaguar suspended manufacturing of its then existing internal combustion cars in mid-2024  in preparation for a brave new all-electric, ultra-premium future… except for the F-Pace SUV, soldiering on at JLR’s Solihull plant.Amazingly, local sales of the E-Pace SUV grew four per cent year-on-year in 2025 despite the manufacturing halt. And examples of the stunning F-Pace sports car continue to trickle out into the world.Jeep Grand Cherokee - The Aussie axe fell on Jeep’s Grand Cherokee early last year, the once hugely popular model discontinued locally in response to a less than stellar sales performance after launching here in 2023.Part of the problem was a solid price hike for the fifth-gen version and having ripped off the Band-Aid by announcing its local departure, parent company Stellantis promptly dropped the price of the Limited variant to $60,000, drive-away (previously $72,950, before on-road costs).Lo and behold, year-on-year Grand Cherokee sales ticked up 4.3 per cent for 2025, but registration numbers are dwindling now. It’s still up on the website, so it might be the perfect time to move in for a super-sharp deal.Suzuki Ignis / S-Cross - The pocket-sized Ignis SUV was confirmed for departure from the Australian market in early 2025 in response to new Australian Design Rule (ADR) requirements mandating more advanced AEB performance.Examples of the 1.2-litre four-seat city SUV were still rolling out Suzuki showroom doors in December last year so there are cars floating around the brand’s retail network.Same story for the compact S-Cross crossover, which struggled with that ADR compliance and reached the end of the road production-wise around the same time. Again, a number are still finding homes close to 12 months after its death notice was issued.Toyota Fortuner - A clear oversupply of large three-row SUVs was tidied up by Toyota Australia with an announcement to confirm the axing of its Fortuner model in November last year. Which still leaves the Kluger, LandCruiser Prado and LandCruiser 300 as available seven-seat Toyota options.Sharing the same body-on-frame platform as the HiLux ute, the off-road capable Fortuner will finish production around the middle of this year.  The Fortuner battled for clear air in the mix with its in-house competition, attracting just 3407 customers in 2025, while the Ford Ranger-based Everest sold 26,161 units. 

Stellantis, the parent company that owns Jeep and Alfa Romeo among other car brands, will discontinue the sale of all plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV) in North America.In a statement issued by Stelantis the company cited a lack of demand for PHEVs as the reason for its decision to remove them from sale.“With customer demand shifting, Stellantis will phase out plug‑in hybrid (PHEV) programs in North America beginning with the 2026 model year, and focus on more competitive electrified solutions, including hybrid and range‑extended vehicles where they best meet customer needs.”Stellantis confirmed the decision would see plug-in hybrid versions of models discontinued, including the Jeep Wrangler 4xe, Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe and Alfa Romeo Tonale.Stellantis blames customer demand, but sales show the Wrangler 4xe to be the best-selling plug-in hybrid in the United States. Stellantis has been plagued with hybrid woes in the US, with the company issuing a recall as recently as November 2025 for a potential fire risk that affected more than 320,000 vehicles across the Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe and Wrangler 4xe ranges. In September, 2025, Jeep announced it would discontinue its plans for a PHEV version of its Gladiator ute before it had even gone into production.The move to pull PHEVs from its brands in the US is at odds with global trends, which show sales of hybrids, particularly PHEVs, increasing as demand for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) wanes.Stellantis said it will focus on building its BEV and regular hybrid ranges in North America. Stellantis’ decision to discontinue PHEVs in the US doesn’t affect Australia’s Jeep range mainly because the Jeep Grand Cherokee was axed in 2025, including the 4xe, and the Wrangler isn’t offered with plug-in hybrid power.The Jeep Compass is offered as a PHEV in Australia and will continue to be even when the new generation arrives because it will be produced in Europe and won’t be affected by the company’s US decision. Meanwhile the Avenger SUV is the only BEV offered by Jeep in Australia.As for the Alfa Romeo Tonale PHEV this was axed from the brand’s Australian line-up in 2025.

To write that Jeep is in trouble is not news. The American off-road brand has been in major decline in the Australian market for years.The real question is — can Jeep survive 2026? Because there is some hope beyond that, but first Jeep must make it there.Instead of thriving in this SUV-dominant era, Jeep has found itself struggling to retain buyers or find news ones. The decision to drop the Grand Cherokee, once the backbone of the brand in Australia and the best-selling large SUV just over a decade ago, was seen as a sign parent company, Stellantis, is preparing a retreat from Australia.The brand is adamant that is not the case and the late 2025 introduction of the 2026 Gladiator and the incoming updated Wrangler are a sign the brand isn't ready to quit yet.Jeep could continue on selling its two core models, the reality is those would be lucky to each pass 1000 sales annually, leaving the brand in a precarious position with the Grand Cherokee gone.Instead, Jeep has to spend 2026 holding on for a better future. There is hope on the horizon, in the form of the new-generation Compass, which was revealed in early 2025 and was originally touted as coming in ‘26, but a Jeep Australia spokesperson told CarsGuide no official timing has been locked in.While it could sneak in by the end of ‘26, it’s more likely to be ‘27 by the time the Compass arrives. When it does, it would finally give the brand a fresh small SUV to compete in one of the biggest segments of the market, where the current model is literally one of the least popular models.The new Compass is bigger and more spacious than the current model and sits on the same underpinnings as the Peugeot E-3008 and E-5008, so it will introduce European-style ride and comfort; something that could help woo buyers back to Jeep.Fortunately for Jeep Australia, while there will be an all-electric variant, Jeep is also offering the new Compass with hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains to give it broad appeal.Will this be enough to revive Jeep’s fortunes in Australia? Unfortunately not, at least not unless the new Compass is a runaway sales success. But it does have the potential to give the brand a much needed boost.Certainly more than the electric Avenger has done or the possible addition of the Recon mid-size electric SUV or larger, more premium Wagoneer S have the potential to do.It’s telling that the Grand Cherokee is on-track to remain the brand’s best-selling model in 2025, despite being axed as early as March. The Wrangler may be iconic, but it’s an extremely niche vehicle, and the same is true of the Gladiator.Perhaps the biggest problem for Jeep Australia is that the problems aren’t local. Jeep is struggling in its home market, and naturally that is where the focus will be to ensure the long-term survival of a brand that was forged in battle but has become a synonym for off-roaders.Like so many brands it got caught up in the excitement/legislation around electric vehicles and strayed too far from its core principles, wasting billions of dollars on 4xe vehicles that are so far proving to be deeply unpopular; certainly the Grand Cherokee 4xe did not find its mark in Australia.Stellantis is now looking to invest many more billions into reinvigorating Jeep’s US manufacturing operations, to try and revive its sales at home. What that means for Jeep in Australia remains unclear, but 2026 will all be about hanging on and hoping for a brighter future.

Jeep has cut the price of its outgoing plug-in hybrid Grand Cherokee 4xe by tens of thousands of dollars as the carmaker clears old stock dating back two years.