The relaunch of Jeep’s Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer names follows years of postponements and planning changes. After an unsuccessful effort to restart the Grand Wagoneer name in 1993 on the ZJ platform, the model name was largely put aside while SUVs continued to evolve in popularity and design, including the broader shift toward crossover utility vehicles. Although the Grand Wagoneer name never fully disappeared, multiple resurrection proposals remained at the ideation stage for years.
Later, preparation for the relaunch reportedly runs into both internal and external hurdles. The delays are attributed to uncertainty within Fiat Chrysler (later Stellantis) over how to position the product and what platform should underpin the large SUV. Additional timing issues are linked to global conditions, including the COVID-19 pandemic, which occurs around the time Stellantis planned a debut. Eventually, the new Ram-based large SUVs reach the market in 2022, and their styling becomes a point of ongoing public discussion. Together, the accounts depict a multi-year process that transitions from concept work to a final production launch amid changing corporate priorities and pandemic-era disruptions.
