Jeep Grand Wagoneer vs GMC Acadia

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer was a striking presence on the road, sharing its frame and body shell with the standard Wagoneer, which lent it a traditional SUV styling. It featured a tall hood, broad shoulders, trapezoidal wheel arches, and an upright profile reminiscent of the smaller 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L. The Grand Wagoneer distinguished itself with a standard black roof, model-specific hood, front fascia, and grille. Its grille leaned forward slightly, adorned with laser-etched knurling, and the wheel centre caps were protected by acrylic glass, showcasing the “Wagoneer” logo. The vehicle's body-on-frame architecture, shared with the standard Wagoneer, allowed for independent suspension and incorporated lightweight materials like an aluminum hood and doors.

Inside, the Grand Wagoneer shared some styling cues with the Wagoneer, such as an integrated infotainment touchscreen and a two-spoke steering wheel. However, it elevated the experience with 24-way power front seats, Nappa leather upholstery, and optional higher-grade Palermo leather. The interior boasted aluminum and American Walnut wood trim, heated seats, and a heated steering wheel. Subtle differences, like seat controls placed high on the doors and the “Grand Wagoneer” inscription on the dashboard, further set it apart from its sibling.

The 2024 GMC Acadia, based on a heavily modified platform, grew significantly in size, standing 27 centimetres longer and 8 centimetres taller than its predecessor. Its styling emphasized this increased size with an upright front end and a broad grille, reflecting GMC’s full-size SUVs and pickup trucks. The Acadia featured brand-identifying single-quotation-mark LED headlights and big wheel arches that added to its robust appearance. The detailing on the wheel arches and door skins added definition, visible in the right lighting. At the rear, quad exhaust tips drew inspiration from the C8 Corvette.

The Acadia was available in base Elevation, off-road AT4, and luxe Denali trims. The Elevation came with standard 20-inch wheels, while 22-inch wheels were optional on Elevation and Denali. The AT4 featured model-specific 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires. Denali models boasted a grille with intricate detailing inspired by bridge trusswork, while AT4 models had red tow hooks and blacked-out trim. The interior was redesigned to accommodate larger screens and create a spacious feel, with a low dashboard and repositioned rear roof pillar enhancing visibility. The AT4 cabin had a rugged look, while the Denali featured leather seats with a unique stitching pattern.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer was powered by a 6.4-litre Hemi V8 engine, delivering 471 horsepower and 455 lb-ft of torque. This engine, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, propelled the vehicle from zero to 100 km/h in approximately six seconds. The Grand Wagoneer featured standard four-wheel drive with the Quadra-Drive II system, offering five drive modes and a Quadra-Lift air suspension system. This system allowed for adjustable ride height, providing up to 25.4 centimetres of ground clearance and enabling the vehicle to ford up to 60 centimetres of water. Despite its power, the Grand Wagoneer was best driven at a leisurely pace due to its bouncy ride and imprecise steering at higher speeds.

The 2024 GMC Acadia was equipped with a 2.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, producing 328 horsepower and 326 lb-ft of torque. This engine replaced the previous 2.0-litre turbocharged inline-four and 3.6-litre V6 engines, offering more power than both. The Acadia had a towing capacity of 2,268 kilograms with an available towing package. An eight-speed automatic transmission was standard, and all-wheel drive was standard in Canada. The AT4 model featured a twin-clutch system and off-road capabilities, including a 2.5-centimetre ride height lift and special suspension tuning. Despite its capabilities, the Acadia AT4 was more suited for light off-roading, with a comfortable ride on pavement.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer offered seating for seven with standard second-row captain’s chairs or eight with an optional third-row bench seat. It provided more third-row headroom and second-row legroom than competitors like the Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator. However, it had less first-row headroom and legroom compared to these rivals. The Grand Wagoneer offered 775 litres of cargo space with all seats in place and 2,667 litres with all rear seats folded. Its towing capacity was 4,472 kilograms, slightly less than the standard Wagoneer due to its extra weight. The vehicle featured a standard sunroof, four-zone automatic climate control, and a 360-degree camera system.

The 2024 GMC Acadia boasted a spacious interior with more headroom across all three rows than competitors like the Jeep Grand Cherokee L and Kia Telluride. It offered 651 litres of cargo space with all seats in place, 1,623 litres with the rear seats folded, and 2,761 litres with the second and third rows folded. The Acadia featured an underfloor storage bin and a “presence based” power liftgate for hands-free access to the cargo area. Small-item storage was reasonable, with a small drive-mode switch freeing up space. However, the headlight controls were only accessible via the touchscreen.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer featured a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, dual touchscreens, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and a McIntosh audio system. It supported simultaneous pairing for two Bluetooth-enabled phones and had a 4G-LTE Wi-Fi hotspot. Second-row passengers had a 10.25-inch touchscreen for climate control, and an optional rear-seat entertainment system added two 10.1-inch screens. The Uconnect 5 infotainment system offered an Android-based operating system and over-the-air updates, though the screen response was slow, and the instrument cluster graphics were plain.

The 2024 GMC Acadia came with an 11-inch digital instrument cluster and a 15-inch touchscreen, supporting wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It featured a 12-speaker Bose audio system, wireless device charging, and a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot. Google built-in apps, like Google Maps and Google Assistant, were integrated into the infotainment system. The touchscreen had a logical setup with high-quality graphics, and the instrument cluster offered multiple configurations. However, small drive-mode icons could get lost among other notifications.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer had not yet been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA. It came with standard safety features like a 360-degree camera system, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Optional features included intersection collision assist, driver-attention monitor, night vision, and traffic-sign recognition. The Active Lane Management System combined adaptive cruise control with automated lane centring, with a hands-free version planned for the future.

The 2024 GMC Acadia received an Acceptable rating from the IIHS for its moderate overlap front test and collision prevention system, and a Marginal score for its headlights. NHTSA ratings were unavailable. Standard driver assist features included forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and a surround-view camera. The Acadia also offered the Super Cruise driver-assist system as an option, allowing for hands-free driving on certain roads.