Jeep Enthusiast
Jeep has started teasing it on social media
BY: JOEL STOCKSDALE
A few days ago, Jeep posted a somewhat cryptic teaser image to Twitter with a dictionary definition of the word “grand.” No images or details were given with it, but it was obviously hinting at a new vehicle release coming up. Now we know that they weren’t talking Grand Cherokee, but rather the long-anticipated 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer.
The confirmation comes from the latest tweet from the company featuring two images. One is of a starter button, and the other is of a badge showing just the last few letters of a badge followed by an American flag. The “EER” of the badge makes it obvious what the new SUV is.
Though the teasers don’t give us much to go on for how the SUV looks, we have a few years of rumors and spy photos to lean on. The first confirmation of the Grand Wagoneer came roughly half a decade ago in Fiat-Chrysler product plans, with a target launch of 2018. That was quite obviously delayed. The company eventually confirmed that the Grand Wagoneer would be a full-size SUV built in the same plant as then all-new Ram 1500, which suggested it would be derived from the pickup. Spy shots of an oddly short Ram 1500 supported this theory.
Those spy shots also revealed that the Grand Wagoneer would likely ride on independent rear suspension. This would give the big SUV suspension parity with the recently redesigned Chevy Tahoe/GMC Yukon/Cadillac Escalade and the Ford Expedition/Lincoln Navigator that the Grand Wagoneer will face off with.
With the Ram 1500 as a basis, it will likely share powertrains with the pickup truck. A 5.7-liter V8 with between 350 and 400 horsepower seems a shoo-in, and at least as an option the 48-volt eTorque hybrid assist. A 3.6-liter V6 is possible, though unlikely as the Grand Wagoneer is rumored to be up-market and none of the competition has a naturally aspirated V6. Previous reports have mentioned the possibility of a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 from the Dodge Hellcats and the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk based on a transmission shared with those models. A rumored turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six engine could be available, as well as a plug-in hybrid with up to 30 miles of electric range. And of course there could be an EcoDiesel option, too.
We should know more details soon. Since both teaser images are of what seem to be a finished near-production Grand Wagoneer, we would guess that we’ll see the SUV by the end of the year. It might even be shown in just a month or two.
