If you’ve been shopping for a new Jeep Grand Cherokee, you may have noticed the 2022 Grand Cherokee WK advertised right along with the recently redesigned 2022 Grand Cherokee.
What’s the Difference?
The WK is simply a continuation of the last-generation Grand Cherokee, which first went on sale in 2011, and is still being sold alongside the new model. This practice is not unique to Jeep and has been used by other manufacturers to help clear inventory or provide a stopgap vehicle while production of the new model ramps up. The 2022 Chevrolet Silverado LTD is another example of this practice and is currently on sale in showrooms, even as the heavily refreshed 2022 Silverado arrives.
Related: 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee Review: Grander Across the Board
Popularity is one big reason Jeep continues to make the WK. The previous-generation version remains in demand amongst buyers — it had the strongest sales of its run in 2021. That’s highly unusual for any outgoing model and helps explain Jeep’s decision to keep offering it.
“The Jeep brand has the opportunity to take advantage of WK capacity and utilize the volume to increase market share, and we will build it to match demand,” Stellantis Communications Manager Lisa Barrow said.
Trims and Pricing
For the 2022 Grand Cherokee WK, Jeep has cut the number of trims available from eight to three; options and colors have also been reduced. Rear-wheel drive is standard, and four-wheel drive is available across all trim levels. All prices include a $1,595 destination charge. See the models compared.
- Laredo E $38,575 RWD/$40,500 4WD
- Laredo X $42,275 RWD/$44,280 4WD
- Laredo Limited $44,425 RWD/$46,445 4WD
Jeep Model Codes
Jeep aficionados will tell you the WK designation is not new and first appeared with the launch of the third-gen Grand Cherokee that ran from 2005-10. Model codes like this are not normally used in consumer marketing but can make a handy differentiator when two generations of the same model are being sold at the same time. The newly redesigned fifth-gen model — for those of you boning up on Jeep trivia — is called Grand Cherokee WL.
The fifth-gen Grand Cherokee is an impressive vehicle; it’s larger, roomier and more technologically advanced than the model it replaces. The Grand Cherokee L is larger still, with an available third row of seating for the first time in Grand Cherokee history.
Barrow declined to say how long the WK is expected to remain in production, saying only this: “The Jeep brand will make that decision in alignment with demand.”
If you’re a big fan of the WK, your best bet is to visit your Jeep dealer soon.
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