Jeep Grand Wagoneer and Wagoneer 2024: Goodbye to V8 Engines

Jeep recently announced the 2024 updates for its Wagoneer lineup, and the first thing that stood out was the absence of V8 engines.

Since Stellantis unveiled the Hurricane engine, it's been known that the future of V8 engines is in jeopardy. It was only a matter of time before the group modernized its lineup and powertrains, and now it's done for the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer.

An Evolution

V8 engines have long dominated the market, especially in larger vehicle categories like trucks and big SUVs. However, new technologies and turbocharging now enable more compact engines to offer the same power as a big engine while maintaining some fuel efficiency. Thus, a 6-cylinder engine can prove to be more efficient and powerful than a V8. Indeed, this is precisely the case with the Hurricane engine that replaces several V8 Hemis.

The 2024 Jeep Wagoneer will be powered by a turbocharged 3.0-liter 6-cylinder engine producing 420 horsepower and 468 pound-feet of torque. In comparison, the 5.7-liter V8 it had last year produced only 392 horsepower and 404 pound-feet of torque. Meanwhile, the Jeep Grand Wagoneer swaps its 6.4-liter V8 for a 3.0-liter 6-cylinder engine. However, this is the high-output version of the Hurricane engine, pushing the total power to 510 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque. Again, these figures surpass those of the 6.4-liter V8 engine, which boasted 471 horsepower and 455 pound-feet of torque.

In both cases, the Hurricane engine is paired with an 8-speed automatic transmission, and the 4x4 drivetrain is standard. The best part is that the Jeep Wagoneer retains the best towing capacity in its category at 10,000 pounds, despite having two fewer cylinders. Meanwhile, the Grand Wagoneer still offers a towing capacity of 9,860 pounds, which remains well above average.

Two Options

Now that the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer are only available with 6-cylinder engines, you're left with just two options at Jeep to get a V8. Firstly, there's the Grand Cherokee L because the two-row Grand Cherokee no longer offers this option. The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 is still on the menu for 2024 as well. Nevertheless, I believe it's only a matter of time before these two models also lose their V8 engines.

Jean-Sébastien Poudrier