Item: Jeep Wrangler
Rating: 2
Author: Steve Huntingford

The sole engine available in the Wrangler is a turbocharged petrol engine producing 268bhp. This drives all four wheels via an automatic gearbox, with a 0-62mph time of 7.3sec.

2.0 GME

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 entry-level Wrangler comes with plenty of equipment, including 18in alloy wheels, LED headlights, an 8.4in touchscreen infotainment system with Apple Carplay and Android Auto, a nine-speaker sound system and adaptive cruise control.

Sahara

2.0 GME Sahara 4dr Auto8

20-gme-sahara-4dr-auto8

Alfa Romeo Stelvio

Audi Q5

BMW X3

BMW X3 M Competition

BMW X4

Citroën C5 Aircross

Ford Kuga

Genesis GV70

Honda CR-V

Hyundai Santa Fe

Jaguar F-Pace

Jeep Wrangler

Kia Sorento

Land Rover Defender

Land Rover Discovery Sport

MG HS

Mazda CX-60

Mercedes GLB

Mercedes GLC

New DS 7

New Nissan X-Trail

Peugeot 5008

Range Rover Velar

Seat Tarraco

Skoda Kodiaq

Ssangyong Rexton

Subaru Forester

Suzuki Across

Toyota Highlander

Toyota Land Cruiser

Toyota RAV4

Volkswagen Tiguan Allspace

Volvo XC60

Introduction

Interior

Passenger & boot space

Costs & verdict

The two-door Jeep Wrangler isn't a cheap off roader like the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/suzuki/jimny/4x4/used-review/n20529">Suzuki Jimny</a>. In fact it costs more than some of the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/best-large-suvs-2022/n17006">best SUVs</a>, such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q5/4x4/review/n41">Audi Q5</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/x3/4x4/review/n42">BMW X3</a>. The slightly pricier four-door version is worth considering for its added practicality.

The official WLTP combined fuel economy figure of 26.2mpg will be beaten by most of the Wrangler’s rivals, while its 243g/km CO2 output mean it attracts the&nbsp;highest <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/company-car-tax-calculator">company car tax rate</a>.

Entry-level Sahara trim comes with plenty of kit as standard, including climate control, ambient interior lighting, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and adaptive cruise control. There’s also an Alpine audio system with eight speakers, and steering-wheel mounted controls.

Stepping up to Overland adds leather upholstery and heated front seats. Top-level Rubicon adds a heavy duty alternator and extra off-road components.

In terms of safety, the Wrangler did badly when it was tested by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/the-safest-cars-on-sale-today/n19724">Euro NCAP</a> in 2018, getting just one star out of five. The low score was influenced by its limited impact protection and lack of&nbsp;driver assistance technology.

Blind-spot monitoring does now come&nbsp;as standard, as well as front collision warning, but you won’t find lane-keeping assist. It should be pointed out that the rival&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/land-cruiser/4x4/review/n17251">Toyota Land Cruiser</a>&nbsp;hasn’t been safety tested at all.

The Jeep Wrangler is a car where off-road capability rather dominates the driving experience. On a road, those big and&nbsp;heavy axles amplify the effect of imperfect surfaces and cause it to shimmy over the surface.

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.

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/land-rover/defender/4x4/review/n21198">Land Rover Defender</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/land-cruiser/4x4/review/n17251">Toyota Land Cruiser</a> both feel far more luxurious in comparison, isolating you from bumps far better than the Wrangler, and with less noise filtering into the cabin.

There’s only one engine available: a 268bhp 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol, which comes with a standard eight-speed <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/which-type-of-automatic-gearbox-should-i-buy/n17022">automatic gearbox</a>.&nbsp;It’s quiet and smooth, but&nbsp;while power is plentiful,&nbsp;it’s delivered rather abruptly. The official 0-62mph time is a mere 7.2 seconds.

Through a combination of lag while the turbocharger kicks in and a pause before the automatic gearbox responds, it requires a level of patience and planning if you plan to make a gap in traffic.

When you turn the steering wheel,&nbsp;there's a noticeable pause before the car starts to change direction, and you find yourself sawing at the wheel because of the&nbsp;slack deliberately built into the system.

Even moderate cornering speed is enough to overwhelm the grip reserves of the car’s chunky tyres and make the traction control system intervene by cutting engine power. That's especially true with the off-road-biased tyres fitted to Rubicon models.

By the time the system is happy that traction has been restored, you might already be approaching the next corner. The Wrangler is not a car you’ll want to drive quickly – trust us, we tried and won’t be doing it again.

You’ll find the Wrangler far more at home on squelchier surfaces. For this, it has a&nbsp;lever on the centre console that takes you from two to four-wheel drive and allows you to switch&nbsp;between different four-wheel drive modes. It’s a good deal stiffer to move than the gear lever, but that feels in keeping with the car's overall sense of toughness.

Indeed, unlike the majority of <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/best-large-suvs-2022/n17006">SUVs</a>&nbsp;you see on the road today, the Wrangler has been designed to take on the very worst that 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. The low-range gearbox gives you finer control of the accelerator pedal at low speeds and multiplies the engine’s torque for steep slopes.

The Rubicon version maximises the Wrangler's all-terrain potential. As well as chunkier tyres, you get locking front and rear differentials to improve traction on slippery surfaces, as well as detachable anti-roll bars that allow even more suspension travel. Put simply, there are few off-road cars that are quite as capable straight out of the showroom.

OUR PICK

Fuel 

Gearbox

0-62 MPH

http://example.com

2.0 GME petrol

20-gme

It’s all very well, this army of new SUVs 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 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 Jeep Wrangler might be right up your farm track.

Like the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/land-cruiser/4x4/review/n17251">Toyota Land Cruiser</a> and the far more expensive <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/g-class/4x4/review/n180">Mercedes 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.

<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/jeep">Jeep</a> has also given the Wrangler two selectable four-wheel-drive ratios that are engaged with a big, forceful lever for added Indiana Jones effect. There’s even the option of taking&nbsp;the roof off – yes, off – for the wind-in-your-hair feel of being on&nbsp;safari.

Can the Jeep Wrangler live up to modern expectations of ride and handling combined with usability that the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/best-large-suvs-2022/n17006">best large&nbsp;SUVs</a> offer?

Over the next few pages, this review will tell you all you need to know about its performance and practicality, what it’s like inside and what it’ll cost to run. We'll cover the two-door short wheelbase version and the four-door long wheelbase&nbsp;model.

If you’re already sold on the Jeep Wrangler’s rugged looks and want to buy one – or indeed a new car of any make and model – you could find some tempting savings by using our free <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals">What Car? New Car Buying service</a>. It has plenty of <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals/make/jeep">new Jeep deals</a>.

If you appreciate a commanding driving position, you’ll enjoy being behind the wheel of the Jeep Wrangler. You step up into a comfortable seat, with a great view down the long bonnet and on to the road ahead.

Annoyingly, though, there’s no space for your left foot because of an intruding central console. You’re forced into quite an unnatural position that can get uncomfortable after a while.

The Wrangler is a big beast, but managing its size is easier than you might expect. The wheel arches clearly mark out the sides of the car and the&nbsp;lofty driver’s perch and big windows aid all-round visibility. You also get a reversing camera and parking sensors fitted as standard for extra help. The sensors are particularly helpful because of the way the bumpers sticks out.&nbsp;

The Wrangler's dashboard is a mix of&nbsp;old and new school. Entry-level Sahara models come with a configurable 7.0in LCD display between the dials in front of the driver. You also get the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/make/jeep">Jeep</a>&nbsp;8.4in touchscreen infotainment system, with navigation and European maps, <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-apple-carplay/n1193">Apple CarPlay</a> and <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/owning/what-is-android-auto/n1194">Android Auto</a> smartphone mirroring included.

Both screens have sharp graphics, while the touchscreen is responsive and within close reach. Our only complaint is that some of the menu lists are quite extensive, meaning the option you want can be hard to find. That's not helped by the use of small text.

The <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/land-rover/defender/4x4/review/n21198">Land Rover Defender</a> infotainment system is far simpler to use, but the Wrangler beats the confusing and slow system in the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/land-cruiser/4x4/review/n17251">Toyota Land Cruiser</a>.

As well as the usual functionality, there are off-road-specific pages on both displays that can show the angle you’re driving at, the temperatures of the mechanical gubbins beneath you and other useful information.

Interior quality has certainly improved since the previous-generation&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/jeep/wrangler/4x4/used-review/n19040">(2007-2018) Jeep Wrangler</a>. There’s soft-touch plastic around the centre console and on the door handles, a supple leather steering wheel and solid-feeling switches. Sahara models&nbsp;even get a leather-wrapped dashboard panel.

Sure, it’s no <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/q5/4x4/review/n41">Audi Q5</a>&nbsp;–&nbsp;but that <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/best-large-suvs-2022/n17006">SUV</a> can’t claim to have an interior you can hose mud out of…

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 <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mini/countryman/hatchback/review/n71">Mini Countryman</a> and a four-door, long-wheelbase version that’s similar in size to a <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bmw/x5/4x4/review/n38">BMW X5</a>.

Both variants have plenty of room up front, with lots of space between the 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.

There's a bigger difference between the two variants in the back. In the two-door Wrangler, there's&nbsp;enough leg room for kids and shorter adults, and plenty of headroom for all. In the four-door model, back-seat passengers get loads more room – even your lankiest chums should be comfy.

If you’re hoping for a seven-seat option, you’ll have to look at the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/land-rover/defender/4x4/review/n21198">Land Rover Defender</a> 110 or <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/toyota/land-cruiser/4x4/review/n17251">Toyota Land Cruiser</a> with their fold-away seats in the boot.

The boot size varies even more. The two-door version has the cargo-carrying capacity of a small&nbsp;car, while the four-door has well over twice as much space.&nbsp;The back seats fold down with both body styles, but they don't fold flat.

There's another option for bulky loads or a bit of al-fresco motoring.&nbsp;The standard three-piece roof design lets you take the top section off for a certain amount of wind-in-your-hair driving, and allows you to&nbsp;carry awkward loads that would be impossible to accommodate with the roof in place. You can also go fully roofless.

You can also choose a canvas top – which can be folded back like a sunroof or removed entirely –&nbsp;or an electrically retractable canvas top that provides a full-length sunroof. If those options don’t feel adventurous enough for you, you can even remove the Wrangler's doors and fold down the windscreen.

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

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

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;

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Buying advice for the Jeep Wrangler covering running costs, MPG, Fuel Economy, Reliability and Safety, from the expert What Car? review team.

The two-door Jeep Wrangler isn't a cheap off roader like the Suzuki Jimny. In fact it costs more than some of the best SUVs, such as the Audi Q5 and BMW X3. The slightly pricier four-door version is worth considering for its added practicality.,The official WLTP combined fuel economy figure of 26.2mpg will be beaten by most of the Wrangler’s rivals, while its 243g/km CO2 output mean it attracts the highest company car tax rate.,Entry-level Sahara trim comes with plenty of kit as standard, including climate control, ambient interior lighting, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and adaptive cruise control. There’s also an Alpine audio system with eight speakers, and steering-wheel mounted controls.Stepping up to Overland adds leather upholstery and heated front seats. Top-level Rubicon adds a heavy duty alternator and extra off-road components.In terms of safety, the Wrangler did badly when it was tested by Euro NCAP in 2018, getting just one star out of five. The low score was influenced by its limited impact protection and lack of driver assistance technology.,Blind-spot monitoring does now come as standard, as well as front collision warning, but you won’t find lane-keeping assist. It should be pointed out that the rival Toyota Land Cruiser hasn’t been safety tested at all.,

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