Jeep Grand Cherokee may be renamed due to native American tribe

The head of Jeep’s owner is open to dropping the Cherokee name from vehicles after recent criticism from the Native American tribe’s leader, Report informs referring to The Wall Street Journal.

Carlos Tavares, chief executive officer of the recently formed Stellantis, said the company was engaged in dialogue with the Cherokee Nation over its use of the name. Jeep has two models, the Cherokee compact sport-utility vehicle and larger Grand Cherokee, that it sells in the US and beyond.

"We are ready to go to any point, up to the point where we decide with the appropriate people and with no intermediaries," Tavares said.

"At this stage, I don’t know if there is a real problem. But if there is one, well, of course we will solve it," he added.

Earlier, the principal chief of the Cherokee Nation has asked Jeep to stop using the tribe’s name on its SUVs.

"I think we’re in a day and age in this country where it’s time for both corporations and team sports to retire the use of Native American names, images, and mascots from their products, team jerseys, and sports in general. I’m sure this comes from a place that is well-intended, but it does not honor us by having our name plastered on the side of a car," Chuck Hoskin, Jr., principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, said in a written statement.