The endless tease is over. The Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer are finally here.
It feels like we’ve been talking about this vehicle forever. We’ve covered it ad nauseam, I saw an undisguised prototype up close at a (COVID safe) outdoor event hosted by Chrysler last fall, and we’ve debated its merits in Slack more than once. I’ll let you guess which staffer liked/disliked it.
Finally, now, Jeep and FCA Stellantis have shown us the real deal.
Jeep’s newest SUV is the harbinger of a subbrand, and it has luxury competition in its sights.
An intention to steal upscale-SUV buyers from cross-town rivals like Chevy and Ford doesn’t mean that Jeep is going to get away from its 4×4 heritage. Three different four-wheel-drive systems – Quadra-Trac I, Quadra-Trac II, and Quadra-Drive II will be offered.
Available off-road features and/or features of note to large SUV shoppers will include active low range, rear electronic limited-slip differential, 48:1 crawl ratio, traction management system, the ability to ford up to 24 inches of water, air suspension, up to 10 inches of ground clearance, and up to 10,000 pounds of towing capacity.
Both the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer will have three-row seating standard, with seating for up to eight people.
Jeep may be an established off-road leader, but it also appears to be going for a new area of dominance – screens. You can get up to 75 inches of screen area, including 45 inches on the front dash. That includes 10.1- and 12-inch center-stack touchscreens that are configurable and can be set up as a dual-screen. Of course, the Wagoneer gets the newest version of Uconnect.
Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard, and there are two separate Bluetooth hookups for phones. There’s also TV integration via Alexa and Fire TV – yeah, you read that correctly. The screen setup allows the passenger to help navigate, to watch the exterior vehicle cameras, or to watch entertainment via an HDMI cable or the Fire TV. For the sake of marital bliss, it might be better for the passenger to watch entertainment than to navigate.
There’s also an available 10.25-screen for the rear. A non-screen available creature comfort is four-zone climate control. Both of those are marked for the Grand Wagoneer but not the regular.
A 360-degree camera with night vision and pedestrian/animal detection is available, along with wireless charging, and digital rearview mirror.
Parking assist and hands-free driving assist will be available.
Key mechanicals include a steel frame – the Wagoneer is body-on-frame, by the way – an electronically controlled suspension, an eight-speed automatic transmission, and two V8 engines.
The first is a 5.7-liter that makes 392 horsepower and 404 lb-ft of torque. This engine has cylinder deactivation and a mild-hybrid setup.
Grand Wagoneer models will get a 6.4-liter V8 with 471 horsepower and 455 lb-ft of torque.
Other key available features include a trailer-assist system, premium audio, head-up display, adaptive cruise control, active-driving assist, drowsy-driving detection, and traffic-sign recognition. There will be three trims for Wagoneer and four for Grand Wagoneer.
A Grand Wagoneer-only Obsidian trim will offer 22-inch wheels, special grille and mirrors, and other unique exterior and interior trim bits.
Jeep is sweetening the pot by also offering five years free maintenance, concierge support, roadside assistance, and pickup and dropoff for service appointments. A cynic might note that certain luxury brands have already offered some or all of those services for their buyers for years, even on vehicles that cost less than what Jeep will charge for these two. Maybe I just did in a very Midwestern passive-aggressive manner.
Pricing starts at $57,995, and $86,995 (!) for the Grand Wagoneer. Of course, Mopar accessories will be available.
If that pricing hasn’t dropped you to the floor, you can order your Wagoneer now, with deliveries expected to begin in the second half of this year.
[Images: Jeep]
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