The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer makes road trips effortless.
The good folks at Stellantis once again got me behind the wheel of their impressive Jeep Grand Wagoneer. This time it was Series II Obsidian model. I have been around this car a dozen times, which still amazes me. The Grand Wagoneer was my mode of transportation from Houston to Austin, where I covered the Fantastic Flim festival for my site Nerdtropolis. I knew this luxury SUV would provide an excellent and comfortable experience for my weekend journey.
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Exterior
Many have argued that the Grand Wagoner has a lackluster exterior design. I beg to differ, as this SUV has distinct styling cues and is filled with brilliant easter eggs if you look closely enough. The Obsidian appearance package is my favorite color combo on the Grand Wagoneer. It provides a Bight White exterior color matched with Piano Black accents all over the SUV, from the wheels to the seven-slot grille to the window trim and roof.
Exterior Rating: 8/10
Interior
Many interior elements pay tribute to the Grand Wagoneer’s long history and feature high-end craftsmanship and added upscale materials. The interior design is elegant and modern, from the door panels to the dash and center console. Seating 7, every passenger will be pampered with comfort, tech, and entertainment. The front passenger gets their own screen, and two more touchscreens are mounted onto the headrests for your rear passengers. One of my favorite features is the McIntosh Entertainment System, which provides crisp and excellent sound. Additionally, the center console mini fridge is a great and convenient addition. To top off, the luxury experience is the massaging seats with over a dozen settings.
Interior Rating: 10/10
Performance
The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer has a standard 6.4-liter V8 delivering 471 horsepower and 455 pound-feet of torque with the help of an eight-speed automatic transmission. Despite weighing over 6,300 pounds, the SUV can move quickly, especially when you need to pass on the highways. This SUV has an exceptionally smooth ride and offers excellent handling despite its extra large size. Navigating this yacht on wheels is a breeze, especially on the highway. Just recently, Jeep introduced the successor to this engine for 2023. It is a 510-hp twin-turbocharged inline-six called the Hurricane engine, and I have heard great things about it already. One is better MPG, as I was getting 14 miles per gallon on my trip, and this engine needed premium gas which can make a dent in your wallet.
This SUV has a 10,000-pound maximum towing capacity, three available four-wheel-drive systems, and a Quadra-Lift air suspension. The air suspension has multiple ride heights, allowing easy access into the SUV by lowering it by a half-inch and making it over obstacles with its 10 inches of ground clearance after raising the ride height to 3.6 inches. The Grand Wagoneer has safety features such as Automatic Emergency Braking, Active Lane Management, Blind-spot Monitoring, Rear park assist sensors, Rear Cross Path detection, Active Driving Assist, and Night Vision.
Performance Rating: 9/10
2022 Grand Wagoneer Verdict
The Grand Wagoneer aims to compete against premium and luxury full-size SUVs like the GMC Yukon Denali and Cadillac Escalade. It is the ultimate ultra-luxury SUV for large families that like to travel short and long distances. The Grand Wagoneer offers best-in-class overall passenger volume, best-in-class third-row head and legroom, and the most cargo volume behind the third row. The MSRP for the model tested above is $112,475.
I look forward to the future Grand Wagoneers, such as the newly introduced L, providing more cargo space.
Overall Rating: 9/10