There is a buyer we see a few times a month who has priced a loaded Grand Cherokee, looked at the number, and started wondering whether the same money or a little more should go to a Grand Wagoneer instead. It is a fair question, because the two names sit on the same lot under the same badge, and on a screen they can look like a small step apart. They are not. One is a five seat SUV and the other is a full size, three row flagship.

Shopping already? Browse our new Jeep Grand Cherokee inventory in Portage la Prairie.

This post is the straight answer on how far up that ladder you actually need to go. What the Grand Wagoneer premium buys you in size, third row, towing and power, where a Grand Cherokee already covers what you need, and where the Grand Cherokee L sits in between. Every figure here is Jeep's own, so there is no third party guessing. You can see the flagship in our new Jeep Grand Wagoneer inventory and the two row in our new Jeep Grand Cherokee inventory while you read.

Key Takeaways

• They are different sizes of vehicle. Kelley Blue Book lists the Grand Cherokee at 193.5 inches long on a 116.7 inch wheelbase, seating five. It lists the Grand Wagoneer at 216.1 inches on a 123 inch wheelbase, seating up to eight. That is nearly two feet of difference.
• The Grand Wagoneer runs one engine, and it is the big one. Every 2027 Grand Wagoneer carries the 3.0 litre Hurricane twin turbo inline six at 420 horsepower and 468 lb ft. The Grand Cherokee runs the 3.6 litre V6 at 293 horsepower on the Laredo trims and the 2.0 litre turbo Hurricane four at 324 horsepower and 332 lb ft on the rest.
• Towing is where the premium shows. Jeep Canada lists the Grand Wagoneer at up to 4,536 kg (10,000 lb). The Grand Cherokee's ceiling is 2,812 kg (6,200 lb).
• There is a middle step. The Grand Cherokee L adds a third row on a stretched Grand Cherokee and keeps the 6,200 lb tow rating. For many families it is the answer to this whole question.
• Pricing moves monthly. We are not printing a number for either. Check our current pricing on the units on the ground.

The Short Answer

If you need a real third row for adults, you tow something heavy, or you want the big engine and the flagship cabin, the Grand Wagoneer is the vehicle and the premium is buying genuine capability. If you carry five, tow a boat or a tent trailer, and want a refined SUV that is easy to park, a loaded Grand Cherokee already does the job and the Grand Wagoneer premium would be buying a bigger room you do not use. If you need a third row now and then and your trailer is under 6,200 lb, look at the Grand Cherokee L before you look at either.

The rest of this is the detail behind that.

Size and the Third Row

The Grand Cherokee is a two row, five seat SUV. Kelley Blue Book lists it at 193.5 inches long on a 116.7 inch wheelbase with 70.8 cubic feet of maximum cargo volume. It fits a standard Winnipeg parkade stall and a normal garage, and it is the easier of the two to live with in town.

The Grand Wagoneer is a full size three row. Kelley Blue Book lists it at 216.1 inches long on a 123 inch wheelbase, with seating for up to eight on most trims and seven on the top trims with second row captain's chairs, and 116.7 cubic feet of maximum cargo volume. Jeep also builds the long wheelbase Grand Wagoneer L for the buyer who wants the most third row and cargo room the platform can give.

The third row is the whole point of the size. The Grand Wagoneer's is an adult seat with a real cargo hold behind it. That is the thing a Grand Cherokee cannot be optioned into, because it does not have a third row at all.

The middle step. The Grand Cherokee L is the Grand Cherokee stretched to carry a third row. It seats six with captain's chairs or seven with a bench, and it keeps the Grand Cherokee's refinement and its price position. Our post on the Grand Cherokee vs Grand Cherokee L covers the two row versus three row choice inside the same family, and our new Jeep Grand Cherokee L inventory shows what is on the ground.

Engines and Power

Grand Cherokee. For 2027 the Laredo and Laredo X carry the 3.6 litre Pentastar V6 at 293 horsepower and 260 lb ft. Every other trim carries the 2.0 litre turbocharged Hurricane four at 324 horsepower and 332 lb ft. Both pair with an eight speed automatic and four wheel drive. The 4xe plug in hybrid is no longer in the lineup. Our post on what's new for the 2027 Grand Cherokee covers the trims in detail.

Grand Wagoneer. Every 2027 Grand Wagoneer, on either wheelbase, carries the 3.0 litre Hurricane twin turbo inline six at 420 horsepower and 468 lb ft, with the eight speed automatic. There is no V8 and no smaller engine. Our post on what's new for the 2027 Grand Wagoneer walks the trim ladder from the base model up to the Summit Reserve.

The honest read on the engines is that the Grand Cherokee's turbo four is a strong, modern engine that most owners never find wanting on Highway 1, and the Grand Wagoneer's inline six is a different class of motor built to move a much heavier vehicle with a trailer behind it. You feel the Grand Wagoneer's engine most when the vehicle is loaded and pulling. Empty, on a commute, the Grand Cherokee is not short of power.

Towing

This is the cleanest line between the two.

Grand Cherokee. Up to 2,812 kg (6,200 lb) when properly equipped, and the Grand Cherokee L carries the same ceiling. That covers a fishing boat, a tent trailer, a small travel trailer, and a two sled snowmobile trailer with room to spare. Our post on Grand Cherokee towing capacity goes through it by trim.

Grand Wagoneer. Jeep Canada lists up to 4,536 kg (10,000 lb) on the standard wheelbase and 4,472 kg (9,860 lb) on the Grand Wagoneer L, both when properly equipped with the heavy duty trailer tow package. That is a real travel trailer, a tandem axle enclosed trailer, or a bigger boat, and it is the number that justifies the premium for a family that actually tows at that weight. Our post on Grand Wagoneer towing capacity covers the package and the payload side.

Two things we tell every buyer here. First, the ceiling only applies to the properly equipped configuration, so the tow package and the axle matter. Second, tongue weight comes out of payload, and with a full third row of people the payload is the limit you meet before the tow rating. If your trailer sits under 6,200 lb, the Grand Wagoneer's towing premium is buying headroom you will not use. If it sits above, the Grand Cherokee is not the vehicle.

Where the Premium Buys Capability and Where It Buys a Bigger Room

Here is the honest split.

The premium buys capability when you tow above 6,200 lb, you fill a third row with adults regularly, or you want the inline six's pull with a load behind it. Those are things a Grand Cherokee cannot do at any trim.

The premium buys a bigger room when you carry five, you tow under 6,200 lb, and what you want is the nicer cabin and the bigger presence. A loaded Grand Cherokee Summit already carries a premium interior, the big screens and the air suspension on the trims that offer it. If that is the list, you are paying for space you will park empty most days, and a bigger vehicle to fuel and fit in a garage.

The Grand Cherokee L is the answer more often than people expect. Third row for the carpool days, 6,200 lb of towing, and the Grand Cherokee price position. If the Grand Wagoneer premium was giving you pause, drive the L before you decide.

What About Price

Incentives on both change month to month, so we are not going to print a number that will be stale by the time you read this. Check our current pricing here for the most up to date pricing information on the Grand Wagoneer, and the same on the Grand Cherokee. If you are trading in to step up, get a number first with our instant cash offer on your trade, and you can start the paperwork from home with our finance application.

FAQs

What is the difference between the Jeep Grand Cherokee and the Grand Wagoneer?

The Grand Cherokee is a two row, five seat SUV. The Grand Wagoneer is a full size three row that seats up to eight, runs a 420 horsepower Hurricane inline six on every trim, and tows up to 10,000 lb. Kelley Blue Book lists them at 193.5 and 216.1 inches long.

Does the Grand Cherokee have a third row?

The standard Grand Cherokee does not. The Grand Cherokee L is the stretched version with a third row, seating six or seven.

Which tows more, the Grand Cherokee or the Grand Wagoneer?

The Grand Wagoneer, by a wide margin. Jeep Canada lists up to 4,536 kg (10,000 lb) on the standard wheelbase. The Grand Cherokee and Grand Cherokee L are rated at up to 2,812 kg (6,200 lb).

What engine does the Grand Wagoneer have?

Every 2027 Grand Wagoneer carries the 3.0 litre Hurricane twin turbo inline six at 420 horsepower and 468 lb ft.

Is the Grand Wagoneer worth it over a loaded Grand Cherokee?

If you need the third row, the towing, or the big engine, yes, the premium buys real capability. If you carry five and tow under 6,200 lb, a loaded Grand Cherokee or a Grand Cherokee L is usually the smarter money.

The Bottom Line

The Grand Cherokee and the Grand Wagoneer share a badge and a lot, and not much else. One is a refined five seat SUV that tows 6,200 lb. The other is a full size three row flagship with a 420 horsepower inline six and a 10,000 lb tow rating. Go up the ladder when you need the third row, the towing or the engine. Stay on the Grand Cherokee, or step sideways to the L, when what you need is a nicer version of what you already drive.

Come sit in all three. Browse our new Jeep Grand Wagoneer inventory, tell us who rides in it and what you tow, and we will tell you honestly how far up the ladder you need to go.

Tyler Dunn, Dunn Ram Trucks, Portage la Prairie