2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer vs 2021 INFINITI QX80

You might not expect Nissan’s luxury brand to make a hulking land yacht with globetrotting off-road capability, but that’s exactly what you get with the 2021 Infiniti QX80.

The QX80 is one of the last old-school SUVs, boasting body-on-frame construction and an available four-wheel drive (4WD) system with low range. It’s based on the Nissan Armada, which in turn is a rebadged version of the overseas-market Nissan Patrol—a legendary off-roader.

As a full-size luxury SUV based on a model from a mainstream brand, the QX80 follows the same formula as the Cadillac Escalade, Lexus LX 570, and Lincoln Navigator. In size, price, and prestige, it could also be considered a rival to the Land Rover Range Rover, BMW X7, and Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class, but these SUVs have more modern unibody construction.

The QX80 gets some small updates for the 2021 model year, including an improved version of Infiniti’s Smart Rearview Mirror. The Canadian trim line-up includes the base Luxe and the more highly equipped ProACTIVE grade, the latter available with seven or eight seats. Our test vehicle was the Canadian equivalent of the U.S. Sensory model, the ProACTIVE 7-passenger grade.

Given the brand’s war-fighting origins, the idea of a luxury Jeep seems a bit oxymoronic. But premium SUVs that combine off-road capability with comfort and opulence are fairly common these days, and Jeep wants in on the action.

Resurrecting a name that dates back to 1984, the 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer is the automaker’s answer to the Cadillac Escalade, Infiniti QX80, and Lincoln Navigator. Like these rivals, the Wagoneer is a body-on-frame full-size SUV based on a more mainstream model. In this case, that’s the 2022 Wagoneer, which is also new for this model year (and is covered in a separate review).

Jeep considers the Grand Wagoneer and Wagoneer to be components of a new sub-brand, sitting atop the rest of its lineup. In addition to the Wagoneer name and a basic platform, both models share exterior and interior styling and many tech features. So there’s less to differentiate a Grand Wagoneer from a Wagoneer than, say, a Lincoln Navigator from a Ford Expedition. The relationship might be more like that of the GMC Yukon to the Chevrolet Tahoe.

To see if the Grand Wagoneer justifies its “grand” nomenclature, we drove it back to back with a standard Wagoneer, navigating city streets and off-road trails. The Grand Wagoneer launches in Series I, Series II, Series III, and Obsidian trim levels. Our test vehicle was the midlevel Series II version.