2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer vs 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer shared its frame and body shell with the standard Wagoneer, resulting in a similar traditional SUV styling. It featured a tall hood, broad shoulders, trapezoidal wheel arches, and an upright profile, reminiscent of the smaller 2021 Grand Cherokee L. However, the Grand Wagoneer distinguished itself with a standard black roof, model-specific hood, front fascia, and grille. The grille leaned forward slightly, with laser-etched knurling in the slots, and the wheel center caps had an acrylic glass covering to protect the “Wagoneer” logo. The vehicle's body-on-frame architecture allowed for independent front and rear suspension, with an aluminum hood and doors, and a composite tailgate to save weight.

Inside, the Grand Wagoneer shared styling features with the Wagoneer, such as an integrated infotainment touchscreen, a large rotary shift knob, and a two-spoke steering wheel. However, it offered more convenience features and higher-quality materials. The Grand Wagoneer boasted 24-way power front seats with memory, massage, lumbar support, and four-way power headrests, along with heated/ventilated first- and second-row seats and a heated steering wheel. Nappa leather upholstery was standard, with higher-grade Palermo leather available, complemented by aluminum and American Walnut wood trim. Subtle differences, like seat controls placed high on the doors, further distinguished the Grand Wagoneer from the Wagoneer.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe announced its presence with its unique sound, thanks to its plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) powertrain. Aside from a “4xe” badge and sky blue accents, it resembled a regular Wrangler, with the power port located at the left base of the windshield. When the battery pack had enough charge, the Wrangler 4xe moved silently, except for the pedestrian notification system's whine, which turned heads as it navigated Yosemite National Park. Our test vehicle, painted in Firecracker Red with Rubicon trim, was well-equipped with over $13,000 in options, totaling $66,690, including the destination charge. The 4xe was also available in Sahara or High Altitude trims, with the Sahara starting at under $50,000 before incentives.

Inside, the Wrangler 4xe maintained the classic Wrangler look, with blue seat stitching, charging indicator lights, and special gauges related to the PHEV powertrain. It featured more soft-touch materials than expected, with leather seats and padded upper door panels. The controls were laid out in a functional format, with a transmission shifter, hand-operated emergency brake, and manual transfer-case lever in the center console. The Rubicon 4xe included front and rear locking differential controls, sway bar disconnect button, and auxiliary upfitter switches. The interior retained its purposeful simplicity, offering better outfitting than previous Wranglers, though luxury and refinement were not its focus.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer was powered by a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 engine, producing 471 horsepower and 455 lb-ft of torque, with cylinder deactivation for improved fuel economy. Paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, it could accelerate from zero to 60 mph in six seconds, impressive for a vehicle weighing around 6,400 pounds. The Grand Wagoneer came standard with four-wheel drive (4WD), featuring the Quadra-Drive II system with a two-speed transfer case and electronic limited-slip differential. It also included Jeep’s Selec-Terrain system with five drive modes: Auto, Sport, Rock, Snow, and Sand/Mud.

The Grand Wagoneer featured a standard Quadra-Lift air suspension system, adjustable for off-roading, reducing aerodynamic drag on highways, or easing ingress and egress. With the suspension at maximum height, it offered 10 inches of ground clearance, a 25-degree approach angle, a 24-degree departure angle, and a 22-degree breakover angle. It could ford up to 24 inches of water and was equipped with skid plates for protection. Despite its powerful V8, the Grand Wagoneer was best driven at a stately pace, as its ride became bouncy at higher speeds, and its steering was imprecise. Its size limited its off-road capabilities, and it did not receive Jeep’s “Trail Rated” badge.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe combined a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine with two electric motors and a 17-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack. This setup provided an estimated 21 miles of pure electric driving and a 49 MPGe combined efficiency rating. As a hybrid, it achieved 20 mpg combined, with a total driving range of 370 miles. The Wrangler 4xe offered three powertrain modes: Hybrid, Electric, and e-Save. In Hybrid mode, it delivered 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque, reaching 60 mph in six seconds. Electric mode allowed for gas-free driving, while e-Save preserved battery power for specific situations.

During a weekend road trip to Yosemite, the Wrangler 4xe demonstrated its capabilities. It traveled 20 miles on electric power before the gas engine engaged, averaging 20.8 mpg on the journey. The regenerative braking system helped recharge the battery during downhill coasting. The Wrangler 4xe’s steering had on-center slop, noticeable on narrow highways. Despite its noise on freeways, the Wrangler 4xe offered a unique driving experience, with 757 miles covered during the loan period, 120.9 of them on electricity, and an average of 19.1 mpg.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer accommodated seven passengers with standard second-row captain’s chairs or eight with an optional third-row bench seat. It offered more third-row headroom and second-row legroom than competitors like the Cadillac Escalade, Lincoln Navigator, and Infiniti QX80, though front-row space was more limited. With 27.4 cubic feet of cargo space with all seats in place and 70.9 cubic feet with the third row stowed, it surpassed rivals in commonly used configurations. However, with all rear seats folded, its 94.2 cubic feet of cargo space fell short of competitors. The Grand Wagoneer had a maximum towing capacity of 9,850 pounds, slightly less than the standard Wagoneer due to its extra weight.

The Grand Wagoneer featured a standard sunroof, four-zone automatic climate control, and large storage bins. Forward visibility was somewhat limited by the hood, but the standard 360-degree camera system helped mitigate this issue.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe required some effort to enter and exit due to high door sills and narrow rear openings. Once inside, passengers found it comfortable, with a classic Wrangler driving position offering a clear view over the hood. Manual front seat height adjusters allowed for optimal positioning, though seats tended to lower over time. The optional Cold Weather Group added heated front seats and a heated steering wheel. The center console offered limited storage due to the hand-brake and transfer case lever, with small bins and netting for storage.

Rear-seat space was adequate, with air conditioning vents, USB ports, a power outlet, and MOLLE-style storage straps. The seat cushion’s height provided excellent visibility. Loading cargo was challenging due to the swing-out tailgate and flip-up rear glass window. Cargo volume measured 27.7 cubic feet behind the back seat, with a storage bin under the load floor for the charging cord. The Alpine sound system’s subwoofer and roof panel storage bag took up space, limiting room for luggage. Folding the back seat increased cargo volume to 72.4 cubic feet.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer featured a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster with 3D graphics, dual touchscreens, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a McIntosh audio system, and simultaneous pairing for two Bluetooth-enabled phones. A 4G-LTE WiFi hotspot supported up to eight devices. Second-row passengers had a 10.25-inch center console touchscreen for climate control, with an optional rear-seat entertainment system adding two 10.1-inch screens. The Grand Wagoneer’s larger touchscreen and additional screen for seat massagers set it apart from the standard Wagoneer.

The Grand Wagoneer offered a 10.25-inch touchscreen for the front passenger, controlling navigation and rear-seat entertainment. Amazon Alexa connectivity linked the vehicle to smart-home functions, while Fire TV for Auto allowed passengers to stream content. The Uconnect 5 infotainment system, with an Android-based operating system and over-the-air updates, powered the Grand Wagoneer. While the screen was occasionally slow to respond, the head-up display was clear and legible.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe Rubicon’s technological advancements focused on its plug-in hybrid powertrain and 4WD system, with data displays for each. It featured an 8.4-inch touchscreen Uconnect infotainment system with Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, navigation, and SiriusXM Guardian connected services. A WiFi connection proved useful during road trips, and the Alpine sound system overcame freeway wind noise, though at the expense of conversation.

The Uconnect system was intuitive but showed signs of aging in load time, responsiveness, voice recognition, and graphics. The Trip Summary data panel provided charging time estimates, while five blue charging indicator lights on the dashboard offered a quick view of charging status.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer had not yet been rated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) or National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) at the time. Standard safety features included a 360-degree camera system, automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, intersection collision assist, and rear parking sensors. Optional features included a driver-attention monitor, night vision, traffic-sign recognition, and two levels of driver-assistance systems. Active Driving Assist combined adaptive cruise control with automated lane centering, requiring hands-on driving, with a hands-free version planned for certain highways.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe offered advanced driving assistance systems in the Safety Group (blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic warning, rear parking sensors) and Advanced Safety Group (adaptive cruise control with full-stop capability, full-speed forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, automatic high-beam headlights). The blind-spot warning system was recommended due to the Wrangler’s narrow side mirrors. The LED headlights with automatic high beams were effective, though rated Marginal by the IIHS, better than the Poor rating for standard headlights.

IIHS testing revealed the Wrangler to be generally safe, except for small-overlap, frontal-impact protection for the driver, which earned a Marginal rating. The Wrangler tipped over onto its side during this evaluation. The NHTSA gave the Wrangler Unlimited a four-star frontal-impact crash-test rating and a three-star rollover resistance rating.