We like
Excellent four-cylinder engine, off-road prowess remains, excellent outward visibility, straightforward controls, flexible cabin configuration and removeable roof panels

Room for improvement
Not the best engine soundtrack going, cumbersome ingress and egress, compact and noisy cabin, some infotainment bugbears, very little luggage space in four-seat mode

Overview

 

FOUR-WHEEL drivers understand the Wrangler intimately, looking past its “flaws” (read: the results of a vehicle made to wheel anywhere) to the promise of a capable off-roader that may be personalised to suit their tastes.

 

Moreover, the Wrangler has become something of a fashion statement for those who want to look outdoorsy, without ever selecting low range.

 

And of course, the updated Wrangler appeals to both. It’s now $5500 cheaper than before, has the engine it has arguably long deserved, and features a smooth shifting eight-speed automatic transmission, a bevy of tech, and familiar go-anywhere Jeep persona.

 

Torquier and more efficient than before, there is very little not to like about the improved JL-series’ four-cylinder turbo-petrol mill. The all-aluminium Alfa Romeo-sourced unit displaces 1995cc and outputs 200kW at 5250rpm and 400Nm at 3000rpm.

 

In Australian tune, that’s 9kW less than the Penatstar V6 mill it replaces but with 53Nm more torque.

 

Fuel consumption drops by 0.5 litres per 100km to a Combined cycle average of 9.2L/100km for four-door models other than the heavier Rubicon. That variant now consumes 9.9L/100km, a reduction of 0.2L/100km.

 

Two-door models feature a 66-litre fuel tank and four-door models an 81-litre unit. All require 95RON premium unleaded as a minimum.

 

Pricing for the Wrangler starts from $75,950 plus on-road costs with the Sport S grade replacing the Night Eagle as the entry point to the line-up.

 

The mid-tier Overland is now $84,950 +ORCs, while pricing of the range-topping Rubicon is unchanged at $83,950 +ORC in two-door form (as tested) and $90,450 +ORC for the four-door.

 

For short-wheel base (two-door) Wrangler variants we find dimension changes only in height, the model crossing the tape at 4334mm in length, 1894mm in width, 1894mm in height, and riding on a 2459mm wheelbase.

 

Long-wheel base (four-door) grades measure 4882mm long, 1894mm wide, 1901mm tall and ride on a 3008mm wheelbase.

 

Track measurements for all guises are unchanged front and rear at 1598mm.

 

Jeep quotes a braked towing capacity of 2495kg for four-door grades and 1497kg for the two-door.

 

As was the case previously, low- and mid-grade Wrangler variants are equipped with Jeep’s Selec-Trac four-wheel drive system with shift-on-the-fly 2H to 4H functionality.

 

Rubicon grades feature the tougher Rock-Trac four-wheel drive system with Tru-Loc front and rear locking differentials, electronic front sway bar disconnect, 4:1 low-range gearing, and an impressive 77.2:1 crawl ratio.

 

Elsewhere, the mildly made-over Wrangler range offers freshened exterior looks, new tech features and improved safety in the form of first- and second-row side-curtain airbags (joining front and front-side airbags).

 

All Wrangler grades include adaptive cruise control, AEB, blind-spot monitoring, front and rear acoustic parking sensors, and a reversing camera.

 

By grade, we find the Wrangler Sport S arriving with 17-inch alloys wrapped in Nexen all-terrain rubber, dusk-sensing LED headlights with auto high beam, an in-windshield radio antenna, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, DAB+ digital radio, nine-speaker Alpine sound, climate control, ambient cabin lighting, a fabric-covered dash pad, 240-amp alternator, heated steering wheel and front seats, black cloth upholstery, and keyless entry and ignition.

 

Wrangler Overland grades add 18-inch alloys, a Dana-sourced M220 rear axle, black wing mirrors, soft spare wheel cover, McKinley upholstery, 12-way powered front seats with four-way lumbar adjustment, and hard plastic covers on the back of the driver and front-passenger seats.

 

Finally, and in addition to the 4WD-specific changes listed above, the flagship Rubicon grade (as tested) ditches the powered passenger-side seat but picks up 17-inch alloys with off-road tyres, Performance suspension, acoustic laminated front door glass, forward-facing TrailCam, Premium dash pad wrapping, and black Nappa leather-trimmed upholstery.

 

Optionally, the new Wrangler is offered with Jeep’s Sky-one-touch powered top on Overland and Rubicon grades (+$6450), and 18-inch seven-spoke alloys on Overland grades (+$950).

 

All colours except Bright White attract a surcharge of $1490 – there are 11 finishes to choose from.

 

Jeep has set service intervals for the four-cylinder Wrangler range at 12 months or 12,000km (whichever comes first), with capped-price servicing offered for the first five years at $399 per visit.

 

All Wrangler models are covered by a five-year/100,000km warranty with lifetime roadside assistance.

 

Driving Impressions

 

Clambering into the Wrangler’s compact cabin and there’s a feeling of having been here before. The updated JL series is not so much a reinvention of the formula as it is about ‘that’ engine; but more on that in a second…

 

A quick inspection of the cabin shows familiar decor and technology, a bit more in the way of soft-touch finishing, Nappa leather upholstery, seat and steering wheel heat (the button for the latter remains on the LHD side of the screen), powered driver seat adjustment, and a colossal 12.3-inch touchscreen (almost four inches larger than before).

 

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto feature here, but we had some issues maintaining a solid connection. Likewise, DAB (digital) radio tuning was difficult and the in-glass antenna weak – losing reception just 12km from the city centre.

 

That aside, we found the infotainment system quite straightforward and with terrific audio, especially when hooked up to a high-quality streaming service like Tidal.

 

Phone calls are likewise clear, the useful off-road pages further adding to what we think is one of the best off-road focused packages out-of-the-box.

 

Of course, that means the Wrangler rides like a boat, is noisy, and dynamically uncouth. If you want an SUV, buy one. If you want an off-roader, then you’ll find the Wrangler inexorably fit-for-purpose.

 

But it’s the engine that is and should be the highlight of the updated Wrangler. We never bonded with the unrefined, raucous, and inefficient Pentastar V6, and found its application in the Wrangler especially poor.

 

The outgoing 3.6-litre natmo V6 offered up 209kW at 6400rpm and 347Nm at 4100rpm, a torque band far too high for serious off-road work. By contrast, the undersquare GME (Global Medium Engine) T4 makes 200kW at 5250rpm and 400Nm at a more accessible 3000rpm.

 

Sure, the four-pot engine does not offer the most charismatic of soundtracks, Jeep’s engineers clearly taking little from the Alfa Romeo offering there, but with the windows up and the tunes playing, this little turbo mill feels right at home.

 

It’s far more flexible than the outgoing engine and much more responsive. It idles smoothly and fires quickly from rest. Acceleration is purposeful and linear, the eight-speed auto a refined and intelligent pairing which also aids in screwing down fuel consumption.

 

On test we managed just under the claim, the cluster reading 8.7L/100km upon handing back the keys.

 

The Wrangler feels a little tighter in terms of body control but is still a soft and ponderous on-roader, just as before. The braking action is appropriate though the level of steering assistance arguably too sharp for the job at hand, conspiring with the short wheelbase to feel abrupt around town.

 

Again, we emphasise that this level of agility will most likely be appreciated off road, it is not the progressively metered action of the Wrangler’s segment rivals. Think of it as steering like a LandCruiser 76 Series, Ineos Grenadier, or Mercedes-Benz G-Class and you’re on the right track.

 

And like those vehicles, we think you’d need a very specific use case to find the Jeep Wrangler necessary. If you’re into you’re off-roading, love to camp, hunt, or fish, or just like getting as far from civilisation as possible then the Wrangler makes a lot of sense.

 

But it remains a compromise around town, and is a vehicle that is hard to justify for the price – even if it’s a far better proposition than it’s arguably ever been.