A common circulating question nowadays is, ‘What does WK stand for jeep?’ People love jeeps and are thrilled by the different adventurous things they bring, like codes, hidden eggs, and quotes. It’s a completely entertaining world, and the pros and novices of this world want to know what the term WK stands for Jeep.
WK is a code or a model year given by the Jeep manufacturers to Grand Cherokee’s first generation. It represents the year in which the particular Jeep, Grand Cherokee, was built.
Jeep has taken over the world with its rugged and versatile vehicles, perfect for tackling any challenging terrain in both on- and off-road adventures. Whether you are the owner of a classic Willy’s or want to buy a new Grand Cherokee, you will definitely come across the terms like CJ, MJ, JK, VJ, WK, and KK. What do these terms mean, and how are they connected to jeeps? In this article, let’s discover the mystery behind WK and other codes.
Jeep Naming Conventions
Jeep has been serving nations worldwide since 1941 and is the pioneer of introducing the 4-door car to the masses and has blessed the world with the SUV era. With each new Jeep model, the manufacturers came up with a new name, and we called this whole process Jeep naming conventions. Some facts related to it are below:
- According to some beliefs, the word ‘Jeep’ itself has no meaning. However, some say the term gets its root from the alphabetic combination of ‘GP,’ which means General purpose military vehicle.
- Jeep has designated the term MJ for military jeeps and CJ for civilian jeeps. And when you see the number with MJ and CJ, it means the number is the model number of the Jeep.
- For a few years, the Jeep manufacturers also used a new naming convention in which they used numbers according to the specs of the Jeeps.
- For some jeeps, like Renegade and Compass, you will not see any short form or alphanumeric codes; they are discussed by their original names. Jeep is now moved away from using alphanumeric designations for its newer models and instead uses more traditional names like Cherokee, Renegade, and Wrangler.
I have discussed the Jeep generations and different Jeep model years and codes in the below table.
| Gen | Code | Name | Years | Number of jeeps |
| CJ | CJ-2A | 1945 to 1949 | 212,402 | |
| CJ-3A | 1949 to 1953 | 131,843 | ||
| CJ-3B | 1953 to 1968 | 155,494 | ||
| CJ-5 | 1955 to 1983 | 603,303 | ||
| CJ-5A | Tuxedo Park | 1964 to 1967 | 7,394 | |
| CJ-6 | 1955 to 1975 | 50,172 | ||
| CJ-6A | Tuxedo Park | 1964 to 1967 | 459 | |
| CJ-7 | 1976 to 1986 | 379,299 | ||
| CJ-8 | Scrambler | 1981 to 1985 | >30,000 | |
| Willys | Willys Wagon | 1946 to 1965 | 300,000 | |
| Willys Pickup | 1947 to 1965 | 200,000 | ||
| VJ | Willys Jeepster | 1948 to 1950 | 20,000 | |
| DJ | DJ-3A | 1955 to 1964 | ||
| DJ-5 | Dispatcher 100 | 1965 to 19667 | ||
| DJ-5A | 1968 to 1970 | |||
| DJ-5B | 1970 to 1972 | |||
| DJ-5C | 1973 to 1974 | |||
| DJ-5D | 1975 to 1976 | |||
| DJ-5E | Electruck | 1976 | ||
| DJ-5F | 1977 to 1978 | |||
| DJ-5G | 1979 | |||
| DJ-5L | 1982 | |||
| FC | FC-150 | 1956 to 1965 | 30,000 | |
| FC-170 | 1957 to 1965 | 30,000 | ||
| FJ | 1961 to 1965 | |||
| SJ | Wagoneer | 1963 to 1983 | ||
| J-series | Gladiator | 1963 to 1988 | ||
| Super Wagoneer | 1966 to 1969 | 3,989 | ||
| Cherokee | 1974 to 1983 | |||
| Grand Wagoneer | 1984 to 1991 | 101,637 | ||
| C101 | Jeepster Commando | 1966 to 1971 | 57,350 | |
| C104 | Commando | 1972 to 1973 | 20,223 | |
| XJ | Cherokee | 1984 to 2001 | 2,884,172 | |
| Wagoneer | Wagoneer | 1084 to 1990 | ||
| MJ | Comanche | 1986 to 1992 | 190,446 | |
| YJ | Wrangler | 1987 to 1996 | 685,071 | |
| ZJ | Grand Cherokee | 1993 to 1998 | 1,245,095 | |
| TJ | Wrangler | 1997 to 2006 | 4,000 | |
| WJ | Grand Cherokee | 1999 to 2004 | 1.4 million | |
| KJ | Liberty/Cherokee | 2002 to 2007 | ||
| WK | Grand Cherokee | 2005 to 2010 | 3 million | |
| XK | Commander | 2006 to 2010 | 200,000 | |
| JK | Wrangler | 2007 to present | 2.1 million | |
| MK | Compass/Patriot | 2007 to present | ||
| KK | Liberty | 2008 to present |
What is WK Jeep?
WK Jeep is a code or a domestic model name given to Jeep Grand Cherokee, which is a mid-size SUV. American car company Jeep manufactured the third generation of Jeep Grand Cherokee named Jeep WK from the year 2005 to 2010. The company marketed the vehicle and made it available in the United States.
Features of Grand Cherokee WK Jeep
Here are some of the notable features of the Jeep Grand Cherokee WK from 2005 to 2008:
- WK is available in 3 trim levels:
- Laredo
- Limited
- Overland
- 5-speed automatic transmission with overdrive
- 3.7L V6 engine with 210 hp (Laredo), 4.7L V8 engine with 235 hp (Limited), or 5.7L Hemi V8 engine with 330 hp (Overland)
- Selec-Trac II 4-wheel drive system with Hill Descent Control
- Quadra-Drive II 4-wheel drive system with Electronic Limited Slip Differentials (ELSD) (Limited and Overland models)
- Independent front suspension and solid rear axle with multi-link suspension
- Electronic Stability Program (ESP)
- Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
- Dual-zone automatic temperature control with air filtration
- Premium Boston Acoustics sound system with 6-disc CD changer and MP3 playback capability
- Available rear-seat DVD entertainment system
- Power-adjustable driver
- WK Jeeps have front passenger seats with memory
- Leather-trimmed seating surfaces (Limited and Overland models)
- Power sunroof
- Trailer tow package and has a Class II receiver hitch
- Optional Navigation system
- Standard safety features include front airbags, side-curtain airbags, and a tire pressure monitoring system
Revised Features of Grand Cherokee WK Jeep in 2008
Here are some of the revised features that were added to the Jeep Grand Cherokee WK from 2008 onward:
- Exterior refresh with updated front and rear fascias, grille, and lighting
- New 4.7L V8 engine with improved horsepower and torque (2008-2009 models)
- New 5-speed automatic transmission with Electronic Range Select
- Improved fuel efficiency on some models
- Updated interior with revised instrument panel and center console design
- Available MyGIG Multimedia Infotainment System with touch screen display, GPS navigation, and 20GB hard drive
- Standard side airbags and ESP on all models
- Hill Start Assist and Trailer Sway Control added to the ESP system
- Rearview camera system available on some models
- Rear Cross Path detection
- Optional Blind Spot Monitoring
- Optional adaptive cruise control with Forward Collision Warning system
- Updated suspension tuning, which has improved ride and handling
- Available 6.1L Hemi V8 engine with 420 hp (SRT-8 model)
- Available Quadra-Trac II and Quadra-Drive II 4-wheel drive systems with improved ELSD technology
- Optional Hill Descent Control on some models
- Available power liftgate
- Updated towing capacity with Class IV receiver hitch option.
What does WK stand for Jeep?
When it comes to the alphanumeric codes of Jeep, no one has figured out the meaning and reason behind these codes. Only CJ and MJ Jeeps have something related to actual Jeep names.
So the first thing is that WK has nothing to do with the name of Grand Cherokee. It’s only a code given to Grand Cherokee by the company Jeep. According to some speculation, WK means “Who Knows” It’s kind of a joke, but it shows how everyone thinks about WK and finds the actual word behind this supposed Acronym.
Some believe that WK has nothing but just a code. According to them, car manufacturers often use internal codes or designations, which actually don’t mean anything but are used only to name a car technically but not publicly. Similarly, WK is a designation or internal code given by Jeep to Grand Cherokee, but it is simply Grand Cherokee for the public.
There is another speculation that there might be a chance that WK is an acronym. The alphabet ‘W’ stands for “Wagon” or “Sport Utility Vehicle,” while ‘K’ indicates a 4-wheel drive vehicle.
What year is a WK Jeep Grand Cherokee?
Overall the Jeep Grand Cherokee was built by the company between the years 2005 to 2010. Its previous generation is WJ Grand Cherokee, and the new one is WK2 Grand Cherokee. The WK Jeeps are available in short-wheelbase (WK) and long-wheelbase (LWB) models.
But suppose you want to know the specific year of a WK Grand Cherokee. In that case, you have to find it in the vehicle’s VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) or its registration documents. Remember that the company produces Grand Cherokee in the years 2005 to 2010 but doesn’t show the specific year of production. Your Jeep may be built in any year lies between 2005 to 2010.
WK Vs. WK2
People often get confused because the manufacturers associated the term WK with the New Grand Cherokee from 2011 to 2021. The real reason behind this is that the codes are for the company’s use and not for public dealing, but still, people take these codes seriously and use them a lot.
As they are for only paperwork, the manufacturers use WK for both the new or current generation of Grand Cherokee built from 2011 to 2021 and the old one from 2005 to 2010. That’s why the official papers of every Grand Cherokee after MY11 have the designation WK.
As Jeep always came with new codes, this norm-breaking thing confused many people, and to resolve this confusion, many Jeep lovers on the Internet came up with a solution. Thus, despite the papers, people start designating the new Grand Cherokee of the year 2011 to 2021 as WK2.
Thus, WK is the third generation of Grand Cherokee, and WK2 is the fourth generation of Grand Cherokee. But the company has changed its mindset and gave the fifth generation of Grand Cherokee, which was revealed on January 7, 2021, the designation WL.
Conclusion
What does WK stand for Jeep? The answer is discussed in detail here. It is just a model year given by the Jeep company to its third generation Jeep Grand Cherokee which shows the production years of these particular jeeps, which are from 2005 to 2010.