2023 Jeep Wagoneer L Road Test and Review

2023 Jeep Wagoneer L Front ・ Photo by Nicole Wakelin

The Jeep Wagoneer made its return to the landscape for the 2022 model year after a long hiatus. This is a three-row luxury SUV with a beautiful interior and lots of room for people and cargo. It’s a great choice for large families who want plenty of room for everyone with a hefty dose of luxury. As a Jeep, it also has impressive off-road capability that can take this luxury vehicle across terrain others would never attempt.

This year, the lineup expands to include the Jeep Wagoneer L, which is a long wheelbase version of what was already quite a large SUV. This added length makes the Wagoneer L and even more impressive SUV while also providing more room for cargo. Let’s take a closer look at the 2023 Jeep Wagoneer L to see if it’s the right full-size SUV for you.

Three Opulent Trims

The Jeep Wagoneer L is available in a range of three trims. The base trim has a starting price of $62,495 with standard 12-way power front seats that are heated and ventilated, Capri leather-trimmed seats, 10.1-inch infotainment touchscreen, and rear-wheel or four-wheel drive. The Series II is priced from $68,725 and adds perforated Nappa leather-trimmed seats, adaptive cruise control with stop, and active lane management.

At the top of the trim range is the Series III with a price of $74,865. It adds a heated second row, Selec-Speed control, rear load-leveling, Quadra-Lift air suspension on four-wheel drive trims, and Quadra-Trac II four-wheel drive with a two-speed transfer case and hill descent control. No matter which trim of the Jeep Wagoneer L you choose, it offers solid capability with a beautifully appointed interior that ensures everyone rides in comfort no matter the terrain.

Photo by Nicole Wakelin

A Powerful Hurricane Engine

The Jeep Wagoneer L has a standard 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged 6-cylinder Hurricane engine. It produces 420 horsepower with 468 lb-ft of torque and is paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission. There is also a high output version of this engine, but it’s only available on the Grand Wagoneer. As a full-size SUV, having enough power to easily accelerate up to highway speeds is essential, and this engine delivers.

It responds quickly and smoothly when you press on the gas with ample power to get up to highway speeds and merge onto congested roads. There’s still plenty of power in reserve to pass slower moving vehicles once you get up to speed, making it easy to maneuver through traffic. Despite that ample power, acceleration is strong but never harsh, which is in line with this SUV’s luxury car status.

The Ride of a Luxury Car

This is a luxury suv, but it’s also an off-road SUV. That means it has to balance the smooth, well-mannered ride luxury buyers crave with the rough and ready capability of an off-road vehicle. It’s not an easy task, especially when it’s a long wheelbase version of an already big vehicle. The Jeep Wagoneer L manages to pull off this trick by delivering on both fronts.

Engine, road, and wind noise are well-muted, so the interior provides a refuge from the outside world, and conversation is easy with no need to raise your voice for those in the third row. The ride is smooth over rough pavement so it’s easy to relax. And passengers aren’t jostled while handling is responsive, making long road trips less taxing. There’s also a minimum of sway during quick maneuvers at highway speed so the ride stays calm and controlled.

Photo by Nicole Wakelin

A True Off-Road SUV

As a Jeep, one expects a certain amount of capability, and the Wagoneer L does not disappoint. It’s available with rear-wheel or four-wheel drive and a variety of features that make off-roading easier. Quadra-Trac I provides full-time four-wheel drive with a single-speed transfer case and a mechanical limited slip differential. Quadra-Trac II adds a two-speed transfer case and can send up to 100 percent of torque to the wheel with the most traction when needed.

Quadra-Drive II adds a rear electronic limited slip differential. This provides even better response when there’s wheel slip and can even anticipate it before it happens to reduce or eliminate slip altogether. In addition, there’s the Selec-Terrain system with five drive modes including rock and sand/mud for off-roading. Rounding out capability is an adjustable ride height that provides up to 10 inches of ground clearance for traversing uneven terrain.

Photo by Nicole Wakelin

A Luxurious and Spacious Interior

The Jeep Wagoneer L is a luxury suv, which means it’s well-equipped at every trim level. There’s standard tri-zone climate control along with perforated Capri leather-trimmed seats. Top trims add Nappa leather for an even more premium look and feel. Front seats are 12-way power adjustable with lumbar for the driver. Those seats are also heated and ventilated with available second-row heating.

There’s also a power tilt and telescopic steering column with a heated and leather-wrapped steering wheel. The standard configuration includes a second-row bench seat with room for three, but there are available captain’s chairs with seating for two. Although this reduces passenger capacity, the captain’s chairs are more comfortable, especially for adults and for longer trips. No matter the configuration you choose, this is a spacious SUV with plenty of room for even taller adults to spread out.

Photo by Nicole Wakelin

Infotainment That’s Easy to Operate

The number of features on today’s infotainment systems continues to increase. This is great because it gives you access to more information from weather to traffic to news, so you can stay connected and informed throughout your trip. The challenge is that some of those system can be difficult to navigate, which is frustrating and distracts the driver.

The Jeep Wagoneer L is equipped with Uconnect 5C with navigation. This system is easy to learn with intuitive menus and a crisp 10.1-inch touchscreen. There’s wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a 9-speaker Alpine audio system, and eight standard USB ports. Upgrades include a 19-speaker McIntosh audio system and a 12.3-inch front passenger screen. This lets the front passenger control select infotainment functions and lets them enjoy videos all without being viewable or distracting to the driver.

Photo by Nicole Wakelin

Extensive Standard and Available Safety Features

Safety is always a priority, but when you have your family along for the ride, it’s an even bigger consideration. The Jeep Wagoneer L has an impressive list of standard safety features. These include blind-spot monitoring with rear cross path detection, full-speed forward collision warning with active braking, and front and rear park assist.

In addition to those standard features, there are additional safety features that are either available through a package or standard on higher trims. These include parallel and perpendicular park assist, intersection collision assist, active lane management, adaptive cruise control with stop, and a 360-degree camera. The list of standard and available features on the Jeep Wagoneer L make it a strong choice for those who put safety high on their list.

Photo by Nicole Wakelin

Room for Everything the Family Needs

large suvs need room for lots of people and lots of people means lots of cargo. Whether it’s just getting through the day with the kids, heading out for a family vacation, or carrying supplies for home improvement projects, the Jeep Wagoneer L has plenty of cargo room to manage it all.

There’s 42.1 cubic feet for cargo behind the third row, so even with a full crew of people it has room for your stuff. Fold the third row and cargo capacity expands to 85.3 cubic feet. Fold the second row and there’s a total of 130.9 cubic feet of cargo room. That’s a huge amount of room, but if it’s still not enough for what you have planned, then you can hook up a trailer and tow up to 10,000 pounds of additional cargo when properly equipped.

Photo by Nicole Wakelin

Final Thoughts

The Jeep Wagoneer L is a unique among full-size SUVs. It’s spacious and beautifully appointed with rich materials adorning every surface. It has plenty of space for everyone to get comfortable, even those seated in the dreaded third row. There’s also good cargo room thanks to the extended wheelbase and an impressive tow rating that lets you take along everything you need for the trip.

What makes it different is its extensive off-road capability. While many SUVs boast about off-road capability, that often means nothing more than a dirt path to the family cabin. The Wagoneer L is a Jeep, so when they say it can go off road, they mean it can tackle truly challenging terrain. Families who want a large SUV with plenty of creature comforts that won’t leave them short on cargo room and can go off-road will find the 2023 Jeep Wagoneer L a top contender.

Photo by Nicole Wakelin