The 2020 Jeep Grand Wagoneer is a production-ready concept vehicle that previews the arrival of the modern Jeep Wagoneer. Set to arrive in 2021, the SUV will revive the Wagoneer name after 30 years. Described as a "premium extension" of the Jeep brand, the SUV will become available in two versions, the Wagoneer and the Grand Wagoneer, with the latter to offer more space and more luxury.

The Grand Wagoneer concept looks ready to go into production, but Jeep will probably drop a few fancy features before it puts the SUV on the assembly line. Let's have a closer look at the three-row hauler in the review below.

Exterior

The Grand Wagoneer is obviously a new concept for Jeep. Although it's just as boxy as the Wrangler, it's also significantly bigger and boasts a new appearance up front. The front fascia looks wide and sleek thanks to a narrow grille that incorporates the company's traditional seven-slat design. The grille is finished in chrome for a premium look, while each grille slat features an additional seven thin vertical bars. The grille is flanked by narrow headlamps that are integrated seamlessly into the overall design.

Like a handful of luxury cars out there, the Grand Wagoneer comes with integrated LED lights into the grille. The lightbars that run through the upper taillights extend into the upper grille to form a thin and continuous light strip. From this strip we can also see small LED dots that trickle between each of the seven grille slots to create a distinctive signature LED design. The "Wagoneer" letters on the upper grille frame are also illuminated.

While the fascia is rather thin and wide, the bumper is massive and occupies around two thirds of the front end. The bumper design is rather simple with a wide upper grille and a narrower, but taller vents at the bottom, but it helps create an imposing look. The engine hood is raised at the center, just like on the original Wagoneer, adding to the powerful stance.

The profile doesn't look much like a Jeep, but that's not surprising. The Grand Wagoneer is the company's first full-size model in a very long time, and it's boxier than anything else the company offers right now. The boxy look with tall windows, simple body panels, and beefed-up fenders confirm that Jeep is gunning for the same market as the Lincoln Navigator and the Cadillac Escalade. The Grand Wagoneer concept rides on massive 24-inch wheels with 3D-printed elements on the spokes, but there rollers likely won't make it into production.

At the top there's a full glass roof that extends all the way to the tailgate and houses a transparent map that showcases the city of Detroit and its surrounding areas. It also features a pair of fancier-than-usual roof reals with teak wood elements and bronze trim. Likely yet another feature that won't see production.

The rear of the Grand Wagoneer is just as powerful and wide as the front end. There's a big rear window and a wide tailgate that goes all the way to the black insert in the bumper, as well as thin and long two-piece taillights. The upper areas of the lights extend toward each other into the tailgate, forming an almost continuous light bar. The rear bumper sits really high above the ground, which suggests that this luxury SUV will have solid off-road and climbing capability.

It doesn't have wood trim panels and its styling features aren't inspired by the original SUV, like Jeep does with the Wrangler. But that's not to say that the new Grand Wagoneer isn't a solid proposition for the large luxury SUV market. On the contrary, it has what it takes to given similar offerings from Lincoln and Cadillac a run for their money.

Interior

Just look at the almost upright and boxy dashboard and the extremely wide and tall center console. The dashboard itself looks impressive, despite the somewhat simple design. It's fitted with all sorts of fancy trim, ranging from raw aluminum and heat-treated lacewood to polish A/C vent bezels. "Grand Wagoneer" lettering is also engraved in the wood trim on the passenger side. Raw aluminum was also used on the door speakers and shift knob, while the heat-treated lacewood is present on the door panels too. The steering wheel is the only direct link to the original Grand Wagoneer thanks to its two-spoke design.

Almost the entire dashboard is covered by onyx glass panels. Jeep says that this material is particularly sustainable, but it remains to be seen if it will actually use it on the production model instead of the usual transparent plastic. Like many new premium vehicles, the Grand Wagoneer's dash is packed with digital displays.

There's a 12.3-inch instrument cluster behind the steering wheel, a 12.1-inch infotainment display in the upper center tack, and a 10.25-inch display in the lower area of the stack. A fourth display, also measuring 10.25 inches is mounted on the passenger side dashboard for full access to the infotainment system's features. This is the first SUV to feature a screen in this area.

The display galore continues into the second row, with a 10.1-inch display mounted on the center console. Two more 10.1-inch screens provide rear-seat entertainment from their position on the front seat backrests.

This layout will definitely make it into production, but it will be standard on the range-topping trim only. The less expensive Wagoneer versions will have fewer screens and some of them will be smaller.

The concept is fitted with captain's chairs in the front and the second row, while the third row provides seating for three people. That's a seven-seat layout, but the production model could offer an eight-seat variant too. Regardless of the configuration, the modern Grand Wagoneer is the first of its kind with three rows of seats. It's also Jeep's first three-row hauler since the Commander, discontinued in 2010.

Jeep brags that the Grand Wagoneer incorporates many sustainable materials, starting with the suede headliner. It's also fitted with floor carpets from Thrive fiber, which is comprised of recycled content using pre- and post-consumer materials. PUR, another sustainable synthetic material, was chosen to upholster the seats, console, door and some dashboard surfaces.

Jeep didn't reveal much about the SUV's tech, but it did say that it's fitted with Uconnect 5, its latest infotainment system. Making its debut in this concept, Uconnect 5 is five times faster than the already impressive Uconnect 4 system. It also comes with loads of extra features that will be revealed later.

The company also takes pride in the Grand Wagoneer concept being the vehicle in the world fitted with a McIntosh audio system. It features 23 custom-designed speakers connected to a 24-channel amplifier, as well as amplifiers designed in aluminum and gloss black for a high-end look.

Jeep says the Grand Wagoneer offers best-in-class overall passenger volume, but there are no figures to run by.

Drivetrain

Jeep did not release full specs of the Grand Wagoneer concept's drivetrain, but it says that the SUV features a "no-compromise plug-in hybrid electric vehicle powertrain system, in line with the Jeep brand’s plans to offer electrification options on all models in the next few years."

This could mean that the concept is fitted with the same gas-electric combo that debuted in the brand-new Wrangler 4xe. It combined the company's turbocharged, 2.0-liter four-cylinder with an electric motor mounted on the transmission. The two systems deliver a combined output of 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque.

On the other hand, the Grand Wagoneer will be offered with more than just one drivetrain option and Jeep could introduce a second hybrid with more power. Jeep could also offer a V-8 engine, likely sourced from an upcoming version of the Wrangler, as well as the 3.0-liter EcoDiesel that's already available on various FCA vehicles.

Jeep also says that the concept is fitted with a "sophisticated 4x4 off-road system" and that the production model will offer class-leading capability "through three available 4x4 systems and a Quadra-Lift air suspension." Other details include an independent suspension layout front and rear and "unmatched towing capability."

Conclusion

Introduced for the 1963 model year, the Jeep Wagoneer was the first four-wheel-drive vehicle with an automatic transmission, a feature that pioneered the first modern SUV. The 1984 Grand Wagoneer was the first premium SUV by offering buyers standard features such as leather upholstery, air conditioning, AM/FM/CB stereo radios, a quieter interior, and a solid increase in horsepower and torque.

While Jeep won't revolutionize the premium SUV market for the third time, the modern Grand Wagoneer will push the brand into a segment that it hasn't fully explored since the early 1990s. It will also enable FCA to finally compete with Ford and General Motors in the high-end SUV realm. The production model will see a few changes compared to the concept, but the Grand Wagoneer will be able to compete with the mighty Lincoln Navigator and Cadillac Escalade. And this is a big achievement for Jeep, a company mostly known for affordable and capable vehicles.