Yahoo Autos 2023 Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer Review: Larger than life
Pros: Class-leading spaciousness; excellent available tech; true luxury interior in Grand Wagoneer
Cons: High price; poor fuel economy; no serious off-road variants
The 2023 Jeep Wagoneer and its luxurious counterpart, the Grand Wagoneer, are already expanding their offerings one year after the nameplate’s rebirth. This full-size, three-row SUV gets even more spacious with the introduction of the Wagoneer L and Grand Wagoneer L, which feature a longer wheelbase and an entire foot of extra length. Jeep also added a new engine to the lineup: the “Hurricane” twin-turbo inline-6 with two different outputs available, making it even more competitive against the likes of the Chevy Tahoe/Suburban, GMC Yukon, Cadillac Escalade, Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator. Whether or not “Grand” appears in the badging, the Wagoneer is indeed grand in its size and execution.
It's underpinned by the same truck platform as the Ram 1500 pickup, but hides that part of its lineage under a design language that is Jeep at its core while taking the look in an even more upscale direction. It doesn’t sacrifice utility by doing so, though. The Wagoneer L is massive, with 44.2 cubic feet of cargo space behind the third row, besting the Expedition Max and Suburban. There’s no Trailhawk or even Trail Rated version, but the Wagoneer can still hold its own when the road disappears thanks to an available two-speed transfer case, air suspension, tow hooks, skid plates and all-terrain tires. The Wagoneer can also tow up to 10,000 pounds when properly equipped.
While we were already bullish on this revival of the Wagoneer name thanks to its size, styling, tech and available high-luxury interior, the addition of a more fuel-efficient engine and long-wheelbase options make this big Jeep even more appealing.
Interior & Technology | Passenger & Cargo Space | Performance & Fuel Economy
What it's like to drive | Pricing & Trim Levels | Crash Ratings & Safety Features
What's new for 2023?
The big news for 2023 is the addition of a extended-length version of the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, called Wagoneer L and Grand Wagoneer L, respectively. The L models add 7 inches between the wheels, and 12 inches to the overall length of the vehicle.
Also new for 2023 is the availability of two versions of the “Hurricane” 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged inline-six engine. You can read more about that in the “fuel economy and performance specs” section further down the page.
Other than that, there is some minor streamlining of the available trim levels.
What are the Wagoneer interior and in-car technology like?
The Grand Wagoneer's cabin is bound to get most of the attention with its lavish materials and staggering feature content. It may not offer the Escalade's vast OLED touchscreen extravaganza or the Navigator Black Label's sumptuous design, but it still manages to be just as impressively luxurious despite being from a brand that's not technically a luxury one.
The cheaper Wagoneer is bound to find more homes, however, and in a way, it's actually even more impressive. It has the same cabin design as the Grand Wagoneer (pictured above) – its materials just aren't as ritzy, nor its feature content as staggering. Compared to a Tahoe or Expedition, however, which have completely different cabins than their Cadillac and Lincoln cousins, the Jeep has a clear advantage.
As for technology, it can certainly overwhelm given the sheer quantity available, but at least it's mostly controlled by the latest, user-friendly Jeep Uconnect user interface. There’s the central infotainment display (10.1 inches in the Wagoneer and 12 inches in the Grand Wagoneer) and the standard digital instrument cluster (10.25 inches for the Wagoneer and 12.3 for the Grand). Some models also have touchscreens dedicated to the climate control system and seats in the front and in the rear. One can also spec a touchscreen for the front passenger and a rear-seat entertainment system with dual 10.1-inch screens. So, seven in total — and that’s not even counting the digital rear camera mirror or the head-up display.
How big is the Wagoneer and Wagoneer L?
The standard-length Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer are actually the same size, which stretches 4 inches beyond the Tahoe/Yukon/Escalade and Expedition/Navigator. This translates into appreciable benefits inside, especially in the third row. While both the GM and Ford full-sizers now offer genuinely comfortable space in the way back for even those taller than 6 feet, the big Jeep actually manages to surpass them slightly in terms of space. It also does a better job of extending the rest of the cabin's luxurious feel into the third row. We doubt there's a nicer third row out there.
The Wagoneer also enjoys a cargo advantage. That extra length grants it more space behind the raised third row than the Tahoe/Yukon/Escalade and Expedition/Navigator. Specifically, we could fit all six bags of our luggage test back there — we couldn't manage that in the others. In terms of space with the third- or second-row down, we're talking degrees of enormous here. Ditto second-row passenger space. Note than an eight-passenger, 2/3/3-oriented seating arrangement is standard on the Wagoneer and optional on the Grand Wagoneer. A seven-passenger, 2/2/3 arrangement is standard on the Grand and optional on the Wagoneer.
The 2023 Wagoneer L and Grand Wagoneer L are new for 2023, with a longer wheelbase and even more room inside than the standard versions. With a total of 12 more inches in overall length, the amount of stuff the cargo area can easily swallow is impressive, as Senior Editor James Riswick found when he moved houses in a Grand Wagoneer L.
What are the Wagoneer fuel economy and performance specs?
The Jeep Wagoneer offers three (well, four, technically) different powertrains, each paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The base Wagoneer’s sole engine offering (and exclusive to it) is a 5.7-liter V8 providing 392 horsepower and 404 pound-feet of torque. Its eTorque mild-hybrid system features a belt-driven generator and a small lithium-ion battery (charged via regenerative braking) and can add a brief boost of 130 lb-ft. It also enables engine shut-off when decelerating. In two-wheel-drive models, it’s rated at 16 miles per gallon in the city, 22 mpg highway and 18 mpg combined. With four-wheel drive, that drops to 15/20/17 mpg.
Standard in the Wagoneer Series II, Carbide and Series III, and Wagoneer L, is the “Hurricane” 3.0-liter twin-turbocharger inline-six, offering 420 hp and 468 lb-ft of torque. It gets 17/24/20 in 4x2 models, and 16/23/19 in 4x4. This is the only engine in the Wagoneer that provides good fuel economy for the segment.
The standard engine in the Grand Wagoneer (and available as a no-cost option on the Grand Wagoneer Obsidian models) is a 6.4-liter V8, good for 471 hp and 455 lb-ft of torque. This is the least economical of the lineup, rated at 13/18/15 mpg, and will cost you hundreds more to fill up per year than a Navigator.
But there’s also an upgraded version of the 3.0-liter Hurricane, called the Hurricane 510, in the Grand Wagoneer Series II and Series III, as well as the Grand Wagoneer L, tuned to 510 hp and 500 lb-ft of torque. That gets 14/20/17 mpg in the standard-wheelbase Grand Wagoneer, or 14/19/16 in the L. You'll get much better fuel economy and pay far less money on gas every year with a Lincoln Navigator.
Jeep recommends using mid-grade (89 octane) gasoline in both the 5.7-liter V8 and standard 3.0-liter I6, but says regular gas is “acceptable.” Premium fuel (91 octane) is required in the 510-hp version of the Hurricane I6, and recommended in the 6.4-liter V8.
What's the Wagoneer like to drive?
This big Jeep moves down the road like a vast ocean liner, for better and for worse. You're always aware of its huge proportions and gargantuan weight, while the air suspension that's standard on the Grand and optional on Wagoneer allows a fair bit of lateral rocking while making turns. One of our drivers actually clonked his head against the B pillar while turning into a parking lot. That doesn't happen in the more sure-footed Escalade. At the same time, an ocean liner is an awfully comfortable, quiet and luxurious way to travel. The ride is exceptional, and there's a resolute sense of stability when cruising down the highway (pun not intended).
It's quiet, it's comfortable and it's (dare we say it?) almost fun to hustle. The steering is accurate and has a bit of feel to it. The GM SUVs are better in these areas, but the Jeeps are close. The Jeep is also impressively put together, with very few of the wiggles and jitters of body-on-frame SUVs. The additional length of the L models doesn't really affect the driving experience much. It does make it a little trickier to maneuver at low speeds, with a wider turning circle and simply more vehicle to manage, but otherwise, it drives just like a regular Wagoneer
As for the experience off-road, the Wagoneer is not Trail Rated, so don't expect it to venture to the same places a Grand Cherokee can. Its size and lack of axle articulation hold it back. It still offers as much as 10 inches of grand clearance and a low-range transfer case, though.
We haven’t had the chance to test the Wagoneer’s base 5.7-liter V8 on the road yet, but considering its power output and 6,000-pound curb weight, it seems like a fair bet that acceleration will likely only be on par with GM's 5.3-liter V8. The Grand Wagoneer's 6.4-liter V8 delivers smooth, quiet and effortless acceleration without the sort of go-fast noises this same engine makes in other Jeep and Dodge applications. It also swills gas like, well, an ocean liner.
The new Hurricane inline-six options are definitely the engines to get. Throttle response is admittedly a tad less sharp than the 6.4 V8, but only a tad. And what you trade in a bit of throttle response, you get back in much more low-down torque. You don't have to work this engine very hard to get moving. The turbos spool quickly and power comes on smoothly. The Hurricane 510 version obviously feels gutsier when hammering it, but it's a bit academic. Yes, it feels faster, but the regular Hurricane feels far from underpowered, and the gap isn’t great enough that we’d go the Grand route based on engine performance alone, especially considering the standard Hurricane’s greatly superior fuel economy.
