2023 Jeep Grand Wagoneer L Series III 4X4 Review: Still Sparkles

Stellantis’ Wagoneer brand is still in its infancy. Its primary purpose is to go right after the heart of the lucrative, big American SUV market. It’s a two-pronged approach with the Wagoneer battling stalwarts like the Chevrolet Suburban, Ford Expedition, and GMC Yukon.

The more upscale Grand Wagoneer has its crosshairs firmly set on vehicles like the Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator, while still looking to offer an alternative to German players like the BMW X7 and Mercedes-Benz GLS. These are lofty ambitions for a relatively new brand.

Our initial impressions of the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer have been favourable. But what about over a year later, after the novelty of the shiny new sheet metal has worn off? To see if the brand still impresses us, we grabbed a top-of-the-line 2023 Grand Wagoneer L Series III 4X4 for evaluation.

At 226.7-inches (5,759 mm) in length, the Grand Wagoneer L is a bit longer than the Lincoln Navigator L and less than a half inch shorter than the Cadillac Escalade ESV. Like those competitors, the Grand Wagoneer is very rectangular in shape, a side effect of maximizing passenger and cargo space. Even though the edges of the SUV are rounded, this vehicle seems more squared off than others in the segment.

The styling is a matter of taste as some appreciate the conservative look while others liken it to kitchen appliances. We feel it’s inoffensive and should age well, but when finished in black like our tester, it gives off luxury airport limo or funeral VIP shuttle vibes. If it were up to us, we would select a different color.

One highlight of the exterior has to do with the fold down side running boards. They are some of the best integrated ones we’ve ever seen. When deployed they are large and useful. When retracted, they perfectly transform into side sills.

The Grand Wagoneer L comes standard with a high-output Hurricane 3.0-liter turbocharged inline six-cylinder engine. It makes 510 horsepower and 500 pound feet of torque. That’s more power than found in the Grand Wagoneer’s closest rivals, the Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator.

More impressively though, compared to the German competition, it’s far more power than found with either the Mercedes-Benz GLS or BMW X7’s turbocharged inline-six engines. In fact, it’s nearly as much power as the turbocharged V8s found in those big luxury SUVs. And while on the topic of BMW, the Grand Wagoneer’s 3.0-liter inline-six turbo makes more power than the much lauded 3.0-liter inline-six turbo found in the BMW M3 Competition.

On the road, the power feels as robust as the figures suggest. Even with 6,704 pounds (3,041 kg) of mass to get moving, the Grand Wagoneer L accelerates off the line with authority, still pulling hard well past freeway speeds.

Equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission, the big SUV’s official fuel economy ratings are 14 mpg (17.0 L/100 km) in the city and 20 mpg (12.5 L/100 km) on the highway. Although those numbers aren’t all that impressive, especially since it needs premium fuel, it is an improved of 1 mpg city and 2 mpg highway over the 6.4-liter V8 the inline-six replaces. One area where the new Hurricane inline-six can’t top the old Hemi V8 at, is sound. Although the new engine sounds well enough on its own, it’s no match for the 6.4-liter roar.

Behind the wheel the 2023 Grand Wagoneer L Series III is unremarkable to drive in neither a good nor bad way. It’s not intrusive or rough, providing better ride quality than expected in a truck-based luxury SUV. It operates very similarly to the 2023 Ram 1500 Limited we spent two weeks with this summer. The Grand Wagoneer easily matches, if not bests, the Escalade ESV or Navigator L in terms of ride comfort.

That stated, don’t expect the same serene levels of ride quality found in the BMW X7 or Mercedes-Benz GLS. The reason why is simple. The Grand Wagoneer is a truck under the skin, meant to perform truck-like tasks as well.

According to Wagoneer's press kit, when properly equipped, the Series III version of this SUV is can tow 9,450 pounds (4,286 kg). Th regular Wagoneer L can tow upwards of 9.850 lbs, but when upgrading to the 510 hp version of the turbo six-cylinder engine, 400 pounds of towing capacity are lost. Still, that's some 1,450 pounds more than the Escalade ESV can tow and 1,350 pounds more than the Navigator L.

The active damping, Quadra–Lift air suspension can produce upwards of 10.0-inches of ground clearance. Working in conjunction with the Selec–Terrain Traction Management System and two-speed transfer case, the Grand Wagoneer can venture quite far into the backwoods, assuming the standard 285/45R22 all-season tires are upgraded.

When tackling corners at speed, the vehicle feels every bit of its immense weight. The Grand Wagoneer is not one to change directions swiftly, and the brakes require a lot of leg force to slow this rig down. It could benefit from a little more power assist on the brake pedal. Wind noise at freeway speeds is also present, a hard thing to avoid with a massive rectangle on wheels. Crosswinds and truck grooves do to not upset it though. The vehicle drives straight and true, making for a great long-distance hauler.

The vehicle’s interior feels premium, yet wholly American in design and layout. It might not have that opulent air found in some German rivals, but it’s very modern, crammed full of technology. Wagoneer has also kept it wholly user friendly thanks to a wide assortment of physical button controls. Our biggest gripe are the brown seats which we feel should be a darker shade. If it were our vehicle, we’d pick a different interior color.

Front passengers get 39.2-inches (998 mm) of headroom and 40.9-inches (1,040 mm) of legroom. Those in the second row get a bit less headroom at 38.4-inches (975 mm), but much more legroom with 42.7-inches (1,085 mm) on tap. All four of these front perches include power adjustability, heat, ventilation, and massage functions.

The back-most seats are set higher than most other three-row SUVs, meaning adults won’t have to fold their knees into their chests to sit there. With 38.5-inches (977 mm) of headroom and 36.6-inches (930 mm) of legroom, anyone under six feet tall will fit without issue, making the Grand Wagoneer L a great long-distance cruiser for six people.

Empty the SUV of people and the Grand Wagoneer L is set to haul a lot of cargo. Behind the third row is 44.2 cubic feet (1,252 Litres) of storage which expands to 88.8 cu ft (2,515 L) when those seats are folded. Flip down the second row of seats and cargo capacity is now 112.9 (3,197 L). That stated, that's not as much as the Lincoln Navigator L and quite a bit less than the Cadillac Escalade ESV.

The Grand Wagoneer L’s cabin as includes no fewer than seven screens when opting for the rear entertainment system. Both second row passengers and the front seat passenger have their own entertainment screen, powered by Fire TV. They can be used independently with just about any streaming service, getting signal by either subscribing to the Grand Wagoneer’s on-board wifi system or tethering one’s phone.

Trying to set up the entertainment screens can be a finicky, if not frustrating process. But once complete, those in the passenger seats will be thankful. Each screen can have independent audio sent through headphones or one screen can have sound played through the Grand Wagoneer’s 23 speaker McIntosh audio system.

Continuing the topic of screens, another display resides under the main infotainment system that controls the front seat’s secondary features, like massage. It’s power operated to open and reveal a cubby hole where the wireless phone charging pad is located as well as several HDMI and USB ports. It’s a bit gimmicky, but still impressive to passengers.

Other feature highlights included on the Grand Wagoneer L Series III are a head–up display, rain sensing wipers, surround view camera, three panel sunroof, power tilt/telescopic steering wheel, four–zone automatic temperature control, power folding third row seats, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a three-level heated steering wheel, and much more. A favorite feature for us is the screen that allows front seat passengers to get a birds eye view of each individual second and third row seat. Fantastic for parents of small children.

It’s hard to find a modern vehicle not crammed full of active safety systems and the 2023 Grand Wagoneer L is no exception. On board are features like lane management, adaptive cruise control with stop and go, blind–spot monitoring, rear cross–path detection, drowsy driver detection, full–speed forward collision warning plus, intersection collision assist, night vision, pedestrian and cyclist emergency braking, as well as much more.

Pricing for the 2023 Grand Wagoneer L Series III 4X4 starts at $117,595 including destination charges ($133,190 CAD) which puts it on par with similar trims of the Cadillac Escalade ESV and Lincoln Navigator L. On our tester the only options added are the upgraded 22-inch wheels, the rear entertainment system, upgraded exterior paint, and embossed interior trim. This brought the total to $122,480 ($139,570 CAD) including destination charges.

It’s rare for a new brand to be competitive right out of the gate, but Wagoneer is doing just that. With help from other Stellantis divisions, with the Grand Wagoneer L burst onto the scene has a wholly competent, well executed, full-size luxury body-on-frame SUV.

Nearly two years later, our impressions haven’t changed. The 2023 Grand Wagoneer Series III 4X4 has its quirks, but it also excels at luxury, has abundance of power, and can still perform the tasks asked of these behemoth SUVs.

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