2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer vs 2021 Land Rover Range Rover

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover had evolved significantly from its rugged origins, transforming into a symbol of luxury and sophistication. Initially designed as a utilitarian vehicle, it gradually moved upscale, offering a wide range of powertrains and personalization options. The model we tested, priced at $106,715, featured the HSE Westminster special-edition trim, which included standard paint, wheels, and leather, along with a few additional options like a wood-and-leather steering wheel and heated and ventilated seats. Despite its age, the Range Rover maintained a timeless design with hallmark features such as blacked-out windshield and roof pillars, large nameplate lettering, and clean styling. Inside, the cabin exuded luxury with its high-contrast Ivory-color interior and mid-century modern ambiance, although the infotainment system was not as advanced as newer models.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer shared its frame and body shell with the standard Wagoneer, resulting in a traditional SUV styling with a tall hood, broad shoulders, and an upright profile. However, it distinguished itself with a standard black roof, model-specific hood, front fascia, and grille. The Grand Wagoneer featured a new body-on-frame architecture, independent suspension, and weight-saving materials like an aluminum hood and doors. Inside, it offered high-end materials and convenience features, including 24-way power front seats with massage and lumbar support, Nappa leather upholstery, and American Walnut wood trim. The interior also included unique touches like seat controls on the doors and a "Grand Wagoneer" badge on the dashboard.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover offered a variety of powertrain options, including turbodiesel V6, supercharged V8, mild-hybrid, and plug-in hybrid choices. The HSE Westminster edition came with a mild-hybrid turbocharged inline-six engine, delivering 395 horsepower and 406 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Range Rover featured standard four-wheel drive with a two-speed transfer case and Terrain Response 2 traction control. Despite its off-road capabilities, our test drive was limited to a well-traveled trail in California. The SUV provided a commanding view, smooth acceleration, and a quiet cabin, although its steering was slow and the adaptive air suspension struggled with its weight and tall center of gravity. The EPA rated its fuel economy at 20 mpg combined, but our test yielded 18.5 mpg.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer was powered by a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 engine, producing 471 horsepower and 455 lb-ft of torque, with cylinder deactivation for improved fuel economy. It featured an eight-speed automatic transmission and standard four-wheel drive with the Quadra-Drive II system, which included a two-speed transfer case and electronic limited-slip differential. The Grand Wagoneer also came with a Quadra-Lift air suspension system, offering adjustable ride height for different driving conditions. With a maximum ground clearance of 10 inches, it could handle various terrains, although its size limited its off-road capabilities. The cabin was quiet, and the air suspension absorbed bumps well, but the ride was bouncy at higher speeds, and the steering was imprecise. The Grand Wagoneer was best driven at a leisurely pace.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover featured an air suspension with a kneel mode for easier access, but shorter passengers still found it challenging to enter and exit. The front seats were comfortable and wrapped in quality leather, but the second row lacked thigh support and adjustability, resulting in an uncomfortable seating position. The back seat offered amenities like quad-zone climate control and heated and ventilated seats, but storage space was limited. The cargo area provided 25 cubic feet of space, expandable to 59.8 cubic feet with the rear seats folded, which was less than some competitors. A button in the cargo area activated the suspension kneel function for easier loading.

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 some rivals, but front-row space was more limited. The Grand Wagoneer provided 27.4 cubic feet of cargo space with all seats in place, expanding to 70.9 cubic feet with the third row stowed and 94.2 cubic feet with all rear seats folded. It had a maximum towing capacity of 9,850 pounds, slightly less than the standard Wagoneer due to its extra weight. Standard features included a sunroof, four-zone climate control, and large storage bins, although forward visibility was limited by the hood.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover featured a fully digital instrumentation and infotainment system with three displays. The InControl Touch Pro Duo system was not entirely intuitive, and using the touchscreens while driving was distracting. The Range Rover included a head-up display, but it was not visible with polarized sunglasses. The SUV offered a waterproof Activity Key wristband and an iGuide smartphone app as additional technology features.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer came with 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 their own touchscreen for climate control, and an optional rear-seat entertainment system added two more screens. The Grand Wagoneer used the Uconnect 5 infotainment system with an Android-based operating system and over-the-air updates. While the system was feature-rich, the screen response was slow, and the instrument cluster graphics were plain.

The 2021 Land Rover Range Rover included standard safety features like forward-collision warning, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, and parking sensors. Optional packages added adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, and a 360-degree camera. The HSE Westminster Edition included the Drive Pro and Park packages, but the adaptive cruise control was slow to respond.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer had standard safety features such as a 360-degree camera, 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.