Jeep Cherokee Best and Worst Years

Counting owner complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2019 Jeep Cherokee drew the most (614; most-reported area: powertrain) and the 2022 the fewest (21).

Data: US EPA and NHTSAUpdated Sep 27, 2026

Every model year since 2016 in one place: EPA fuel economy, NHTSA recalls, owner complaints and crash test ratings. The best fuel economy rating, 37 mpg combined, arrived in 2026. Excludes the larger Grand Cherokee.

Best and worst years, by owner complaints

Model years ranked by owner complaints filed with NHTSA in their first three years (model year Y: filed by the end of Y+2), so every year is measured over the same time on the road. Years without three full years of data, and launch or final years with very few sold, are left out. Counts are not adjusted for how many were sold.

Model year	First 3 years	All complaints	Recalls
2019 Cherokee Most reported: powertrain	614	1,641	11
2017 Cherokee Most reported: powertrain	408	1,334	6
2018 Cherokee Most reported: powertrain	309	684	7
2016 Cherokee Most reported: powertrain	306	1,406	9
2020 Cherokee Most reported: powertrain	50	303	3
2021 Cherokee Most reported: powertrain	50	162	4
2022 Cherokee Most reported: powertrain	21	51	3

Year by year

Model year	Best rating	Recalls	Complaints	Crash test
2026 MPG · Recalls and problems	37 mpg Hybrid	4	5	Not rated
2023 MPG · Recalls and problems	24 mpg Gas	1	3
2022 MPG · Recalls and problems	26 mpg Gas	3	51
2021 MPG · Recalls and problems	26 mpg Gas	4	162
2020 MPG · Recalls and problems	26 mpg Gas	3	303
2019 MPG · Recalls and problems	26 mpg Gas	11	1,641
2018 MPG · Recalls and problems	25 mpg Gas	7	684
2017 MPG · Recalls and problems	25 mpg Gas	6	1,334
2016 MPG · Recalls and problems	25 mpg Gas	9	1,406

Owner complaints by model year

All complaints filed so far. Counts rise with sales volume and with time on the road, so recent years look better than they may turn out. The highlighted bar is the model year with the most complaints in its first three years.

2019: 1,641 complaints

Show as a table

Owner complaints by model year, Jeep Cherokee
Model year	Complaints
2016	1,406
2017	1,334
2018	684
2019	1,641
2020	303
2021	162
2022	51
2023	3
2026	5

Best combined rating by model year

The best-rated version in each model year. Gas: 24 to 26 mpg (2016 to 2023); highest in 2019. Hybrid: 37 mpg (2026).

Best gas version
Best hybrid version

2026: gas not offered · hybrid 37 mpg

Show as a table

Jeep Cherokee best combined mpg by model year
Model year	Best gas version	Best hybrid version
2016	25	–
2017	25	–
2018	25	–
2019	26	–
2020	26	–
2021	26	–
2022	26	–
2023	24	–
2026	–	37

Questions

Which Jeep Cherokee years have the most problems?

Counting owner complaints filed with NHTSA in each model year's first three years, the 2019 (614) drew the most, then the 2017 (408). Most-reported area for the 2019: powertrain.

Which Jeep Cherokee years have the fewest problems?

The 2022 (21) drew the fewest complaints in its first three years. The 2026 is not ranked yet: it has had fewer than three full years on the road. The 2023 is left out as a partial model year with few sold.

Which Jeep Cherokee years should you avoid?

Complaint counts can't tell you whether a particular car is sound, but they show where owners reported the most trouble: the 2019, against 306 complaints in a typical Jeep Cherokee year. Whatever the year, check the car's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy. Safety recall repairs are free at Jeep dealers.

Which Jeep Cherokee years have the most recalls?

The 2019 has the most safety recalls in NHTSA's file (11), then the 2016 (9). A recall can cover a problem that affects only a few cars, so open a year's page to see what each one covers. One recall tells owners not to drive the car or to park it outside until it is repaired: NHTSA 23V-338 (2016 models).

What are the most common Jeep Cherokee problems?

Of the 5,589 owner complaints NHTSA lists for 2016 to 2026 models, the areas named most are powertrain (48%), engine (23%), and electrical system (22%). One complaint can name more than one area. The recalls and problems page for each year breaks this down further.

Which Jeep Cherokee year has the best MPG?

The best EPA fuel economy is 37 mpg combined, first reached by the 2026 hybrid version.

Sources and method

US EPA fuel economy data (fueleconomy.gov), file dated Sep 18, 2026.
NHTSA recall file dated Sep 27, 2026 and owner complaint file dated Sep 26, 2026; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings.

Complaint counts are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.