There are a lot of great luxury cars on the market, and it can be a tough segment to compete in as there are simply so many good options. The Jeep Wagoneer is in a strange position where it is considered by some to be a luxury SUV and not considered one by others. Here’s a look at the 2023 Jeep Wagoneer and why it may not be fair to treat it like a luxury SUV.

An overview of the 2023 Jeep Wagoneer

Jeep recently brought the Wagoneer back, and it’s a solid SUV overall. According to U.S. News, the Wagoneer starts at about $59,000, with the Grand Wagoneer starting at about $88,000. One of the main upgrades that Jeep gave the SUV for the 2023 model year is a new engine option. The Jeep SUV starts with a 5.7-liter mild-hybrid V8, and it gets 392 hp and 404 lb-ft of torque.

The new engine that Jeep gave the SUV is a 3.0-liter twin-turbo I6, and it gets 420 hp and 486 lb-ft of torque. These engines are paired to an eight-speed automatic, and while they are powerful, they will be thirsty. The standard V8 engine gets about 18 mpg combined, while the more powerful I6 engine option gets 20 mpg combined. 

On top of being powerful, the Wagoneer also has a great interior. It is spacious and luxurious, and Jeep gave it a lot of tech features, too. The Jeep SUV starts with a 10.1-inch touch screen and a 10.3-inch digital gauge cluster display, for example.

The 2023 Jeep Wagoneer sits in an in-between spot in the car industry

While the Wagoneer has some great specs, the SUV currently sits between two segments. It is much more expensive than normal full-size SUVs, but it’s not luxurious enough to compete with truly luxurious SUVs.

For example, while U.S. News gave the Wagoneer a higher score compared to full-size SUVs from automakers like Toyota and Ford, those SUVs are generally cheaper while still being great cars.

The Ford Expedition, for example, starts at about $53,000, and it’s a solid full-size SUV that doesn’t have many flaws. On the other end of the spectrum, the Wagoneer falls flat compared to other luxury cars. This is true even if car shoppers upgrade to the Grand Wagoneer, which is essentially a more luxurious version of the Jeep SUV.

Despite costing almost $30,000 more, the Grand Wagoneer is one of the worst luxury SUVs in the segment. Currently, there are eight SUVs in the full-size luxury SUV segment. The Grand Wagoneer is only in sixth place. The Jeep SUV isn’t bad by any means, in fact, it has an overall score of 8.2 out of 10. It’s just that its rivals are much better luxury SUVs overall.

True luxury SUVs are much better

The BMW X7, for example, starts at about $78,000. This makes it more expensive than the regular Wagoneer, but about $10,000 cheaper than the Grand Wagoneer. Despite that, BMW gave the X7 some powerful engine options, including a 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 that gets 630 hp. And of course, the X7 has a “first-rate interior” that’s packed with high-tech features while being very comfortable.

The best luxury full-size SUV, however, is the Lincoln Navigator, which is an SUV that has only one minor issue. Like U.S. News wrote, its steering feels, “somewhat numb.” Other than that though, it’s a great luxury SUV that’s powerful and luxurious. It’s also a good value, as it starts at about $77,000.