Item: Jeep Wrangler
Rating: 2
Author: What Car? Team

Alfa Romeo Stelvio

Audi Q5

BMW X3

BMW X3 M Competition

BMW X4

Citroën C5 Aircross

DS 7 Crossback

Ford Edge

Ford Kuga

Genesis GV70

Honda CR-V

Hyundai Santa Fe

Jaguar F-Pace

Jeep Wrangler

Kia Sorento

Land Rover Defender

Land Rover Discovery Sport

Lexus NX

MG HS

Mazda CX-5

Mercedes GLB

Mercedes GLC

Mitsubishi Outlander

Mitsubishi Shogun Sport

Nissan X-Trail

Peugeot 5008

Seat Tarraco

Skoda Kodiaq

Ssangyong Rexton

Subaru Forester

Toyota Highlander

Toyota Land Cruiser

Toyota RAV4

Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace

Volvo XC60

Introduction

Performance & drive

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

The two-door Jeep Wrangler isn't a cheap off roader like the Suzuki Jimny; in fact it&nbsp;costs more than&nbsp;some versions of premium SUV rivals, such as the Audi Q5 and BMW X3.&nbsp;There's&nbsp;little difference in list price between petrol and diesel variants, and&nbsp;the slightly pricier four-door Unlimited is worth considering for its added practicality.

It’s likely that the diesel engine will leave you with more money in your pocket in the long-run, though; its <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/what-are-wltp-and-rde-new-fuel-tests-explained/n1223">WLTP combined fuel economy figures</a> suggest that up to 30.4mpg is possible, compared to 26.4 for the petrol. Both engines emit 192g/km of CO2, and will make company car users liable for the highest rate of <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/check-your-company-car-tax-rate/n1255">Benefit-in-Kind tax</a>.

Entry-level Sahara trim comes with plenty of kit as standard, including climate control, ambient interior lighting, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, cruise control and a rear parking camera. There’s also an Alpine audio system with eight speakers, and steering-wheel mounted controls.

Stepping up to Overland adds leather upholstery, heated front seats and blind spot monitoring, while top-level Rubicon adds a heavy duty alternator and the additional off-road components mentioned earlier, but blind spot monitoring is relegated to the options list.

The Jeep Wrangler received one of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/what-are-the-safest-cars-on-sale-today/n3387">EuroNCAP’s</a> lowest safety ratings when tested in 2018. It was awarded just one star, with limited impact protection and little in the way of driver assistance technology as factors that influenced its low score. It should be pointed out, though, that the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/land-cruiser/4x4/review/n17251">Toyota Land Cruiser</a>, its key rival, hasn’t been safety tested at all.

The Jeep Wrangler is a car whose off-road capability rather dominates its driving experience. On tarmac, those big, heavy axles amplify the effect of imperfect surfaces and cause the Wrangler to shimmy over the road.

It’s never downright uncomfortable, but it feels a little uncontrolled and you have to make constant steering inputs just to keep the car going in a straight line. The chunky tyres also generate plenty of road roar, which adds to the wind noise generated by the Wrangler’s boxy body – something especially noticeable in canvas-roofed variants.

There’s a choice of two engines: a 197bhp 2.2-litre <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/do-i-choose-petrol-or-diesel/n1110">diesel</a> or a 268bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol, both of which come with a standard eight-speed <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/which-type-of-automatic-gearbox-should-i-buy/n17022">automatic gearbox</a>. The diesel has a reasonable amount of punch, getting the Wrangler up to motorway speeds without too much fuss, although the much lighter two-door version unsurprisingly feels a lot sprightlier than the four-door model.

Thankfully, it's a lot quieter than the previous 2.8-litre diesel, although it still sounds gravelly even while cruising and transmits more than a few vibrations through the controls. We’ve no real complaints about the eight-speed automatic gearbox, though. Whether you’re creeping up the side of a mountain or trying to overtake on the motorway, it’s almost always in the right gear and shifts smoothly.

The 2.0-litre, turbocharged petrol engine, though, is an unhappy match for the Wrangler or its gearbox. It’s quiet and smooth, but, while power is plentiful – 0-62mph officially takes a mere 7.2 seconds – it’s delivered rather abruptly.

Through a combination of lag while the turbocharger kicks in and a pause before the automatic gearbox responds, it’s not the easiest car to drive smoothly if you want to get a move on.

Unless faster straight-line acceleration is all-important to you, the diesel is a far more logical engine for the Wrangler. And, if much of your driving is on winding country roads, you’ll find that much of the petrol’s extra power goes to waste anyway.

Turn the steering wheel and there's a noticeable pause before the car starts to change direction, and you find yourself sawing at the wheel due to the slack deliberately built into the system.

Even moderate cornering speed is enough to overwhelm the grip reserves of the car’s chunky tyres – especially on the off-road-biased rubber fitted to Rubicon models – and has the traction control system intervening by cutting engine power, particularly with the more powerful petrol engine.

By the time the system is happy that traction has been restored, you may already be approaching the next corner. The Jeep Wrangler is not a car you’ll want to drive quickly; trust us, we tried and won’t be doing it again.

Steer off the blacktop and on to squelchier surfaces and you’ll find the Wrangler far more at home, and the diesel’s superior low-down pulling power will be appreciated when transitioning between motorway and mountain, too. For this, you use the second centre-console lever: it takes you from two to four-wheel drive and switches between the different four-wheel drive modes.

It’s a good deal stiffer to move than the gear lever, but this feels in keeping with the Wrangler’s tough underpinnings. Indeed, unlike the majority of SUVs that you see on the road today, the Wrangler has been designed to take on the very worst that Mother Nature can throw at it. Every model gets low-range gearing, long-travel suspension and vast amounts of ground clearance.

Once you select four-wheel drive, you can lock the centre differential so the front and rear axles get equal amounts of power at all times, while the low-range gearbox gives you finer control at low speeds and multiplies the engine’s torque for steep slopes.

The Rubicon goes even further to maximise the Jeep Wrangler's&nbsp;all-terrain potential. As well as chunkier tyres, you get locking front and rear differentials to give even more traction on slippery surfaces, as well as detachable ‘sway bars’ (anti-roll bars to those who speak English) that allow even more suspension travel. Put simply, there are few off-road cars that are quite as capable straight out of the showroom.

Fuel 

Gearbox

0-62 MPH

We have yet to try this variant. 


http://example.com

2.0 GME petrol

It’s all very well, this army of new&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/category/large-suv">SUVs</a> coming along with their four-wheel drive, hill descent control and rugged-looking bodywork in an attempt to be seen as hardy, capable, off-road machines. In reality, though, many so-called sport utility vehicles&nbsp;aren’t much more than hatchbacks on tiptoes.

Of course, such cars still do the job for those who spend 99% of their time on the road. But a small proportion of drivers still need something that can haul itself up a mountain without breaking into a sweat. If you’re one of those, the&nbsp;Jeep&nbsp;Wrangler might be right up your farm track.

<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PAMGwqGJVKM"></iframe>

Like the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/land-cruiser/4x4/review/n17251">Toyota Land Cruiser</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mitsubishi/shogun/4x4/review/n17561">Mitsubishi Shogun</a>&nbsp;and the far more expensive&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/g-class/4x4/review/n180">Mercedes-Benz G-Class</a>, the Wrangler is designed to be at least as comfortable off the road as it is on it. That means you get an old-school ladder-frame chassis with the body bolted on top, as well as ‘live’ axles front and rear.

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/jeep">Jeep</a> also has two selectable four-wheel drive ratios that are engaged with a big, forceful lever for added Indiana Jones effect, and there’s even the option to take the roof off – yes, off –&nbsp;for the wind-in-your-hair feel of an African safari.

But can the Wrangler live up to modern expectations of ride and handling combined with practical usability? Over the next few pages, this review will tell you all you need to know,&nbsp;along with what it’s like inside and what it’ll cost to run.

If you’re already sold on the Jeep Wrangler’s rugged looks and are looking to buy one – or indeed a new car of any make and model – you could find some tempting savings by using the free What Car?&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals/configure/jeep/wrangler/4x4/">New Car Buying</a>&nbsp;service.

If you appreciate a commanding driving position, you’ll love the Jeep Wrangler’s. You step up into a comfortable seat, with a great view down the long bonnet and onto the road ahead. Annoyingly, though, there’s no place for your left foot at all due to an intruding central console. You’re forced into quite an unnatural position that can get uncomfortable after a while.

Despite being a big beast, managing its size is easier than you might expect, thanks to how the wheel arches clearly mark out the sides of the car. That lofty driver’s perch and big windows aid all-round visibility, too, with a reversing camera and parking sensors optional for extra help.

On the dashboard, things are a mixture of old and new school. Even entry-level Sahara models come with a configurable 7.0in LCD&nbsp;display between the dials in front of the driver, as&nbsp;well as Jeep’s biggest 8.4in touchscreen infotainment system, with navigation and European maps, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone mirroring included.

Both screens have pin-sharp graphics, while the touchscreen is responsive and has menus that are easy enough to fathom. Our only complaints are that there are no physical shortcut buttons and some icons are a little small.

As well as the usual functionality, there are off-road-specific pages on both displays that can show vital statistics such as the angle you’re driving at and the temperatures of the mechanical gubbins underneath you.

Interior quality has certainly been improved compared to the previous Wrangler. There’s soft-touch plastic around the centre console and on the door handles, a supple leather steering wheel, solid-feeling switches and even a leather-wrapped dashboard panel on Sahara models. Sure, it’s no <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q5/4x4/review/n41">Audi Q5</a>, but the german SUV can’t claim to have an interior you can hose mud out of..

Although we’ve been impressed so far, lesser Sport models get a smaller touchscreen and fewer bits of plush trim. We’ll have to get our hands on one of those to know exactly how good the Jeep Wrangler is at that lower price point.

Jeep only makes SUVs, but it has plenty of them for you to choose from. So, whether you want something rugged enough to ford streams and climb mountains, or a more luxurious and family-friendly car, it has something to suit you.

Despite its all-American image, Jeep is actually owned by Fiat, meaning Jeeps often share parts with cars from the Italian giant; the entry-level Renegade, for example, has plenty in common with Fiat’s 500X.

However, perhaps the most widely recognised Jeep is the Wrangler, a model that has a dedicated fan base and which closely resembles the original Jeep which saw service in World War 2.

The brand’s future plans include new small and large SUVs, plus the introduction of fully electric models.

JEEP

WRANGLER

The Jeep Wrangler is a car you buy with your heart rather than your head. Its iconic looks are great, but it lags a long way behind rivals in just about every area

Unlike the overwhelming majority of cars we review, we almost have to write two entries for this section. You see, the Jeep Wrangler is available in two lengths – a two-door, short-wheelbase model that’s about an inch and a half longer than the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mini/countryman/hatchback/review/n71">Mini Countryman</a>&nbsp;and a four-door, long-wheelbase version that’s similar in size to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/x5/4x4/review/n38">BMW X5</a>.

Both variants have plenty of room up front, with plenty of room between driver and passenger although some occupants might feel a little pushed up against the door. Oddment storage isn’t bad at the front, with a big central cubby and trays on the dash, but the mesh door pockets are pretty useless.

Move to the rear and two-door owners will find enough leg room for kids and shorter adults, and plenty of headroom for all. Those with a four-door model get tonnes more room, so even your lankiest chums shouldn’t find their knees around their ears.

It’s the amount of boot space that varies the most between short and long-wheelbase models. Opt for the former and you’ll only find city-car levels of cargo-carrying capacity, while the latter has well over twice as much space. You can fold the rear bench on both, but this leaves a load bay that’s far from flat.

There is another option for particularly bulky loads or a bit of al fresco motoring – three roof designs are available and all allow a certain amount of wind-in-you-hair driving, or to carry awkward loads that would be impossible to carry with the roof in place. Many will no doubt opt for the hard top for maximum weather protection, but this still has removable panels. Alternatively, it can be unbolted completely if you want to go fully roofless.

You can also choose a canvas top, which can be folded back like a sunroof or removed entirely, or an electrically retractable canvas top that provides a full-length sunroof. And if those options don’t offer enough adventure, you can remove the Jeep Wrangler's doors and even fold down the windscreen.

Upping to Overland adds leather upholstery, heated front seats and blind spot monitoring. There’s also silver accents on the exterior styling, such as on the door mirrors and headlamp bezels. Polished aluminium alloy wheels are also included. 

Overland

overland

Sahara

sahara

As well as chunkier tyres, Rubicon adds locking front and rear differentials to give even more traction on slippery surfaces, as well as detachable anti-roll bars that allow even more suspension travel. 


Rubicon

rubicon

80th Anniversary

80th-anniversary

The iconic Jeep Wrangler is a car you buy with your heart rather than your head, unless you have a rugged future mapped out for it. It looks great and has enough standard equipment to match some more premium large SUVs, and its off-road prowess can’t be denied, either. However, on the road, it lags a long way behind rivals in just about every area. 

<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Plenty of space for all passengers</li> <li>Large boot with lots of clever storage solutions</li> <li>Good fuel economy and running costs</li> <li>All-round comfort</li> <li>High-quality interior finish</li></ul>

We define a large SUV as anything longer than 4.5 metres. These cars aren’t usually particularly cheap to buy or lease, so in return we expect a roomy cabin, a lengthy list of standard equipment and excellent cruising refinement. A few models in this class are two-wheel drive, but the vast majority have four-wheel drive for at least a modicum of off-road ability.

The Mazda CX-5 is firmly road-focused, but its 2.0-litre petrol engine is a strong, refined performer, making it looks good value for less than&nbsp;£25k. If you can stretch the budget a fair bit, the Audi Q5 provides a combination of comfort, driving prowess, quality and space that's hard to beat. Unlike some rivals, it can't be had with seven seats, though.

A more affordable, yet well-equipped alternative is the Peugeot 5008. It’s more than capable of coping with family life&nbsp;– and all versions have seven seats as standard.&nbsp;

Save £££s now - hot deals

Jeep Wrangler review

Kia Sorento

Peugeot 5008

Costs & verdict

Everyday costs, plus how reliable and safe it is

What Car? has a buying service

Quick search

Tools & services

Legal bits

Information