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PROS ›› On- and off-road excellence, fabulous interior, comfortable ride CONS ›› Expensive, bigger than most need, no more H.O. engine option

There aren’t many six-figure SUVs left that try to be everything at once. Most lean toward one specialty. A Cadillac Escalade is about presence. A Lincoln Navigator majors in comfort. A Chevrolet Suburban is all about utility. A Range Rover attempts to blend luxury with genuine off-road capability, albeit at an eye-watering price.

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The 2026 Jeep Grand Wagoneer takes a different approach. It wants to do all of those things at once, wrapping three rows of genuine luxury inside a body capable of wandering miles off pavement before comfortably cruising home on the interstate. That’s a bold promise for something measuring nearly 18 feet long and weighing almost three tons.

This year brings a surprisingly significant shakeup, too. Jeep has simplified the lineup, dropping the standard Wagoneer entirely while also retiring the 540 hp (403 kW) High Output Hurricane inline-six. Every Grand Wagoneer now gets the “standard” twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter Hurricane making 420 horsepower (313 kW) and 468 lb-ft (634 Nm).

Quick Facts

› Model: 2026 Jeep Grand Wagoneer L Summit Obsidian

› Price: $97,310 (Starting) / $106,890 (As Tested)

› Dimensions: 226.7 in L × 83.6 in W × 75.6 in H (5,758 × 2,123 × 1,920 mm)

› Curb Weight: Approximately 6,430 lbs (2,917 kg)

› Powertrain: 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged Hurricane I-6, 8-speed automatic, 4WD

› Output: 420 hp (313 kW) / 468 lb-ft (634 Nm)

› Towing Capacity 8,200 lbs (3,719 kg) standard / 9,810 lbs (4,449 kg) with Max Tow Package

› Fuel Economy: 18 MPG Combined (EPA) / 15.4 MPG As Tested

› On Sale: Now

SWIPE

On paper, those changes feel like cost-cutting. But after a week behind the wheel, including taking this massive SUV somewhere most owners probably never will, I kept coming back to one question. What happens when the best full-size SUV isn’t the one you’d recommend?

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Styling

Photos Stephen Rivers / Carscoops

When this generation debuted, it always felt like Jeep had designed the front and rear ends separately before introducing them five minutes before production. The nose looked modern while the rear resembled an overinflated suburban appliance. The facelift improves matters .

The front finally looks like it belongs on a Jeep. Slimmer lighting, a revised grille, and cleaner surfacing give it far more identity than before. It’s recognizable from half a mile away, and that’s exactly what a flagship SUV should accomplish. Unfortunately, the rear remains its weakest angle.

More: New Ramcharger Won’t Be A Grand Wagoneer Clone, Will Get Unique V8-Focused Lineup

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I still can’t quite explain why it bothers me so much. The proportions simply don’t flow. Viewed from almost any angle behind the C-pillar, it feels bloated, as though the design kept expanding after everyone else stopped drawing. If the front is athletic, the rear is… beluga whale. Speaking of whales…

White might genuinely be the worst possible color for this SUV. The Grand Wagoneer is already enormous. Painting it bright white somehow makes every dimension look another foot longer. It’s difficult not to think of marine mammals that are actually smaller than the Jeep.

The average length of an adult Beluga is about 15 feet. The Grand Wagoneer is 17.8 feet long. There’s something you didn’t know before today. Tell your friends. Share this story if only for the one whale fact you just learned.

Of course, the size becomes a pleasant surprise in light of the 22-inch wheels. Usually wheels that large either disappear beneath oversized sheetmetal or dominate the design. Somehow Jeep nailed the proportions. They look exactly the right size. Overall, this is the best-looking version of the current Grand Wagoneer. That’s progress, but there’s still plenty of room for improvement.

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Cabin Accoutrements

This is where Jeep justifies much of the asking price. Yes, there are cheap materials if you start hunting. The piano black plastic covering much of the center console and sections of the dashboard looks and feels out of place in a vehicle costing over $100,000. It’ll scratch. It’ll attract fingerprints. And eventually it’ll probably look terrible.

Fortunately, that’s the exception rather than the rule. Nearly everything you actually touch feels genuinely premium. The quilted leather is excellent. The stitching throughout the cabin feels expensive. Even the leather-wrapped start/stop button communicates that someone paid attention to details.

Stretching across the dashboard is a beautifully textured wood trim panel. The Grand Wagoneer script elegantly embedded into the passenger side is the cherry on top. It’s one of the classiest dashboard designs offered by an American manufacturer today.

The seats also deserve particular praise. They’re heated, ventilated, and feature massage functions that don’t merely vibrate… they actually work. After several hours behind the wheel, they genuinely helped reduce fatigue.

Jeep

That said, they’re clearly designed around someone shorter than my 6-foot-6 frame. No amount of adjustment ever allowed the upper seatback and headrest to perfectly fit my shoulders. Thankfully, the massage system made up for much of that discomfort.

Notably, not everything here is perfect. Jeep placed an array of expensive electronic switches immediately below the cupholders. Think about that for a second. Do you really expect every owner to go years without spilling a coffee, soda, or bottle of water?

Gravity doesn’t care how expensive your SUV is. Eventually something is going to leak directly into those controls, and I don’t want to imagine what replacing that assembly costs. Thankfully, most of the controls are excellent.

The main infotainment display is responsive and intuitive, while Jeep wisely retained physical climate controls rather than burying everything inside menus. A second lower touchscreen handles seat functions and can retract, revealing a hidden storage compartment complete with wireless charging, USB ports, and HDMI connectivity. The optional passenger display is… fine.

It looks impressive and offers plenty of functionality, but using it feels more complicated than necessary. Watching independent content requires pairing headphones, connecting compatible apps, and hoping everything talks to each other correctly. Ironically, it’s often easier for the front passenger to watch whatever’s already playing on the rear entertainment screens. Speaking of which…

The second row might actually be the best place to sit. Heated and ventilated captain’s chairs, abundant legroom, four additional USB ports, a household outlet, 12-volt power, and large entertainment displays make it feel genuinely first class. Then there’s the third row.

Photos Stephen Rivers / Carscoops

Simply put, it’s outstanding. Outside of the Grand Cherokee L , I can’t think of another three-row SUV with a third row I’d willingly occupy for hours. Adults actually fit. The leather quality matches the rest of the cabin rather than becoming an afterthought. Both outboard passengers get power recline, charging ports, cupholders, and dedicated storage.

Cargo space is equally impressive, with 28.4 cubic feet (804 liters) behind the third row, 70.8 cubic feet (2,005 liters) with the third row folded, and 94.2 cubic feet (2,668 liters) behind the front seats. Better still, the power-folding seats make reconfiguring the cabin effortless—a feature that somehow still isn’t universal among similarly priced American SUVs.

Read: Jeep Wrangler Laredo Returns With 35s And A Desert Vibe

One more thing that every occupant can appreciate regardless of where they’re sitting. The McIntosh sound system is spectacular. Not “good for an SUV.” Just spectacular. It may genuinely be the finest factory audio system currently available in any mainstream luxury SUV.

Driving Impressions

The cabin is great, but the Grand Wagoneer separates itself from the rest of the pack where the rubber meets the road or off-road. I’ve driven the Escalade IQ , Chevrolet Suburban, and Ford Expedition. None of them move down the road like this. The closest comparison is actually a Range Rover.

No, it doesn’t corner like one. But it shares that rare ability to make something impossibly large feel smaller than it really is. The steering is accurate without becoming nervous, while body control borders on remarkable given the sheer mass involved. Body roll barely exists.

Read that sentence again. This thing weighs roughly 6,400 pounds (2,903 kg). That’s around twice that of an adult Beluga. Yes really. Consider that a bonus whale fact. Yet through sweeping corners it stays astonishingly composed while simultaneously delivering an exceptionally quiet ride. Wind noise is minimal. Road noise barely intrudes. Even rough pavement arrives as little more than a muted suggestion. The chassis is unquestionably the star of the show.

Power, meanwhile, is like the passenger infotainment system: fine. The 420-horsepower Hurricane never feels slow. Passing is effortless, towing capability (up to 9,810 lbs (4,449 kg)) remains excellent, and most buyers will never complain. But if you’ve driven the old 540-horsepower High Output version, you’ll miss it.

The extra urgency transformed the Grand Wagoneer from surprisingly quick into genuinely entertaining. Losing it feels like an unnecessary downgrade, even if most owners won’t notice. That said, it’s also worth noting that, at 15.4 mpg, we came in well below Jeep’s combined MPG estimate of 18 mpg, so it’s not as if we traded power for excellent economy.

Photos Stephen Rivers / Carscoops

Then I took it somewhere few six-figure luxury SUVs ever venture. Off-road. Granted, it wasn’t like I took it rock crawling and mudhole bogging as I did with the Wrangler Moab 392 a few weeks back.

But the trails we tackled were severe enough to force the suspension into full articulation while climbing and descending double-digit grades. At one point, the front passenger tire hung completely off the ground despite the suspension sitting at maximum ride height.

The Jeep simply kept going. Zero drama, no hesitation, and not a single truly unsettling moment from behind the wheel. It’s easy to forget this is still, fundamentally, a Jeep. Just remember one thing. Forest roads weren’t designed with vehicles this wide in mind. Had another vehicle appeared from the opposite direction, somebody would’ve been backing up.

Competition: The Enemy Within

Oddly, the Grand Wagoneer’s biggest competition isn’t the Cadillac Escalade . It’s not even the Navigator or the Yukon Denali. It’s the Jeep showroom floor. Among full-size American luxury SUVs, I’d choose the Grand Wagoneer over any of them. It drives better than the GM offerings, feels more cohesive than the Ford products, and delivers an interior that punches well above its weight.

But I’d probably buy a Grand Cherokee L. It drives even better thanks to its smaller footprint, goes farther off-road, offers nearly identical interior quality, still has an excellent third row, and costs dramatically less. If I absolutely needed the additional towing or cargo space, I’d also strongly consider a certified pre-owned Grand Wagoneer with either the 540-hp Hurricane H.O. or even the glorious 392 V8.

You’ll save tens of thousands of dollars while getting a more exciting powertrain that’s still under warranty. That’s a difficult value proposition for a brand-new six-figure SUV, even an excellent one, to overcome.

The Verdict

The 2026 Jeep Grand Wagoneer is unquestionably the best version of this vehicle Jeep has built. It looks better, drives brilliantly, offers one of the nicest interiors anywhere near its price point, and remains astonishingly capable once the pavement ends. As a complete package, I think it’s currently the best full-size American luxury SUV on sale.

I also think vehicles this large have become increasingly difficult to justify. They occupy more road than many drivers need, create additional visibility concerns for pedestrians and smaller cars, and simply ask a lot from modern infrastructure.

But if you’re determined to own something this big, you won’t find a more complete package. That brings us back to the question from the beginning. What happens when the best full-size SUV isn’t the one you’d recommend? You split up recommendations based on the buyer.

If you truly need everything the Grand Wagoneer offers, including a factory-fresh warranty , it’s the one to go with, bar none. If you don’t, Jeep’s own Grand Cherokee L, or a lightly used Grand Wagoneer with the High Output Hurricane, might actually be the smarter purchase.

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Female farm managers are hidden in plain sight in ancient Roman texts, mentioned in laws, literature and grave inscriptions across five centuries. Modern historians have generally assumed they were housekeepers, in charge of domestic tasks and household meals, and segregated from the productive business of the farm.

My new paper , published in the Journal of Roman Archaeology, challenges this assumption.

In fact, there is evidence to suggest that many Roman female farm managers supervised wine production and other processes vital to farming and profits.

A false lead

A farming manual written by the Roman writer Lucius Junius Moderatus Columella in the 1st century CE is a window to the roles of the female manager.

An upper class landowner himself, Columella lists the responsibilities of farm managers, who were probably enslaved. The male manager was termed the vilicus, and the female manager the vilica, terms derived from their roles at the "villa".

But many historians reading this text have been side-tracked by a false lead: Columella begins his section on the vilica with a long quote from the Greek philosopher Xenophon , who wrote in Athens more than four centuries earlier.

A quote from Greek philosophy led many to misunderstand the roles women played in ancient Roman farming. (Image credit: Mahmoud Amer/Pexels ) The "natural" role of women, according to Xenophon, was to work indoors. Therefore in his discussion, the ideal upper-class married woman is depicted staying inside her town house to supervise the domestic work of the slaves.

The Greek writer is not discussing farm workers. In fact, Columella says four times that these ideas are not his own, but those of Xenophon, writing long ago.

Columella lists a completely different set of responsibilities for the vilica on a Roman farm: most importantly, the making of wine and olive oil, which were highly valuable commodities — the backbone of landowners' profits.

In his description of the vilica's duties, Columella includes the extraction of the juice from grapes during the harvest; adding flavorings and preservatives such as salt, wormwood, fennel or boiled grape-juice; and overseeing successful fermentation into wine.

According to Columella, the vilica also managed the processing of other farm products to make them long-lasting and profitable, such as turning inedible olives into olive oil for sale.

From archaeology we know that production of wine or oil, using huge machines in substantial buildings, could reach 50,000 to 100,000 litres per year, or even more. The vilica was therefore responsible for overseeing large-scale work essential to the operation of the estate.

Calling on the gods

Correct sacrifices to the gods were seen as vital to the success of the farm. Archaeology has uncovered altars for offerings in Roman wine-making buildings.

Wine-making in the Roman world was a precarious process, due to uncontrolled temperatures, bacteria or oxygenation. Wine could easily go moldy or turn into vinegar.

A striking element of Columella's account is that he includes carrying out offerings to avert such a disaster in his instructions for the female farm manager.

Looking for more clues

Other texts contain barely more than a mention of the vilica, revealing only her presence.

But we can still put together some clues.

Legal writings on inheritance, quoting the 1st century BCE jurist Trebatius, include her in the instrumentum fundi — whatever (including enslaved personnel) is required for productive work, gathering and preserving produce of the estate.

A mosaic shows Roman farm women at the Villa Romana del Casale, Sicily. (Image credit: Joe Lynch) Another aristocratic landowner and writer, Cato the Elder , living two centuries before Columella, lists both the female and the male farm manager as essential staff for a vineyard or olive farm.

He devotes only one small section to outlining the female farm manager's tasks, but a close look shows these are not predominantly domestic. Cato includes keeping poultry and processing of seasonal farm products. Although he does include supervision of cleaning, this could refer to maintenance of work spaces such as stables and wine making buildings, an integral part of estate management – and also listed by Columella among the vilica's duties.

Cato also gives the vilica the responsibility for making sacrifices to the gods for the success of the farm. She must regularly offer garlands at the altar "for abundance", he writes.

A Roman mosaic showing estate work in different seasons depicts a scene of sacrifices for abundant crops to the god Jupiter (in his Celtic form as a sky and weather god). A woman is shown holding an offering of garlands, just as Cato instructs. Beside her are a jug for wine offerings and a male figure.

A woman is depicted at an altar holding the offering of garlands. Beside her is a jug for wine offerings and a male figure. (Image credit: Carole Raddato/Musée d'Archéologie Nationale, Saint-Germain-en-Laye/Flickr , CC BY ) Related stories

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Perhaps this mosaic shows the vilica and vilicus, both essential to the success of annual harvests. While such images of female figures are rare, one fragmentary wall painting from Rome shows a female overseeing wine-making workers, just as Columella describes.

This combined body of evidence suggests we should expand outdated understandings of the roles that Roman women played in farm production, the dominant sector of ancient economies.

No vilica has left us an account of her work in her own words. But by paying careful attention to the evidence, we can hear an echo of her voice.

This edited article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article .

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