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Jeep is celebrating yet another award for its new 2023 Jeep Wagoneer. This time the new large SUV is driving home with the title of Four Wheeler’s ‘2023 SUV of the Year’. Jeep sees this as a win for its big luxury SUV and its Hurricane Twin Turbo I-6 engine, because it kicks out V-8 type power but is more energy efficient. SUV of the year is the highest award Four Wheeler gives out.
“You might not look at the luxurious and plus-sized Wagoneer and realize all the capability that is lurking beneath its contemporary sheet metal, but it's there,” said Sean P. Holman, Four Wheeler Content Director. “The big Wagoneer is going to get the family down the road in comfort and style and right past the trailhead. The traction control is exceptional, the suspension supple, and that new I-6 engine is a powerhouse of torque and refinement. We didn't go into the test thinking the Wagoneer would win, but it earned every vote thanks to how well it did everything we asked of it.”
2023 Jeep Wagoneer
The Hurricane twin-turbo I-6 engine gets 420 horsepower and 468 lb.-ft. of torque. It was reintroduced to compete in the large SUV segment and has continued to win awards. When Jeep brought it back, it was determined to keep its reputation as a great four-wheel-drive vehicle while creating a large SUV that families could grow into. It features best-in-class towing capability of up to 10,000 lbs. The Wagoneer can seat up to eight passengers, plus it also has great interior cargo space. The Wagoneer’s Hurricane Twin Turbo engine achieves up to 24 mpg highway, which is good for a large SUV.
Four Wheeler SUV of the Year Competition
Four Wheeler’s SUV of the Year competition is open to all-new or significantly revised SUVs for the upcoming model year. Four Wheeler’s weeklong testing regimen includes track testing, including 0-60 and quarter-mile acceleration times, and 60-0 braking distance; and on- and off-road evaluation in the mountains and deserts of Southern California. Vehicles are subjected to a variety of off-road conditions, including sand, rocky trails, loose-surface trails, rutted backroads, loose dirt hill climbs, mud, snow, and ice. Night driving was also integrated into the competition to gauge the performance of each vehicle’s lighting equipment.
While the 2023 Jeep Wagoneer takes home the top award, the 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk 4xe earns second place in the 2023 Four Wheeler competition. Last year, the 2022 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 took top honors.
“Four Wheeler’s comprehensive 2023 SUV of the Year testing proved that Stellantis has eloquently achieved the elusive task of creating a full-size SUV that can dominate challenging terrain including rocky trails, mud, and snow,” said Ken Brubaker, Editor, Four Wheeler. “We found the Wagoneer’s Hurricane twin-turbo engine to be a powerhouse, the vehicle’s on-road manners are impeccable, and the fit and finish is superb. The Wagoneer demonstrated that it’s worthy of wearing the storied Wagoneer nameplate and the 2023 Four Wheeler SUV of the Year crown.”
“Historically speaking, the vehicle that wins Four Wheeler’s SUV of the Year is rarely the one that is expected at the onset. This has once again been proven to be the case with the 2023 Wagoneer sneaking in and taking the prize from the more outwardly off-road oriented competitors,” said Jason Gonderman, Editor, Truck Trend. “The Wagoneer combines a quiet and comfortable cabin with legendary off-road pedigree and the hardware to back it up. Opting for the company’s phenomenal new twin-turbocharged I-6 engine makes the package truly irresistible.”
“The Jeep brand is built on more than 80 years of class-leading 4x4 capability, and the new Wagoneer expands that legendary capability to the large SUV segment,” said Jim Morrison, senior vice president and head of Jeep Brand North America. “To earn the prestigious title of Four Wheeler SUV of the Year for the second year in a row and the 18th time overall is a testament to our core values of delivering Freedom, Adventure, Authenticity and Passion to our Jeep customers, and now our Wagoneer customers, by giving them the capability to truly go anywhere and do anything. The Four Wheeler SUV of the Year test is unmatched, and we’re truly honored to be recognized by a team of avid and expert off-roaders who truly understand 4x4 capability.”
The Jeep brand has secured more ‘Four Wheeler SUV of the Year’ titles than any automotive manufacturer during the competition’s 50-year run.
“Four Wheeler’s tests and staff have long been the industry’s benchmark for proving out 4x4 capability,” Morrison added. “And at the Jeep brand, we are honored to have the most Four Wheeler wins.”
Jeep Photo
Mary Conway is a professional automotive journalist and has decades of experience specializing in automotive news analysis. She covered the Detroit Three for more than twenty years for the ABC affiliate, in Detroit. Her affection for the Motor City comes naturally. Her father ran a gas station while Mary was growing up, in Wisconsin.
Follow Mary Conway at @maryconwaymedia and send her car news tips for future stories.
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