History/Overview
The Jeep Wrangler needs little introduction given its long history of helping off-road enthusiasts crawl over and through terrain few other SUVs can manage. Jeep introduced the current generation of Wrangler in 2018.
What’s New/Key Changes From Last Year
The big news for 2021 is an all-new 4xe plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain that promises about 40 km of electric driving. Jeep has also added a diesel engine to the menu.
Other updates include a new TrailCam off-road camera system, and Wrangler’s Rubicon trim is now standard with Jeep’s Off-Road Plus powertrain management system.
The rest of the changes are in trim, including new 80th Anniversary and Islander packages.
Available Trims
Wrangler trims are Sport, Sport S, Sahara and Rubicon. Sport is only offered in two-door form, while Sahara comes only as the four-door Unlimited. Sport S and Rubicon can be had either way.
Engine choices are a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder (either on its own or with the 4xe PHEV setup), a 3.6L V6 (with or without an eTorque mild hybrid system), and a 3.0L turbodiesel V6. Wrangler’s transmission offerings are a six-speed manual and an eight-speed automatic. Four-wheel drive is standard, but certain trims come standard (or can be optioned) with off-road upgrades.
Standard Features
Sport trim comes standard with fog lights, underbody skid plates, 17-inch steel wheels, cloth upholstery, manual front seats, a 5.0-inch infotainment screen, an eight-speaker stereo, and manual windows/mirrors/door locks.
Sport S gains aluminum wheels, auto on/off headlights, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, a 7.0-inch touchscreen, a digital gauge cluster display, a leather-trimmed steering wheel, power windows/door locks, power/heated side mirrors, and air conditioning with automatic temperature control.
Sahara adds a 115-volt power outlet, 18-inch wheels, tubular side steps, a three-piece hardtop with rear wiper/defroster, dual-zone A/C, ambient cabin lighting, upgraded cloth upholstery, a garage door remote, and satellite radio.
Finally, Rubicon trim brings heavy-duty axles, locking differentials, an electronically disconnecting sway bar, and 17-inch wheels with all-terrain tires.
Key Options
The Willys Sport adds more rugged tires, upgraded shocks, and a limited slip rear differential. An uplevel Willys pack gains LED headlights
An Islander package bundles exterior decals, special seat trim, LED exterior lighting, and rock protection sill rails.
The 80th Anniversary option adds an 8.4-inch touchscreen, upgraded stereo, and LED headlights and fog lights.
A Sahara Altitude package gets leather seating.
Fuel Economy
The Wrangler’s diesel engine is the most economical of Jeep’s conventional offerings, with fuel consumption estimates of 10.6/8.1 L/100 km (city/highway) in two-door form and 11.2/9.0 in the Unlimited body style.
Next is the 2.0L turbo four-cylinder, at 10.7/9.8 L/100 km in the two-door Wrangler, and 11.5/9.9 for the Unlimited.
The 3.6L V6 with eTorque comes in at 12.0/9.8 L/100 km and 12.3/9.9 L/100 km in two- and four-door configurations, respectively.
Finally, the regular 3.6L V6 is rated 13.7/9.6 L/100 km in two-door models, and 13.8/10.1 in the larger Unlimited.
As of this writing, Jeep hadn’t finalized ratings for the PHEV 4xe powertrain, but its preliminary estimate is an energy consumption figure of 4.7 Le/100 km.
Competition
The Jeep Wrangler’s closest competitors are the Ford Bronco and Bronco Sport, both of which are new for the 2021 model year.
