The 2022 Jeep Wagoneer Is Four-Wheeler SUV Of the Year Contender
The 2022 Jeep Wagoneer is the newest SUV in Jeep’s lineup. It’s a large three-row SUV that’s an update of the Wagoneer from thirty years ago. It is also one of MotorTrend’s Four-Wheeler SUV of the year contenders. What does this mean for the brand new SUV and why did MotorTrend select the Wagoneer as one of its final choices?
The 2022 Wagoneer Series III is a Four Wheeler SUV of the Year contender
The 2022 Jeep Wagoneer Series III is both new and not new. If you were getting married and borrowed a blue Wagoneer, you’d be all set. While the 2022 Wagoneer was just released, it’s an updated version of the original Jeep Wagoneer that debuted in 1963. You may remember it – it was one of the original SUVs, and it often had wood paneling on its body-on-frame construction. After it was officially and finally retired in 1994, it lay dormant for nearly thirty years.
Until now. The 2022 Jeep Wagoneer is back with a fresh new face and engine. It’s updated with the latest technology, it has unparalleled comfort, and its features and accents are nice enough to make you feel like you’re in a high-end SUV (especially if you splurge for the Grand Wagoneer). These are just some of the reasons why MotorTrend has picked the Wagoneer as one of its contenders for the Four Wheeler SUV of the Year.
The Wagoneer has a solid engine and a nice interior
The 2022 Jeep Wagoneer comes standard with a 5.7-liter V8 engine. It makes 392 hp and 404 lb-ft of torque. This is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. MotorTrend says of the engine, the “Wagoneer’s was almost universally loved by our judges…” It’s also a heavy SUV, weighing 6,230 pounds, and it takes 7.43 seconds to go from 0 to 60.
The 2022 Jeep Wagoneer also has a super nice interior. According to MotorTrend, it scored the highest of all SUV contenders in the Four Wheeler of the Year test. MotorTrend loves its “elegant interior design,” 19-speaker sound system, and comfortable seats. MotorTrend really likes that all seats in the Wagoneer are comfortable, including the third row, which is often a tight fit for adults.
The Wagoneer handles well
The 2022 Jeep Wagoneer handles well, according to MotorTrend. It scored highest in tests for highway testing and handling. It shifts well, is smooth, and is “easy to drive.” However, being a large SUV makes it top-heavy and therefore it makes it difficult to handle corners. Testers also thought that its blind-spots were more noticeable than in other SUVs.
One of the Wagoneer’s greatest weaknesses in terms of winning the Four Wheeler of the Year award is its off-road capability. The 2022 Jeep Wagoneer is a big SUV to take off-road, and it doesn’t have the same body protection that some other SUVs have. That caused the MotorTrend testers to opt for an easier terrain in some instances of testing.
The 2022 Jeep Wagoneer is certainly not a cheap SUV – it starts at about $68,000. And it definitely isn’t an SUV that you would want to take for heavy-duty off-roading. Yet it has a respectable engine, a nice interior, and plenty of space. Will it be MotorTrend’s pick for the Four Wheeler SUV of the Year? We’ll have to wait to find out. The Jeep Grand
