On the drive home from Post, US-84 climbs the Caprock, and a full cabin makes that grade a fair test. Torque does the work on the climb, and the 2027 Grand Wagoneer brings 468 lb-ft of it, plus 420 hp, from a 3.0L Hurricane twin-turbo inline-six; an 8-speed automatic sorts the gears. Jeep specifies 87-octane regular unleaded. A 4x2 carries EPA-estimated ratings of 17 mpg city, 22 highway and 19 combined, and a standard-wheelbase 4x4 rates 17/21/18.

Low range, a two-speed transfer case and a Selec-Terrain Rock mode arrive together as Quadra-Drive II, which every Upland carries and other 4x4 models gain by ordering the Heavy-Duty Trailer-Tow Package. Built on the standard wheelbase, each carries a tow rating of up to 10,000 lb when properly equipped. The namesake Grand Wagoneer model lets buyers choose 4x2 or 4x4, and every other trim is four-wheel drive from the start.

• 420-hp, 468 lb-ft Hurricane six powers every model
• Engine Stop/Start and an 8-speed automatic
• 16/20/18 mpg EPA-estimated for the long-wheelbase L 4x4
• Standard Class IV hitch with 7- and 4-pin wiring
• Available Quadra-Lift air suspension with 10 inches of clearance
• 26.5- or 30.5-gallon tank, depending on wheelbase

Cabin technology comes in two layers: what all eight trims share, and what changes from trim to trim. All 17 configurations of the 2027 Grand Wagoneer run Uconnect 5 Nav on a 12.0-inch touchscreen, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connect wirelessly alongside TomTom navigation, Alexa Built-In and SiriusXM 360L. A wireless charging pad tops off compatible phones on the way home.

A 10.25-inch digital cluster and a 9-speaker Alpine system with subwoofer are standard on the Grand Wagoneer, Upland and both Limited versions. Overland and the three Summit models pair a 12.3-inch cluster with an Augmented Head-Up Display, and a 19-speaker McIntosh MX950 plays in Overland, Summit and Summit Obsidian. Summit Reserve adds a 10.25-inch front passenger display and a 23-speaker McIntosh MX1375 Reference setup.

• Uconnect 5 Nav with TomTom maps on a 12.0-inch screen
• SiriusXM 360L and Alexa Built-In on every model
• 12.3-inch cluster plus head-up display from Overland up
• Five trims offer the 19-speaker McIntosh MX950
• 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, data plan required
• Available dual 10.1-inch rear screens with Amazon Fire TV

North toward Plainview, I-27 stays flat for miles, and standard Active Driving Assist in the 2027 Grand Wagoneer can lighten the load there. It splits the task on every model: Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go matches traffic, lane centering steers, and the driver keeps both hands on the wheel. Traffic Sign Recognition and Drowsy Driver Detection come standard too, along with Full-Speed Forward Collision Warning Plus.

Tight spots in a crowded lot get help from standard ParkSense front and rear park assist. Side Distance Warning and a 360 Surround-View Camera come standard on Upland, Overland and the Summit models and are offered in packages on the other three trims. Side-curtain airbags extend to the third row, and Jeep's tally of safety and security features, standard plus available, passes 170.

• Adaptive cruise and lane centering bundled as Active Driving Assist
• Standard emergency braking that recognizes pedestrians
• Every trim watches blind spots and rear cross-traffic
• Multistage front and seat-mounted side airbags
• Rear Seat Reminder Alert in every model
• FamCam for watching rear passengers: standard on Summits, available elsewhere

Ventilated front seats come standard in every 2027 Grand Wagoneer, and an August afternoon parked in an open lot shows why. Those seats heat too, as does the steering wheel. Leather-trimmed seating, standard throughout, runs from Capri on the Grand Wagoneer to Palermo on the Summit Reserve. Every Summit version adds front-seat massage, 20-way power adjustment and four-zone automatic climate control.

Load six adults for a Red Raiders game and the second row shows where the space went: 42.7 inches of legroom with standard captain's chairs, and, the Summit Reserve aside, any trim can trade them for an eight-passenger bench. Row three gets 36.6 inches of legroom. Duffels and game-day gear get 27.9 cubic feet behind it in a standard-wheelbase model, or 42.6 in the Grand Wagoneer L.

• Power tilt/slide second-row captain's chairs, standard
• Cooler in the Summit Reserve front console
• Standard-wheelbase cargo tops out at 116.7 cu ft
• Available tri-pane sunroof, power shades for rows one and two
• Ambient lighting with selectable colors on Overland and Summits
• Window shades for the second row on Overland and Summits