Jeep Wrangler – What you need to know

Today’s Jeep Wrangler can trace its lineage back to the CJ (‘Civilian Jeep’) models of the 1940s. But the latest Wrangler features plenty of good gear from the 21st Century.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) Australia sells the Jeep Wrangler here in an all-automatic six-variant range. Both the entry-level Jeep Wrangler Sport S and the mid-spec Wrangler Overland are available in short-wheelbase two-door and long-wheelbase ‘Unlimited’ four-door variants.

All four of these variants are powered by a petrol V6 carried over from the previous Wrangler. At the top of the range is the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon, which is long-wheelbase only, but offering the option of a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder.

Those are your six choices, and here’s how to decide on the right pick...

The base-grade Jeep Wrangler Sport S is fitted as standard with these items:

Auto-on, manual-levelling halogen headlights with daytime running lights
17-inch alloy wheels
Waterproof engine-start button
7.0-inch infotainment touch-screen
Eight-speaker audio
Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration
Multi-function steering wheel
Dual-zone climate control
Trip computer with 7.0-inch display
Power windows

Across the three-tier Jeep Wrangler range, the options vary in number and pricing. Starting with the Jeep Wrangler Sport S, the options are metallic paint ($745), dual top ($2250 for a hard-top roof in addition to the standard soft-top) and Off-Road Pack ($1950).

Moving up to the Jeep Wrangler Overland, the sole option is the metallic paint ($745). At the summit of the range, the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon incurs luxury car tax on its selection of options. To illustrate, metallic paint costs $975 at this level.

Other options for the Wrangler Rubicon are: Luxury Package ($2535), steel front bumper ($1625), body-coloured hard top ($1950), dual top with premium material for the soft top ($3575) and 17-inch alloy wheels with polished lip ($950).

It has to be said, the Jeep Wrangler is not at the cutting edge of safety technology. After receiving a lowly one-star safety rating, the Wrangler was re-assessed by ANCAP and achieved a three-star result. If a crash won’t hurt you though, then fire might. Hopefully the recall will resolve that problem.

Presumably, at any rate, buyers who are committed to buying a Wrangler are well aware of the risks. The Wrangler does come with hill start assist, hill descent control, roll mitigation and trailer sway control – all of which are features that will keep you safe doing things for which the Wrangler was designed.

While the Jeep Wrangler does offer autonomous emergency braking, forward collision warning, blind spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, none of these features are available in the entry-level Wrangler Sport S.

The most affordable Wrangler trim level does at least feature a reversing camera and rear parking sensors. All Wrangler variants are fitted with four airbags and tyre pressure monitoring.

The very earliest Jeeps were optionally fitted with wireless comms, when that meant a two-way radio set for use by battlefield commanders. Today’s Jeep users rely on Bluetooth to communicate with their troops from their forward position in the Wrangler. The Jeep Wrangler has this, along with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto – right across the range.

Smartphones and the eight-speaker audio system – including digital radio DAB+ and USB/Aux ports – are operable through a 7.0-inch touch-screen in the basic Wrangler Sport S. If you want satellite navigation as well – and what sort of general doesn’t these days? – you’ll have to fork out extra for the Wrangler Overland or Rubicon.

With a larger touch-screen (8.4 inches) that comes with the navigation, the Wrangler Overland and Rubicon also offer a nine-speaker Alpine audio system with subwoofer and – in the case of the Wrangler Rubicon only – active noise cancellation.

A durable black fabric adorns the seats of the Wrangler Sport S, with the same material in tan also offered. If it’s leather you want, set your sights on the Wrangler Overland.

The Wrangler Rubicon provides what Jeep refers to as ‘premium cloth’, but leather is available in the Wrangler flagship, by opting for the luxury pack (see above, under Options) and choosing one of two colours, black or ‘Dark Saddle’.

Heating for the front seats and steering wheel is standard in the Wrangler Overland, but once again, that’s available only as part of the optional luxury pack in the Wrangler Rubicon.

The seats are manually adjustable only, speaking to the Wrangler’s ethos of going off-road and fording deep water with less to go wrong – including electric seat adjustment. That’s why there’s no pressing and holding a switch for the seat to move into place electrically.

If you need a split-folding rear seat, forget about the short-wheelbase models; only the ‘Unlimited’ four-door models offer this feature.

Prefer to have a standard hard-top roof? The Wrangler Overland delivers that, although the more affordable Wrangler Sport S offers that as part of its ‘dual top’ option (see above). Other features that are available in the mid-range models include keyless entry, front parking sensors and 18-inch alloy wheels.

If you’re purchasing the Wrangler to head bush every weekend, the high-spec Wrangler Rubicon is the right choice. It’s the only variant available with the diesel engine, it comes standard with the ‘Rock-Trac’ off-road drivetrain system, plus locking diffs front and rear, disconnectable front anti-roll bar, heavy-duty axles, 32-inch BF Goodrich off-road tyres, remote starting and a 230-Volt power outlet.

It may miss out on the standard leather, but it has a lot of kit to make up for that – and it’s the sort of equipment that real.

There’s essentially just one powertrain choice for the Jeep Wrangler, unless your budget extends to nearly $71,000 for the one Wrangler variant that offers a diesel.

All the other variants are powered by the same 3.6-litre petrol V6, developing 209kW and 347Nm. The engine drives through an eight-speed automatic transmission to a part-time, dual-range four-wheel drive system. There’s no manual transmission option.

The 2.2-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder is only available as an extra-charge alternative to the petrol V6 in the high-grade Wrangler Rubicon. Sourced from Fiat, the four-pot diesel produces 147kW and 450Nm. Like the V6, the diesel also drives through an eight-speed automatic.

Are you a hard-core Jeep enthusiast? Do you plan to take your Wrangler out into the wilds every single weekend? Chances are you’ll want everything the Wrangler Rubicon has to offer, including the diesel engine.

For everyone else, however, the Wrangler Unlimited Overland is more than enough Wrangler to satisfy the off-roader in us.

It comes with the practicality of extra rear-seat legroom the short-wheelbase Wrangler lacks, and features the luxury of leather upholstery, heated front seats, upgraded audio system, satellite navigation, keyless entry, larger alloy wheels – without those noisy, knobby BF Goodrich tyres on the Wrangler Rubicon – and the removable hard-top roof. There is also the added safety of front parking sensors, blind spot monitoring and rear-cross traffic alert.

As comfortable as a Wrangler can be on the road, this one gets there, and that final miniscule vestige of off-road ability the Wrangler Overland lacks probably won’t be much missed anyway.

How much does the Jeep Wrangler cost?
Sport S two-door – $48,950
Unlimited Sport S four-door – $53,450
Overland two-door – $59,450
Unlimited Overland four-door – $63,950
Unlimited Rubicon four-door (petrol) – $65,450
Unlimited Rubicon four-door (diesel) – $70,950
* Prices exclude on-road costs