Jeep Grand Wagoneer vs 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 Jeep 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 centre caps had an acrylic glass covering to protect the “Wagoneer” logo. The vehicle's new body-on-frame architecture allowed for independent front and rear suspension, while the aluminum hood and doors, along with a composite tailgate, helped 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 standard heated first- and second-row seats and a heated steering wheel. Optional ventilated second-row seats and Nappa leather upholstery were standard, with higher-grade Palermo leather available. Aluminum and American Walnut wood trim added to the luxurious feel. Subtle differences, like seat controls placed high on the doors and the “Grand Wagoneer” spelled out on the dashboard, further set it apart from the Wagoneer.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe maintained the classic Wrangler styling, with signature elements like the exterior-mounted spare tire, removable doors, rounded headlights, and seven-slot grille. The plug-in hybrid model was subtly differentiated by blue decals, badging, and a charger port on the driver’s side front quarter panel. Interior quality remained consistent across the lineup, with three grades available: the 4xe Unlimited Sahara, Unlimited Sahara High Altitude, and Unlimited Rubicon. The Sahara models featured leather-faced seats with an 8-way power adjustable driver’s seat, while the Rubicon had unheated cloth seats as standard, with optional leather seats and the Cold Weather Group for heated front seats and a heated steering wheel.

The Wrangler 4xe’s interior included Dark Saddle brown leather seats, black leather inserts with contrast stitching, and a dramatic front passenger grab handle with “Wrangler” emblazoned across it. Despite the plug-in hybrid system, the Wrangler 4xe retained its off-road capabilities, with a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with electric motors for a total system output of 375 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. The plug-in hybrid drivetrain offered an electric-only range of 35 kilometres, with hybrid, electric, and e-save modes for battery management. The Wrangler 4xe provided a burst of energy from a stop, and the one-pedal driving became intuitive quickly. However, it remained a Wrangler, with its characteristic ruggedness and less refined everyday driving experience.

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 featured cylinder deactivation for improved fuel efficiency and was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Grand Wagoneer could accelerate from zero to 100 kilometres per hour in approximately six seconds, impressive for its 2,900-kilogram (6,400-pound) weight. It came standard with four-wheel drive, featuring the Quadra-Drive II system with a two-speed transfer case and electronic limited-slip differential. The Quadra-Lift air suspension system was also standard, offering adjustable height for off-roading, highway driving, and easier ingress and egress. With a maximum ground clearance of 25.4 centimetres, the Grand Wagoneer could handle a 25-degree approach angle, 24-degree departure angle, and 22-degree breakover angle, and it could ford up to 60 centimetres of water.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe combined a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with electric motors, producing a total system output of 375 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. The eight-speed automatic transmission provided a smooth driving experience. The Wrangler 4xe was trail-rated, with the Sahara grades featuring a Selec-trac two-speed transfer case and the Rubicon equipped with a Rock-trac transfer case. Both offered various drive settings, including 2WD High, four-wheel drive Auto, 4WD High, Neutral, and 4WD Low. The Wrangler 4xe boasted solid front and rear axles, available locking differentials, a fully articulating suspension, and up to 27.4 cm of ground clearance. It could ford up to 76 cm of water, with the battery pack safely tucked inside the frame under the second-row seats.

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, Lincoln Navigator, and Infiniti QX80. However, space in the front was more limited compared to the Escalade and Navigator. The Grand Wagoneer offered 775 litres of cargo space with all three rows in place and 2,007 litres with the third row stowed. With all rear seats folded, the cargo space dropped to 2,667 litres, less than its rivals. The Grand Wagoneer had a maximum towing capacity of 4,472 kilograms (9,850 pounds), slightly less than the standard Wagoneer due to its extra weight. It featured a standard sunroof, four-zone automatic climate control, and large storage bins.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe was designed to accommodate a battery pack under the rear seats, minimizing the loss of second-row space. The Sahara grades offered headroom of 1,023 mm and legroom of 970 mm, slightly less than gas-only Wranglers. The Rubicon with a soft-top roof provided more than 2 cm additional headroom. In terms of cargo, the Wrangler 4xe could hold up to 784 litres with the second-row seats upright and 1,908 litres with them folded, slightly less than other Wrangler models. The Wrangler 4xe was easy to manage in urban settings, with a width of 1,875 mm. It included a home charging cable stored under the rear cargo load floor. The Rubicon test unit featured an optional power-retracting roof, allowing for easy operation at speeds up to 96 kilometres per hour.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer featured a standard infotainment system with a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, dual touchscreens, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a McIntosh audio system, and simultaneous pairing for two Bluetooth-enabled phones. It also included a 4G-LTE Wi-Fi hotspot supporting up to eight devices. Second-row passengers had a 10.25-inch centre console touchscreen, and an optional rear seat entertainment system added two 10.1-inch screens. The Grand Wagoneer used the Uconnect 5 infotainment system with an Android-based operating system and over-the-air software update capability. While the screen was a bit slow to respond, the head-up display was clear and legible.

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe ran Uconnect 4C with navigation on an 8.4-inch centre-mounted touchscreen, with standard Android Auto and Apple CarPlay functionality. Uconnect was known for its intuitive interface, with touch layout and hard buttons for critical functions. The Wrangler 4xe included off-road pages showing pitch and roll angle and geographic coordinates, as well as Hybrid Electric Pages for vehicle efficiency settings. The instrument cluster featured a traditional tachometer and a gauge for electric power usage, with a 7-inch colour information display in the centre. There were four USB ports, but no wireless phone charging pad.

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

The 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe shared its structure with other Wranglers, receiving a Good rating in most IIHS crashworthiness tests. However, the driver’s side small overlap front test returned a Marginal result due to a tip-over, and rear passenger head protection was also rated as Marginal. The NHTSA rated the Wrangler with four stars for front crash tests and three stars for rollover resistance. Safety features were limited, with blind spot monitoring and rear park assist standard on the Unlimited Sahara High Altitude but optional on other grades. The Advanced Safety Group offered additional features like automatic high beams and adaptive cruise control.