Last week, Jeep toyed with all of us by teasing an upcoming vehicle on social media by posting a picture of the Grand Canyon with the definition of “grand” superimposed over it. The message could have referenced either the new Grand Wagoneer, the next-generation Grand Cherokee, or both — which is to say, it may have been more enigmatic than the automaker intended. Jeep alleviated the confusion by dropping a couple more social media posts over the weekend, revealing that the brand is trying to get us all excited about the Grand Wagoneer.
One post featured two images. The first photo was the end of a Wagoneer emblem with an American flag, lest anyone think Stellantis-owned Jeep had gone too European; the second photo showed a starter button, in case folks were worried Jeep would saddle them with outmoded physical keys. In case that message wasn’t clear enough, Jeep also posted a video featuring the old Grand Wagoneer and a reference to the new vehicle arriving in 2021.
The Grand Wagoneer will be a new flagship for Jeep — and one we’re eagerly awaiting to drive. It will run on the excellent Ram 1500 truck platform, and presumably share one if not multiple engines with that pickup. It's also likely to carry a price tag to rival competitors like the Lincoln Navigator and Cadillac Escalade, with the top-spec priced north of $100,000.
We’ve seen buyers willing to accessorize Wranglers and Gladiators well into the luxury price range, but producing a bona fide luxury SUV is new territory for Jeep. The Grand Wagoneer would not just be competing with its American competitors, but also foreign luxury off-road manufacturers; the reported price point would push the Grand Wagoneer more than $10,000 more expensive than a Toyota Land Cruiser, which is primarily known for being expensive. It will also be overlapping on price with a Range Rover.
Scoring big in that rarified market will be a tough ask for Jeep. But we can’t wait to see them try.
