AUTO REVIEW: Grand Wagoneer Equals Premier Luxury

By Marc D. Grasso

The 2022 Grand Wagoneer. (Stellantis/TNS)

(Boston Herald/TNS) — Attention, Escalade and Navigator: You have just been demoted.

In the premium luxury SUV market of the American fleet, Cadillac and Lincoln have always been the tops. But Wagoneer, Stellantis’ recently introduced upscale brand, now pushes those two brands down a notch.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer I tested was Diamond Black Crystal Pearl, with a shimmering exterior and interior styling that outshone the competition. Its seven-passenger, four-wheel drive, high-riding stance is one for the books, coming in with a maximum 10-inch ground clearance when utilizing different ride height options. Riding on 22-inch tinted, polished wheels with black exterior trim moldings, accents and interior accouterments, the Grand Wagoneer leaves the competition in the dust scratching their heads.

“We are ready to start a new exciting adventure with a model that wrote some of the most iconic pages in the history of the American automobile,” said Christian Meunier, Jeep brand chief executive officer. “Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer are born from the Jeep brand, but they have a flair of their own, building on a rich heritage of craftsmanship and refinement, while offering new levels of sophistication, comfort and legendary 4×4 capability, as well as a new level of customer service.”

Powered by an amazing 6.4-liter, V-8 engine, the almost 6,200-pound Grand Wagoneer is taller, wider and longer over its little brother, the Wagoneer. With 471 horsepower — 79 more than the Wagoneer — the Grand Wagoneer is no joke. It’s powerful, brawny and ultra-quiet for all passengers.

In the interior, this beast is absolutely amazing. I cannot get enough of the revised interiors on my recent Jeep SUV testers. First of all, Jeep has the best infotainment system in the business. This time with the UConnect5, which is a navigation-included 12-inch touchscreen display, a front passenger display to operate rear seat entertainment, as well as 10.1-inch rear screens for travelers. The 20-way power driver seat tops the comfort list, while a McIntosh 23-speaker stereo tops the sound list. Heated and cooled seats, four-zone climate control, panoramic roof with third row sunroof are just a hint of unbelievable features our Obsidian Grand Wagoneer had to offer.

The 2022 Grand Wagoneer is here and, boy, do I absolutely love it. Actually, I love it so much that the Grand Wagoneer is my 2022 premium luxury SUV of the year! Bam! If that doesn’t explain our enjoyment, nothing will.

2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer

Price: $94,845 MSRP; $109,025 as tested

Engine: 6.4-liter V-8

Power: 471 horsepower; 455 pound-feet torque

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Payload: 1,450 lbs.

Towing capacity: 8,260 lbs.

Weight: 6,200 pounds

Fuel economy: 13 mpg city, 18 mpg highway, 16.6 mpg as tested

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