The verdict: A longer wheelbase and new powertrain give the 2023 Wagoneer L and Grand Wagoneer L more comfort, space and grunt, but we do miss the rumble of a Hemi V-8.
Versus the competition: The Wagoneer L and Grand Wagoneer L are dead-on challengers to the long versions of GM and Ford full-size and luxury full-size SUVs, stacking up well in every single category from occupant room to cargo space, technology to efficiency and power to price.
When the new 2022 Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer full-size, truck-based, body-on-frame SUVs arrived a year ago, few people took a look at these behemoths and thought to themselves that the one thing they needed to be … was bigger. And yet, there’s a certain segment of the full-size SUV-buying populace that will only consider an extended-wheelbase version of such a vehicle, according to Jeep product planners. Fully 30% of that market wants only the big model because they simply need that kind of room — the ability to tote along not only the whole brood of six kids, but stuff for themselves, as well. And while standard-wheelbase full-size SUVs can carry seven or eight people, they have to trade cargo room for passenger space when using the third row. But not so in long-wheelbase models like the Chevrolet Suburban, GMC Yukon XL or Ford Expedition Max — or for the luxury-minded, the Cadillac Escalade ESV or Lincoln Navigator L. With this in mind, stretching the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer became a no-brainer. Jeep wants those customers, too.
Related: Up Close With the 2023 Jeep Wagoneer L and Grand Wagoneer L
A year later, here they are: the 2023 Jeep Wagoneer L and Grand Wagoneer L. Same Wagoneer styling, same Ram 1500-based chassis underneath, but now with a 7-inch stretch to the wheelbase and a 12-inch overall lengthening of the entire SUV. All of that extra room went to the cargo area, according to Jeep engineers; the occupant area (which was already best in class for space in a few different metrics) remains unchanged. But that’s not the only “big” change the L models get, as there’s also an all-new standard powertrain under the hood.
So, what effect do these two big changes have on the Wagoneer siblings? Is bigger really better? We recently drove the new Wagoneer L and Grand Wagoneer L at a media launch in and around Bozeman, Mont., to find out. (Cars.com pays for its own airfare and lodging when attending manufacturer-sponsored events.)
It Certainly Looks … Longer
The Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer’s exterior styling has always been a highly subjective and surprisingly polarizing topic. Some people like the unusually formal, upright cabin that features big windows separated by body-color trim; the tall front end with the imposing Jeep-style seven-slot grille; and the squared-off rear end that looks like the liftgate glass should drop into the hatch but doesn’t.
From the front doors forward, everything’s the same as the regular Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer. There are different headlight and grille treatments between the two models, with the Grand Wagoneer getting more upscale styling accents given its luxury mission. Everything aft of the front doors is new for the L models, with longer rear doors, longer rear quarter panels, longer glass and a longer (but not taller) roof. Taillights and hatch treatments are the same as the regular Wagoneer models, but the bumper is slightly different. Suffice it to say that if you like the way the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer looked before the stretch, you’re unlikely to have much objection to how they look after the stretch. It ain’t all that different, it’s just, well … longer.
Where Size Matters
Where the benefit of the stretch becomes obvious is inside, especially when you start loading things into the back. The L interiors are positively cavernous, particularly when you put both the second and third rows down and are presented with a flat expanse of cargo space that can swallow the proverbial 4-by-8-foot sheet of plywood with significant room to spare. With all three rows of seats up in the Grand Wagoneer L, you still have 44.2 cubic feet of cargo room, according to Jeep measurements, which is nearly 16 cubic feet more than the regular Grand Wagoneer offers. To put that kind of room into perspective, a regular-length Grand Cherokee only has 37.7 cubic feet of cargo room behind its backseat. Needless to say, you can bring the basketball team and the basketball gear with this SUV.
The team is going to be comfortable, too, regardless of where they sit. The front seats are high, the dash is low and the windows are tall, providing a commanding view of the surroundings outside. The seats are comfortable in any of the three rows, with tons of second-row legroom and even spacious third-row seats built for full-size humans. The second row is also fore-and-aft adjustable, so the rear two rows of passengers can negotiate legroom amongst themselves, but there’s so much space inside that those negotiations are unlikely to turn testy. Seven- or eight-person seating is available for both the Wagoneer L and Grand Wagoneer L.
Interior trim pieces do differ between the two models, but it basically comes down to the Wagoneer being very well equipped, solidly assembled, nicely styled and full of premium-feeling equipment, while the Grand Wagoneer turns everything up another notch or two. The Grand Wagoneer features genuine wood and metal appointments, more leather trim (both real and simulated), additional screens and touch-sensitive panels for climate and passenger multimedia controls, and more adjustability in everything from seats to settings.
The same foibles that we found fault with in the regular Wagoneers are still present here in the L models. They mostly deal with some of the design details of the cabin, like the center console panel for drive mode and suspension height that slopes away from the driver and the tacky-looking “Grand Wagoneer” script on the front passenger dash that ruins the lovely wood trim there.
These issues are countered by the excellent multimedia system, Uconnect 5. It’s easy to use, reconfigurable and responsive. The same can be said for the digital dash and head-up display, both of which are clear and easy to read at a glance.
Where Size Matters Not
The big news for the 2023 Wagoneers isn’t just their newfound size; they also have two new engines nestled under the hood of some trims (more on that in a moment), and they’re essentially the beginning of the end for the vaunted Hemi V-8 engine. The two new engines are twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six-cylinders dubbed “Hurricane,” and they are standard on the L versions of the SUVs.
That doesn’t mean the 5.7-liter and 6.4-liter Hemi V-8s are entirely gone just yet. Here’s how this works: The base version of the regular 2023 Wagoneer still gets a standard 5.7-liter Hemi V-8, but if you upgrade to the Series II or Series III trim level, it comes with the new Hurricane six-cylinder that’s rated at 420 horsepower and 468 pounds-feet of torque. If you opt for the regular 2023 Grand Wagoneer base model, it still comes with a standard 6.4-liter Hemi V-8, but again, if you upgrade to the Series II or Series III trims, you’ll get a high-output version of the Hurricane engine that makes 510 hp and 500 pounds-feet of torque … that is, unless you opt for the blacked-out Obsidian treatment on the Series II or Series III Grand Wagoneer, in which case you can option the 6.4-liter V-8 if you like the sounds it makes. The L models only come with the Hurricane engines.
So what’s the advantage here? The twin-turbo inline-six engines have much smaller displacement than the V-8s they replace, yet they’ll come with a small bump in both horsepower and fuel economy versus the V-8 models. And how do they perform in these monstrous SUVs? They’re fantastic. True, you don’t get the iconic burble and roar of a V-8, but that’s not so uncommon anymore, either; Ford did away with V-8 engines in the Expedition and Lincoln Navigator some time ago, and Toyota dumped it in the latest versions of the Sequoia and Lexus LX. What you do get is plentiful power, quick responses and, perhaps most surprising of all, nearly silent operation on the highway: Jeep engineers said that at highway speeds, Wagoneers equipped with the new Hurricane engine are nearly 5 decibels quieter than comparable V-8-equipped models thanks to a combination of sound-insulation improvements and engine refinement. This is quite evident from my test drive.
What the powertrain changes create is a vaultlike feel while barreling down an admittedly smooth highway. You feel some bumps along the way, as both the Wagoneer L and Grand Wagoneer L offer up some big wheels on low-profile tires, but the available air suspension smooths things out nicely, and there’s no wind, road or engine noise that intrudes into the serenity of the cabin. Handling is predictable, but there’s no disguising the mass here — this is a big, long, heavy SUV, and it behaves as such. Even so, the L models are excellent cruisers. The ride is well controlled and nicely damped, and the steering is accurate. The brakes are especially strong and progressive, inspiring confidence for the driver. The maximum tow rating is unchanged from the prior V-8 models: up to 10,000 pounds for the rear-wheel-drive Wagoneer L and just a bit less than that for the Grand Wagoneer L.
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They Don’t Come Cheap
The price difference between the regular Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer and the Wagoneer L and Grand Wagoneer L is about $3,000 across the board, according to Jeep. This means that starting prices will range from a bit less than $68,000 (including a jaw-dropping $2,000 destination fee) for a base 2023 Wagoneer L to nearly $80,000 for a loaded one. Stepping up to the more luxurious Grand Wagoneer L will start you at just under $94,000 and range up to $114,000 for the Series III Obsidian trim. Ouch.
But people are prepared to pay these kinds of prices for these kinds of SUVs; comparable models from Chevrolet, GMC, Ford, Cadillac, Lincoln, and even Land Rover and Lexus easily cost the same, if not more. The Wagoneer L and Grand Wagoneer L are highly competitive in every single area, from luxurious appointments to driving refinement to interior space. It took a while for a full-size, truck-based SUV to join the Jeep lineup, but the wait has been worth it as the new L models are definitely segment leaders.
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