2024 Jeep Grand Wagoneer

How does the Grand Wagoneer drive? We haven't tested the Grand Wagoneer with the turbocharged six-cylinder engine yet. However, we have tested other vehicles equipped with this engine, such as the Ram 1500. It provides robust power for all of your needs, whether that's towing a trailer or quickly getting up to speed to merge onto a highway.

The Grand Wagoneer has a decent amount of off-road capability, at least relative to other SUVs of this size. Four-wheel drive is standard on all trims. Its standard adaptive air suspension provides up to 10 inches of ground clearance. Unfortunately this Jeep doesn't handle on the road as well as its contemporaries. While full-size SUVs aren't exactly known for their nimbleness, the Grand Wagoneer moves with less composure and athleticism around turns than most other behemoths in this class.

How comfortable is the Grand Wagoneer? Highlights in the Grand Wagoneer consist of excellent seat comfort, especially for third-row passengers, and a cabin well insulated against all types of noise. The front seats offer more adjustments than you probably need, plus decent heating, ventilation and massaging functions. The second-row seats also get heat and ventilation on higher-trim models, while the third-row seats can recline a bit and have nice armrest padding.

We're underwhelmed with the Grand Wagoneer's ride quality, though. This SUV is based on the Ram 1500, and its independent rear suspension and adjustable air springs should in theory improve the ride even more. The Grand Wagoneer smooths out small bumps just fine, but driving over bigger bumps can result in some uncomfortable body motions. Uneven pavement, in particular, can cause the SUV to move side to side pretty dramatically.

How’s the interior? If you're shopping for a large SUV, you probably want lots of space. The Grand Wagoneer obliges with ample amounts in all three rows, particularly when it comes to third-row headroom. Adults should be fine in any row. The air suspension can be set to lower automatically when you're parked to ease getting in and out. The auto-retracting side steps help out too. The second-row seats tilt and slide forward with the push of a button and create a nice pass-through for passengers to get to the third row.

The driving position is great, and it has comparable visibility to similarly mega-sized SUVs. What we don't like are the Grand Wagoneer's touch-sensitive controls. While we understand this attempt to modernize the interior, it's not executed right, and all it does is create distraction and frustration. The Jeep's buttons are sometimes unresponsive and don't provide any haptic feedback. That means you'll often have to take attention off the road to make sure you push a button correctly. Another problem is the touchscreen that retracts to reveal a wireless charger and power ports behind it. It's a neat idea, but in practice you'll have to choose between accessing that cubby and being able to use the touchscreen for many of its convenient controls.

How’s the storage? The Grand Wagoneer is between size classes, meaning it's longer than most three-row luxury SUVs but shorter than the extended models (think Navigator L and Escalade ESV). There's 27.4 cubic feet of space behind the third row, which outshines the previous leader, the Cadillac Escalade with its 25.5 cubic feet (though the Escalade ESV offers a whopping 41.5 cubes). And the Jeep offers a max 72.9 cubic feet with the third row folded and a max of 96.9 cubes with all the seats down. One huge oversight about the Grand Wagoneer, however, is its relatively low hatch opening height. Anyone 6 feet tall will likely have to duck under the liftgate as its hinge design provides poor clearance.

As far as storage for small items in the cabin, there are a decent number of options, though the spaces themselves aren't generously sized. We did find ample clearance and space for installing car seats, and the adjustability of the second-row captain's chairs made it really easy to access all the necessary anchors. The Grand Wagoneer also offers exceptional towing capability, with a max capacity of 10,000 pounds. That's good enough to pull a pretty big travel trailer, toy hauler or whatever else you're into.

Is the Grand Wagoneer a good value? The Grand Wagoneer is definitely priced like a full-size luxury SUV and, on paper, has all the fixings of one too. And although it's one of the nicest Jeeps we've been in to date, it can't quite match the quality execution of some of its competitors and doesn't feel like a vehicle worthy of the price it asks. Some of the wood trim elements look cheap, numerous panels creak when you press on them, and all the glossy, touch-sensitive surfaces are smudge-prone and will be a pain to keep clean. And because the Grand Wagoneer comes with a host of standard features, its price of entry is considerably above competitor base models.

Jeep's warranties are unremarkable. Basic coverage is provided for three years/36,000 miles, and the drivetrain warranty is five years/60,000 miles. Several competitors offer an extra year on one plan or the other, and still more throw in free maintenance, which Jeep does not.

The Jeep brand comes with a level of street cred that other brands strive for. Unfortunately that cred doesn't extend to the luxury segment just yet. The Grand Wagoneer is a decent first effort, but it ultimately falls short of what we consider to be a true luxury-class offering. While the Grand Wagoneer does wear the Jeep design language well and brings a higher level of off-road capability to the class, it fails to provide any real inspiration while driving on the road or to challenge the leaders in this segment.