Stellantis overhauls Jeep Grand Wagoneer lineup under turnaround plan

DETROIT – Jeep is overhauling its top-end Grand Wagoneer lineup for the 2026 model year under a yearslong turnaround plan for the quintessential American SUV brand.

The changes include updating exterior styling, introducing a new forthcoming extended-range powertrain and creating a simplified, less expensive model lineup all under the “Grand Wagoneer” name. Jeep will also kill off the standalone “Wagoneer” nameplate.

“This marks a significant portfolio moment in refining our flagship SUV to reach a broader audience,” Jeep CEO Bob Broderdorf said during a media event.

Since launching in 2021, the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer have not lived up to expectations. Initial production of the vehicles was riddled with problems and the dual nameplates for the same-looking vehicles confused consumers.

The initial pricing for those vehicles also could top $111,000 — which had been unexplored territory for the brand known for rugged SUVs — and they featured a host of tiered trim levels that complicated ordering.

“We confused our buyers. We confused our dealers,” Broderdorf said. “I’m here to tell you we got the message. We’re fixing it.”

The 2026 Grand Wagoneer will start under $65,000, including mandatory destination charges. That is similar to where the Wagoneer currently starts in pricing, but Jeep said it includes additional features and is more in line with competitors’ pricing.

“I’m here to win,” Broderdorf said. “I want to come out very, very fast and see what we can do to really gain some share and continue to grow the brand … that was the mission for me.”

Jeep, owned by French-Italian-American automaker Stellantis, said it expects to the Grand Wagoneer to be the first SUV with a plug-in technology known as a range-extender, or EREV. It can operate as a zero-emissions EV until its battery dies and an electric onboard generator — powered by a 27-gallon, 3.6-liter V6 engine — kicks on to power the vehicle.

Stellantis’ Ram Trucks brand was expected to be the first to launch an EREV model, but after several delays and the brand conducting its own turnaround plan, the Jeep model is expected to be the first EREV available beginning next year.

Jeep is one of the most crucial of Stellantis‘ 14 brands — if not the most important in North America. The revamped Grand Wagoneer is the second of four major product announcements that began this summer with the reveal of its new Jeep Cherokee SUV.

The turnaround plan also has included reworking pricing of Jeep SUVs, which inflated in recent years above market norms, and re-engaging with its alienated dealer network amid a lack of new products and declining sales.

So far, Jeep’s U.S. sales are moving in the right direction. The brand is on track to report its first year-over-year sales gain since 2018, when it recorded all-time high sales of more than 973,000 vehicles. That compares to 587,725 units sold last year, a 40% drop from Jeep’s sales peak.

“Quite frankly, my only interest is growing this brand and doing so in a very fun, historical Jeep way,” said Broderdorf, who succeeded now-Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa in leading Jeep in February.