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There are two basic strategies for a legacy automaker to choose from. It can plow headfirst into the new frontier of EV development, making mistakes and learning from them quickly. Or it can wait for the dust to settle a bit, letting others make expensive mistakes while launching your own products later. The latter is the path Stellantis, owner of Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram did. And while the first path looks far scarier, the Jeep Wagoneer S is proof that moving slowly carries its own risks.
Because while other brands have scaled and refined their EVs, Jeep’s first one for the U.S. market feels like what it is: A first try.
Gallery: Jeep Wagoneer S Launch Edition First Drive
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The Wagoneer S is just an ok start, and proof that Jeep and Stellantis have plenty of lessons left to learn about how to go electric.
(Full Disclosure: Jeep provided a hotel room and dinner during the launch of the Wagoneer S. They let me drive it for a few hours alongside another journalist.)
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What Is It?
The only other electric Jeep to date has been the Avenger, a cute subcompact off-roader sold in Europe. It’s actually gotten good reviews but was deemed too small for America. Jeep’s first electric outing in America will be the Wagoneer S, which is much bigger and more expensive.
The size thing is in the platform’s name and everything. It rides on the same STLA Large architecture that underpins the recently launched Dodge Charger EV, which you can read about here. While Fiat Chrysler and then Stellantis have offered two generations of Fiat 500e as all-electric city runabouts, the Charger and Wagoneer S are the first long-range EVs the company has ever launched here. Given that the Charger EV plays in the small and shrinking coupe segment, the Wagoneer S is the conglomerate’s only U.S.-market, mainstream EV.
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Don’t let the Jeep name fool you, though. This thing isn’t built for the trail. At least, not at first. A Trailhawk version is surely coming—there’s already been a concept. But for now, the Wagoneer S Launch Edition is primarily for the street, with just 6.4 inches of ground clearance. That’s a lick more than a Hyundai Ioniq 5, but 0.6 inches less than a Cadillac Lyriq, 1.5 inches less than a Chevy Blazer EV, 1.6 inches less than a BMW iX and a full 2.3 inches less than a base-model Subaru Forester. A Rivian R1S gets up to 15 inches of clearance, so this isn’t meant to keep up with that on the trail.
That’s what the forthcoming Jeep Recon EV is for. The Wagoneer S is marketed as a premium luxury SUV, more in line with a Cadillac Lyriq than a Toyota 4Runner. It’s about the same size as a Lyriq or the last-generation Jeep Grand Cherokee, with two rows of seats, a solid cargo hold and a big, imposing presence on the road.
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It’s powered by a 100.5-kWh (net) nickel manganese cobalt (NCM) battery running on a 400-volt architecture. We know STLA Large can support 800-volt systems—which provide faster charging speeds, among other advantages—so it’s a bummer to see Jeep opting for the cheaper version. The charge time is still respectable. It can charge from 20-80% in 23 minutes, peaking at 203 kW. Stellantis did not provide a 10-80% time, which is the industry standard measurement. But the Wagoneer S will deliver “300+” miles of range, too, depending on your exact spec.
The first models to arrive are all Wagoneer S Launch Editions, loaded with pretty much every option and a starting price of $71,995. That’ll be the top of the range, with cheaper trim levels coming later in 2025.
Jeep Grand Wagoneer S
Launch Editions all get a dual-motor, all-wheel-drive powertrain that makes 600 horsepower and 617 lb-ft of torque. With a 0-60 sprint of 3.4 seconds, the Wagoneer S is the quickest Jeep ever, if that’s your jam.
Good First Impressions
The front ¾ angle of the Wagoneer S is its hero pose, with a strong seven-slot “grille” giving off clear Jeep vibes. Of course, it isn’t a grille on the EV, so instead it’s a full-width LED light bar. There’s also one at the back, emphasizing the Wagoneer S’ relatively anonymous rear end. Every new car these days has a tapered butt and a full-width light bar, so you could stick a Hyundai, Land Rover, Nissan or Lexus badge on the back and fool just about anyone.
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At least the floating rear wing is cool. It gives the Wagoneer S a traditional SUV silhouette while preserving the sloping rear end you need for aerodynamics. The result is a drag coefficient of 0.29, an impressive figure for an SUV.
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It’s the interior that’ll sell the Wagoneer S, though. The interior looks polished and sophisticated, with screens everywhere for those who like that motif. There are two 12.3-inch displays, one for the driver and one as the central infotainment display, plus dual 10.25 screens for the climate/comfort display and the passenger display. I have yet to see a compelling use case for a passenger screen, but it’ll surely look impressive to prospective buyers and their passengers.
More importantly, the cabin feels expensive. There’s no bright, blazing cost-cutting like you see in too many EVs. The lower display even slides up to reveal a storage compartment, a fun bit of surprise and delight. There’s a volume knob and, unbelievably, a tuning knob. So if you want an EV where scrolling through satellite radio stations doesn’t suck, this is your play. And while Jeep has succumbed to the trend of power door releases, the recessed exterior door handles are at least easier to use and more reliable than any power-retracting alternatives.
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Unfortunately, though, being late to the game hasn’t saved Jeep from every modern EV sin. The climate control screen is still finicky and could benefit from a dial to control the fan and temperature, plus some hard buttons for the auto setting and defroster. And I found the infotainment a bit puzzling to use on the move.
That’s partially because it has far too many icons in the app drawer—including for things that already have permanent controls, like the heated seats. But I’ll admit that some of it may come from my lack of familiarity with UConnect 5, so make your own judgment there. Still, with an incredible 1,900-watt McIntosh stereo and great seats, the Wagoneer S’ cabin is a nice place to spend time.
A Bumpy On-Road Experience, Literally
It’s on the road where Jeep’s lack of EV experience shines through. From the moment I touched the throttle, I found the Wagoneer S jumpy, unrefined and difficult to drive smoothly. Its throttle pedal is far too sensitive off the rip, and progression doesn’t feel linear. And while Jeep does offer a one-pedal driving mode, don’t bother even trying it. It makes the car’s low-speed touchiness far more dramatic, and I could feel a noticeable stutter as the car transitioned between acceleration and braking, or vice versa.
To put it simply, this Jeep doesn’t feel like it was tuned to be an EV, or built by an organization that knows how to develop one. Not yet.
Jeep says the Wagoneer S’ powertrain is updatable over the air, but given the impact of throttle mapping to emissions testing, I’d be surprised if the company fixes this quickly. The brake pedal also needs work, even if you leave it in traditional, low-regen mode. The blending between regenerative and friction braking isn’t great, and the grab point is high. Even the steering feels artificial. It springs back to center aggressively, leaving you with a giant tactile dead zone when the car is close to centered.
The powertrain fares better once you’re up to speed, making the Wagoneer S a fine highway cruiser. It’ll run in rear-wheel-drive mode during a lot of normal, low-demand driving, with the front axle engaging if it detects slip or a large demand in power. If you get excited and go heavy on the throttle, though, expect a big, audible “clunk” as that front motor engages. EVs from other brands seem to engage the front motor quietly and smoothly, so this feels a bit underbaked. In most scenarios, however, you won’t notice.
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Finally, the suspension tuning is a bit of a mess. On slow-speed urban roads, small bumps produced head-tossing front-to-back motions. I felt every undulation and crevice. Even on smooth roads, the smallest dip or crack would upset the ride. It handled large bumps better, with no big shocks to the cabin, but the ride around town just doesn’t settle down. Highway cruising is much, much better. It’s fine for a straight slog.
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On the twisty drive route around San Diego County, the Wagoneer S fared worse. Despite not having a particularly comfortable ride nor any crazy off-road aspirations, the 600-hp Jeep also struggled to contain body motions in corners. Many EV SUVs feel like you’re riding on them, not in them, with a low-slung battery rolling around underneath you. The Wagoneer S is among the worst offenders. The body flops into a corner, and any tiny surface imperfection will completely upset the chassis.
I wasn’t able to get an efficiency reading, either, as Jeep’s “Electric Vehicle” pages are limited. The chart for efficiency was confounding. Plus there’s no ability to precondition the battery, no cool software tricks and no smart route planning. If you tell the Jeep Wagoneer S you want to drive 500 or 1,000 miles, it’ll warn you that your battery can’t make it, highlight how far you’ll get, and suggest a smattering of charging locations along the way.
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But in my case, the only chargers it recommended were Level 2 Tesla Destination Chargers (which is too slow for a road trip and cannot be accessed without an adapter), a random ChargePoint Level 2 and an EVGo 50 kW station that was about 100 miles from where I’d run out of range. So if you get one of these, expect to do all of your road trip planning on your smartphone with a third-party route planner.
Last, I got a “Service Electric Vehicle System” warning during my brief time at the wheel. That’s the Jeep’s equivalent of a check engine light, and a worrying development for a press car with 400 miles. Jeep confirmed that this was a production vehicle and not a prototype, as is sometimes the case with early media tests, though noted that it was an early production unit that would need some updates to be sold. Either way, a tough sign when the car has already been delayed.
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Early Verdict
I do not want to be unfair to Jeep. Making a compelling EV is an unbelievably difficult thing to pull off. That’s why every company’s first attempt has had big teething pains. Tesla went through hell to ramp up the Model 3. Getting its Ultium platform through its hellacious development and rollout period cost General Motors millions and millions of dollars. VW’s ID.4 has been a long series of headaches for its maker. Rivian R1 reliability still ranks near the bottom of the industry.
The first time you do anything, you’re not going to get it completely right.
The problem is that these other brands have put many of the hard years behind them. Tesla cars still suffer from initial quality concerns, but their drivetrains and batteries are bulletproof. GM biffed it with the launch of the Bolt battery recall and the software problems with the Cadillac Lyriq and Chevy Blazer EV, but by the time the Equinox EV launched that appeared to be sorted out. These companies paid heavy prices and learned hard lessons.
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Stellantis has watched from the sidelines, adjusting its plans to avoid some of these pitfalls. That’s why the giant-battery version of Ram REV is already gone. It’s why the Wagoneer S has impressive charging specs, a solid range figure and a great interior. Three years ago this product would have blown people away.
But it’s arriving to a market that is crowded with more mature, fleshed-out options. It is proof positive that some lessons can only be learned by doing. Building great EVs requires a company to rethink software tuning, suspension design, powertrain tuning, production processes, quality checks and a bazillion other things. Stellantis is still going through that process, and it shows. So the Wagoneer S is fine. Jeep fans who have never experienced an EV may love it. Many will buy it for the interior and the tech alone.
For those that have driven a fleshed-out, mature EV, though, it’s clear that Jeep has a lot of lessons left to learn.
Contact the author: Mack.Hogan@insideevs.com.