2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer vs 2022 Land Rover Defender

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer shared its frame and body shell with the standard Wagoneer, resulting in a similar traditional SUV styling. It featured a tall hood, broad shoulders, trapezoidal wheel arches, and an upright profile. However, the Grand Wagoneer distinguished itself with a standard black roof, model-specific hood, front fascia, and grille. The grille leaned forward slightly with laser-etched knurling in the slots, and the wheel center caps had an acrylic glass covering to protect the “Wagoneer” logo. The interior boasted high-end materials and convenience features, including 24-way power front seats with memory, massage, lumbar support, and four-way power headrests. Nappa leather upholstery was standard, with higher-grade Palermo leather available, along with aluminum and American Walnut wood trim.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender retained its distinctive boxy profile, tailgate-mounted spare tire, and flat hood, reminiscent of the original version and classic Series Land Rovers. Despite these retro elements, the design was thoroughly modern, with rounded corners for improved aerodynamics and recessed LED headlights giving it a unique personality. The interior offered more headroom and legroom than the original, with a comfortable driving position and good outward visibility. The rugged character was emphasized with bare metal and exposed screws in the door, complemented by metal trim for the steering wheel. The Defender 90 V8 test car featured a mix of leather upholstery and suede, designed to handle mud and dirt better than traditional all-leather interiors.

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. Paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, it could accelerate from zero to 60 mph in six seconds, impressive for its roughly 6,400-pound weight. The Grand Wagoneer came standard with four-wheel drive, featuring the Quadra-Drive II system with a two-speed transfer case and electronic limited-slip differential. It also included the Quadra-Lift air suspension system, offering height adjustability for various driving conditions. With a maximum ground clearance of 10 inches, it could handle a 25-degree approach angle, 24-degree departure angle, and 22-degree breakover angle. Despite its power, the Grand Wagoneer was best driven at a stately pace, as higher speeds resulted in a bouncy ride and imprecise steering.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender offered three powertrains, including a new V8 engine producing 518 hp and 461 lb-ft of torque, capable of accelerating the Defender 90 from zero to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds. The base model featured a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 296 horsepower, while the mid-level option was a 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six mild-hybrid powertrain rated at 395 hp. All models used a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission and standard four-wheel drive. The V8 model included an electronic active rear differential, Dynamic drive mode, and unique transmission and suspension tuning for sportier handling. The Defender was comfortable on pavement, with a suspension that absorbed bumps well and effectively blocked noise from the 22-inch tires. It also offered impressive off-road capabilities, with a 4WD system, good approach, departure, and breakover angles, and up to 11.5 inches of ground clearance.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer could seat seven 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 competitors like the Cadillac Escalade, Lincoln Navigator, and Infiniti QX80. However, space up front was more limited compared to the Escalade and Navigator. The Grand Wagoneer provided 27.4 cubic feet of cargo space with all three rows in place and 70.9 cubic feet with the third row stowed. With all rear seats folded, it offered 94.2 cubic feet of cargo space. 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 automatic climate control, and large storage bins.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender featured 40/20/40 split-folding rear seats, which were comfortable but challenging to access in the two-door Defender 90 model. The four-door Defender 110 model offered two-row, five-seat, and three-row, seven-seat configurations. Three-row models had 11.4 cubic feet of cargo space with all seats in place, 35.4 cubic feet with the third-row seat folded, and 70.4 cubic feet with the second row folded. Two-row versions provided 18.1 cubic feet with the rear seats up and 51.7 cubic feet with the rear seats folded. The interior design emphasized functionality, with a large caged storage space below the dashboard and a sizable center-console storage bin. Optional features included a basket-style roof rack and cargo boxes that mounted to the side pillars.

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 a 10.25-inch center console touchscreen, and an optional rear seat entertainment system added two 10.1-inch screens. The Grand Wagoneer featured a second screen below the main screen for functions like seat massagers, with a row of buttons for quick access to important functions. It could also be equipped with a 10.25-inch touchscreen for the front passenger. The Uconnect 5 infotainment system, based on an Android operating system, offered over-the-air software updates. However, the screen was slow to respond, and the instrument cluster’s graphics were plain.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender featured the Pivi Pro infotainment system with a 10-inch central touchscreen and wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity. A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster was standard on all trims except the base model, and an 11.4-inch touchscreen was newly available for 2022. The graphics and menu layouts were well-designed, but the screen required a strong poke to respond. Optional features included a 14-speaker Meridian audio system, head-up display, and a surround-view camera system. The side camera views helped with obstacle detection, while the front view was useful for spotting rocks or tree stumps.

The 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer had not yet been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA. Standard safety features included a 360-degree camera system, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, intersection collision assist, and rear parking sensors. Optional features included a driver-attention monitor, night vision, traffic-sign recognition, and two levels of driver-assistance systems. Active Driving Assist combined adaptive cruise control with automated lane centering, with a hands-free version planned for certain highways.

The 2022 Land Rover Defender came with standard driver-assist tech, including lane-keep assist, automatic emergency braking, and traffic-sign recognition. Blind-spot monitoring and adaptive cruise control were optional. The Defender had not been rated by the IIHS or NHTSA, which was common for luxury vehicles. Land Rover, like other luxury brands, did not offer all driver-assist features as standard equipment.