It has been some time since we’ve seen a three-row, large passenger SUV within the Jeep lineup. Not since the days of the Jeep Commander has the Jeep brand catered to the driver who wanted a truly sprawling cabin. The lack of a bigger model in the Jeep lineup has alienated an entire group of potential buyers, and now Jeep hopes to satisfy this market with the 2021 Jeep Wagoneer and the 2021 Jeep Grand Wagoneer. One shouldn’t confuse this bigger and beefier SUV with the Jeep Cherokee. The Jeep Wagoneer is set to be much larger, with far more room for passengers and cargo with a powertrain that is fully capable of hauling it all with ease. We still have some time before the Jeep Wagoneer hits showroom floors anywhere, but we already know plenty, and what we do not know we can speculate based on what the Jeep manufacturers have told us thus far. Needless to say, the Jeep Wagoneer is set to be a welcoming new face into the Jeep lineup, and we are excited to see if our predictions prove true when the Jeep Wagoneer rolls onto the road sometime later this year.
The Current King of the Jeep Lineup
The Jeep Wagoneer won’t be the only big SUV when it hits showrooms late in 2020. While only a five-seater, the Jeep Grand Cherokee is the current big dog of the Jeep family lineup, and it indeed will be usurped in size by the arrival of the Jeep Wagoneer. That said, this Jeep newcomer will have a lot to live up to. The Jeep Grand Cherokee is a jack of all trades with the configuration options to cater to a broad range of drivers from the family-oriented to the adventure-addicted. Jeep makes this wide variety of options available thanks to the sweeping number of trim options, which include the Laredo, Laredo E, Altitude, Limited, Overland, High Altitude, Summit, SRT, Trailhawk, and Trackhawk. From a robust off-road champ to a burly racetrack worthy SUV with a 6.2-liter V8 roaring beneath the hood, the Jeep Grand Cherokee is as diverse as the Jeep lineup itself, which is a reasonably high bar to set.
Although it is worth noting that the Jeep Grand Cherokee isn’t particularly large, sure, this SUV is the largest of the family, but with a max seating capacity of five, it isn’t overstepping others in the lineup by leaps and bounds. And while the Jeep Grand Cherokee may have been a jack of all trades, it really only mastered one, and that was in the form of a luxury, lush-riding, SUV. So, this is where the Jeep Wagoneer comes in, a well-meaning attempt to fill a gap that the Jeep Grand Cherokee leaves wide open. And while there is still a bit of time before the Jeep Wagoneer is released, there are a variety of characteristics and features that we should be able to expect from an SUV of this caliber.
A Return to Form
Not so long ago, there once was the Jeep Commander. It was a three-row boxy SUV that promised a luxurious driving experience but did not quite deliver in the end. For this reason, it was resolutely discontinued in 2010. The Jeep Commander was a short-lived story, first rolling onto the scene only four years prior in 2006. There were many reasons the Jeep Commander was discontinued. But regardless of those facts, we hope that the Jeep Wagoneer doesn’t fall into the same trap as its predecessor.
The Jeep Wagoneer and the bigger Jeep Grand Wagoneer, are expected to be a pair of robust additions of the Jeep lineup. Of course, stylistically, you can expect a look not so surprisingly similar to other models in the lineup. Complete with the classic seven-slot grille, and dazzling Jeep logo, the Jeep Wagoneer looks a lot like a bigger and better version of the Jeep Cherokee.
First things first, let’s talk about pricing. While Jeep has not revealed any official sticker price for the Wagoneer or Grand Wagoneer, we have some ideas. Comparing the Wagoneer against other competitor models, we can expect the smaller version to go for $45,000 MSRP, and the Grand Wagoneer to start at $55,000 MSRP. Although, we recommend you keep an eye on your local dealership to stay up to date with the latest in pricing news.
Wagoneer Performance
So, what about performance? We’ll have to speculate again here, as Jeep is very hush-hush about what they’ll pack into their biggest SUV. We do know that the Jeep Wagoneer will be built with a body-on-frame designed, the bones of the vehicle belonging to the RAM 1500. As a result, we can almost certainly expect some similar powertrain options.
The Jeep Wagoneer will likely start with the same 3.6-liter V6 eTorque engine that comes in the RAM 1500. This “eTorque” is a hybrid engine system that uses battery power not just for reducing fuel consumption, but for reducing engine load and providing some solid low-end power delivery.
Once again, we’re just speculating here, but we have a pretty good idea that a 5.7-liter Hemi V8 might sit right above that V6. This beefy V8 should also come with an eTorque system, which ought to be simply stellar in an SUV like this. Like other existing models in the Jeep lineup, you’ll probably also get a choice between the rear and all-wheel drive, as well as the option to build a tweaked off-road version of this large and in charge SUV.
A Look on the Inside
The inside of the Jeep Wagoneer is the real mystery here. Based on spy photos and a few context clues, we can pin down plenty about the outside of the car, although the cabin will remain something of an unknown until we get more confirmation from Jeep. That said, we do know that the interior should look something like the Jeep Grand Cherokee, which will receive a complete redesign later this year.
We also know that the Jeep Grand Wagoneer will be bigger in terms of cargo capacity than the smaller Wagoneer, although exact specs and measurements will remain a mystery until Jeep shows us more. In terms of interior technology, the Jeep Wagoneer should receive an Apple CarPlay and Android Auto infotainment system, much like other models in the lineup today. However, the size of that touch-display is still another unknown. Active safety and driver-assistance features should be available at least in higher trims, although Jeep has alluded to greater availability, so who knows if we’ll see some of these premium-level features as standard.
Building Anticipation
We still have some time before we get to sit behind the wheel of the Jeep Wagoneer or the Jeep Grand Wagoneer. While Jeep remains elusive on the subject, we’re pretty confident that some of our predictions will turn out as reliable, or at least close to the ultimate truth. The Jeep Wagoneer and the Jeep Grand Wagoneer are certainly going to be well-praised additions to the Jeep family lineup, expanding what drivers expect for a Jeep to be able to do, both on and off the pavement.
