When the modern Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer were introduced for the 2022 model year, a Hemi V8 was standard in all versions of both big SUVs. When the 2023 model year came out, the 5.7L Hemi was only available in the base trim Wagoneer while Series 1, 2 and 3 all coming standard with the Hurricane 3.0-liter I6. For the 2023 Grand Wagoneer, the 6.4L Hemi was only available in the Series 1 and Obsidian, while the Series 2 and 3 models came standard with the Hurricane I6. When the 2024 model year came around for the Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, the only engine option for both models is the Hurricane I6. In other words, as time has gone on, less and less Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer models were sold with a Hemi V8, yet in the first quarter of 2024, the two range-topping Jeeps combined to post their best sales month since the Wagoneer line returned to the brand.
The company does not offer a sales split based on engine option, so we don’t know exactly how many of the Jeep Wagoneers and Grand Wagoneers sold during the first three months of 2024 had a Hemi V8. We know that none of the 2024 model year vehicles sold this year had a Hemi and we know that only a few trimlines from the 2023 model year had a Hemi, so while statistically speaking there are likely some Hemi models in the current sales mix, the number of Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer models with a V8 in dealership inventory have to be getting pretty thin. That means that a the number of Hurricane-powered models is continuously increasing, and even with the rarity of the Hemi models, the first quarter of 2024 was the best three-month period for the new Wagoneer family since it came to market in late 2021.
During the first quarter of 2024, Jeep sold 13,131 examples of the Wagoneer, making 2024 Q1 the best sales month to date for the new Wagoneer. The previous best quarter was 2022 Q3, when the big SUV was still benefiting from the initial sales push for the then-brand new model. As for the Grand Wagoneer, Jeep sold 3,550 examples of the more luxurious large SUV, marking the second-best quarter for the Grand Wagoneer since it returned – trailing only the 2022 Q2 (3,932 units sold). With the Wagoneer posting its best sales quarter while the Grand Wagoneer posted it second-best quarter, the modern Jeep Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer family saw its best overall sales quarter since the nameplate returned to the corporate lineup.
Ultimately, there is one key takeaway from 2024 Q1 being the best sales quarter for the Jeep Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer family – it is still well without the Hemi V8. Many of us hate that the Hemi is leaving the automotive landscape, but the Hurricane I6 engine does a great job of motivating the large Jeeps, with each I6 variant offering a significant advantage in power over the outgoing V8. Many people insist that these models are doomed to fail without the Hemi, but the record sales quarter shows that Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer sales are not dependent on the Hemi and that shoppers will buy I6 models with more power.
The bigger test will come once we start seeing how the new Ram 1500 with the Hurricane sells once the Hemi models are no longer available, but based on Ford F-150 sales, truck buyers aren’t shy to adapt to a six-cylinder engine that delivers more power – and the Ram 1500 Hurricane offers gobs more power than the 5.7L Hemi. Of course, the biggest test for the Hurricane will come when the new Dodge Charger Six Pack goes on sale sometime next year.
