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Grand Wagoneer review

Johnny_H

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The Wagoneer forum sucks so I’m posting here. I imagine a lot of 1500 owners are eyeing up the Wagoneer family.

I have a 1500 limited and it’s great for hauling around our two kids, but with a third one on the way we need (want) a 3 row suv as it’s gonna be a bit cramped. My wife was set on trading in our X5 for a minivan. Minivans are disgusting. I’ve wanted a Grand Wagoneer since day 1 since it can still tow my boat and handle bad weather drives to our cabin. Today I found a new Grand Wagoneer on a lot and regular Wagoneer and drove them both. Both are series 3. I know not many people have had the opportunity to drive them so I wanted to share a couple thoughts.

The GW is amazing. I’ve driven a lot of nice cars and the closest thing to this is a Bentley Continental. No joke. It seriously leaves the Navigator and new Escalade in the dust, and I honestly think it is better than the X7 and S450 from an interior point of view. It has the most comfortable seats of any vehicle I’ve driven, the tech and leather is perfection, and the third row seats 3 adults easily and is very easy to get in and out of.

My only disappointment is that while the 6.4 is a rocket and sounds amazing, it does have a bit of NVH around 1200 rpm. That’s it. It’s the best handling SUV out of all the 3 rows aside from the X7 - I would say the X7 corners better but the GW has a better ride. All the rest basically float and make me car sick. It handles similar to the Ram but is much sharper. It also feels the smallest of the domestics, not as nimble as an X7, but it drives not much bigger than a Grand Cherokee L. And the L is not even close to being in the same league - it feels like a dressed up Durango (which it is). The GW is absolutely as good as expected. I love it so much.

Problem is this dealer has it $20k over msrp at $145k CAD and I can’t justify the premium and would be willing to wait for a less optioned factory order. I was set on the GW and had an allocation already at another dealer, but figured why not try the regular Wagoneer since they had one as well.

Well I’m cancelling my allocation and getting a regular Wagoneer. While the 5.7 certainly doesn’t pull as hard or sound as good as the 6.4, it definitely does the job, and actually had less NVH than the 6.4 - basically behaves same as in my 1500. The ride was the same (both had same 22 inch wheels with garbage Goodyears). The leather was Napa, not Palmero, and while it wasn’t as soft and luxurious it was on par with the 1500 Limited leather, and my wife preferred the all black interior vs the GW orange. And less likely to be destroyed when my kids spill milk on it and Color on it with markers.

All the tech was nearly equivalent aside from a few drivers aids I don’t care for, plus it lacks the Center console between the middle row seats which is actually a plus for our young family as the kids can just scoot to the back without folding the seats forward if they want.

So while the GW is absolutely stunning, the Wagoneer is what we will get - basically more practical and I can get it appropriately optioned for under $100k CAD. If I didn’t love my limited and need a truck for truck things I would get a GW for myself in a heartbeat. Since it’s principally a family hauler for my wife, the Wagoneer works better, is a lot cheaper, and I think the interior should be more durable.

Of note we took my 4 year old on the drive and put her car seat in the second row. The seat easily tilts forward at the touch of a button with the car seat on it, and goes forward far enough that entering the third row is still easier than a minivan.

I also suggest people watch Doug Demuros review on the GW if you’re interested, and do it before you test drive as it explains a lot of the tech before you get in the car - I’m fairly tech savvy and I felt the GW tech borderline overwhelming.

Edit. Here’s his review.


I’m taking my 6 year old car nut son for a ride tomorrow so I’ll take a couple pictures of them and post later. I’ll try and answer any questions if anyone has any.


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J-Cooz

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The interior on the GW looks absolutely stunning.

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OleNavyMane

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Good review and thanks. The only thing regarding the W is that I have read in several places of folks complaining that there is no power folding sideview mirrors for all 3 series. If you are gonna pull the trigger on the W and plan on default power folding mirrors, you had better verify that you will have them.
 

mikeru82

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Thanks for the reviews. I have yet to even see one of these in person. I don't necessarily need to have a truck, I just like having the versatility of being able to haul things occasionally. So I could see us possibly trading one of our trucks in for one of these in the future. Not to mention the fact that we don't need two pick-ups in the family LOL
 

NorthStar

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The Wagoneer forum sucks so I’m posting here. I imagine a lot of 1500 owners are eyeing up the Wagoneer family.

I have a 1500 limited and it’s great for hauling around our two kids, but with a third one on the way we need (want) a 3 row suv as it’s gonna be a bit cramped. My wife was set on trading in our X5 for a minivan. Minivans are disgusting. I’ve wanted a Grand Wagoneer since day 1 since it can still tow my boat and handle bad weather drives to our cabin. Today I found a new Grand Wagoneer on a lot and regular Wagoneer and drove them both. Both are series 3. I know not many people have had the opportunity to drive them so I wanted to share a couple thoughts.

The GW is amazing. I’ve driven a lot of nice cars and the closest thing to this is a Bentley Continental. No joke. It seriously leaves the Navigator and new Escalade in the dust, and I honestly think it is better than the X7 and S450 from an interior point of view. It has the most comfortable seats of any vehicle I’ve driven, the tech and leather is perfection, and the third row seats 3 adults easily and is very easy to get in and out of.

My only disappointment is that while the 6.4 is a rocket and sounds amazing, it does have a bit of NVH around 1200 rpm. That’s it. It’s the best handling SUV out of all the 3 rows aside from the X7 - I would say the X7 corners better but the GW has a better ride. All the rest basically float and make me car sick. It handles similar to the Ram but is much sharper. It also feels the smallest of the domestics, not as nimble as an X7, but it drives not much bigger than a Grand Cherokee L. And the L is not even close to being in the same league - it feels like a dressed up Durango (which it is). The GW is absolutely as good as expected. I love it so much.

Problem is this dealer has it $20k over msrp at $145k CAD and I can’t justify the premium and would be willing to wait for a less optioned factory order. I was set on the GW and had an allocation already at another dealer, but figured why not try the regular Wagoneer since they had one as well.

Well I’m cancelling my allocation and getting a regular Wagoneer. While the 5.7 certainly doesn’t pull as hard or sound as good as the 6.4, it definitely does the job, and actually had less NVH than the 6.4 - basically behaves same as in my 1500. The ride was the same (both had same 22 inch wheels with garbage Goodyears). The leather was Napa, not Palmero, and while it wasn’t as soft and luxurious it was on par with the 1500 Limited leather, and my wife preferred the all black interior vs the GW orange. And less likely to be destroyed when my kids spill milk on it and Color on it with markers.

All the tech was nearly equivalent aside from a few drivers aids I don’t care for, plus it lacks the Center console between the middle row seats which is actually a plus for our young family as the kids can just scoot to the back without folding the seats forward if they want.

So while the GW is absolutely stunning, the Wagoneer is what we will get - basically more practical and I can get it appropriately optioned for under $100k CAD. If I didn’t love my limited and need a truck for truck things I would get a GW for myself in a heartbeat. Since it’s principally a family hauler for my wife, the Wagoneer works better, is a lot cheaper, and I think the interior should be more durable.

Of note we took my 4 year old on the drive and put her car seat in the second row. The seat easily tilts forward at the touch of a button with the car seat on it, and goes forward far enough that entering the third row is still easier than a minivan.

I also suggest people watch Doug Demuros review on the GW if you’re interested, and do it before you test drive as it explains a lot of the tech before you get in the car - I’m fairly tech savvy and I felt the GW tech borderline overwhelming.

Edit. Here’s his review.


I’m taking my 6 year old car nut son for a ride tomorrow so I’ll take a couple pictures of them and post later. I’ll try and answer any questions if anyone has any.


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What surprised me about the Wagoneer I sat in/test drove was the seats...the front seats are Charger style and sized seats, and didn't seem as large as the Ram seats. Please correct me if my perception was off however that is the case, it's a huge miss as it should have been developed/built with the same size Ram seats.
 
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bigdodge

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The Wagoneer forum sucks so I’m posting here. I imagine a lot of 1500 owners are eyeing up the Wagoneer family.

I have a 1500 limited and it’s great for hauling around our two kids, but with a third one on the way we need (want) a 3 row suv as it’s gonna be a bit cramped. My wife was set on trading in our X5 for a minivan. Minivans are disgusting. I’ve wanted a Grand Wagoneer since day 1 since it can still tow my boat and handle bad weather drives to our cabin. Today I found a new Grand Wagoneer on a lot and regular Wagoneer and drove them both. Both are series 3. I know not many people have had the opportunity to drive them so I wanted to share a couple thoughts.

The GW is amazing. I’ve driven a lot of nice cars and the closest thing to this is a Bentley Continental. No joke. It seriously leaves the Navigator and new Escalade in the dust, and I honestly think it is better than the X7 and S450 from an interior point of view. It has the most comfortable seats of any vehicle I’ve driven, the tech and leather is perfection, and the third row seats 3 adults easily and is very easy to get in and out of.

My only disappointment is that while the 6.4 is a rocket and sounds amazing, it does have a bit of NVH around 1200 rpm. That’s it. It’s the best handling SUV out of all the 3 rows aside from the X7 - I would say the X7 corners better but the GW has a better ride. All the rest basically float and make me car sick. It handles similar to the Ram but is much sharper. It also feels the smallest of the domestics, not as nimble as an X7, but it drives not much bigger than a Grand Cherokee L. And the L is not even close to being in the same league - it feels like a dressed up Durango (which it is). The GW is absolutely as good as expected. I love it so much.

Problem is this dealer has it $20k over msrp at $145k CAD and I can’t justify the premium and would be willing to wait for a less optioned factory order. I was set on the GW and had an allocation already at another dealer, but figured why not try the regular Wagoneer since they had one as well.

Well I’m cancelling my allocation and getting a regular Wagoneer. While the 5.7 certainly doesn’t pull as hard or sound as good as the 6.4, it definitely does the job, and actually had less NVH than the 6.4 - basically behaves same as in my 1500. The ride was the same (both had same 22 inch wheels with garbage Goodyears). The leather was Napa, not Palmero, and while it wasn’t as soft and luxurious it was on par with the 1500 Limited leather, and my wife preferred the all black interior vs the GW orange. And less likely to be destroyed when my kids spill milk on it and Color on it with markers.

All the tech was nearly equivalent aside from a few drivers aids I don’t care for, plus it lacks the Center console between the middle row seats which is actually a plus for our young family as the kids can just scoot to the back without folding the seats forward if they want.

So while the GW is absolutely stunning, the Wagoneer is what we will get - basically more practical and I can get it appropriately optioned for under $100k CAD. If I didn’t love my limited and need a truck for truck things I would get a GW for myself in a heartbeat. Since it’s principally a family hauler for my wife, the Wagoneer works better, is a lot cheaper, and I think the interior should be more durable.

Of note we took my 4 year old on the drive and put her car seat in the second row. The seat easily tilts forward at the touch of a button with the car seat on it, and goes forward far enough that entering the third row is still easier than a minivan.

I also suggest people watch Doug Demuros review on the GW if you’re interested, and do it before you test drive as it explains a lot of the tech before you get in the car - I’m fairly tech savvy and I felt the GW tech borderline overwhelming.

Edit. Here’s his review.


I’m taking my 6 year old car nut son for a ride tomorrow so I’ll take a couple pictures of them and post later. I’ll try and answer any questions if anyone has any.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

jimothy

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If rumors of a long wheelbase Grand Wagoneer are true, that’ll actually be a very affordable vehicle, since I could sell my house and live in it. 🤪
 

Nick57

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My father picked up a Grand Wagoneer Series 2 in Dec. He absolutely loves it! I drove it and it drives very similar to my truck. (big shock) That being said the seats and tech in it are incredible! Videos and pictures don't do these things justice. Just one of the many awesome features in this thing is the screen in front of the front passenger that is a touch screen that you can watch movies and a lot more on and the view from the driver seat is that is just a black space on the dash. The driver can not see anything on that screen but the passenger can. The massaging seats are also nice.... lol
 

Johnny_H

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So a few more pointers between the 6.4 and the 5.7

The 6.4 is a rocket compared to the 5.7. It sounds amazing as well. This makes it even more disappointing this engine is not offered in the 1500 - especially I think in both the Rebel and Limited trims. This motor in the rebel would make it comparable with an early raptor….probably better, and likely close to a current raptor. I think the lazy 6.4 from the 2500 would also be a nice option in these trucks as well.

Unfortunately I don’t think it’s as well suited to the GW. The Wagoneer drives so much quieter and smoother with the 5.7, the 6.4 is almost too unrefined for something as opulent as the GW. I think a boosted version of the eco diesel or the upcoming turbo inline 6 will actually be a better fit. Or even the 5.7!


The 5.7 feels different in the Jeep than the Ram as well. A few interesting things I noticed.

- It’s exhaust is quieter but similar. However it has a louder and almost more brawny intake sound. It sounds awesome!

-the auto start stop operates the same, but the defeat switch stays illuminated when you use it!

-eco mode is much less harsh. Like you absolutely do not notice it unless the screen tells you it’s operating in 4cyl mode (it doesn’t say eco)

-the engine is a lot more fun when you put it in sport mode. Huge difference in throttle response

-I didn’t get enough seat time to really tell but it seemed to use 10-20% less gas than my ram on similar roads/conditions. Can’t say for sure though

-You feel the 4Wd system less though the steering wheel in the Jeep than you do in the Ram with 4auto. It’s a pretty invisible system and Jeep seems to have nailed it


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Green Streak

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Great review but what does “NVH” mean? “….a bit of NVH at 1200 rpm’s.” “….actually had less NVH than the 6.4”
I’m and old man I guess and not up on my acronyms. SMDH ROFLMAO!
 

jimothy

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Great review but what does “NVH” mean? “….a bit of NVH at 1200 rpm’s.” “….actually had less NVH than the 6.4”
I’m and old man I guess and not up on my acronyms. SMDH ROFLMAO!
Noise, vibration, harshness. I had no idea either, and I had to look it up.
 

jchuchla

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My dealer had one on the floor when I was taking delivery of my new 22 Ram in December. It was a beautiful SUV. I climbed in and it was very comfortable. I didn't get to fire it up and drive it since it was on the showroom floor, but I did poke around as much as I could.
The biggest issue i saw (other than the price tag) was that I felt that there seemed to be less cargo capacity in back than there is in my wife's 21 Pacifica. We use the Pacifica (and the Grand Caravan before it) for family trips where we haul 3 adults and 3 kids and all our gear inside the van for multi-week vacations.
It seemed like they should really make a less luxurious yet still practical model with a bit longer wheelbase for more cargo space and it would make for the perfect family vehicle.
 

Johnny_H

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Well just thought I’d update. I went back and drove them again and switched my order back to a Grand Wagoneer. I just need that 6.4 in my life and after getting in the GW again it really does feel like a much more special car. I’m able to spec a Series II GW for only about $10k more than a similarly optioned Series III Wagoneer and I feel between the motor, interior, and exterior upgrades it really is worth it. The first day I drove the GW it was -25 and yesterday it was above freezing and it of course was much smoother and quieter, I can’t imagine not owning one now. I just have to wait a few months, but it’s worth it to avoid paying for the over-optioned above-MSRP one we drove.


Plus I told my wife about the Ram 5.7 vs GW 6.4 video and said it would save us gas pulling the boat and she thought that was a great idea lol thanks guys!!


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BluegrassMotorsport

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Keep us updated! My mother is shopping for new vehicles. We;re historically a GM family but the new Tahoes are having severe lifter issues so I'm trying to sway her toward the Wagoneer.
 

Johnny_H

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A buddy of mine owns a dealership and they just had a bunch of allocations open up. Basically ordered a white on black series 3 with everything except the rear seat video. They’re also giving me $5k off sticker which these days is pretty good. It’s the exact build in this video. Now just have to wait 2 to 10 months lol.



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Johnny_H

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Keep us updated! My mother is shopping for new vehicles. We;re historically a GM family but the new Tahoes are having severe lifter issues so I'm trying to sway her toward the Wagoneer.

Also have your ma watch this review. Wagoneer is a much better car than than Tahoe/Escalade.



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Johnny_H

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Update. They hope it will be ready by mid April!


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