Jeep’s first all-electric model for the American market has arrived. What’s it all about?
Over the past few months, we’ve seen teasers leading up to this week’s big event: the debut of the Jeep Wagoneer S. No matter which way you slice it — from looks to performance to price — this is not your run-of-the-mill Jeep. Still, as Tommy and Alex had the opportunity to check out both the production-spec model and (for the skeptics) the more off-road-focused Trailhawk Concept, it’s definitely worth diving into what this new era of the brand’s SUVs will look like.
Right off the bat, the 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S brings some bold claims and specs to the equation. This new model is built on Stellantis’ STLA Large platform, which also underpins the forthcoming Dodge Charger. As the automaker teased leading up to the reveal, it also packs a substantial 600 horsepower and 617 lb-ft of torque, which is enough to propel its 5,667-pound mass to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds. If you’re keeping score, that is just a hair quicker than the old, supercharged Grand Cherokee Trackhawk.
Other headline figures include a 100.5-kWh battery, which Jeep estimates is good for around 300 miles of range (official figures are still to be determined). That amounts to a 99 MPGe figure, while the 400-volt electrical architecture allows drivers to charge from 20-80% state-of-charge in 23 minutes. Initial Wagoneer S models will get CCS charging ports, but Jeep will switch over to installing native, Tesla-style NACS ports in the next couple years.
For a big, beefy SUV with a couple of 250-kW motors, the 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S is, on paper, the quickest Jeep yet. Top speed, as is typically the case with EVs, caps out at just 124 mph, since we’re talking about a direct-drive setup with no secondary gearing to allow for higher speeds. Again, not that you’d typically associate a nearly three-ton Wagoneer with performance, but since Jeep is keen to point this out as its quickest model ever, that top speed is worth a mention.
Other important figures
To achieve that 300-ish mile range while packing some serious performance, the 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S aims to minimize aerodynamic drag. With an overall drag coefficient of 0.29, it’s the most aero-efficient Jeep yet, while the automaker says its 15% better than your typical SUV. Features that also contribute to the sleeker aesthetic like the flush door handles, slim front grille, raked roofline and tailgate spoilers help achieve that goal. It also obviously has a much lower profile than even your gas-powered Wagoneer, since it only has 6.4 inches of ground clearance.
Apart from just making it quick and slippery through the air, though, the Wagoneer S also has a 50.2/49.8 weight distribution front-to-rear. That makes it more competent when you’re in a spirited driving mood, or just generally more stable when you’re towing up to its 3,400-pound capacity. If you load up the electric Wagoneer with all your gear for a weekend getaway, it can handle up to 1,033 pounds of payload.
The 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S also has decently sized brakes to bring it to a halt, as you’d probably expect with such a big, heavy SUV. Both front and rear, you get 13.9-inch rotors, while there are two-piston calipers at the front and single-piston setups at the rear. It’s not quite as hardcore as some other big, performance-oriented SUVs, but one of the virtues of having an electric drivetrain is that regen braking contributes much to the overall stopping power, to where you don’t need to entirely rely on the service brakes. Nevertheless, we’ll have to see just how effective they are when we actually get to drive the Wagoneer S.
Looking inside the new Wagoneer S
Jeep’s pitch for the new Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer is a level of luxury and splendor you normally associate with high-end premium SUVs. The new Wagoneer S continues in that aim, with synthetic leather throughout the door panels, seats and center console, as well as a microfiber suede headliner and “premium carpets”. In today’s spirit of using more sustainable materials, Jeep mentions how all the interior elements incorporate recycled resources.
When it actually reaches customers this fall, the 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S will only come in a single Launch Edition trim. More will certainly follow, though those who order right now are getting a fully-loaded package. That means dual 12.3-inch displays for the gauge cluster and infotainment screen, with a 10.25-inch passenger screen. You also get a 19-speaker McIntosh audio system, wireless smartphone charger, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a panoramic sunroof, 20-inch wheels, automatic parking capability, and the full suite of driver assistance systems stopping short of a completely hands-off system like Super Cruise (though you do get lane-keep assist, naturally).
Pricing for the 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S starts at $71,995 including destination. That is on the pricier side, but it’s actually not as bad as I was expecting, nor is it anywhere close to where the full-size Grand Wagoneer sits. Bear in mind, though, this car is a bit smaller than a Grand Cherokee in terms of dimensions, but even the GC can get more expensive than what Jeep’s asking here. You can make it more expensive by way of the Trailer Tow Group and the Radar Red interior, but those are the only extra options beyond your exterior color choice at the moment.
As it’s built in Mexico and the MSRP starts under $80,000, the 2024 Jeep Grand Wagoneer S does qualify for the $7,500 federal tax credit through the Inflation Reduction Act, whether you purchase or lease it.
