2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer vs 2021 Ford Explorer

The 2021 Ford Explorer was a testament to Ford's consistent design philosophy, offering a cohesive family resemblance across its SUV lineup. With its sporty, raked belt lines and distinctive front visage, the Explorer stood out among its peers, even if it sometimes resembled its sibling, the Edge, at a quick glance. The Explorer's exterior varied with its six trim levels, each offering different grille designs and finishes, ranging from the base model's simplicity to the luxurious Platinum's full chrome grille. Inside, the Explorer provided three rows of seating as standard, with the base model featuring comfortable cloth upholstery. The dashboard was clean and functional, dominated by an 8-inch LCD touchscreen and complemented by large, user-friendly knobs and buttons for audio and climate controls. The XLT trim was particularly popular, offering enhanced features like a power front passenger seat and a 6.5-inch instrument panel screen, while higher trims introduced leather upholstery and additional luxury touches.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer, sharing its frame and body shell with the standard Wagoneer, presented a traditional SUV aesthetic with a tall hood, broad shoulders, and an upright profile. It distinguished itself with a standard black roof, unique hood, front fascia, and grille, featuring laser-etched knurling in the grille slots. The Grand Wagoneer boasted a new body-on-frame architecture, allowing for independent suspension and weight-saving materials like an aluminum hood and doors. Inside, it shared styling cues with the Wagoneer but elevated the experience with high-end materials and features. The Grand Wagoneer offered 24-way power front seats with memory, massage, and lumbar support, along with heated and ventilated seats in the first and second rows. Nappa leather upholstery was standard, with an option for higher-grade Palermo leather, complemented by aluminum and American Walnut wood trim. The interior also featured unique touches like Mercedes-style seat controls on the doors and a "Grand Wagoneer" inscription on the dashboard.

The 2021 Ford Explorer, weighing in at 4,345 pounds at its lightest, was powered by a base 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine, delivering an impressive 300 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. This engine outperformed competitors like the Kia Telluride's V6, despite the Explorer's heavier build. All trims featured a 10-speed automatic transmission with SelectShift capability. The Explorer Limited Hybrid offered a V6 hybrid drivetrain, increasing power to 310 hp and 331 lb-ft of torque. Higher trims boasted a 3.0-liter EcoBoost twin-turbo V6, producing 365 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque, while the sport-oriented Explorer ST delivered 400 hp and 415 lb-ft of torque. The Explorer excelled in towing, with capacities ranging from 5,000 to 5,600 pounds, depending on the configuration, making it suitable for towing substantial loads like an 18-foot dual axle Airstream.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer was equipped with a robust 6.4-liter Hemi V8 engine, generating 471 horsepower and 455 lb-ft of torque, featuring cylinder deactivation for improved fuel economy. Paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, the Grand Wagoneer could accelerate from zero to 60 mph in six seconds, impressive for its 6,400-pound weight. It came standard with four-wheel drive, featuring the Quadra-Drive II system with a two-speed transfer case and electronic limited-slip differential. The Grand Wagoneer also included the Quadra-Lift air suspension system, offering adjustable height for various driving conditions. With a maximum ground clearance of 10 inches, it could handle off-road challenges with ease, although its size limited its trail capabilities. Despite its powerful engine, the Grand Wagoneer was best suited for a leisurely driving pace, as its ride could become bouncy at higher speeds, and its steering was less precise.

The 2021 Ford Explorer offered seating for seven in its base model, with captain's chairs in higher trims reducing capacity to six. It provided 39 inches of second-row legroom, surpassing competitors like the Nissan Murano and Buick Enclave, though slightly trailing the Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade. With the third row in use, the Explorer offered 21 cubic feet of cargo space, expanding to 81 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, which was competitive with smaller SUVs.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer accommodated seven passengers with standard second-row captain's chairs or eight with an optional third-row bench seat. It offered more third-row headroom and second-row legroom than rivals like the Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator, though it had less space in the front row. With all seats in place, it provided 27.4 cubic feet of cargo space, expanding to 70.9 cubic feet with the third row stowed, and 94.2 cubic feet with all rear seats folded. The Grand Wagoneer had a maximum towing capacity of 9,850 pounds, slightly less than the standard Wagoneer due to its additional weight. It featured a standard sunroof, four-zone automatic climate control, and large storage bins, though its hood design limited forward visibility.

The 2021 Ford Explorer came equipped with an 8-inch touchscreen as standard, offering AM/FM radio, SiriusXM satellite radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 4G WiFi hotspot, and Ford's Sync 3 infotainment system. Higher trims featured a 12-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio system and an optional 10.1-inch touchscreen. The Explorer provided multiple charging options, including USB ports and 12-volt power points, with a 110-volt AC power outlet available on higher trims.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer featured a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, dual touchscreens, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a McIntosh audio system, and a 4G-LTE WiFi hotspot. Second-row passengers had a 10.25-inch touchscreen for climate control, with an optional rear-seat entertainment system. The Grand Wagoneer also offered a separate 10.25-inch touchscreen for the front passenger, Amazon Alexa connectivity, and Fire TV for Auto. It used the Uconnect 5 infotainment system, which supported over-the-air updates, though the screen response was occasionally slow.

The 2021 Ford Explorer was rated as a Top Safety Pick+ by the IIHS, achieving top scores in crash tests and an "Acceptable" rating for adaptive headlights. It offered the Ford Co-Pilot360 suite of safety features, including auto high-beam headlights, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, lane keeping assist, forward-collision warning, and automatic emergency braking. Higher trims included additional features like adaptive cruise control and evasive steering assist.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer had not yet been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA. It came standard with a 360-degree camera system, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Optional features included a driver-attention monitor, night vision, and traffic-sign recognition. Active Driving Assist combined adaptive cruise control with lane centering, with a hands-free version planned for future release.