First Drive: Jeep Wagoneer S Electrifies on First Drive

The new Jeep Wagoner S marks a major milestone for the Stellantis off-road brand as its first global all-electric vehicle. The 2-row SUV made its debut in New York last May but we’ve only now gotten a chance to see whether it can deliver on all its promises. To find out, Headlight.News headed out to San Diego this past weekend to put the electric Jeep through its paces.

Let’s get a few things straight: Jeep isn’t entirely new to the electrified vehicle market. The off-road arm of Stellantis already sells the little Avenger in Europe. And it’s the U.S. best seller in the plug-in hybrid segment with its Wrangler 4xe.

The new Jeep Wagoneer S, however, takes it into entirely new territory as the brand’s first “global” battery-electric vehicle.

Coming up with the right product “was a huge challenge for Jeep,” acknowledged Eugenio Sollaro, the lead exterior designer for Wagoneer S. His colleague, vehicle development director David Partlow, took that thought a step further. “There’s a certain sense of how a Jeep should perform, owners know,” he said. “It isn’t about delivering a battery-electric vehicle but a Jeep BEV.”

The basics

You might confuse the Jeep Wagoneer S with the brand’s other recent, upscale products, such as the latest-generation Grand Cherokee or even the bigger Wagoneer. The EV picks up on familiar brand cues, such as the iconic seven-slot grille and squared off wheel wells.

Wagoneer S is smaller than either of those models – though its compact footprint manages to squeeze in a midsize interior by making use of the new STLA Large platform – shared with other all-electric products, such as the Dodge Charger and Ram 1500 REV. It’s a flexible “architecture” that can be varied in length, width, height and wheelbase and, if needed, even support a variety of different powertrains. Wagoneer S will be sold only in fully electric form but Charger eventually will be offered with a choice of EV or ICE packages. The electrified Ram 1500 will have a range extender, or E-REV option.

The drivetrain in Wagoneer S features a 100 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack operating at 400 volts and can deliver an EPA-estimated 303 miles per charge. It’s reasonably quick when plugged into a DC public charger pumping out at least 200 kW. And it’s shockingly fast – indeed, quicker than the old, Hemi V-8-powered Trackhawk version of the Grand Cherokee. But more on that shortly.

A strong family resemblance

The challenge for exterior design chief Sollaro was maintaining enough of a family resemblance to appeal to Jeep loyalists while putting a premium on cheating the wind, both to enhance range and improve performance. The production model picks up some familiar Jeep cues, such as the trapezoidal wheel arches, and a D-pillar seemingly lifted from the old, 1970s-era Jeep Cherokee SJ. But Sollaro’s team used a variety of aero-friendly tricks. The seven-slat grille actually is sealed since there’s no need to feed air to an internal combustion engine. Each slat is backlit, creating a cool, modern look enhanced by a cross-grille lightbar and slit-style headlamps.

Then there’s the high-mounted rear spoiler dubbed the “R-wing.” The payoff is that the Jeep Wagoneer S is the brand’s most aerodynamic vehicle ever, with a drag coefficient of just 0.294. But it’s not the all-too-common jellybean EV. Sollaro is right when he describes the overall appearance as “powerful,” “athletic” and “dynamic.”

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Interior

The all-electric S is not only smaller than the gas-powered Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer models, but offers only two rows. That said, its skateboard-like platform – with drive components largely found below the load flood – yields an interior nearly as big as the Grand Cherokee, with near business-class seating for backseat passengers and up to 61 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded down. With them up, it’s 30.6 cf, another 3 cf of hidden space found its front trunk, or frunk.

Like those conventionally powered SUVs, it’s aimed at an upscale audience. But the design team eschewed traditional luxury touches like wood, leather and chrome wherever possible, pushing for sustainable materials like the “carbo vinyl” steering wheel wrap. I found it indistinguishable from traditional leather. Even the aluminum finishes use recycled metals, and with its ceramic coat, the application on the center console should be near indestructible.

The instrument panel in the EV is all but lifted from the more expensive Wagoneer, with a wing-like layout emphasizing its width. “It’s high-tech but doesn’t feel stark,” suggested Alex McGowen, the interior design manager. One smart move: avoiding the iPad-style screens found on all too many new EVs. There are, on the Wagoneer S Launch Edition, twin 12.3-inch gauge and infotainment screens, a touch display for climate and a modest-sized screen built into the IP in front of the passenger seat – in all, about 45-inches of screens even before factoring in the head-up display.

Electric muscle

Wagoneer S is the fastest model the brand has ever offered, if not the most powerful. While it doesn’t quite match the supercharged V-8 Hellcat-powered Grand Cherokee Trackhawk’s  707 horsepower and 645 pound-feet of torque, it comes close. The full-time all-wheel-drive system pumps a peak combined of 600 hp and 617 lb-ft from its twin motors, one on each axle.

And it will blow off the Trackhawk at the stoplight, the electric SUV hitting 60 in just 3.4 seconds, It also noses out competitors such as the Tesla Model Y Performance, while falling a mere 0.1 seconds short of the updated 2024 For Mustang Mach-E GT with the new Performance Upgrade – which needs 3.3 seconds.

The Selec-Terrain traction management system features five distinct drive modes: Auto, Sport, Eco, Snow, and Sand. You pick the one that best suits driving conditions with a toggle switch on the center console. Do be aware, however, that the Jeep Wagoneer S is, in current form, more of a soft-roader than the brand’s rugged image might suggest. To maximize aerodynamics – and range – it has only 6.4 inches of ground clearance and a fixed steel suspension.

At the EV’s New York Auto Show debut last spring Jeep officials revealed the Wagoneer S Trailhawk Concept. It features a 3-inch lift, more aggressive tires, an integrated roof rack and other familiar Trailhawk components. It’s designed to attack serious off-road conditions, including deep water fording. At the time, Jeep boss Antonio Filosa suggested that, “hopefully soon, it will become a real product.” Brand insiders continue dropping hints but no hard details.

Driving impressions

I spent the better part of a day driving around the greater San Diego region, clocking several hundred miles in the process. Despite pushing hard – with more than a few burnouts aimed at testing performance – I never felt any range anxiety. I did confirm that the EV’s “dynamic” drive control system accurately adjusted range to reflect both road conditions and my admittedly aggressive driving behavior.

There’s a reason why the environs around San Diego are a favorite for automotive reviewers. You run into all sorts of situations, from high-speed freeways to steep and windy country trails. The Wagoneer S handled all with aplomb. It has a lot going for it, including not only all that power but the fact that the low-mounted battery pack means the EV has a center of gravity nearly a half-foot lower than Grand Cherokee’s, as well as a near 50:50 weight balance.

It was easy to handle even the most aggressive turns at what I’ll euphemistically call “extra-legal speeds. There was a minimum of body roll, the SUV offering mostly confidence-inspiring road manners. That doesn’t mean I don’t have a few complaints, however. I found steering in Auto and Eco modes to be a bit numb. And, while there was less boost in Sport, steering was a bit notchy. Turning in on tighter corners boost seemed to increase. That took a bit of time to become familiar with.

I’m grateful, meanwhile, that Jeep did include a 1-Pedal brake regeneration mode – though they dub it “Maximum Regen.” With it on I find myself using the brake pedal far less often, instead simply modulating the throttle as I entered corners, as well as when dealing with traffic on San Diego’s numerous freeways. On the downside, you have to reactivate max regen whenever you restart the Wagoneer S, and that requires digging down a couple layers on the infotainment screen.

The other negative: Wagoneer S allows you to choose between the familiar, slow creep you get with an internal combustion engine when you stop then lift off the brake, or turning creep off. But I found that it didn’t always do what I wanted; on a number of occasions the Jeep EV continuing to creep forward no matter what the setting. Jeep engineers plan to take a closer look and, if necessary, tweak the controlling software.

That’s one good thing about Wagoneer S. Like many other new EVs it offers smartphone-style over-the-air updates. These can update onboard software and even add new features – as Jeep plans to do going forward.

Range and charging

Wagoneer S boasts an EPA range estimate of 303 miles from a 100-kWh battery pack – of which 93.9 kWh are usable. And it will offers relatively quick charging, he noted, going from a 20 to 80% state-of-charge using at least a 200 kW public charger in an estimated 23 minutes. You can plug-and-go in 10 minutes and still get an additional 100 miles of range.

Going from 5 to 80% using a home or office 240-volt Level 2 system requires 6.8 hours and, though details weren’t released, I’d expect somewhere around 8 to 9 hours to go to a full 100%.

As part of the current marketing program, buyers will be eligible for either a 48-amp Level 2 home charger or, if they prefer, $600 in credits that can be used through Stellantis’s Free2move Charge network. Its network includes charging companies ChargePoint, Electrify America, EVGo, Shell Recharge and Blink.

Tech collection

As you’d expect of an EV, especially one aimed at premium buyers, Wagoneer S is loaded with high-tech features. That starts with the 45-inches of digital displays covering essentially the entire instrument panel.

There’s ambient lighting which can be set to any of 64 different colors, wireless charging and both wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Wagoneer S Launch Edition delivers audiophile sound through a new McIntosh system putting out a peak 1,200 watts through 24 channels and 19 separate speakers. Later versions will offer less exotic audio packages.

The electric SUV also gets the latest update to the Stellantis L2 system. While not nearly as well-known as General Motor’s Super Cruise or Ford’s BlueCruise, it allows hands-free driving on thousands of miles of select U.S. and Canadian roadways. I found it, to be better than all but the very latest version of the Ford system.

Pricing and availability

The first 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S EVs were delivered last month in a single, Launch Edition package starting at $71,995 before delivery fees. By comparison, the “base” 2025 Jeep Wagoneer gas-powered SUV starts at $59,945 after a price “realignment” last November.

Oh, and that’s not a typo. Jeep delayed the first deliveries of the Wagoneer S but is badging current versions as 2024 models. It plans to roll out the 2025 version this coming spring.

Jeep CEO Filosa has said that the brand plans to bring out a new version of the Wagoneer S every six months, at least for the next several years. That will include less expensive packages likely to sacrifice some features, as well as performance and, possibly, range.

Last word

Quiet, comfortable, quick and luxurious, the new Jeep Wagoneer S has a lot going for it. And I’d be surprised if it doesn’t connect with plenty of Jeep loyalists – as well as shoppers new to the brand. The EV’s impressive performance and solid range add to appeal.

In current form, even with my handful of grumbles, I’d take the Jeep Wagoneer S over the Tesla Model Y. And, yes, the Tesla SUV is about to undergo a much-awaited upgrade. But, from what we have so far seen, there just doesn’t seem to be enough to keep Model Y fresh and address some of its own weaknesses, notably a rather bland interior that doesn’t justify the vehicle’s price tag.

For those who want something with more off-road capabilities you have some options. You can wait to see if Jeep does put the Trackhawk into production – though that could take several years. The alternative still requires a wait, albeit a shorter one. A second all-electric Jeep will soon go into production. And the Recon will be the serious, all-electric off-roader that many of the brand’s fans have been hoping for.

We hope to have more to say on Recon over the next several months.

Meanwhile, insiders suggest Jeep will show off one or more new versions of Wagoneer S at the Chicago Auto Show in February.