Jeep Grand Wagoneer — The rebirth of a premium luxury American icon
By Jim Prueter
MotorwayAmerica.com
(November 7, 2021) Much like the Ford Bronco and GM’s Hummer, Jeep has resurrected an old nameplate, Grand Wagoneer. One might be surprised it’s a Jeep save since the raised aluminum two-piece copperchinio-accented “Wagoneer” is the only badging you’ll see on the humungous all-new SUV; the name “Jeep” appears nowhere on the vehicle.
In many ways, Wagoneer isn’t unlike the original ‘60s to ’90s luxury Wagoneer, with killer good-looking exterior style — but there’s no woody option (yet). Inside, however, is an abundance of meticulously handcrafted sculpted satin American walnut timbers that you can’t help caressing.
Cosseting seats are upholstered in thick, diamond-print belted leather with contrasting stitching. Rich concert-hall-like tones emanate from the McIntosh 23-speaker reference audio system, delivered through advanced coups de grace technology, some of which we’ve never seen before, including up to 75 cumulative screen inches, including a passenger movie screen and a “relax mode” such as a crackling fireplace visible to all occupants when the vehicle is parked. Our test Wagoneer even included almost 45 inches of rear seat entertainment display, including Amazon FireTV.
The Grand Wagoneer is powered by a big, melodious 6.4-liter 471-hp V8, with 455 pound-feet of torque good for 10,000 pounds of towing capacity, delivered through an eight-speed automatic transmission. Even with its cylinder deactivation system, you’ll pay dearly at the pump with a combined city/hwy rating of just 15 mpg.
On the road, Grand Wagoneer delivers an incredibly comfortable, relaxed, silky-smooth and serene ride in its massive interior. While it didn’t earn Jeep’s “Trail Rated” badge, and we didn’t trek off-road, the Wagoneer can be had with one of three available 4x4 off-road systems.
Overall, Grand Wagoneer — with inspiration from Wagoneer’s rich history — delivers a stage presence that bests the likes of its competition such as Lincoln Navigator and Cadillac Escalade, and easily equals top-drawer luxury brands Range Rover or Mercedes-Maybach GLS, with a price tag to match.
Vital Stats
2022 Grand Cherokee Series III
Base price: $104,845
Price as tested: $111,845
Engine: 6.4-L V-8
Fuel Economy: 13/18 mpg City/Highway
Seating: 7 or 8
Fab Features
Spacious, lavish interior
Tour de force tech and driver assist features
Impressive driving, handling and ride comfort