Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer Will Lose V8, Go All Inline-Six in 2024: Report
The Hurricane I6 engines are more powerful and efficient than the old V8s, even if they lack the Hemis’ sentimental value.
The Hemi V8's days in the Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer may soon be over, according to a new report. Should the V8 leave those models, Stellantis' Hurricane 3.0-liter straight-six would remain as the only engine for both models, according to Car and Driver. There might just be a Scorpions joke in there somewhere, but I have just enough self-respect to refrain from making one.
The Drive reached out to Jeep for comment and was only told that information regarding 2024 Jeep model lines would be released later this year. While that isn't an admission of dropping the V8, it isn't a denial, either. However, while Jeep didn't officially say whether the V8 was getting the axe, the EPA's official fuel economy site lists the Hurricane I6 as the 2024 Wagoneer's only engine option. It does still says buyers can get the 6.4-liter Hemi V8 in 2024 Grand Wagoneers but, as C&D reported, the Stellantis fleet buying guide for the Grand Wagoneer only lists the I6.
American buyers might groan at the discontinuation of any V8, but it really isn't all bad news, if true. The new Hurricane engine is a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six that makes 420 horsepower in the Wagoneer, which is 28 horsepower more than the old 5.7-liter V8. Sweetening the deal even further, the Grand Wagoneer's high-output version of the Hurricane boasts 510 horsepower, which is 41 horsepower more than the 6.4-liter V8. So it would make sense for Stellantis to drop the thirsty V8s in favor of more powerful, more efficient engines. Plus, Jeep has a long history of making beloved inline-six engines, with the 4.0-liter, naturally aspirated I6 being a fan-favorite.
If you still want a V8 in your Stellantis product, it doesn't looking like it's going anywhere in Ram trucks. That's likely the only place Hemi V8s may live on, as even Stellantis' muscle cars are dropping V8s in favor of electrification.
So while there's nothing official just yet, it seems that if you want a new Wagoneer or Grand Wagoneer, you're going to have to rock 'em like a hurricane. Who am I kidding, I didn't have any self-respect after all.
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