Dealers say Jeep is about to drop the Wagoneer from its lineup, simplifying its full-size SUV into just the Grand Wagoneer.
Let’s be honest here: The past few years following Jeep’s full-size SUV competitor has been a bit of a roller coaster. First, we couldn’t call it a Jeep — it was “Wagoneer by Jeep”. Then you had to choose whether you wanted a standard wheelbase version or a long-wheelbase “L” model. Then you had to choose again whether you wanted the lower priced Wagoneer, or the fancier and far more expensive Grand Wagoneer (it has Grand in the name, after all, so you know its better). With that decision came a difference in powertrains, with either the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 in the Wagoneer, the 6.4-liter in the Grand…or later on, different versions of the 3.0-liter Hurricane inline-six in each respective model. Now, though, it seems your choice may get a bit easier to understand.
Why? Well, according to the latest dealer gossip (as reported by Mopar Insiders), Jeep will soon retire the standard Wagoneer nameplate for the lineup. It’s a bit ironic looking at this SUV’s history, because the “Grand Wagoneer” itself originally came about through AMC Motors consolidating the Wagoneer SJ’s lineup way back in 1984. Stellantis more or less revived that Wagoneer-versus-Grand Wagoneer approach when it revived the iconic SUV for the 2022 model year, but — much like with the “don’t call it a Jeep” thing — the automaker is having a rethink here.
The 2026 Jeep Grand Wagoneer lineup, then, will extend downmarket to offer less expensive options, just with the “Grand Wagoneer” badge across the board. This move comes as part of Jeep’s strategy to sharpen — or stratify, if you like — its lineup so there’s less confusion for buyers. The more luxurious sounding Grand Wagoneer name also effectively pitches the largest, most luxurious Jeep model against the higher echelon of pricey family SUVs like the GMC Yukon Denali, Cadillac Escalade, Lincoln Navigator, Infiniti QX80 and Lexus LX.
That’s not the only name change that’s reportedly happening, either. Instead of the “Series I, II, III” trim naming scheme, the 2026 Jeep Grand Wagoneer lineup will adopt more standard Jeep-ish names, like Summit. A US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) application hinted at that when Stellantis filed it back in August. Now, though, the picture is a bit clearer as part of the broader revamp of the Grand Wagoneer range. Presumably, that will also bring in other names used on the Grand Cherokee like Altitude, Laredo, Limited and Overland, but we’ll have to wait for Jeep’s full debut to fully clear things up.
Jeep is facelifting the Grand Wagoneer for 2026, and previewed what that will look like in early August. We should have more details on that soon, though we assume it will still use the 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged Hurricane inline-six engine with up to 540 horsepower.
