Late final yr, Jeep loaned us their shiny new Grand Wagoneer. With it’s beautiful inside, infinite choices checklist, and rugged beauty, we discovered it fairly Grand certainly. Then we started questioning what made it extra Grand than the bottom Wagoneer. After crawling everywhere in 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 develop into extra apparent. After a bit of begging, Jeep despatched over a Wagoneer L Sequence 3 for us to spend a while with.

When it arrived, we instantly seen that one thing was totally different in regards to 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 street up up to now. After checking the construct sheet, we seen 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 ft behind the third row seats. The extra size actually improved the general look. Perched over the big, daring 22” wheels it had a extra sporting look. We most well-liked it to the quick mannequin.

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

One stand-out factor in regards to the L’s inside is the rear sunroof which, along with the total panoramic sunroof above the entrance 4 seats, permits an incredible 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 automobile: Open up the middle console and also you’ll discover – ta-da! – a built-in metal protected with a 10-digit digital keypad lock. How cool is that? You may go away valuables in it whilst you’re day mountain climbing out within the wilderness, or lock your pistol in it once you go into the shop. Very cool concept.

Underneath the hood, as an alternative 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 amazing engine that makes nice noises. It’s bought a pleasant snarl with some whispery whooshing that hints on the energy obtainable. How a lot energy? It’s able to towing 10,000 lbs. That’s some respectable 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 automobile. We didn’t anticipate it to indicate up the V8 within the Grand Wagoneer, but it surely’s a formidable engine and did simply that.

It transmits all that energy by way of an 8-speed computerized transmission to all 4 wheels. Along side that transmission, the Wagoneer is offered 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 experience is comfy and well-composed. Bumps and potholes come by way of however are enormously minimized by the suspension. The experience 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 permits you to select the driving situations – snow/ice, sand/mud, rock, regular, and sport. By choosing one, it tailors the traction management, experience peak, and energy transmission to every situation and maximizes it’s potential.

The steering is mild – maybe a bit of lighter than we’d have appreciated – but it surely’s intuitive and prefer it’s Grander sibling, it’s extremely simple to tug the big truck into tight parking spots. It activates a dime and is simple to maneuver – no small feat once 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 gas tank is big too. You may drive fairly a methods on single tank of gas however filling up at present fuel costs hurts.

The bottom worth of a Jeep Wagoneer is $77,000, however ours stickered at nearly $93,000 with the Comfort Group, the Heavy-Obligation Tow Bundle, 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 a better diploma of consolation than most different SUV’s in the marketplace. Whereas our first selection could be the Grand Wagoneer, we wouldn’t be in any respect dissatisfied to personal a base Wagoneer. It’s nonetheless a improbable automobile.