- The Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer are the largest members of the Jeep family. With both having three rows of seats as well as the longer “L” wheelbase variant, Wagoneers are great for transporting the family from one adventure to the next. However, for those who want to know what sets the 2023 Jeep Wagoneer apart from the 2023 Jeep Grand Wagoneer, we’re ready to break it down by detailing the powertrains, available exterior and interior designs, and various safety and technology features.
Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer Tested
External Differences
As the name suggests, the Grand Wagoneer has a more magnificent aappearance from the regular Wagoneer. The higher-end models have more chrome, a black roof, more interesting LED lighting accents, a different hood and more prominent fender flares. A power retractable running board is also standard on the Grand Wagoneer.
The three-row SUV also offers wheel sizes ranging from 18 to 22 inches, but those options vary by trim level. The Grand Wagoneer’s smallest available tires are 20 inches, and it also offers several exclusive colors, including Midnight Sky Blue, Rocky Mountain Green and Ember Pearl. For Wagoneer buyers only, a dark look is available with the Carbide package. Along with the gloss black wheels (20-inchers are standard; 22s are optional), the mirror caps, grille and other bits are also black; the interior of the Wagoneer Carbide has black seats and a special finish on the dashboard. The equivalent of the Grand Wagoneer is called the Obsidian. It’s more glamorous and includes standard gloss black 22-inch rims.
For 2023, both the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer are available with longer wheelbases that grow by the same 7 inches to 130 inches. This “L” variant sees the overall length extend the entire leg to 226.7 inches. By comparison, the similarly sized Chevy Suburban is 225.7 inches long, and the more luxurious Cadillac Escalade ESV stretched version is 227.0 inches long. All Jeep Wagoneers—regardless of wheelbase or size—stand between 74.6 and 77.3 inches tall and measure nearly 84 inches wide. Those dimensions may be worth considering for buyers with garages or parking spaces that are on the smaller side.
Internal Differences
Inside, the Grand Wagoneer is more luxurious, with a slightly different dashboard layout and nicer leather and wood trim than the Wagoneer. The latter has standard second-row bench seating that provides space for up to eight passengers. A set of second-row captain’s chairs is also optional, but that configuration means there’s one less seat in the middle. The Grand Wagoneer is the opposite and comes standard with a seven-passenger layout (a second-row bench is optional).
Those considering long-wheelbase Wagoneers should know their interior passenger volume is similar to their shorter counterparts. However, the L model has more cargo space. The Wagoneer L offers between 42 and 131 cubes of cargo volume, depending on the row of seats stowed; A typical Wagoneer has between 27 and 117 cubic meters. It’s also worth noting that the Grand Wagoneer L has slightly less passenger space (173 cubic feet versus 176), but it has more cargo space than the non-L Grand, providing an additional 19 cubes (113 total) behind the first row and an additional 17 cubes ( 44 total) behind the third.
Convenience, Security and Technology Features
Optional features exclusive to the Grand Wagoneer include four-zone climate control, 24-way power seats and a McIntosh audio system with more speakers. The Grand Wagoneer not only offers more screens on the dashboard and for rear seat passengers, the screens available are also larger than the Wagoneer.
Both models have a variety of driver assistance technologies. Along with available adaptive cruise control, a self-parking function and night vision with pedestrian and animal detection, Wagoneers come standard with the following safety features:
- Standard forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking
- Standard lane departure warning and lane keeping assist
- Standard blind spot monitoring and rear cross traffic alert
Infotainment Wagoneer
Every Wagoneer has a robust infotainment system that runs through a 10.1-inch central touchscreen. A separate 10.3-inch display facing front-seat passengers is also available, and it provides entertainment and navigation functions. The Uconnect 5 system also includes built-in navigation, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Amazon Alexa functionality and a subscription-based Wi-Fi hotspot. A rear-seat entertainment system with a pair of 10.1-inch displays is optional.
Infotainment Grand Wagoneer
The Grand Wagoneer’s infotainment system features a larger 12.0-inch central touchscreen and another 10.2-inch touchscreen below it. This lower unit provides controls for the HVAC system and other functions. Like the regular Wagoneer, a 10.3-inch front passenger display is also available. Grand models have the same popular standard features, from wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to Amazon Alexa functionality and subscription-based Wi-Fi hotspots. Those sitting in the second row are treated to another 10.3-inch touchscreen between the captain’s chairs, and there’s an optional rear-seat entertainment system with dual 10.1-inch touchscreens.
Wagoneer Train
A 392-hp 5.7-liter V-8 is the Wagoneer’s base engine, but it’s only available on the entry-level trim. What’s more, the 420-hp twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six is ​​a no-cost option. The “Hurricane” engine is also standard on every other Wagoneer, including all L variants. It’s paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and rear- or multi-wheel drive. Those who need to tow a trailer can pull up to 10,000 pounds.
Oil economy
The 2023 Jeep Wagoneer with a V-8 and all-wheel drive has the worst EPA estimates, at 15 mpg city and 20 mpg highway. Pairing rear-drive with the turbo six brings an estimated 17 mpg city and 24 mpg highway; choosing all-wheel drive drops both figures by 1 mpg.
Grand Wagoneer Powertrain
The 471-hp 6.4-liter V-8 is the Grand Wagoneer’s entry-level engine, but it’s only available on the base model. The rest of the lineup, including all long-wheelbase versions, features a high-output Hurricane twin-turbo 3.0-liter inline-six that produces 510 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque. Every Grand Wagoneer has an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive, though the latter is offered with different levels of capability. It is rated to tow up to 9860 pounds as well.
Oil economy
The 2023 Jeep Grand Wagoneer with the V-8 gets a paltry 13 mpg city and 18 mpg highway, according to the EPA. While the six-cylinder isn’t much better, with an estimated mpg of 14 city, 20 highway for the standard wheelbase and 14 city, 19 highway for the long wheelbase, the latter performs slightly better than advertised in 75 fuel economy. -mph we tested, earning 20 mpg.
Wagoneer price
The 2023 Jeep Wagoneer with rear-wheel drive starts at $62,670, which is several thousand dollars more than the full-size, body-on-frame Chevy Tahoe and Ford Expedition. Jeep charges an extra $3000 for all-wheel drive on all Wagoneer models, which we expect will be a volume seller. With AWD included, the Series II and Series III start at $70,790 and $76,810, respectively. The Wagoneer Series II Carbide 4×4 starts at $74,485. Base prices for long-wheel drive, all-wheel drive Wagoneer L models are listed below:
- 4×4: $68,670
- Series II: $73,790
- Series II Carbide: $77,485
- Series III: $79,810
Grand Wagoneer price
The 2023 Jeep Grand Wagoneer starts at $91,645, which is nearly $10K more than full-size, body-on-frame luxury SUVs like the Cadillac Escalade and Lincoln Navigator. Stepping up from the entry-level Grand Wagoneer to the Series II jumps the starting price to $97,995, and the Series III opens at $111,145. The long wheelbase adds another $3250 to the base Grand Wagoneer trim level and $3000 to the others. The Obsidian treatment costs an extra $995 with the top-spec Series III, but it’s a $5495 option with the Series II because it adds more content.
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Senior Editor
Eric Stafford’s car addiction started before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up is to become a millionaire with a car collection like Jay Leno. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social media influencers say, so he eschews financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hire him. His garage now includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28 manual, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si.