2026 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Road-Trip Test: 3 Pros, 1 Giant Con
What SUV Shoppers Need to Know
- The Jeep Grand Wagoneer has been updated for the 2026 model year with a fresh face, revised trim levels and a lower starting price.
- In terms of space and comfort, it capably handled a road trip with my family of five.
- One big con is its fuel efficiency; it did not live up to its EPA rating during my test.
The 2026 Jeep Grand Wagoneer is extremely good and extremely bad at road trips. I loaded the large three-row SUV with my family of five for a trip from my Chicago home to a lake near St. Louis, and the Grand Wagoneer delivered maximum comfort in all three rows — and maximum pain at the gas pump.
Related: 2026 Jeep Grand Wagoneer: Just as Nice as Ever
The Grand Wagoneer got a refresh for 2026 with updated front styling, new trim-level names, improved interior materials and a larger available head-up display, among other changes. All Wagoneers are now “Grands” since the regular Wagoneer model has been discontinued (the SUV still comes in regular- and extended-length “L” versions).
I tested the off-road-oriented Upland version of the regular-length Grand Wagoneer. It’s powered by a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter Hurricane straight-six-cylinder engine making 420 horsepower and 468 pounds-feet of torque that’s paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
There was a lot to like during my time in the Grand Wagoneer and one big, bad dislike.
The Pros
Grand Space
The Grand Wagoneer lives up to its name inside, with grand levels of space for people and stuff across all three rows. My teen was especially happy in the third row, which had all of the space and amenities (USB ports, storage cubbies and cupholders) she needed to tune us out.
The second row impressed with a wide, comfy bench seat that easily accommodated three car seats across — something not all SUVs can manage. It also features three sets of lower anchors — again, unusual (and helpful). What’s more, access to the lower and upper anchors was a breeze, which helps take the drama out of car-seat installations. Check out the full Car Seat Check.
We had ample space for our stuff behind the third row, especially with the seat’s flexibility (we put half of it down to accommodate extra cargo). The Grand Wagoneer offers a manufacturer-calculated 27.9 cubic feet of space behind its third row, more than the similarly sized Chevrolet Tahoe (25.5 cubic feet) and Ford Expedition (21.6 cubic feet); see the models compared.
And it’s not just good at corralling the big stuff; I especially appreciated the small-items storage spaces in the first row. My favorite is an optional code-locked box in the center console, perfect for stashing valuables.
Luxurious, Inviting Cabin
Jeep does interiors very well, and the last Grand Wagoneer’s interior struck a just-right tone of comfortable and luxurious; the 2026 version adds even more polish. My test car’s cabin was dressed in a sea-salt-and-black color palette with leather-trimmed seats. Everything looked and felt high-quality with a classy two-tone design and cushy, soft-touch materials everywhere.
What’s more, everything works well and is frustration-free thanks to the straightforward and user-friendly Uconnect infotainment system. The large, standard 12-inch center touchscreen paired nicely with the standard 10.25-inch digital instrument panel in front of the driver; the setup has crisp graphics, quick response times and a menu system that makes sense. In addition, wireless Android Auto was a snap to set up and seamlessly reconnected each time.
The Price Keeps Dropping
It seems like everything is getting more expensive — except this Jeep. The 2026 Grand Wagoneer delivers luxury for less than the outgoing model. The base 2026 Grand Wagoneer starts at $66,790 (including destination), which is around $20,000 less than the outgoing model (which also got a price cut for 2025 compared to the previous model year).
The One Big Con
Fuel Economy
While you might save some money at the dealership with the ‘26 Grand Wagoneer, you’ll blow it quickly at the gas pump. It’s no surprise this large SUV isn’t a delicate fuel sipper, but it did surprise me that the Grand Wagoneer didn’t live up to its EPA rating — not even close.
On the whole, the powertrain is refined, offers quick acceleration (even when loaded with people and stuff) and delivers prompt shifts when more power is needed. I think the “stuff” part of our equation is where we got in trouble when it came to fuel economy.
The Grand Wagoneer is EPA-rated 17/24/19 mpg city/highway/combined with two-wheel drive; my four-wheel-drive version is rated a tad lower at 17/23/19 mpg. Unfortunately, my 504-mile all-highway trip yielded an average of 17.6 mpg — well below the 23 mpg highway rating and even less than the combined rating. In these days of high gas prices, the Grand Wagoneer’s appetite for fuel blew up our road-trip budget.
But there’s hope on the horizon: a 647-hp, range-extended electric-vehicle powertrain will be available later, turning the Grand Wagoneer into an EV with a twist. A 3.6-liter V-6 gasoline engine works with a generator and a 92-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery to power electric motors that drive the wheels. According to Jeep, the powertrain should be good for 150 miles of EV range and a total driving range of more than 500 miles if you start with a full charge and a full tank of gas.
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This vehicle is certified pre-owned, backed by a manufacturer warranty, and typically undergoes a rigorous multi-point inspection to ensure quality and reliability.
This vehicle is currently in high demand given its competitive price, desirable features, and overall condition, and may have a higher chance of selling quickly.
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