Move over, Escalade. the 2023 Grand Wagoneer L is here and living large and luxrious!
When you think of the Jeep brand, you don’t necessarily think of big and luxurious. You probably think of rugged and even a little eccentric (I’m looking at you, Wrangler community). But Jeep knows there’s a market for big and luxurious and they’re going for it.
First Impressions of the Grand Wagoneer L
To be honest, I knew a Grand Wagoneer was expected in my driveway and when it showed up, my first thought was wow, that’s big. Upon closer inspection, I found out why.
This is the Grand Wagoneer L – the L standing for something along the lines of L O N G. It is, in fact, 12 inches longer than a regular Grand Wagoneer. But they were smart enough not to simply tack in on the end. The length has been distributed – 7 inches to the wheelbase and 5 inches to the rear overhang.
But it’s still big – coming in at a long 226.7 inches, with most of the room felt in the cargo space. As a result, it’s an extremely roomy and comfortable ride for all passengers. Even the third row! And it offers an incredible amount of cargo space, even with the third row up.
If you like big, you’re in for a treat. But be prepared to take extra time to park this beast, especially in the city. I might have had a few panicky moments when trying to do a three point turn in a very small parking alcove. And I did make sure I parked far away from everyone when I could. But that rear still stuck out.
The size made it awkward but Jeep ensured there are tons of cameras and sensors and you have great visibility. In fact, there are a lot of things Jeep did right. So let’s talk about the best features of the 2023 Grand Wagoneer L.
Best Features of the Grand Wagoneer
SEATING
I have to give it up for the seating. As a smallish woman, it can be tough to fit into a large vehicle comfortably. The Grand Wagoneer offers controls on the door for both driver and passenger to adjust every possible facet of the seat, including a leg extender.
In the center console, you can also adjust the bolsters on both the thighs and back as well as adjust the lumbar support for intensity and positioning.
As is the trend in luxury vehicles, massage seats are also offered for both driver and passenger seating as well as heated and cooled seats, an option you’ll find in the second row seats as well.
TECHNOLOGY
As you might guess, this is a high tech vehicle. Want screens? Don’t worry. You’ve got three of them. Two up front and one in the second row. And if you get the Rear-Seat Entertainment group, you’ll also get two additional screens for your back seat passengers with 10.1 inch Amazon Fire tvs.
Behind the lower screen is a wireless phone charger, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, multiple types of USB connections, a 12V charging port, and even an auxiliary jack. You’ll find even more connections in the console and in all the rear seats.
If you like the bells and whistles, you’ll appreciate the ambient car lighting that you can change to suit your mood and the ability to connect two phones at the same time via bluetooth.
THIRD ROW
Yes, I’m calling out a seat all on its own. I’m going to be so bold as to say this SUV has the most comfortable third row I’ve ever experienced. The seat level is higher than an average SUV which means your knees bend at a normal angle (for an adult). While I still wouldn’t stick the giants back there, it’s not a place I would mind sitting. And they make access relatively easy for in and out as well.
DETAILS
What a broad and kind of lame category, right? But sometimes the devil is in the details. And that’s what I love to explore and discover.
The little conveniences are the nice touches we all like to see, especially in a luxury vehicle.
Here are just a few of my favorites:
- Capless gas tank
- “Hidden” compartment behind the screen for phone and connectivity
- Side step rails fully integrated into the body when closed
- High quality cameras surrounding the vehicle
- Panoramic moon roof
- Badging – yes, branding matters!
What I Didn’t Like about the Grand Wagoneer L
I’ll keep this short and sweet. There were only four things I didn’t like about this vehicle.
- It’s just too darn big. But don’t mind me. I just don’t like vehicles that are this big. If you do, you’ll be looking at this and this will actually be something you like about it.
- It’s not ideal for small drivers. Although Jeep makes some great concessions for smaller drivers, the screen is at a awkward angle when you’re in a seated driving position. And details, like the driving stalks, are a little too far for smaller hands.
- That chrome. I’m not a big chrome person and this gave me early 1990s luxury SUV vibes.
- It’s just too darn expensive. Although it starts around $80k, this Grand Wagoneer checked in at $107, 725. Guess you’ll have to buy a few less dozen eggs this year!
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