The Jeep Wagoneer Is Dead—Long Live the Grand Wagoneer
Jeep brought back both the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer names in 2022. All it did was confuse customers.
Jeep brought back the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer names for a series of full-size SUVs back in 2021. It hasn't gone well, with slow sales and customer confusion. A lot of buyers didn't realize that the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer are the same size. Jeep uses the "Grand" prefix for higher trims, and long-wheelbase models are appended by an "L."
To simplify things, Jeep is dropping the regular Wagoneer and keeping the Grand Wagoneer. Mopar Insiders first reported the news over the weekend, citing dealer sources, and Automotive News confirmed the move with the head of the Stellantis dealer council.
Mopar Insiders says that the 2026 Grand Wagoneer lineup will move downwards to cover the price territory of the former Wagoneer. Jeep is apparently also dropping the strange Series I, II, and III trims in favor of more familiar nameplates. There's also a chance that Jeep could reintroduce the Hemi V-8 for the Grand Wagoneer, after the brand's CEO Bob Broderdorf recently said it would "tap the power and performance of the Hemi across Jeep products."
Like the Ram 1500, the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer lost their Hemi V-8 options in favor of Stellantis' new twin-turbo straight-six. Ram reintroduced the Hemi a few months ago, and initial sales have been very strong.
Stellantis, as of late, has been trying to undo its many mistakes of the last few years. After years of success, Jeep has had a stunning fall from grace in the 2020s. The push upmarket didn't find many buyers, and the accompanying discontinuation of affordable models left it badly exposed. So now, like the rest of the Stellatnis brands, Jeep is trying to right the ship, with moves like this, the push for more V-8s, and a badly needed new Cherokee.
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