The Jeep Grand Wagoneer Concept is one of the most opulent and well-equipped Jeep products I have ever seen. It’s modern, packed with features, and genuinely beautiful to look at. It’s also, as Jeep will point out, a concept.
We are going to get a Jeep Grand Wagoneer, though. So even if this is just a concept, there has to be some items that Jeep is showing off here that’ll make the production version. Nobody at Jeep is talking, but we do have some theories on what a production-spec version of the Grand Wagoneer will likely have.
4xe
Photo courtesy of FCA US LLC
4xe is Jeep’s branding for a plug-in hybrid powertrain. The Wrangler PHEV is going on sale early next year, and there are electrified versions of other Jeep models heading to Europe. For a flagship product, it’d make sense to have a future-looking flagship powertrain. Plug-in hybrid technology is how they do that.
Grand Wagoneer badging
Photo courtesy of FCA US LLC
The Grand Wagoneer Concept features prominent Grand Wagoneer badging around the vehicle, including the front grille and the rear liftgate. It’s a design feature of the concept, but the font and placement make sense from a production standpoint. The badging will be as grand as the name itself.
Light-up grille variant
Photo courtesy of FCA US LLC
The light-up grille on the Grand Wagoneer is an incredible nighttime design feature. I’m unsure if Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) allow for that much lighting, but some luxury cars have light-up badges now, like the oversized illuminated Mercedes star. Expect some sort of light-up front to add to the premium look of the exterior at night.
Lots of screens
Photo courtesy of FCA US LLC
According to Jeep, the Grand Wagoneer Concept is running a special version of the brand’s latest Uconnect software. Every family hauler needs to have screens to entertain the kids, so expect some of the screens to make production.
The only one I’d say might not make the final cut would be the final one for the front passenger. It uses light filtering technology so that the driver can’t see the screen and be distracted by it, but it’s an expensive add-on that might be a bit over-the-top. It cold also interfere with airbag deployment design.
McIntosh audio
Photo courtesy of FCA US LLC
McIntosh is one of the premier names in high-end home audio systems. In this high-tech world, they still use vacuum tubes in their amplifiers to achieve their near-perfect sound. While there are no vacuum tubs in the Grand Wagoneer that we’re aware of, the Grand Wagoneer is the first time that any vehicle has had a McIntosh branded setup.
Jeep incorporated McIntosh design elements into the infotainment as well, making it look and feel like a home setup in your car. This is the feature I’m most excited about with Grand Wagoneer and I really want to listen to it.
Grand Wagoneer is trying to push the brand deep into the luxury segment, and a partnership with McIntosh goes a long way to help. It might be wishful thinking, but it’d be a smart move for this to make production.
Third row
Photo courtesy of FCA US LLC
The Grand Wagoneer Concept features a third row of seats – not uncommon for a full-size SUV – that should make production. While Jeep wouldn’t confirm specifically wheelbase options, offering both a Wagoneer and a Grand Wagoneer implies that one will be bigger than the other. Expect top-spec trims to carry over the same premium experience as the second row.
Interior
Photo courtesy of FCA US LLC
While there are specific areas that I talked about that should make production in the interior, still expect the premium materials to make the final version. Jeep’s approach to luxury, based on this concept, is very similar to Lincoln in design and execution. By offering plush materials, good tech, and a design language that is more Detroit than Munich, Jeep has an opportunity to draw higher-end customers away from vehicles like the Mercedes-Benz GLS or BMW X7.
What Jeep should do
When the Grand Wagoneer goes on sale next year along with the Wagoneer, Jeep should just take the Grand Wagoneer concept and put it into production. As is. Make basically no changes.
This is one of the most attractive Jeeps ever made, inside and out, and provides a premium experience that rivals competitors at double the price. That is, assuming a fully loaded Grand Wagoneer exceeds $100,000.
How close will it stay to the concept? Only time will tell.
