If you religiously watch This Is Us like I do, then you know Jack Pearson insisted that, despite not being able to afford it, his family vehicle needed to be a Jeep Grand Wagoneer. In the 2018 episode where he buys one, the early ‘90s Grand Wagoneer triggered an outpouring of love from nostalgic fans, and Jeep even tweeted about it.
Now, I’m not saying This Is Us is the reason for the namesake’s return, but it definitely made an impression on viewers. It made me want to give this modern vehicle a chance, even if it “makes almost no reference to the original,” as Benjamin Hunting recently pointed out.
In the TV show, money is tight for the Pearson family, but Jack Pearson (portrayer of ultimate dad-husband goals, played my Milo Ventimiglia) pulls the salesman aside (see the video below) and explains, “I don’t want to buy one of those used cars out there. But that Wagoneer?” he says, gesturing to a 1990 Grand Wagoneer, “that’s my family’s car. I can see it so clearly. It’s sturdy and tough. Pearsons, we need tough. ‘Cause I can tell you right now, there’s gonna be scrapes, and dings, and stains — so many stains. But that’s okay.”
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Well, we never find out how much Jack actually paid for his dream (family) car, but the Pearsons got their Grand Wagoneer, and continued to drive it in various flashback scenes throughout the seasons.
Cut to the present day Grand Wagoneer.
Price and fuel consumption
For those interested in the 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer, your sob story probably won’t get you this tested Series III model. But if you’re already spending $120 grand on this top trim, splurge on some upgrades. The tester includes a heavy-duty Class IV trailer tow package for $1,295, rear-seat entertainment for an additional $2,695, and 22×9-inch aluminum painted wheels for an extra $1,995.
Then there’s the fuel cost, though I can only assume that someone spending over a hundred grand on a vehicle isn’t too concerned with that. It’s got an average fuel consumption of 16 litres per 100 kilometres. And with today’s gas prices on the constant rise, this isn’t the most economical, especially if you’re doing a lot of city driving, in which case it posts 18.6 L/100 km.
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
Features
Considering $101,995 — the price of the base trim — isn’t enough for a down payment in today’s Ontario housing market, you might as well spend the money on an awesome vehicle that you can almost live in, right? All it’s missing is a microwave, though you could probably fit one in there somewhere, along with the kitchen sink.
There’s a little cooler in the centre console and a mini drawer on top of it. I initially thought that was the wireless charger, before finding the secret hiding spot! With the touch of a button, the screen — which initially shows the massage settings — turns off and opens up to give access to a few charging ports, as well as the wireless charging pad.
This Grand Wagoneer is massive — my neighbour asked me why I parked a bus in our driveway. I didn’t tell him there’s a long-wheelbase version coming soon, but I’m sure he’ll be thrilled.
Fortunately, this bus SUV has running boards that pop out when any of the doors are opened, otherwise I’d need to mountain-climb to get inside. I also wouldn’t be able to lift the kids high enough to get them into the car seats.
Once seated, the driver and front passenger are treated to memory settings, heated and ventilated seats, and several massage options. It’s not a deep-tissue massage, but it’s far more soothing than in other tested vehicles, and I don’t mind the weird noises it makes. There are so many options that need to be set in the front cabin, quite the distraction.
The driver’s seat is very easy to get comfortable in, and the pedals can be adjusted, which for me is much needed and greatly appreciated.
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
Entertainment
There’s wireless Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, and once it’s set to your preferred Spotify list (or however you choose to listen to music) you can adjust the surround sound, courtesy of a McIntosh sound system comprising 23 speakers.
If you’ve got passengers in any of the three rows, they’ve got a world of options. There’s an HDMI port in the second row, meaning spoiled kids, like mine, or extremely lucky Uber passengers can be given access to pretty much any gaming console, because why not? They really did keep modern families in mind; more screen time is definitely the answer to a pleasantly quiet drive (though the SUV itself is actually quite loud).
And if it isn’t the kids you’re trying to keep quiet, there’s also an HDMI port in the front so that spoiled husbands like mine can play video games on the passenger’s screen. Kudos to Jeep for using a privacy screen that the driver can’t see — I had no idea whether he was winning or losing.
Note: I experienced some issues with the rear-seat entertainment: I couldn’t access the rear-seat options from the front screen whether the vehicle was in park or not. I also wasn’t able to mirror the right second-row screen to the left, but it did work in the opposite direction. A Jeep representative confirmed these are simple fixes that require software updates. However, a few Grand Wagoneer owners have discussed similar issues on a Wagoneer fan forum, with one noting: “sometimes the passenger screen doesn’t turn on unless you turn (the) car completely off and let it reset. We have also had the driver seat heat controls just not work.” Another commented, “It’s currently (at) the dealer for that issue and a few others.”
The U.S. UConnect team has provided this additional information: “If you are on the left you can pull the screen from the right. If you are on the right you can pull from the left. The individual rear-seat occupants cannot push their content over.”
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
Seating and cargo
My husband sat in the third row with my son, and said that while he had a decent amount of legroom, it was a bumpy ride. Remember when you were younger and it was fun to sit at the back of the bus because you could feel all the bumps and bounces? Yeah, me, too, which is why I won’t be sitting back there anytime soon — and also why my eldest, who’s prone to car sickness, won’t be back there, ever.
Regardless, it’s really easy to get into the third row: there’s a button atop the quilted leather second-row seats that quickly moves the seat forward for access. However, keep in mind that it isn’t quite as simple with car seats in those bucket seats. Unless you want to frequently remove car seats, I’d suggest one in the second row — which also has heated and ventilated seats — and any others in the third row, if possible.
Unfortunately, car seats in the third row become an issue if you’re in need of extra cargo space, and more than likely, at some point, you’ll need more, because for some reason, no matter how grand a three-row SUV may be, there’s never an optimal amount of space in the trunk. Fortunately, there’s power seating and a 60-40 split that allows each side to recline, as well as fold down for some added space.
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
The drive
As for the drive, it sometimes feels as though it’s taking up more than one lane — which it isn’t, as is clearly shown on the head-up display with two green lines indicating that the Grand Wagoneer is within them. The steering wheel and brakes feel a bit stiff — as is to be expected in a vehicle this huge — and it takes a bit more effort to turn and stop. It just takes some getting used to.
In case it wasn’t obvious, the Wagoneer needs ample space to fit it into a parking spot. A great surround-view camera, good visibility, and the digital rear-view mirror help. But even so, you probably won’t be parking this Jeep too close to other vehicles — especially if you’re super-cautious of people dinging your expensive bus.
Safety features include blind-spot monitoring, drowsy-driver detection, advanced brake assist and emergency braking, as well as an automated parking system.
2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Photo by Renita Naraine
Final thoughts
If you want a tech-driven three-row SUV that screams luxury — a “TV car,” as my daughter called it — the 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer is a great option. It’s pricey, but it’s great nonetheless.
Personally, I’d prefer the look of the two-row, wood-panelled station wagon of yore, and quite frankly, I think Jack Pearson would cringe at this expensive beast. Plus, I definitely do not think he — or anyone — would want scrapes or stains on an SUV that costs an arm and a leg, and a few other body parts.
No matter which car you decide is best for your family, I think Jack said it best: “That car is going to tell my family’s story just by looking at it.” This one says a lot!
Keyword: Millennial Mom’s Review: 2022 Jeep Grand Wagoneer