Off road luxury! The 2023 Jeep Grand Wagoneer

When most people think of Jeep, the Wrangler is what typically comes to mind – and rightfully so – it has been so popular and successful for many years. But Jeep has shown that they can do more than make small off-road vehicles – and the Jeep Grand Cherokee is proof of that. Granted the larger, ill-fated Commander never really caught on with the Jeep community, still, that was more than 10 years ago. Today, Jeep is back in the large SUV business, reviving names from the past and building them to serve the same purpose as the Cadillac Escalade, Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban, Ford Expedition, GMC Yukon and the Lincoln Navigator.

Making its debut last year, the Jeep Grand Wagoneer and it’s extended-wheelbase version, the Grand Wagoneer L, are the largest and most nicely appointed SUVs in Jeep’s expansive stable. Based on the Jeep Wagoneer, the Grand Wagoneer ups the ante with lots of standard and optional features, better interior appointments and more powerful engines that push it into luxury SUV territory in both price and features.

The Grand Wagoneer carries its heritage from the Jeep Wagoneer which made its debut in 1963 and most people remember it for its popular side wood paneling. The Wagoneer was dropped in 1993 but returned last year (as a 2022 model) with the new Grand Wagoneer name.

The Grand Wagoneer isn’t just a big version of the Grand Cherokee. Using the same underpinnings found on the Ram 1500, the Grand Wagoneer is built on a solid, proven foundation, although it employs an independent rear suspension rather than the Ram’s solid rear axle. It’s a truck-based three-row SUV with tons of storage room. We are talking about 27.4 cubic feet of space behind the third row, 70.9 cubic feet with the third row folded and a max of 116.7 cubes with all the seats down – all figures are at the top of this class. And if more room is needed, there is always the Grand Wagoneer L to consider.

Engines used in the Grand Wagoneer are determined by trim levels. The base Series I trim level uses a 6.4-liter V8 engine (471 horsepower, 455 lb-ft of torque), while the Series II and Series III trims get the new 3.0 turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine (510 hp, 500 lb-ft). For those that prefer the old fashion V8 grunt, on the Series II and Series III models there is an Obsidian package that features blacked out wheels and roof and other black accents – and the option of the V8 engine. All Grand Wagoneers come with an eight-speed automatic transmissions and standard four-wheel drive.

If lots of interior room is what you’re after, it’s hard to look past the Grand Wagoneer. Unlike many three-row SUVs that provide adequate room in the first two-rows, but leave the third-row only for children, the Grand Wagoneer is adult-friendly in all three rows. Worry about it being so big it’s hard to get in and out of? The air suspension can be set to lower automatically when you’re parked to solve that problem. Auto-retracting side steps help as well. And to make access to that third row easier, the second-row seats tilt and slide forward with the push of a button and create a nice pass-through for passengers to get to the third row.

For the driver, there is a lot to take in. Sitting high up, the interior feels huge – with the center console dominating the front part of the cabin. Buttons and switches are everywhere, but thankfully everything is logically placed, and it doesn’t take long to feel right at home. The driving position is great, and with all the windows, outward visibility is excellent – a nice welcome in a vehicle that is so large.

I’m a V8 guy at heart and seeing them being phased out by the big car companies is hard to swallow. But the new 3.0-liter turbo-six (dubbed the Hurricane by Jeep owner Stellantis) sure makes things less painful. With two turbos cranked up to 26 psi, the power output of the Hurricane surpasses not only the 5.7-liter Hemi V8, but the 6.4-liter Hemi V8 as well. Tests show it can move this huge SUV to 60 mph from a standstill in under 5 seconds. Now, I can’t confirm that, but I can say the Grand Wagoneer is plenty quick and powerful. For those that need the larger Grand Wagoneer L, the Hemi V8 isn’t even available – extended wheelbase Grand Wagoneers Ls come only with the new turbocharged 6 cylinder.

With it’s pickup-truck roots, the Grand Wagoneer is expected to give a truck-like ride. However, the Jeep’s independent rear suspension gives it a smoother ride and better handling than the Ram. The Grand Wagoneers’s ride feels somewhat relaxed and refined most of the time, however, those pickup-truck like traits come to light when the road gets bumpy – showing its jiggly side. Likewise, this massive SUV isn’t very agile in small spaces (otherwise known as tight parking lots) and suffers from notable body roll on curvy roads. None of this should come as no surprise, and overall, the Grand Wagoneer rides and handles better than I expected it to.

With the intent of the big Jeep to compete with the likes of Cadillac and Lincoln, the Grand Wagoneer is quite luxurious. And expensive. The Series I start at $89,995 and comes with 7-passenger seating with the standard second-row captain’s chairs (8-passenger seating is available), a 12-inch color gauge cluster and a driver information display, 20-way power-adjustable front seats (that have built in massagers) and a 3-panel sunroof. It rides on 20-inch wheels and has Quadra-Lift – a height-adjustable air suspension that adjusts to any of five settings and offers ground clearance ranging from 6.4 to 10 inches. Yes, that’s a hefty price, but you do get a lot.

The Series II expands on the Series I by adding upgraded Palermo leather seating, passenger-seat memory, a digital rearview camera mirror and traffic-sign recognition. It rides on 22-inch alloy wheels and starts at $97,090.

The Obsidian for the Series II enhances the look of Grand Wagoneer as well as the addition of a 23-speaker McIntosh audio system, a front console cooler, a front-passenger interactive display, and ventilated rear seats. It starts at $102,585.

Rounding out the Grand Wagoneer is the Series III. For your $109,995, you get night vision which uses thermographic technology and Active Driving Assist – Jeep’s semi-autonomous driver-assistance system. Add another $1,000 for the Obsidian on the Series III.

The tester was a Grand Wagoneer Series III Obsidian along with a rear-entertainment package and trailer-tow package. It had an MSRP of $114,180.

Jeep is a brand that thrives on its rugged imagery and serious off-road capability, much of that due to the Wrangler. But with the Grand Wagoneer, Jeeps looks to conquer a new frontier – that of the full-size, high-priced, luxury SUV market.
— Christopher A. Randazzo

By The Numbers:

2023 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Series III Obsidian 4×4

Base Price: $107,995.00
Price as Tested: $114,180.00
Layout: front-engine / four-wheel drive
Engine: Hurricane 3.0 liter inline-6 twin turbo
Transmission: 8 – speed automatic
Horsepower: 510 hp
Torque: 50 ft/lb
EPA Fuel Economy: 14 city / 20 highway mpg

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