BREAKDOWN: 2022 Jeep® Grand Wagoneer Series III:

As the Jeep® brand’s most luxurious offering ever, the 2022 Grand Wagoneer Series III (WS) is the most expensive Jeep to ever hit the market. To help make the new duo of full-size SUVs feel even more premium, the Jeep brand has said, that the Wagoneer nameplate will be its own sub-brand. Kinda silly if you ask us, considering the Wagoneer is one of the most recognized Jeep nameplates of all time and that the Jeep brand is one of the most popular automotive brands around the globe. But who are we to tell the marketing team. If it worked for SRT with the Viper, it will work… oh well, never mind.

The Grand Wagoneer Series III is the goes head-to-head with the premium offerings of Navigator, Escalade, and Range Rover for the most premium SUVs you can buy for under $120,000. But what makes the Grand Wagoneer Series III so special? What options does it have? Is it worth that much money? These are some of the questions our readers have been asking.

The new 2022 Grand Wagoneer Series III, has little to nothing in common with the original 1963 to 1991 that American families adored for the span of almost three decades. Instead, the vehicle is a fresh start for the Jeep brand into a world of full-size SUVs that are technologically advanced and are a rolling status symbol. Instead of following the path of other premium SUVs, the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer offer not just a styling statement, but a status statement as well. If you are looking for a Grand Wagoneer that is more like the original, try the new Grand Cherokee (WL).

With a bold more squared styling than the original, the Grand Wagoneer Series III can come in either 7 or 8 seating configurations thanks to the nameplate’s first-ever third-row offering. The Grand Wagoneer offers slightly more interior room than its rivals, and yet the Jeep brand has said a bigger version will be coming within the next year. The new Grand Wagoneer features love it or hate it styling, with a few homage cues to make the vehicle able to wear the name.

Under the hood, is the first application of the 6.4-liter “Apache” (392 cubic-inch) HEMI V8 in a large SUV. This is the same unit found under the hood of the famed Scat Pack muscle cars, instead of the Heavy-Duty work truck version found in the Ram Heavy Duty pickups. Although it’s been tuned for more of an SUV role, the Apache still cranks out 471 horsepower (351 kW) and 455 lb.-ft. (617 Nm) of torque. The big HEMI is mated to an 8-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission. All Grand Wagoneer models come with the legendary Quadra-Drive II four-wheel-drive (4×4) system. The Quadra-Drive II system features a full-time, two-speed transfer case with an electronic limited-slip differential (eLSD).

For those who are looking to tow with the Grand Wagoneer Series III, it will have a best-in-class towing capacity of 9,860 lbs.

Inside, the Grand Wagoneer can’t be compared to anything else on the road. Building on the Wagoneer’s interior there are more premium materials such as Satin America Walnut wood, aluminum, and Nappa or Palermo leather-trimmed seating. Grand Wagoneer features touchscreens everywhere throughout its interior. A 12.3-inch customizable digital instrument cluster and 12-inch center-mounted Uconnect 5 touchscreen offer the driver plenty of customizable features to allow them to make Grand Wagoneer meet all of their favorite preferences. Both driver and passenger seats offer 24-way power-adjustable seats including bolster adjustments, cushion extensions, and even massage features which can be controlled by a 10.25-inch touchscreen located in front of the vehicle’s rotary dial shifter.

On Grand Wagoneer Series III, a standard 10.25-inch Uconnect 5 infotainment system located in front of the front-row passenger. It offers several “co-pilot” features, allowing the driver to focus on the road while the front passenger finds navigation destinations, plays audio, and adjusts vehicle settings. The screen can also display a true smartphone mirror, allowing the passenger to do things like answer emails, play videos and games, and access social media. A privacy filter keeps the screen obscured from the driver, limiting distraction.

Grand Wagoneer Series III models come standard with a set of second-row captain’s chairs and a fixed center console with a 10.3-inch comfort screen. For those who have larger families, you can opt for a bench seat which allows the Grand Wagoneer to seat 8 passengers comfortably. Second-row passengers also can be entertained with a pair of 10.1-inch Uconnect 5 entertainment screens mounted on the front seatbacks. These screens can access audio and video sources, and even stream Amazon Fire TV for Auto using the vehicle’s onboard WiFi.

Standard on Grand Wagoneer Series III is the McIntosh MX1375 system. The McIntosh MX1375 sound system uses 23-speaker, 1950-watts of power, and features immersive 3D sound processing for clear and true-to-life audio.

Yes, you know about all the specifications, but what about pricing and options? Starting price for the Grand Wagoneer Series III starts at $103,995 USD ($120,995 CAD) before destination charges. Those destination charges are also big, $2,000 for those living in the U.S. and $2,495 for those in Canada. We find that to be utterly crazy, considering that the Ram 1500 Classic is manufactured at the same plant, and comes with a $1,495 destination charge.

When it comes to options, there isn’t a lot of them to choose from since the Grand Wagoneer Series III comes standard with mostly everything. But the following options lists have been layout for you to see with both the U.S. and Canadian pricing.

• 22-Inch Polished Aluminum Wheels w/ Lights Out Pockets – Standard
• 22-Inch Machined-Aluminum Wheels with Black Noise Pockets – $995 USD / $1,995 CAD
• Embossed-Metal Interior Accents – $795 USD / $995 CAD
• Rear-Seat Entertainment Group – $1,995 USD / $2,695 CAD
  • 10.1-Inch Rear Entertainment Screens
  • Video USB Port
• 2nd-Row Seating Group – $0 USD / $0 CAD
  • 2nd-Row Dual Charge-Only USB Ports
  • 40/20/40 Power Tilt/Slide Rear Seat with Manual Recline
  • 8-Passenger Seating
• Heavy-Duty Trailer-Tow Package – $995 USD / $1,295 CAD
  • Chrome Tow-Hooks
  • Heavy-Duty Engine Cooling
  • Removable Rear Tow-Hook
  • Trailer-Brake Control
  • Trailer-Hitch Line-Up Assist
  • Trailer-Hitch Zoom
• Interior-Protection Package By Mopar – $395 USD / $535 CAD
  • All-Season Floor Mats
  • Cargo Tray
• Finishing Package By Mopar – $120 USD / N/A for Canada
  • Silver Valve-Stem-Cover with Logo by Mopar
  • Wheel Locks by Mopar
  • Rear License-Plate Bracket
• Smoker’s Group – $45 USD / $75 CAD
  • Cigar Lighter
  • Removable Ash Tray

When it comes to colors, both exterior and interior, there are several different configurations available. Each Grand Wagoneer Series III comes with a black-painted roof (a body-colored option is available at no charge), but at launch, there are five exterior colors available. Those colors are Bright White, Baltic-Gray Metallic, Silver Zynith, Velvet Red, and Diamond Black. Bright White is standard, the rest of the colors will have a $595 upcharge for both the U.S. and Canada. Four other colors will join the lineup later in the model year, those colors include River Rock Blue, Midnight Sky Blue, Rocky Mountain Green, and Ember Red.

As for the interior, there are three different color themes available. Customers can choose from Global Black, Blue Agave, or Tupelo/Black. 

With every option box checked, the Grand Wagoneer Series III comes to a staggering $109,930 USD ($129,380 CAD) before destination. The question is, can the Grand Wagoneer Series III take premium sales away from Lincoln, Cadillac, and Land Rover? We think so. 

So what do you think of the new 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III? Let us know in the comments below, or in our dedicated WagoneerForums.org owner’s forums.