The Jeep Wagoneer is a luxury 4x4 produced and marketed under the Jeep brand from the 1963 to 1991 model years. Introduced as the replacement for the Jeep Station Wagon, the Wagoneer was the first Jeep model line completely distinct from the Jeep CJ. Designed as a truck-based station wagon, the model line became a progenitor of the modern sport-utility vehicle (SUV).
Designed by a team led by industrial designer Brooks Stevens, the Wagoneer shared its Jeep SJ chassis with the Jeep Gladiator full-size pickup truck (later renamed the J-Series). Alongside the five-door wagon, the Wagoneer was also marketed as a three-door wagon and a two-door panel truck (effectively giving Jeep its own van). After 1968, the Wagoneer was sold exclusively as the five-door wagon; the three-door wagon was reintroduced as the Jeep Cherokee for 1974.
Along with developing a sport-utility vehicle smaller than the Chevrolet Suburban and International Travelall, Jeep conceived the Wagoneer to balance the capabilities and features of both an off-road vehicle and a premium-brand sedan or station wagon. The higher-content Super Wagoneer was introduced for 1966, upgrading the model line with features from higher-priced sedans. From 1971 to 1991, in line with flagship station wagons, the model line featured (simulated) woodgrain paneling on the exterior body sides. Following the 1984 introduction of the Jeep XJ Cherokee (which received a wood-paneled Wagoneer trim), the SJ Wagoneer became the Grand Wagoneer for the rest of its production.
Over a single generation, the SJ-series Wagoneer was produced for 29 model years (as of 2026, the third longest run in U.S. automotive history), as Jeep changed hands from Kaiser Motors to AMC to Chrysler. For its entire production run, Jeep manufactured the Wagoneer at its Stickney Plant in Toledo, Ohio. Following a short-lived 1993 revival of the nameplate as a flagship version of the Jeep Grand Cherokee (again using exterior wood trim), the nameplate remained dormant for three decades until the introduction of the largest Jeep SUVs ever designed, the WS-chassis Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer.
Kaiser years With competition from the "big three" automakers advancing on Jeep's four-wheel-drive market, Willys management decided that a new and more advanced vehicle was needed. Conceived in the early 1960s while Willys-Overland Motors was owned by Kaiser Jeep Corporation, the Wagoneer replaced the original Willys Jeep Station Wagon, originally introduced in July 1946 and produced until the 1964 model year.
It was introduced in November 1962 for the 1963 model year as a successor to the Willys Jeep Station Wagon that had been built since 1946. Although sharing a pickup truck chassis (like its predecessor), the Wagoneer had a sophisticated station wagon body design that was more carlike than any other 4×4 on the market. Compared with offerings from GM, Ford, International Harvester, Toyota, Nissan and Land Rover — which were producing utilitarian work-oriented vehicles with spartan truck-like interiors — the Wagoneer's luxury set it apart. Together with the Gladiator, the revolutionary Wagoneer SJ platform included an advanced overhead cam straight-six engine, and offered features unheard of at the time in any other mainstream 4WD vehicle, such as independent front suspension, power steering, automatic transmission, a factory radio, and optional air conditioning.
Like its long-lived predecessor, the new 1963 Wagoneer took shape under industrial designer Brooks Stevens, while Willys' engineering staff handled the technical development. To appeal to mainstream consumers, the Wagoneer received a relatively low stance and car-like manners. The lower entry height was accomplished with a transfer case and a compact running gear design. Suspension tuning gave it a good ride, but because it was developed as a truck, it could haul and tow as needed. Development took three years and cost around US$20 million ($ in dollars).
At its introduction, the Jeep Wagoneer had no direct competition. For comparison, it took another eight years for Land Rover's Range Rover to start in only a two-door body style. It took until 1981 for the four-door 4×4 to be developed and Range Rover sales in the United States began in 1987.
1963–1964
The original Wagoneer is a full-size body-on-frame vehicle that shared its architecture with the Gladiator pickup truck. At first, it offered many body types, suspension, and drivetrain options. Available as both two- and four-door wagons, the two-door could be had as a "Panel Delivery" model with windowless sides behind the doors and double "barn doors" in the rear instead of the usual tailgate and roll-down rear window.
Early Wagoneers were powered by Willys' new "Tornado" SOHC I6 engine, which had debuted in 1962 as an option for Jeep's previous Station Wagons. The engine developed and was noted for being fuel-efficient for its day. Both a 3-speed manual and automatic transmission were offered, each available with either rear-wheel-drive or part-time four-wheel-drive without a center differential, but with manually locking front hubs. The Warn hubs were utilized to engage or disengage the front wheels, to switch the drivetrain between two-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive mode.
Like on the original Willys Wagon, independent front suspension instead of a rigid front axle was again offered to give the Wagoneer a more car-like ride and handling. The original Wagoneer featured independent front suspension (IFS) as standard on the rear-wheel drive models and was optional on the four-wheel drive, for either $135 or $160.
Instead of the Wagon's "Planadyne" design, the Wagoneer's IFS used swing axles and torsion bar springs, but they combined with short upper A-arms, tied into the torsion bars at their inner pivot points, such that the swing axles served as the lower control arms in a kind of double wishbone suspension design and the axles are located fore and aft by control links. On the four-wheel-drives, the IFS replaced the standard Dana 27AF axle with a single, center-pivot front axle that allowed the Dana 27 differential to swing with the curb-side half. Further, all Wagoneers had 11-inch drum-brakes all-around; seat belts were optional, and the 4WD came with a standard compass. Front and rear power take-offs were available for heavy-duty utility applications.
Shortly after the introduction of the Wagoneer, in early 1963, Willys Motors changed its name to "Kaiser Jeep Corporation."
The 1964 models introduced factory-optional air conditioning, as well as a lower-compression Tornado engine, to remedy cooling problems and "pinging" at altitude the original had sometimes suffered. While it made less power, it returned greater economy, but this lower-compression version was phased out within a year.
1965–1966 Starting with 1965, all models came with a new standard safety package that included front and rear seat belts, a padded dashboard, a high-impact windshield, and a dual braking system.
Late-year 1965 Wagoneers and Gladiators were available with the AMC V8 engine, which proved to be a popular option. Additionally, the Tornado engine was replaced by American Motors' OHV I6. According to the automotive press, this engine was smooth, powerful, reliable, and easily maintained, but the most likely reason it was offered was that it was less expensive.
Although the independent front suspension was positively reviewed, the option was not popular and was dropped from production, at least for the 4WD models, in 1965.
Super Wagoneer
The 1966 model year also saw the introduction of the more luxurious Super Wagoneer, identified by a new, more modern-looking full-width grille. It initially featured a higher-performance version of the AMC V8, fitted with a four-barrel carburetor. With comfort and convenience features not standard or even available on other vehicles of its type at the time—such as push-button radio, seven-position tilt steering wheel, ceiling courtesy lights, air conditioning, power-retracting rear window into the tailgate, power brakes, power steering, and console-shifted TH400 automatic transmission—the Super Wagoneer is now widely regarded as the precursor of today's luxury SUVs.
Production of the Super Wagoneer ended in 1969, and in total, it is believed that 3,989 Super Wagoneers had been produced.
1967–1971
Between 1967 and 1969, all rear-wheel-drive-only models, which the four-wheel-drives had outsold from the beginning, were discontinued, and from then on, all Wagoneers (and Cherokees) had solid axles and leaf springs, both front and rear. At the end of 1968, the slow-selling two-door versions were also discontinued.
For 1968 through 1971, Wagoneers were powered by Buick’s Dauntless V8. The Dauntless made less horsepower than the previous AMC V8 (230 hp vs. 250), but more torque at lower rpm ( at 2400 rpm, versus at 2600).
After the 1971 model year, Wagoneers were exclusively powered by AMC's engines.
AMC years
1970 In early 1970, AMC acquired Kaiser Jeep Corporation and began refining and upgrading the range. American Motors improved manufacturing efficiency and lowered costs by incorporating shared components such as engines. Reducing noise, vibration, and harshness improved the Wagoneer driving experience. Visually, a big change was made during the 1970 model year by replacing the metal grille with a new plastic grille having an egg crate pattern instead of vertical bars.
1971 The 1971 model year included a special "X-coded" model finished in "golden lime" with unique wood-grain side panels, numerous convenience features, and power assists, that was priced $1,000 more than the deluxe "custom" model. After 1971, the outsourced Buick 350 was replaced by the AMC V8, with the later becoming available.
1972–1977 The innovative Quadra-Trac full-time four-wheel-drive system, which broadened the appeal of Jeep products to people who wanted four-wheel-drive traction without the inconvenience of a manual-shift transfer case and manual locking hubs, was introduced in 1973.
In 1974, AMC redesigned the greenhouse of the defunct two-door Wagoneer, with much wider D-pillars and single, long rear side windows, and reintroduced it as the Cherokee. This replaced the Jeepster Commando, whose sales had not met expectations despite an extensive 1972 revamp. The Cherokee appealed to a younger market than the Wagoneer, which was regarded as a family SUV.
Also in 1974, front disc brakes were introduced as standard equipment. While the new Cherokees still had 4-wheel drum brakes standard, front discs could be had as an option.
From 1976, all Wagoneer and Cherokee models received strengthened frames with stronger cross-members and boxed side rail construction.
1978 After the introduction of the Cherokee, AMC began to move the Wagoneer upmarket, and that brought high demand from a new market segment. Midway through 1978, the "Limited" was introduced, more luxuriously equipped than the earlier Super Wagoneer, offering Quadra-Trac, power disk brakes, air conditioning, power-adjustable bucket seats, power door locks, power windows, tilt steering wheel, cruise control, leather upholstery, plush carpeting, AM/FM/CB radio, leather-wrapped steering wheel, roof rack, forged aluminum wheels, and "wood grain" trim on the body sides. The two-barrel, AMC V8 engine was standard with a four-barrel, available at extra cost. Even though the US$10,500 ($ in dollars) suggested retail price was in luxury Cadillac and Lincoln territory, the Limited's high-level specification attracted buyers, and sales were strong with a total of 28,871 Wagoneers produced in 1978, and 27,437 in 1979.
1979