2023 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Review: Looks Expensive, Is Expensive

Taking on the world's top luxury SUVs is a daunting task, but Jeep believes that the Grand Wagoneer will be the right tool for this job. It is loaded with technology, dressed for success, and carries the kind of gravitas that proudly proclaims its conspicuous luxury. As it should, given the fact that the entry-level Grand Wagoneer carries a price tag of almost $90,000. It doesn't just look expensive, it is expensive, but this full-size SUV isn't shy about that at all.

Like the normal Wagoneer that fits one slot lower in the Jeep hierarchy, the Grand Wagoneer is derived from a truck platform. In this case, the Ram DT platform serves as the starting point, but looking at the Grand Wagoneer's style and trimmings, its comparatively humble origins are well hidden.

Two power plants are available, with the newer and more potent engine being standard on most Grand Wagoneer trims. This 3.0-liter inline-six is equipped with two turbos and produces a staunch 510 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque, while the V8 alternative is a 6.4-liter V8 producing 471 hp and 455 lb-ft. Both engines are mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, and all Grand Wagoneers are equipped with full-time all-wheel drive.

Competitors for the 2023 Jeep Grand Wagoneer include the conceptually similar Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator, but its price point also brings the Range Rover, Mercedes-Benz GLS, and BMW X7 into the fray. The European alternatives may be more sophisticated, but none of them can match the Grand Wagoneer's cabin space, and getting their equipment up to the Grand Wagoneer's will increase their prices by a significant margin.

What's the Price of the 2023 Jeep Grand Wagoneer?

The Grand Wagoneer has a base price of $87,995 for the Series I, while the Series II starts at $95,090. The Obsidian, which is based on the Series II, has an MSRP of $100,585. A Series III comes with a base price of $107,995, and the new Series III Obsidian costs $108,990. Yup, it's a six-digit Jeep. These prices exclude the $2,000 destination charge.

2023 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Handling And Driving Impressions

The Jeep Grand Wagoneer's truck origins show in the driving experience. An incredibly comfortable and smooth-riding truck to be sure, but a truck nonetheless. The driver is always aware of this beast's oversized proportions and earth-flattening weight, but the Grand Wagoneer is actually really easy to drive. Sure, it has an aversion to quick maneuvers, and not even the superb air suspension can completely eradicate the body roll, but its handling characteristics are actually benign if rather remote from the driver, and road grip levels are surprisingly high.

Performance will never be a prime priority for a vehicle with a curb weight of 6,340 pounds in base trim, but the Grand Wagoneer doesn't disappoint with its straight-line speed, either. Even with the old V8 under the hood, there's still 471 hp and 455 lb-ft to work with, and this is enough to thunder from a standstill to 60 mph in about six seconds. The new turbo six-cylinder's 510 hp and 500 lb-ft also comes with a flatter torque curve, and easily slices the 0-60 mph time to less than five seconds. That is pretty remarkable acceleration for a beast this heavy and this big. It will tow like a beast as well, with a minimum towing capacity of 9,800 pounds.

Verdict: Is The 2023 Jeep Grand Wagoneer A Good SUV?

As far as full-size super-luxury three-row SUVs go, the Jeep Grand Wagoneer is one of the best out there. It's loaded with luxury features in a cabin with a supremely upmarket appearance and feel, there's a long, long list of modern in-car technology as standard, and even more on the extensive options sheet. It has all the space any family could need, is refined and quiet on the road, rides superbly, and looks like its price tag. However, if you reside in a more congested area, you have to ask yourself if you'll be willing to live with the Jeep's ample dimensions which will make parking more of a chore than it has to be. We'd also avoid the muscular-sounding V8 because of its dire gas mileage, but that means you'll have to spend at least $97,995 on a Grand Wagoneer Series II. But in almost all other respects, the Jeep Grand Wagoneer matches or betters its competitors, and in such distinguished company, that makes it a very good SUV indeed.

What 2023 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Model Should I Buy?

The price of the Jeep Grand Wagoneer leaps up once you start considering the Series II over the Series I, and we're not sure there is enough extra value to warrant it. The additional driver-assistance features are excellent, as is the 23-speaker McIntosh sound system, but the 19-speaker system is exemplary, and the base-level safety systems are already excellent. Jeep has all the basics covered and then some. Are night vision, Palermo leather, and a display for the passenger necessary? We don't know about you, but we'd be pretty bummed if the front passenger spent every second of a long-distance trip watching Squid Game.

We would add the rear-seat entertainment system to keep the kids happy and go for one of the more elegant color options. Baltic-Gray seems to work well. There's no need to go up to 22-inch wheels because a 20-inch alloy with a larger profile tire is spot-on for a luxury SUV like the Grand Wagoneer. That's all we'd do to a Series I. This particular build retails for $92,835 including destination, which is still less than a Series II.