If you're in the market for a big, domestic, three-row SUV that may as well be a bus, your default choices are either the Ford Expedition or Chevy Tahoe — maybe an Expedition Max or a Suburban if you really need a bus, or a Yukon if you want something a little nicer without the Escalade price tag.
But what if GM's engine recalls give you pause, and you don't like squircle steering wheels? The 2026 Jeep Grand Wagoneer may be your only alternative before going foreign, but it's a fine one at that.
What's new for 2026?
After four years on the market, the Jeep Grand Wagoneer receives a refresh for 2026. The reworked front fascia wears slimmer headlights, connected by a new grille seemingly plucked right off the Wagoneer S. The refreshed Grand Wagoneer also embraces the recent light-is-the-new-chrome trend in automotive design, replacing much of the brightwork on the previous model with more prominent lighting accents.
Down the side and around the back, Jeep hasn't changed much. Some wheel designs are new depending on the trim level, and the rear light bar is slimmer. Take a closer look and you'll notice the chrome trim is gone, this time replaced by — for better or worse — cheap-looking grey plastic trim matching the front grille.
The other key update for 2026 is the name. The Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer split is no more — going forward, they'll all be Grands. Jeep also reworked the powertrain options; the "standard output" version of the 3.0-litre twin-turbo inline-six is now your only option, followed by a "range-extended" electric version supposedly due out by the end of the year.
The good
As much as I miss the satisfying gurgle of the Hemi, the Hurricane straight-six is a gem, even in "standard output" tune. It puts out a still-respectable 420 horsepower and 468 pound-feet of torque, and it's paired to a ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic that operates as smoothly, snappily, and as invisibly as ever.
In fact, the 2026 Grand Wagoneer remains as satisfying to pilot as ever. The ride is occasionally jittery, but the adjustable air ride does a great job of filtering out most other bumps, potholes, and rough pavement. There isn't much wind and road noise on the highway, either; combined with great visibility all around and a commanding seating position, it's easy to just eat up mile upon mile.
And as much as I miss the Hemi V8, the straight-six delivers surprisingly decent fuel economy for a bus. This tester averaged 14.6 L/100 kilometres over a week of mostly highway commuting with a decent bit of stop-and-go traffic, well within range of Natural Resources Canada's official, sunshine-and-rainbows estimate of 14.3 L/100 km. That's about in line with the Expedition over a similar commute, and measurably better than the last Yukon and Tahoe we tested.
Inside our $127,170 as-tested Grand Wagoneer Summit Obsidian tester, Stellantis' Uconnect 5 infotainment remains as intuitive as ever, and there's a new heads-up display arrangement as part of the 2026 update. Beyond that, the seats are as comfy as a La-Z-Boy — this top-spec Summit Obsidian tester features twenty-four-way-adjustable front chairs — and there's plenty of space to stretch out in the second row, even with the bench configuration.
Even the Grand Wagoneer's third row isn't totally miserable, thanks to the big windows and tall roofline. Keep those back seats up and the Grand Wagoneer can swallow 790 litres worth of junk in its trunk for road trips. Fold them and that cargo hold grows to 2,005 litres, and with the second row stowed, there's 3,305 litres at your disposal for ... camping.
The Not-so-good
I'm not sold on the execution of the refresh. I don't mind the new look in and of itself — tying it in to the Wagoneer S makes sense, and lights-as-chrome looks good if done right. But to me, and surely to many longtime Wagoneer enthusiasts, the name is tied to a certain connotation of old-world luxury. The satin grey grille and rear lightbar appliqué cheapen the look, and our tester's blacked-out wheels and trim instead of brightwork feels out of place on our top-of-the-line tester.
Ditto the interior — the metallic trim looks nice and the rest of it feels as solid as you'd expect, but taking it all in — including the piano black trim and all-black Nappa leather with minimal contrast stitching — it all just looks a little too cold compared to the last one.
The verdict
The refreshed 2026 Jeep Grand Wagoneer almost seems rushed. They didn't impinge too much on the core formula — yes, there's less power than before on paper, but the inline-six is a treat, its highway manners are on point, and it's plenty spacious. But the finer touches that really sell this modern Grand Wagoneer as a worthy successor to the nameplate seem to have gotten lost along the way. Here's hoping they return when the Hemi eventually returns.