2025 Jeep Grand Wagoneer S Review: In Search of Polish

Stepping outside your comfort zone can be a scary thing. 

Take the 2025 Jeep Wagoneer S. Not only is this the brand’s first fully electric model in North America, it’s very obviously the most road-biased offering yet. For a brand that has built its reputation on off-road adventure, that’s a risky move.

The good news is that the latest member of the family follows a pattern laid down by the Grand Cherokee and Grand Wagoneer, with an upmarket vibe from its classy cabin and more power than its mainstream competition. Unfortunately a lack of refinement where it matters hurts the Wagoneer S’s chances of success.

While the Wagoneer S—or Swagoneer, as a few colleagues have started calling it—was technically new for 2024, it arrived in the final few days. 2025 was its first full model year, and it gained a lower, more affordable Limited trim. This is not that: this is the full-fat Premium model (still called Launch Edition in America), loaded with all the bells and whistles. Both trims come with a dual-motor all-wheel drive setup and a 100.5-kilowatt-hour (94.0 kWh usable) battery pack. The Limited is er, limited to 500 horsepower and 524 pound-feet of torque; this Premium bumps those numbers to 600 and 617 respectively, which is available on the Limited via an over-the-air Power Group upgrade.

If nothing else, the Wagoneer S is a good-looking thing. Broadly Grand Cherokee sized, it updates the brand’s signature seven-slot face to the grille-less EV present, a squinting visage with the de rigueur full-width light strip. Ample black cladding along the lower edges do their best to hide the visual bulk necessary for the floor-mounted battery pack. The best angle might just be the rear three-quarter, where the Swagoneer has a huge rear wing seemingly pilfered from an old Ford Escort Cosworth. It gives major rally car vibes and preserves a more traditional profile—though as we’ll cover later, there are some drawbacks.

There’s no doubt about it: the Wagoneer S is quick. Jeep quotes 3.4 seconds to 62 mph (100 km/h) and so long as the road is dry it feels easily that quick. It isn’t the sort of dull, drama-free launch that is typical of most EVs, either—but it also isn’t better. The Wagoneer S is eager to spin its front wheels and will begin moving with a shunt, like the two ends aren’t really in sync. While there’s a certain amount of lizard-brain joy in how easy it can be to light up the narrow Falkens, it’s not a feeling of flexing muscle. It’s just scrappy.

While there is a full one-pedal regenerative braking mode available, it was inconsistent, with the Jeep reverting to a lighter setting on each start-up. It’s not the only EV to do that, but it’s an annoyance nonetheless.

Another annoyance with potentially greater consequences: an inaccurate efficiency read-out. I couldn’t tell you how the Wagoneer S was measuring efficiency, but it regular showed better than 3.1 miles/kWh (20.0 kWh/100 kilometers), which suggests breezing past 300 mi (483 km), something the battery percentage never got close to corroborating.

With a low center of gravity and a long wheelbase, the Wagoneer is a confident and adept handler. There’s no feedback from that squircle steering wheel, and while it feels too light around town, it gains an appropriate level of resistance at higher speeds. It’s the most car-like and premium-feeling current Jeep in the lineup, which can be a pro or con depending on your perspective.

Wet weather introduced further cracks in the Wagoneer S’ dynamic makeup. With slick roads the SUV was even more eager to spin its tires, making it tough to see smooth progress. Metal streetcar tracks had it apply power unevenly and lurch to one side, enough to make us avoid them altogether afterwards. No other EV has felt so uneven in its power delivery.

If you’re of the opinion that an EV cabin shouldn’t seem any different from a gas powered car, then the Wagoneer S will appeal. There dashboard design is pure Grand Cherokee: classy and restrained, with a handful of physical buttons right below the main touchscreen. A second screen below can retract for a useful storage cubby, because unlike many other EVs the Jeep’s center console has no cut-outs. Material quality is excellent and there’s some unique pieces here, like the ceramic coating pattern surrounding the knurled metal shifter. Extra props for a great wireless charger design that keeps phones in contact with ventilation to avoid overheating, and out of the driver’s line of sight.

Is the red leatherette for everyone? No, but it pairs well with the white exterior and adds a sense of occasion. The suede headliner of this tester is a welcome bit of luxury, too.

Uconnect 5 remains a solidly great infotainment setup, even if it is starting to feel a little laggy against the quickest stuff out there. Wireless phone pairing is a breeze, and the amount of customization ensures drivers can tailor the experience to their needs.

We’re long-standing members of the Physical Controls for Climate Settings” club, but if a brand is going to go digital, Jeep shows the best way to do it: a large, separate screen. The lower screen ensures all controls are always available, and as an added bonus, the massage function is quite good.

A passenger screen is as gimmicky here as it is elsewhere. It essentially mirrors the main screen but with less functionality, so uh, why bother?

Jeep’s McIntosh sound systems earn big points from us in everything they appear in. Not only is this setup plenty powerful, it’s crisp and resists distortion. A digital rearview mirror provides a crisp view should you load the Wagoneer S’ slightly small (30-ish cubic feet) cargo hold to the rafters.

In America the Wagoneer S starts at $67,195 while the Launch Edition goes for $5,000 more. The added power, 115V outlet, McIntosh sound system, and other niceties make that a reasonable jump. Canadian pricing is $85,790 for the Limited, and an additional $6,000 for the Premium. The as-tested price is $73,195 ($94,790 CAD) including destination.

That puts the Wagoneer S in an awkward position. It’s noticeably pricier than mainstream competitors, though it does offer more power. At this price you could graduate to a three-row EV like the excellent Kia EV9 or Hyundai Ioniq 9. Luxury competitors include the likes of the Cadillac Lyriq, Audi Q6, and the incoming BMW iX3.

While there are aspects of the 2025 Jeep Wagoneer S that satisfy, the overall package is too compromised. It’s powerful and well-equipped, but it’s pricey against the mainstream EVs on the market while its powertrain is unpolished against the luxury opposition.

At the launch we said the Wagoneer S could draw new customers to the brand. A year later—and with a very different EV landscape in North America—that seems like an even tougher challenge than before. Some fine-tuning could unlock the Swagoneer’s potential, but for now, those wanting a more Jeep-like experience in EV form might want to pin their hopes on the upcoming Recon.

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