Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
21–26 mpgcombined; city 18–23, highway 24–31; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$12,490–$15,470U.S. average; Ohio $11,160–$13,820 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2021 Cherokee. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 176 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Cherokee. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Power train
103
1
0
1
Engine
28
0
2
0
Unknown or other
26
0
0
0
Electrical system
23
1
1
0
Service brakes
13
2
1
0
Forward collision avoidance
11
0
1
0
Air bags
9
7
1
7
Fuel/propulsion system
5
0
1
0
Suspension
5
2
0
0
Lane departure
3
0
0
0
Steering
3
0
0
0
Seat belts
2
1
0
2
11 more parts
Vehicle speed control
2
0
0
0
Back over prevention
1
0
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
1
0
0
0
Exterior lighting
1
0
0
0
Insert, padding
1
0
0
0
Latches/locks/linkages
1
1
1
1
Service brakes, air
1
0
0
0
Tires
1
0
0
0
Visibility
1
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
1
0
0
0
Wheels
1
1
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2021 Cherokee over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2023 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The power transfer unit (PTU) may fail.
Risk: A failed PTU may result in a loss of drive power or vehicle rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: Dealers will update the Drivetrain Control Drivetrain Control Module, PTU, and Electronic Park Brake software, and replace the PTU, as necessary, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters explaining the safety risk were mailed June 25, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy becomes available. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is 40D. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 14, 2026.
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. An improperly secured connector for the right-side curtain air bag may prevent the air bag from deploying as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 214, "Side Impact Protection" and 226, "Ejection Mitigation."
Risk: An air bag that does not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will secure the connector, free of charge. All vehicles have been remedied. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 71B.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2021 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The transmission oil cooler hose may have been incorrectly cured, allowing transmission fluid to leak.
Risk: A transmission fluid leak increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the hose, free of charge. Owners notification letters were mailed May 18, 2021. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is Y18.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2021 Jeep Cherokee Latitude and Jeep Cherokee Limited vehicles. One or both of the front lower control arms may fracture while driving.
Risk: A front lower control arm fracture while driving may result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash without prior warning.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front lower control arms and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2020. Owners may contact FCA US customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is W81. Note: Owners are advised to not drive their vehicles until they have been inspected and repaired if needed.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 256 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2021 Cherokee, the latest on Jun 26, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (92), equipment (81), engine and engine cooling (29), power train (25), structure (25).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Maintenance
Oil
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2021 Cherokee.
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: small sport utility vehicle. EPA greenhouse gas score: 4–5 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Cherokee Front-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic 9-spd
Regular Gasoline
23 / 31 / 26
Cherokee Front-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 9-spd
Regular Gasoline
22 / 31 / 25
Cherokee All-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic 9-spd
Regular Gasoline
21 / 29 / 24
Cherokee All-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 9-spd
Regular Gasoline
21 / 29 / 24
Cherokee Front-Wheel Drive
3.2 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 9-spd
Regular Gasoline
20 / 29 / 23
Cherokee All-Wheel Drive
3.2 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 9-spd
Regular Gasoline
19 / 27 / 22
Cherokee Active Drive II All-Wheel Drive
2.0 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic 9-spd
Regular Gasoline
20 / 27 / 23
Cherokee Active Drive II All-Wheel Drive
3.2 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 9-spd
Regular Gasoline
18 / 26 / 21
Cherokee Trailhawk All-Wheel Drive
3.2 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 9-spd
Regular Gasoline
18 / 24 / 21
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data