Jeep is shifting gears with the Grand Wagoneer, and recalibrating how the SUV is positioned in the market.
For context: From 2018 to 2024, Stellantis $STLA ( ▲ 1.72% ) (owner of brands like Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram, among others) lost 630,000 sales or just over 3.5% in market share in the U.S. by discontinuing popular models like the Dodge Grand Caravan, Jeep Cherokee and Jeep Renegade
However, the newer models introduced like the Jeep Grand Wagoneer only added ~76,000 in sales.
Essentially, Stellantis thought it could move upmarket, price vehicles from $70,000 to 100,000, and take share from Mercedes and BMW.
That didn’t pan out, and Stellantis acknowledged that the Grand Wagoneer strayed from the brand’s core DNA at launch.
What’s changing: For the 2026 model year, Jeep has overhauled the Grand Wagoneer lineup with new powertrain options, fresh design, interior updates, and a simplified trim structure aimed at making the SUV easier to sell and market.
In addition to the 3.0-liter Hurricane Twin Turbo engine, the lineup will include an extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) variant featuring a 3.6-liter V6, arriving next year.
Exterior updates include a taller front fascia, raised headlamps, and illuminated accents within Jeep’s iconic seven-slot grille.
Jeep has also dropped the standalone “Wagoneer” badge, consolidating the lineup under the “Grand Wagoneer” nameplate.
Most notably: Pricing now starts at $62,145 for the 4x2 model and $65,145 for the 4x4, down sharply from $84,945 for the 2025 Grand Wagoneer 4x4.
What they’re saying: “Every Grand Wagoneer also now proudly wears a Jeep badge, reinforcing its prominent position within the Jeep family, while making it easier for customers to find the exact model that fits their lifestyle and price point,” said Bob Broderdorf, Jeep brand CEO, in a press release.
Why it matters: The 2026 Grand Wagoneer refresh gives dealers a simpler, more focused lineup that’s easier to explain, stock, and sell. Helping boost profitability while restoring alignment with Jeep’s core brand identity.
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Between the lines: Once positioned as a rival to SUVs like the Cadillac Escalade, the Grand Wagoneer struggled to find its footing, a challenge Broderdorf attributes to several missteps, reports Motor Trend.
When relaunched in 2021, the Grand Wagoneer was marketed as a premium sub-brand, with no Jeep badging.
Its “Series” trims didn’t align with Jeep’s other product naming conventions.
Pricing also proved to be a sticking point, weakening its overall value proposition.
"Rebadging the SUVs as Jeeps should have been done long ago," said Broderdorf. “Treat it like a Jeep, like everything else.”
The elephant in the room: Product is only the starting point. Stellantis dealers must be given every opportunity to succeed, and it begins with better communication.
Kyle Coleman, CEO of Coleman Automotive Group, which owns two CDJR stores, told CDG News, “One of the things that Stellantis doesn't do that a lot of the other manufacturers do, is get together and see what's coming. We don't have a show, so to speak, to see upcoming products. Legitimately, there are situations where I'm learning about products at the same time as customers.”
Bottom line: The 2026 reset (and addition of a EREV variant) could reposition the Grand Wagoneer as a more competitive and accessible flagship. For dealers, that means a more marketable lineup and stronger consumer interest in a vehicle that once overreached its luxury ambitions.
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