The Jeep Grand Wagoneer L stretches 30 centimetres longer than the regular Grand Wagoneer.Jeremy Sinek/The Globe and Mail
Until recently, the only true three-row SUV in Jeep history was the 2005-2010 Commander, a vehicle so misbegotten that even the boss of Jeep’s then parent company later called it ”unfit for human consumption. We sold some. But I don’t know why people bought them.”
Now, Jeep fields so many three-rows that it’s hard to keep track. In 2021, the all-new mid-size Grand Cherokee L preceded the two-row version by a few months and now accounts for 90 per cent of the nameplate’s sales. (The L, as you’ve probably guessed, is shorthand for a longer wheelbase.)
The same year, Jeep expanded into the premium full-size segment, reviving the historic Wagoneer and dipped-in-gilt Grand Wagoneer nameplates. (Historic? Well, it’s arguable that the 1963-1991 Wagoneer invented the luxury SUV concept, years before the first Range Rover.)
Which brings us to 2023, and the debut of stretched L versions of the Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer. There was more to the L than just a 30-centimetre body stretch; the L also introduced a new twin-turbo in-line six-cylinder engine, replacing the storied Hemi V8s with which the revived Wagoneers first launched.
Dubbed Hurricane, the three-litre sixer now powers all 2024 Wagoneers. It will also replace the available V8s in the 2025 Ram 1500 pickups, so its significance goes far beyond the relatively small market for full-size premium SUVs. (In 2023, Stellantis sold about 75,000 Ram pickups in Canada, compared with about 3,500 Wagoneers/Grand Wagoneers).
Climate control adjustments are shared between a screen and hard buttons. The round knob is the drive selector, while other controls adjust drive mode and suspension height.Jeremy Sinek/The Globe and Mail
In the Wagoneer, the Hurricane is tuned for fuel economy and yields 420 horsepower and 468 lb-ft of torque. The Grand Wagoneers get a high-output version worth 510 horsepower and 500 lb-ft. Official fuel consumption numbers improve on their respective 5.7- and 6.4-litre V8 predecessors, but the difference is hardly transformational. Absent any form of electrification, these are still, like their rivals, thirsty brutes.
A smaller, all-electric 600-horsepower Wagoneer S is coming late this year, but given its likely price, it won’t do much to ease Wagoneers’ environmental impact because few will be able to afford it.
Much more climate-friendly will be 4xe plug-in hybrid versions also expected this year.
When picked up, the Jeep showed a bad-enough 16.8 Litres per 100 kilometres over the previous 1,000 kilometres. Our week of mostly short-trip, midwinter driving netted 19.7.Jeremy Sinek/The Globe and Mail
On the road, the Grand doesn’t rewrite the rules of physics, but it handles tidily enough for something its size, directed by steering that’s decently accurate and not too light. Ride quality wasn’t as plush as expected from air-spring suspension – we noted some small-bump jitteriness – but still ranks at the lavish end of the spectrum.
The undisputed opulence is in the cabin fixtures and furnishings. And in the tradition of leather-and-walnut luxury, it doesn’t come cheaply. The regular Wagoneer starts at almost $90,000 and shinier Grand Wagoneers start at more than $110,000. Our L test sample was a 2023, but its 2024 Series III equivalent would ask $141,450 as tested, with options, destination charge, luxury tax and fees.
Give or take a few thousand, it’s in the ballpark with the extended-length competition – namely the Cadillac Escalade ESV and Lincoln Navigator L. If that’s the rarified atmosphere in which you shop, there is now a credible new alternative with a Jeep badge on it.
The model-year-2023 test vehicle’s acreage of embossed aluminum trim is no longer offered; expect satin walnut in its place.Jeremy Sinek/The Globe and Mail
Tech specs
2024 Jeep Grand Wagoneer L
- Base price/as tested: $118,270/$137,655, plus $2,695 for freight, $1,000 for the Green Levy, plus fees and taxes, including the luxury tax
- Engine: Three-litre twin-turbo in-line six-cylinder
- Transmission/drive: Eight-speed automatic/dual-range all-wheel-drive
- Fuel consumption (litres per 100 kilometres): 17 city/12.5 highway
- Alternatives: Extended-length: Cadillac Escalade ESV and Lincoln Navigator L; Standard-length: Cadillac Escalade, Infiniti QX80, Lexus TX, Lexus LX, Lincoln Navigator, Mercedes-Benz GLS, Range Rover LWB
Looks
Maybe it’s just us, but we think the Jeep would look better without the brightwork around the windows, which is part of the Grand treatment.Jeremy Sinek/The Globe and Mail
If big is beautiful, then so is the Grand Wagoneer L. By any other standard, not so much. Full-size SUVs aren’t expected to look like Ferraris, but even compared with its peers, we think the Grand Wagoneer looks gauche. Non-Grand Wagoneers without the bright window trim look much better.
Interior
A three-person second-row bench is also available, or the captain’s chairs can be ventilated as well as heated.Jeremy Sinek/The Globe and Mail
Among its stretched peers, the Grand Wagoneer has marginally the most voluminous passenger cabin. But the differences are academic: All have adult-proportioned third-row seats, even with the second row (captain’s chairs, in this case) fully rearward.
The Grand actually loses some headroom to “plain” Wagoneers because of its standard tri-pane sunroof, which illuminates a lavish interior featuring available quilted Palermo leather, sculpted Satin American Walnut and genuine aluminum accents.
These traditional-luxury furnishings manage not to be overwhelmed by the acreage of screens, of which no fewer than six are available: standard 12-inch gauge cluster, 12-inch Uconnect 5 infotainment screen at centre, and a smaller screen to control the climate; plus optional front passenger-side interactive display and rear-seat video screens.
Massaging 24-way adjustable front seats, plus power-adjustable wheel and pedals, assure lounge-like comfort though sightlines are compromised by stout pillars and the big, high door mirrors.
Performance
Under the hood, the wide engine cover hints at a V configuration, but the new Hurricane engine is a classic in-line six-cylinderJeremy Sinek/The Globe and Mail
Potential maximum-effort pace is demonstrated by Car and Driver’s zero-to-60 miles an hour time of 4.7 seconds, but the much slower 5.9-second 5-to-60 rolling-start time illustrates the effect of turbo lag in the real world, where track techniques would be, at best, inadvisable. Perhaps equally academic (within the limits of its size) are its considerable off-road credentials promised by dual-range four-wheel drive, height-adjustable suspension and electronic limited-slip rear differential. Drag-racing or off-roading aside, the Grand Wagoneer L finds its true calling as a serene, invincible-feeling cocoon on long highway runs.
Technology
The infotainment screen isn’t as large or in-your-face as some, but it helped the Wagoneer win a Ward’s 10 Best award for Interior and UX.Jeremy Sinek/The Globe and Mail
There’s hardly room to list all the infotainment and driver-assist features you expect at this level, and which the Grand duly delivers. Above-and-beyond items worth a mention include available hands-free (but still eyes-on-road) Level 2 autonomous driving; night vision with pedestrian and animal detection; Amazon Fire TV; and 23-speaker, 1,375-watt McIntosh audio.
Cargo
The cargo area is as huge as it is functional – though you may not want to get it dirty.Jeremy Sinek/The Globe and Mail
The L’s body stretch is devoted entirely to cargo, which means truly useful space (1,250 litres) even with the third-row seats up. That space slightly out-volumes its direct Detroit rivals, and is significantly roomier than many large SUVs behind their second-row seats. All seats fold flat, too. Suitably equipped, the Grand Wagoneer L can tow up to 9,450 pounds.
The verdict
An impressive execution of what many consider an unsustainable concept. Bring on the plug-in hybrid versions.
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