Jeep provided a night in a hotel so Ars could attend the Wagoneer S first drive. Ars does not accept paid editorial content.

The numbers are good—600 horsepower, 3.4 seconds to 60, and up to 303 miles of range—but this EV rides and drives like a rookie effort.

The Jeep Wagoneer S EV will be judged against the heritage and ethos of the brand. “Is it a real Jeep?” The answer is yes, but it’s complicated.

This is it folks, our chance to drive the world’s first-ever all-electric Jeep has arrived. It’s called the Wagoneer S, and as you can tell by its nameplate, it’s a version of the Auburn Hills’ automaker's flagship model. While the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer both made triumphant returns a few years ago, the Wagoneer S marks many firsts.

The $71,995 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S Launch Edition piles on the standard equipment—everything from heated and cooled power front seats, all the digital displays, wireless smartphone charging, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and delicious sound that emanates from a 1,200-watt McIntosh sound system with 19 speakers and a 12-inch subwoofer.

The 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S Launch Edition is a cleanly styled, convincingly upscale, and competitively equipped electric SUV. My main complaints are its high price, hard-to-keep-clean screens, and dissatisfying steering. In nearly all other respects, this is a premium EV worth considering.

We’ll spare you a chronology of Jeep’s electrification misadventures; suffice it to say that the Wagoneer S was supposed to arrive last year, along with the Jeep Recon EV, giving the brand two all-electric offerings in the U.

Jeep wants you to take a chance on its first EV, with discounts on the Wagoneer S, ranging from a few bucks to well over 10 grand at some dealers.