The Jeep Cherokee is making its big comeback this year, but the generation that just launched is already preparing to switch platforms. Stellantis has confirmed that the next iteration will ride on the STLA One architecture, with sales set to begin in 2029 as a 2030 model.
Production of the new model will kick off in the second half of 2029
Stellantis is boosting its investment at the Belvidere plant from $600 million to over $800 million
The Cherokee will be the first U.S.-built vehicle on the STLA One platform
A Short-Lived Run on the Current Platform
Worth remembering: the Cherokee disappeared from the market after the 2024 model year, a call that was tough to wrap your head around given the nameplate was selling well and competing in the industry’s hottest segment, compact SUVs. It’s back this year following a two-year absence.
The current model rides on the STLA Large platform, meaning its time on that architecture will be brief.
The present Cherokee is built in Mexico, but plans call for production to shift to Stellantis’s Belvidere, Illinois plant, which has sat idle since 2023. The original target was 2028; that’s now been pushed to 2029.
The Compass ?
Belvidere is also expected to take on Compass production, though the exact timeframe for that switch remains up in the air. Both nameplates were built there before, until Compass production moved to Mexico back in 2016.
Work is already underway at Belvidere, with more than $60 million USD spent so far upgrading the stamping, body, paint, and general assembly operations.
Stellantis Could Officially Close and Sell Brampton Plant as Union Contract Nears Expiration
Stellantis says it’s also committed to supporting the workers who’ve been waiting for the plant to come back online, including enhanced benefits during the layoff period, continued healthcare coverage, and temporary relocation opportunities.
What About Canada?
From a Canadian standpoint, this is cause for concern. The most telling detail here involves Stellantis’s Brampton, Ontario plant. The company had previously earmarked that facility for Compass production, but according to Canadian union Unifor, Stellantis may be looking to sell it instead. Investment and production would then flow south of the border, fueled in part by that extra $200 million USD now headed to Belvidere.
Another story worth keeping tabs on.
