Will the Jeep Grand Wagoneer Really Be a Serious Luxury SUV?
As the recent teasers have shown, Jeep’s planned luxury SUV, the Grand Wagoneer, is on the way. The factory’s been re-tooled and prototypes have been spotted testing in the mud. But there’s no shortage of expensive SUVs and crossovers on the market—and many have genuine off-road capabilities of their own. Will the Jeep Grand Wagoneer be able to keep up?
The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer luxury touches teased so far
Jeep has dropped several teaser images for the 2022 Grand Wagoneer over the last few days and weeks. The earliest showed the SUV’s badging, as well as a knurled silver knob that presumably controls some function, Motor Trend reports. Another image showed an engine start-stop button surrounded by leather and wood. A third one showed a chromed 7-slot Jeep grille.
The latest images, though, show noticeably more of the Jeep Grand Wagoneer itself, Car and Driver reports. Admittedly, one image just shows a well-chromed air vent, though that does confirm the knobs won’t be the only metallic interior parts. Plus, it also shows what appears to be a shelving unit built into the center console, Motor1 reports. And the “Est. 1963” is a reference to the original Grand Wagoneer’s debut.
The second new image, however, presents a clearer view of the new Jeep SUV’s exterior styling. No, there’s no wood paneling, but the 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer will offer a two-tone paint scheme. Several other luxury SUVs have that design feature; plus, it’s yet another call-back to the original model.
Besides the paint scheme and design, this new image also shows off the Jeep Grand Wagoneer’s panoramic glass roof. But it’s not just plain dark glass, Autoblog explains. It’s been tinted with a map of the Detroit metro area. And there’s a special mark showing its place of manufacture, the Warren Truck Plant. It’s the same place that the Ram 1500 Classic is produced, which confirms the Jeep Grand Wagoneer will be a body-on-frame SUV, not a crossover, Jalopnik, and Car and Driver report.
What we still don’t know
Officially, Jeep claims the Grand Wagoneer will be unveiled on September 3rd, 2020. However, Motor1 reports the SUV displayed will actually be a concept. That’s based on an official Jeep Facebook Live announcement, which clearly calls the Grand Wagoneer a ‘concept.’ But it’s still possible that production will commence in 2021, albeit later than originally planned.
Besides this, there’s also the matter of ‘Grand Wagoneer’ vs. ‘Wagoneer.’ Road & Track reports it’s possible that the former will essentially be an extended-wheelbase version of the latter. Kind of like how the Suburban is built on a longer Tahoe platform. Or how there was once a Dodge Caravan and a larger, plusher Grand Caravan.
We do know the 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer will be offered with a plug-in hybrid powertrain. However, the specifics of that powertrain have not been released. As of this writing, Jeep’s most powerful hybrid is the Wrangler 4xe, which has a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The Chrysler Pacifica, though, has a V6-based powertrain, which could make it into the Grand Wagoneer.
Finally, the Jeep Grand Wagoneer’s pricing is still officially under wraps. However, R&T reports in 2016, the brand’s head, Mike Manley, claimed the SUV could cost up to $130,000-$140,000. That’s quite a bit more than the Grand Cherokee, which is Jeep’s current most-luxurious SUV.
And it also means Jeep will be competing for the first time in a very premium price bracket.
Will the Jeep Grand Wagoneer be able to take on other luxury SUVs?
Without more concrete details, it’s difficult to compare the 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer against its potential rivals. However, on a ‘broad strokes’ level, it’s not impossible.
In terms of American competition, the Wagoneer’s closest rivals are the Lincoln Navigator and Cadillac Escalade. Like the Grand Wagoneer, they offer 3 rows of seats, leather upholstery, and chrome trim pieces. However, neither is designed around off-roading. It would be a big shock, though, if a Jeep SUV didn’t offer off-road features. After all, the classic model is still a capable off-roader in its own right.
Speaking of off-roading, there’s the Range Rover lineup. It’s entirely possible to spend over $200,000 on one, and even the cheaper models have genuine off-pavement capabilities. Unfortunately, reliability is a concern—for both FCA and Range Rover. However, there’s no plug-in hybrid Range Rover, just a mild-hybrid model.
There’s also the non-AMG version of the Mercedes G-Class, aka ‘G-Wagon’ or ‘G-Wagen.’ Like the Jeep Grand Wagoneer, it’s a body-on-frame SUV with strong off-road credentials. It’s also a highly-prominent luxury status symbol. And if Manley’s price estimate is accurate, the G-Wagon is not that much more expensive.
But it’s not just ICE luxury SUVs that the Grand Wagoneer will have to compete against. Bollinger and Rivian both have electric SUVs on the way that can venture far away from the pavement. Rivian’s even helping Ewan Macgregor trek through South America. Plus, there’s the electric GMC Hummer, which even features a removable glass roof.
Will the Jeep Grand Wagoneer rise to the challenge? That all depends on what’s revealed on September 3rd.
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