This week, I have a very large and very luxurious SUV, the 2023 Jeep Grand Wagoneer Obsidian. The Obsidian designation is for the blacked-out accents on the exterior.
This is the Series III, which is the very top-of-the-line of the trims. My tester is the regular length, but there is an extended version should you need even more room, especially behind the third-row seat.
Powertrain
Pop the big hood and you’ll find the new 3-liter straight six cylinder Hurricane engine with twin turbos. It is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission and together they produce 510-horses and it will tow 9,850 pounds.
Make no mistake, although beautiful and luxurious, this is still a Jeep product, even though it doesn’t say Jeep anywhere on it. It has exceptional 4X4 off-road capability.
Interior
Moving to the interior, it is a technological marvel. There are 7 different screens that total over 75” and 12 million pixels.
The interior is adorned with aluminum and gloss black, which looks great. The 20-way heated, cooled, and massaging front seats are inviting and incredibly comfortable.
When you hit the start button, a 12” digital gauge cluster can be configured from the steering wheel.
The center stack is beautiful and has a round shift dial and this is also where you choose your drive modes and ride height. Sport mode really ups the acceleration. Just above that is a screen for the front seat massage and lumbar supports and also the front and rear air conditioning controls. A push of a button opens that screen to reveal a hidden compartment that also houses your wireless charger, USB, USC, and power supplies.
The center glove box has a terrific and large refrigerator built-in. A room temperature water bottle will get icy cold in under 5 minutes.
Moving higher up the center you find the incredible Uconnect5 12” screen that operates everything including Navigation, the 23-speaker McIntosh sound system, Bluetooth, comfort settings, vehicle settings, and a host of apps. There is wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a Wi-Fi hotspot.
One app which is great for families is Fam Cam which puts up a view of the 2nd and 3rd row seats on the center screen.
In front of the passenger, there is yet another screen that can view the car's camera views, use the car's mobile phone connectivity to read and send texts, view a preview of the dual rear screens, and view a mirrored display of whatever's playing on one of the 2nd row screens. The driver cannot see this screen for safety purposes.
Moving to the second-row captain chairs, which are heated and cooled and slide and recline, there is a huge center console with storage and more USB ports.
On the console is another 10.25” screen to control rear climate, and on the front seat headrests are two more screens, #6 and #7 if you are keeping count. When paired with the onboard WiFi subscription, you can access Amazon Fire TV and stream from other popular apps. The screens can also access the navigation system.
Getting to the massive third row seat is easy with a power slide button on top of the 2nd row captain chairs. 3rd row occupants can open a fixed moon roof above them, and their seats recline.
Utility
Cargo area is best in class with 27-cubic feet behind the 3rd row seat. 3rd row and 2nd row seats can be folded down with the push of a button.
I love the greeting the Grand Wagoneer gives you. As you walk up to this big boy, it unlocks itself, turns on your interior lighting, and the deployable running boards lower for ease of entry.
Standard Features
The standard features and options list is endless. Most notable is the panoramic moonroof, the digital rearview mirror, keyless remote start, night vision, a head-up display, and very wide deployable running boards.
It is loaded with safety features including blind-spot monitoring, parking sensors, park assist, surround view cameras, a head up display with traffic sign recognition, full speed emergency braking, lane assist and more.
Ride and Drive
The Grand Wagoneer rides fantastic due to air suspension, acceleration is great in Sport Mode, and it handles surprisingly well for a 6700-pound SUV. Most of all, it’s really quiet in the cabin.
Fuel economy is what you’d expect at 14 in town, 20 on the highway, and 17 combined.
Verdict
MSRP is $114,180, in line with other luxury SUVs like the Cadillac Escalade, but there are many things I prefer in this one to any other luxury SUV I have reviewed.
- What I Liked Most: The electronics, the interior, and the ride and drive.
- What I would change: I tried to find something, and just couldn’t.
- MSRP: Base Price $107,995/Total MSRP $114,180 with transportation.
- Fuel Economy: 14 city/20 highway/17 overall.
- Odometer reading when tested: 4,600 miles.
- Weight: 6,700 pounds/7,700 pound GVWR.
- Spare tire: Full-sized spare
- Length-Width-Height: 214.7” long/83.6” wide/75.6” high.
- Fuel Tank Capacity: 26 gallons with the filler on the driver’s side.
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Official Color: Bright White Clearcoat/Black roof.
- Towing Capacity: 9,850 pounds.
- 2023 Grand Wagoneer in a few words: An amazing luxury SUV that will make traveling a real joy. It will tow, it will take you off the pavement, and it will make you smile as a daily driver.
- Warranty: 3-year/36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper, 5-year/60,000-mile power train warranty with roadside assistance.
- Final Assembly Location: Warren, MI
- Manufacturer's website: Jeep
