Jeep Wagoneer SUVs and Grand Cherokee L Offer Luxury Travel and Off-Roading

When Jeep introduced the Grand Cherokee L, it was just the beginning of the brand's upscale SUV lineup. In 2022, Jeep will launch the capable, premium off-road Wagoneer and the luxurious, ritzier go-anywhere Jeep Cherokee Grand Wagoneer.

Many former owners of the Wagoneer remember hauling lots of stuff and people in the wagon-like body of their ‘63 model, sport-utility Wagoneer with four-wheel drive and automatic transmission. Jeep later set the gold standard with 1984 Grand Wagoneer by including leather seats, air conditioning, and woodgrain-paneled accents on the body before discontinuing the Wagoneer in 1991.

After three decades, Jeep will renew the Wagoneer nameplate with the introduction of the 2022 models this fall. The idea is to make the Wagoneer a dedicated luxury brand to broaden the line of stellar off-road Jeep vehicles. According to SAE International in the article, "After a 30-year Hiatus, Jeep Remakes the Wagoneer", by Paul Seredynski, the all-new 2022 luxury Jeep SUV interior "should be a pleasant place to spend time."

The Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer will come in one wheelbase on a body-on-frame platform with 5-doors and 3-seat rows for carrying 7 or 8 passengers. Although the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer have different V8 engines, both Wagoneer models transfer power with a standard eight-speed automatic transmission and have a maximum tow rating of 9,860 pounds. The Wagoneer will complete with Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and the Ford Expedition in median-priced large SUV market, while the Grand Wagoneer will take on the higher-priced market of Cadillac Escalade, Lincoln Navigator, and Land Rover's Range Rover.

Universal Features of Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer

The large body-on-frame platform is "essentially all-new" in the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, although it is a derivation of the Ram 1500 frame. To stiffen the frame, the side rails are fully boxed and the cross-members are double-sheer welded to the inside and outside of the frame. The Class-4 hitch is fully integrated through the boxed frame rails with four 360-degree welds. The body panels are steel, except for the aluminum hood and doors, as well as the composite hands-free power liftgate.

Both models are designed as big, upright vehicles with large U-shaped windows for the open-road experience and available in three trims: Series I, Series II, and Series III. The re-creation of the Wagoneer original-like two-spoke steering wheel and 7-continent grill, along with toe hooks and skid plates, give the Wagoneer the off-road spirit. The Wagoneer logos on the front and back, plus sides (with the American flag) and "EST. 1963" inside by the instrument panel distinguish the sub-brand vehicles as Jeep, even without the logo. Both models will be available in seven exterior colors, including:

• Diamond Black
• Bright White
• Luxury White
• Silver Zynith
• Baltic Gray
• Velvet Red
• River Rock Blue

Cars.com "2022 Jeep Wagoneer Review: Our Expert's Take" by Aaron Bragman reports, "… [T]he Grand Wagoneer's badge is integrated into the chrome (grille). The Grand Wagoneer gets a two-tone paint scheme with a black roof." The Wagoneer has black trim around the windows, and the Grand Wagoneer has chrome trim almost everywhere.

According to Jeep executives, both Wagoneer models come with best-in-class overall passenger volume, third-row headroom, second- and third-row leg room, and cargo volume behind the third row as compared to shorter-wheelbase competition. Captain's chairs are standard in the second row; however, a bench seat is optional to go from 7 to 8 passengers. Cargo space behind the third-row is 27.4 cubic feet for both vehicles. Roberto Baldwin of Car & Driver reports in "2022 Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer Are Packed with Screens and Tech", that space behind the second-row is 70.8 cubic feet in the Wagoneer and 70.9 in the Grand. Total spac

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