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This year, Stellantis unveiled a new full-size SUV: the Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer. The new Jeeps’ luxury features are in line with previous Wagoneers and other Jeep SUVs. But nobody expected the American-made 4×4 could go head-to-head with European luxury. Then Motortrend put the Rolls-Royce Cullinan and 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer to the test.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer offers more seating, better visibility, and a ride equal to the Rolls-Royce

This is a publicity shot of the interior of a 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer. When Motor Trend reviewed the new luxury SUV, they compared it favorably to the Rolls Royce Cullinan | Stellantis
2022 Grand Wagoneer | Stellantis

The standard Jeep Grand Wagoneer can comfortably seat eight adults. However, with a center console in the rear seat, the big Jeep can only seat seven. Motor Trend’s tallest reviewer (6’10”) said he could “ride in any seat comfortably for hours.”

The Rolls-Royce Cullinan, on the other hand, can only seat five. With “immersive seating” rear captain’s chairs, the big SUV can only seat four. In addition, the Cullinan (with a 129.7-inch wheelbase) is a larger vehicle than the Wagoneer (123 inches). You can order the Cullinan with two bumper-mounted picnic seats, but it wouldn’t be a good idea to latch them on for a road trip. And each folding Cullinan seat costs over $3K!

The Jeep Grand Wagoneer boasts a glass roof and huge rear windows. The Motor Trend reviewers noted that visibility in the Grand Wagoneer is excellent–in all three rows.

Finally, the Grand Wagoneer boasts a truly luxurious ride. The reviewers rated the Grand Wagoneer’s ability to float over the road far above the Lincoln Navigator and Cadillac Escalade. Motor Trend actually said the smoothness of the $68,845 Grand Wagoneer’s ride was only paralleled by the $330,000 Cullinan. That’s a lot of luxury per dollar.

The Jeep team obviously considered every feature

This is a publicity photo of a 2022 Grand Wagoneer parked in the city. The new Luxury SUV did surpisingly well in a head-to-head with the Rolls Royce Cullinan. | Stellantis
2022 Grand Wagoneer | Stellantis

The folks at Jeep are determined to make the Grand Wagoneer the leading luxury SUV. They seemed to think of everything. The features of the Grand Wagoneer make the Rolls-Royce team look downright lazy by comparison.

For example, Rolls-Royce assumes all their customers will be happy with 16 speakers. But the Jeep team struck a special deal with McIntosh. As a result, every Wagoneer features a McIntosh Reference stereo system with 23 speakers.

Another example. The Rolls-Royce has three USB plugs. This should be plenty, right? Not for the Grand Wagoneer. The Jeep SUV offers 22 USB plugs.

The reviewers even preferred the Jeep’s massaging front seats to the Rolls-Royce’s massaging seats. The Rolls-Royce does have massaging seats, but they seem dated next to the Grand Wagoneer. The Jeep seats offer a ton more modes and programmability. 

The Rolls-Royce Cullinan pulls ahead of the Jeep Grand Wagoneer in performance

This is a photo of a Rolls-Royce Cullinan parked on the street in London. A head-to-head with the Jeep Grand Wagoneer made some of the British SUVs shortcomings clear. | Martyn Lucy/Getty Images
The Rolls-Royce Cullinan | Martyn Lucy/Getty Images

The Rolls-Royce engineered a 6.75-Liter twin-turbocharged V12 for the Cullinan. That makes for one snappy SUV. A stock Rolls-Royce Cullinan won the off-road rebelle rally race. Musician Post Malone raced his Cullinan on a NASCAR track in his famous music video.

The 5,864.3 pound Rolls makes 563 horsepower. As a result, it can accelerate to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds.

The new Jeep SUV may not have a British-built V12. But it does have a Detroit-built HEMI. Every Grand Wagoneer features the top-of-the-line 6.4-liter V8 from the Ram trucks and Dodge muscle cars. But a fully-loaded Wagoneer outweighs the Cullinan, coming in at 6,420 pounds. So even with its 471 horsepower and 8-speed automatic transmission, it can only get to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds.

The Jeep Grand Wagoneer is still surprisingly quick for a full-size SUV. It is faster than both the Lincoln Navigator and the Cadillac Escalade. While the Jeep Grand Wagoneer may not be stealing many Rolls-Royce Cullinan customers, it is sure to shake up the American luxury SUV market.

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Staff Writer

Henry Cesari

Henry Cesari joined MotorBiscuit in 2021 and brings his deep interest in vintage cars, trucks, and motorcycles to the site. Having restored his first classic car at just 16 years old, Henry has wrenched on everything from overland campers to Japanese motorcycles and even pre-war Bugattis. Henry is also an avid attendee at local car shows and genuinely enjoys connecting with fellow auto enthusiasts.

Henry earned a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and English from the University of Vermont. He has since incorporated his love of the written word with his admiration of classic cars. While Henry is interested in vintage cars, he believes the golden age of cars is yet to come. He is confident journalists will play an important role in this revolution by exposing the industry as it is now and envisioning its possible future.