Late final 12 months, Jeep loaned us their shiny new Grand Wagoneer. With it’s beautiful inside, countless choices listing, and rugged attractiveness, we discovered it fairly Grand certainly. Then we started questioning what made it extra Grand than the bottom Wagoneer. After crawling all around the two fashions on the Chicago Auto Present this spring and never discovering an apparent reply, we determined that solely by spending some high quality time with the common Wagoneer would the variations grow to be extra apparent. After a little bit begging, Jeep despatched over a Wagoneer L Collection 3 for us to spend a while with.

When it arrived, we instantly observed that one thing was totally different concerning the Wagoneer, design-wise. What was it? One thing about it made it look sharper than the Grand Wagoneer we’d pushed earlier than. Then it hit us. It was longer than the Grand Wagoneer we’d final pushed. Longer than any Wagoneers we’d seen on the highway up thus far. After checking the construct sheet, we observed that the Wagoneer was an “L” mannequin. The rear-most home windows on the Wagoneer have been longer than regular. There was an additional few toes behind the third row seats. The extra size actually improved the general look. Perched over the massive, daring 22” wheels it had a extra sporting look. We most well-liked it to the brief mannequin.

Inside is the place the Wagoneer is really distinguished from it’s Grand sibling although. Whereas nonetheless one of many nicest interiors we’ve ever been in, the supplies are a little bit decrease hire than within the Grand Wagoneer. The wealthy leather-covered sprint is changed with one coated in a rubbery vinyl plastic. The leather-based all through is a decrease grade as properly. It’s nonetheless good, however not practically as good as within the Grand Wagoneer. Name it “utilitarian-plus.” Gone are the wealthy woods on the middle console, changed with cheaper, extra frequent woods and good plastics. Total, it’s nonetheless a improbable inside but it surely’s a little bit extra pedestrian (if I could use that phrase in such a pleasant inside) than it’s nicer sibling.

One stand-out factor concerning the L’s inside is the rear sunroof which, together with the complete panoramic sunroof above the entrance 4 seats, allows an amazing quantity of sunshine and makes the Wagoneer’s inside really feel very ethereal and vibrant.

The Wagoneer additionally had one thing else in it that I’ve by no means seen earlier than in a car: Open up the middle console and also you’ll discover – ta-da! – a built-in metal secure with a 10-digit digital keypad lock. How cool is that? You possibly can go away valuables in it whilst you’re day mountain climbing out within the wilderness, or lock your pistol in it while you go into the shop. Very cool concept.

Underneath the hood, as a substitute of a Hemi V8, breathes a brand new twin-turbo 3.0L Hurricane inline-6 engine, producing 420hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. It’s an excellent engine that makes nice noises. It’s acquired a pleasant snarl with some whispery whooshing that hints on the energy accessible. How a lot energy? It’s able to towing 10,000 lbs. That’s some first rate energy. The engine permits the Wagoneer to step out into site visitors and attain site visitors pace with little to no effort too. It’s acceleration is startling for such a big car. We didn’t count on it to indicate up the V8 within the Grand Wagoneer, but it surely’s a powerful engine and did simply that.

It transmits all that energy by an 8-speed automated transmission to all 4 wheels. At the side of that transmission, the Wagoneer is out there with three totally different 4×4 techniques: Quadra Trac I, Quadra Trac II, and Quadra Drive I. Ours was geared up with the Quadra Trac II system, which included the Selec-Terrain Traction Administration System and a low pace switch case for excessive rock crawling. Nonetheless “Path Rated.” Thanks, Jeep.

The journey is comfy and well-composed. Bumps and potholes come by however are vastly minimized by the suspension. The journey peak is adjustable, dropping nearer to the pavement when touring at freeway speeds to scale back drag and rising up off-road to clear obstacles. Selec-Terrain lets you select the driving situations – snow/ice, sand/mud, rock, regular, and sport. By choosing one, it tailors the traction management, journey peak, and energy transmission to every situation and maximizes it’s potential.

The steering is gentle – maybe a little bit lighter than we’d have preferred – but it surely’s intuitive and prefer it’s Grander sibling, it’s extremely simple to drag the massive truck into tight parking spots. It activates a dime and is simple to maneuver – no small feat while you’re that enormous.

The brakes are giant, robust, and able to stopping the heavy truck rapidly and with good management.

Federal mileage figures are 23mpg on the freeway and 16mpg within the metropolis. Our experiences appeared to again that up. The gasoline tank is big too. You possibly can drive fairly a methods on single tank of gasoline however filling up at present gasoline costs hurts.

The bottom value of a Jeep Wagoneer is $77,000, however ours stickered at nearly $93,000 with the Comfort Group, the Heavy-Responsibility Tow Package deal, Second-Row Seating Group, Premium Group, and the Rear-seat Leisure Group.

Whereas the Wagoneer could not have the panache and identical top quality appointments that the elite Grand Wagoneer has, it’s not missing any Jeep functionality nor the next diploma of consolation than most different SUV’s in the marketplace. Whereas our first alternative could be the Grand Wagoneer, we wouldn’t be in any respect disillusioned to personal a base Wagoneer. It’s nonetheless a improbable car.