2023 Jeep Wagoneer L First Look Review: Downsized Engine, Upsized Body

by Karl Furlong

If you’re shopping for a high-end Jeep SUV, there is a bewildering array of choices available at the moment. You try choosing between a Grand Cherokee, Grand Cherokee L, Wagoneer, Wagoneer L, Grand Wagoneer, or Grand Wagoneer L. Yes, there is a substantial price difference between these models, but there is also significant overlap from one to the next.

One of the newer arrivals in this complex Jeep lineup is the SUV you see here, the Wagoneer L. It’s a lengthened version of the impressive Wagoneer and boasts a staggering amount of space for cargo and passengers. Unfortunately, it also looks a bit like the container on wheels that it is, losing some of the shorter Wagoneer’s elegance. But if you need a practical SUV with a powerful engine and find the Grand Wagoneer L too excessive, the Wagoneer L could be your perfect car.

2023 Jeep Wagoneer L Models

See trim levels and configurations:

Trim Engine Transmission Drivetrain Price (MSRP)
Series I

3.0L Twin-Turbo Inline-6 Gas

8-Speed Automatic

Rear-Wheel Drive

Four-Wheel Drive

TBC
Series II

3.0L Twin-Turbo Inline-6 Gas

8-Speed Automatic

Rear-Wheel Drive

Four-Wheel Drive

TBC
Series III

3.0L Twin-Turbo Inline-6 Gas

8-Speed Automatic

Four-Wheel Drive

Rear-Wheel Drive

TBC

2023 Jeep Wagoneer LJeep

2023 Jeep Wagoneer L 1Jeep

When Is The 2023 Jeep Wagoneer L Coming Out?

The 2023 Jeep Wagoneer L’s release date has been scheduled for the second half of 2022 in the USA.

2023 Jeep Wagoneer L Price And Competition

The 2023 Jeep Wagoneer L’s price remains unknown at this point. For reference, the 2022 Wagoneer starts at $58,995 MSRP for the Series I and goes up to over $75,000 for the Series III 4×4. The Grand Cherokee L is only $2,000 more than the equivalent Grand Cherokee, but as the Wagoneer L is a bigger and more luxurious model, we expect it to start at about $65,000, but it’ll cost a lot more when fully loaded with options.

Other three-row SUV rivals with expansive cabins include the Chevrolet Suburban, Cadillac Escalade ESV, and Lincoln Navigator L.

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Jeep Wagoneer L Exterior

The stretched dimensions of the new Jeep Wagoneer L’s exterior have given it rather ungainly proportions. This is most evident in the substantial rear overhang and the stretched rear side window. The long-wheelbase Wagoneer L required alterations to the standard Wagoneer’s platform that included a new body-in-white rear ladder structure, new load floors, a new body-in-white rear floor, and a new frame center rail.

From the front, it remains handsome and familiar. The Jeep Wagoneer L’s exterior comes with a seven-slot grille, LED headlamps, and fog lamps. It rides on 18-inch alloy wheels as standard but 20- and 22-inch wheels are available. A new Carbide trim will be available with Gloss Black wheels, a panoramic tri-pane sunroof, Black Onyx grille rings, and other blacked-out exterior elements. At the back, the blocky roofline will improve practicality but makes the Wagoneer L look rather utilitarian.

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Jeep Wagoneer L Dimensions

The Jeep Wagoneer L’s dimensions are positively titanic. Compared to the Wagoneer, it’s 12 inches longer and the wheelbase has been stretched by seven inches. The Wagoneer L measures 226.7 inches in length, 94 inches in width (including the mirrors), 79.6 inches in height at the roof rail, and has a 130-inch wheelbase.

Those dimensions equate to an exceptionally heavy SUV. The lightest rear-wheel-drive model weighs 6,069 pounds but this goes all the way up to 6,335 lbs for the range-topping trim in four-wheel-drive guise.

Jeep Wagoneer L Engine And Performance

The Jeep Wagoneer L’s engine is the new Hurricane six-cylinder unit. Displacing 3.0 liters, the inline-six produces 420 horsepower and 468 lb-ft of torque. That makes it more powerful and more efficient than the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 (392 hp) found in the smaller Wagoneer. Jeep made no other mention of the V8 when the Wagoneer L was revealed, but the 2023 Wagoneer L’s spec sheet referenced a 5.7-liter V8 under the ground clearance section, indicating that the Hemi engine could find its way into Jeep’s biggest SUV too at some stage.

Nevertheless, it’ll be interesting to see how the Hurricane performs in a vehicle with a Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) of up to 7,800 lbs. At this point, 0-60 times haven’t been revealed. Jeep says that the 4×2 will return 17/23/19 mpg city/highway/combined and the 4×4 will do 16/22/19 mpg. Those mpg specs are an improvement over the smaller Wagoneer which uses the V8, albeit only by a single mpg or two.

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An eight-speed automatic transmission is standard for all Wagoneer L models. As standard, the Wagoneer L has a coil spring suspension but an air suspension with electronically controlled semi-active damping is available. Rear-wheel drive can be optionally replaced by all-wheel drive.

Three 4×4 systems are on offer: Quadra-Trac I, Quadra-Trac II, Quadra-Drive III, plus a Quadra-Lift air suspension. While we don’t expect many Wagoneer Ls to head off-road, the option is there since a two-speed transfer case and an electronic limited-slip differential are available via these 4×4 systems. In addition, Selec-Terrain comes with five driving modes including Snow and Sand/Mud.

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2023 Jeep Wagoneer L 12Jeep

Jeep Wagoneer L Interior And Cargo

The regular Wagoneer blew us away with the quality and design of its interior. It’s finished in top-class materials and packed with the latest technologies inside. While these qualities are retained in the Jeep Wagoneer L’s interior, what grabs your attention immediately is the abundance of space.

We’ll start right at the back because this is where you come to understand why the Wagoneer L looks the way it does. Behind the third row, the Jeep Wagoneer L’s cargo space measures an incredible 42.1 cubic feet. The standard Wagoneer’s figure is 27.4 cubes, a substantial difference. With the third and second rows folded, the Wagoneer L has 85.3 and 130.9 cubes of space, respectively. Although the Chevy Suburban has more space behind the first and second rows, the Wagoneer L can’t be beaten for space behind its third row.

Seating comfort is superb thanks to 36.6 inches of legroom in the third row and a spacious 42.7 inches in the second row. Eight occupants can be seated as standard but second-row captain’s chairs are available. The Jeep Wagoneer L’s seats are upholstered in leather throughout the range and even the base trim has eight-way power front seats with a driver’s memory function. Upper trims have classier Nappa leather.

The Wagoneer L ships with the advanced Uconnect 5 infotainment system consisting of a 10.25-inch instrument cluster and a 10.1-inch central touchscreen. However, up to 50 inches of screen real estate is available for the interior as a whole. Other features include a 19-speaker sound system, adaptive cruise control, a surround-view camera system, over-the-air updates, wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, and traffic sign recognition. Some of these are optional or standard only on upper trims.

The Jeep Wagoneer L’s interior colors include white, blue, aqua, gold, and amber – and that’s only for the adjustable mood lighting system. Different seat colors like black and cream hues will be available.

Check other Jeep Wagoneer Styles

Jeep Wagoneer L Popular Comparisons

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