2024 Jeep Wrangler Review and Test Drive
The popular all-purpose off-roader gets a refresh.
Ron Sessions
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Long before SUVs became the United States' de facto grocery-getters, the World War II-era Willys MB morphed into the rugged four-wheel-drive vehicle now known as the Jeep Wrangler. Today, the instantly recognizable Wrangler forms the centerpiece of the Jeep brand, and Automotive News reports that it is the second bestselling Jeep in the U.S.
To keep its cash cow competitive with new rivals such as the revived Ford Bronco and Land Rover Defender models, the 2024 Jeep Wrangler gets several updates. Highlights include a next-generation infotainment system with a larger touchscreen display and an integrated Trail Guide, upgraded safety and advanced driving assistance systems, stronger available axles with higher tow ratings, plus a new grille design for most models. With the Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid, owners can use a new optional Power Box to power campsites and even homes using the Jeep's battery pack.
The 4xe plug-in hybrid powertrain pairs a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder gas engine with an eTorque belt-drive generator/motor and an integrated transmission traction motor for a combined 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. According to Jeep, you can recharge the battery pack and drive on electricity alone for 21 miles before the Wrangler 4xe switches to gas-electric hybrid operation.
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Other powertrain choices include a standard 3.6-liter V6 (285 horsepower and 260 lb-ft), an available turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder (270 horses and 295 lb-ft), and a stout 6.4-liter V8 exclusive to the Rubicon 392 model that makes 470-horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. Jeep has dropped the 3.0-liter turbodiesel V6 engine from the lineup.
All powertrains match with an eight-speed automatic transmission and part-time or full-time four-wheel drive. The six-speed manual transmission is still available with some versions of the 2023 Wrangler, but only with the standard 3.6-liter V6.
In addition to those changes, a lower-priced Sport S version of the 4xe debuts, and you can now get the Wrangler in a new Rubicon X specification. In total, there are eight trim levels available, including Sport, Sport S, Willys, Sahara, Rubicon, High Altitude (4xe only), Rubicon X, and Rubicon 392. Depending on your selection, you can get a new Wrangler in a two-door or a four-door body style. Base prices range from the mid-$30,000s to the high $80,000s, including the destination charge to ship the SUV from the Toledo, Ohio, factory that builds it to your local dealership.
For this 2024 Jeep Wrangler review, I test-drove two versions of the SUV in the St. George, Utah, region. The first was a Willys two-door with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, and the second was a Rubicon 392 four-door model with a V8 powerplant. Including options and the $1,795 destination charge, the manufacturer's suggested retail price for the Willys came to $48,500, including the accessory tube-frame doors ($825). The Rubicon 392 stickered for $95,945. Jeep provided the vehicles for this Wrangler review and paid for airfare, lodging, and meals during the evaluation period.
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Wrangler Redesign Gets Gorilla Glass and No Whip Antenna
Aside from its unique, purpose-built shape, the other primary Wrangler identifier is its distinctive seven-bar grille. For 2024, Jeep adds a new one to all but the Wrangler Sport and Sport S models. This is partly to update the SUV's look. The revised grille also accommodates a new integrated, factory-installed Warn winch option and its related front bumper and mounting hardware. The winch can reel in up to 8,000 pounds and is available on the Rubicon, Rubicon X, and Rubicon 392 models.
Also, Wrangler fans will note that all models switch from a mast antenna to one built into the windshield glass. Aside from less air-rush noise, Jeep says benefits include keeping the antenna from getting caught in tree branches or car-wash brushes.
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The windshield glass itself gets an upgrade for 2024. All Wrangler models except the base Sport trim feature a Corning Gorilla Glass windshield using cellphone-screen technology that Jeep says is more resistant to cracks, chips, and fractures from stones and other off-road debris.
More notable updates are in the cabin, where you'll find a new horizontal-themed instrument panel layout and a 12.3-inch infotainment screen. Jeep carries over most of the Wrangler's sturdy switchgear from the 2023 model.
Storage up front is still on the stingy side. There's a small glovebox, two front cupholders, and a bin under the center armrest. This year, Jeep added two new cubbies atop the dashboard for stashing small items. A new passenger grab bar also debuts.
Part of the adventure of driving a Jeep Wrangler is getting in and out. Small doors and the elevated ride height make it challenging. But in the 2024 Wrangler Sahara, High Altitude, and Rubicon models, getting comfortable once you sit in the front seats is easier. For the first time, 12-way power-adjustable front seats are available. Jeep assured me that the new power front seats have sealed electrical elements designed to function in the wet and to accommodate the Wrangler's ability to ford through 34 inches of water.
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The High Altitude, Rubicon X, and Rubicon 392 also get an enhanced acoustic package with thicker front glass, carpeting, and sound-deadening foam-filled cavities for quieter running at highway speeds. Jeep says the cabin is now up to five decibels quieter.
However, except for the upgraded Gorilla Glass windshield, the Willys I tested got none of those improvements. With its square shape, flat side glass, modest roof insulation, and aggressive-tread all-terrain tires, the Wrangler Willys still has more road noise, wind rush, and intruding ambient traffic sounds than just about every other modern SUV I've driven. And the Rubicon 392 wasn't much quieter. But it's all part of the Jeeping experience.
Cargo space remains the same as last year. With the two-door Wrangler, maximum cargo space measures 12.9 cu-ft behind the rear seat and 31.7 cu-ft with the rear seat tumbled forward. The four-door accommodates 31.7 cu-ft behind the rear seat and 72.4 cu-ft with the back seat folded down.
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Improved Voice Recognition Joins Jeep's Tech
One area where the Jeep Wrangler had fallen behind the Ford Bronco is technology. The 2024 Wrangler partially settles that score with a 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen in all trims, running the latest Uconnect 5 software. That tops Ford's standard 8.0-inch and optional 12.0-inch screens.
Jeep redesigned the Wrangler's instrument panel to make room for the big screen, rearranging the face-level climate-control vents in the center of the dash. The company also worked on new backlighting technology to help make the screen as bright and legible as possible in a vehicle that's often driven with an open top and sometimes without doors. The added brightness helps, but what would also aid readability on the fly would be larger type fonts and the use of brighter, higher-contrast colors.
Console space is limited in the new Wrangler, but drivers can avoid the clutter of USB cables because the 2024 Wrangler has standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity. You can pair two phones simultaneously, and the system can store as many as five user profiles.
Despite the move to the big screen, the new Wrangler infotainment system continues to use large, meaty, physical analog knobs for audio-system volume and tuning. In a vehicle with an animated ride frequency such as the Wrangler's, trying to find and successfully tap on small screen arrows or tiny steering-wheel buttons to make the desired audio-system adjustments could be frustrating.
Improved voice recognition is another advance for 2024. Uconnect 5 can comprehend and react to naturally spoken voice commands, and all but the Sport and Sport S trims include an embedded navigation system. After I added the wrong saved "favorite" destination, all I had to do was ask for directions to my hotel, and the voice assistant quickly and correctly routed me there.
In the second half of the 2024 model year, a Trails Offroad package will come installed in all Wranglers. The initial launch includes trail guides for 62 destinations in the continental U.S. Each one, such as the legendary Rubicon Trail in California's Sierra Mountains, provides historical facts and commentary in addition to the map data. A premium subscription that includes more than 3,000 locations will also be available.
The standard audio system has eight speakers, enough to overcome the ambient background noise while driving the Wrangler with the top and doors removed. For even better sound, you can upgrade to a nine-speaker Alpine premium sound system with any Wrangler except the base Sport model.
Ron Sessions
In the area of safety, the 2024 Wrangler gets a boost with the addition of overhead side curtain airbags. Those are difficult to package in a vehicle with removable roof sections and doors, but Jeep has found a way to integrate the overhead airbags into the SUV's anti-roll bars (sport bars, in Jeep parlance). These are in addition to the Wrangler's existing front airbags and supplemental driver and front seat passenger side-impact airbags.
Unfortunately, the 2024 Wrangler still lags behind the Bronco regarding driving-assistance tech. For example, Jeep does not offer a lane-keeping-assist system. However, the new Wrangler's competitiveness improves in other areas thanks to standard adaptive cruise control and forward-collision warning systems on all trims except the base Sport.
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The Wrangler's removable doors and multiple retractable and removable-section roof provide good visibility on or off the road. But the sport bars and tailgate-mounted full-size spare tire conspire to limit outward vision to the rear. Therefore, the Wrangler's standard backup camera is a big help in parking lots. Unfortunately, unlike the Bronco, the Wrangler does not offer a surround-view camera that gives an overhead view of the Jeep and its immediate surroundings.
You can also option all but the base Wrangler Sport with blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, and rear parking sensors.
As of this writing, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) have not rated the new Wrangler for safety. Be sure to check the
Ron Sessions
Driving a Jeep Makes You One With the Outdoors
Wearing Sarge Green paint and equipped with a fabric convertible top, the Jeep Wrangler Willys two-door took me back to the basic Jeep CJ models of a few decades ago.
On my test vehicle, Jeep replaced the factory doors with accessory tubular ones. With the fabric top pulled back, that modification puts you in even closer contact with the great outdoors. So configured, the Willys is an open-air adventure machine like no other, putting its driver and passengers at one with the sights, smells, and sounds of the immediate environment. Only a Ford Bronco can come close to offering the same sensation.
While off-roading, the Wrangler two-door reminded me that it is an ideal size for maneuvering over and around all sorts of obstacles. In addition, the turbocharged four-cylinder provides ample acceleration and good low- and midrange response. And while the Wrangler Willys looks and feels like a basic Jeep, it does offer more ground clearance, 33-inch all-terrain tires, and a locking rear differential to give it an added dose of off-road capability.
Ron Sessions
At the other end of the Wrangler lineup, the Rubicon 392 is the priciest version of this Jeep you can buy. One part street rod and one part monster truck, the high-riding Rubicon 392 boasts a 6.4-liter V8 and a plush yet rugged interior with power-operated leather seats.
Fire it up and the lusty rumble and trick, extra-loud dual-mode exhaust system will get your attention — and everyone else's. With a full-time four-wheel-drive system, 17-inch beadlock wheels, massive 35-inch all-terrain tires, and a 1.5-inch factory suspension lift, the V8-powered Rubicon 392 feels big and powerful, with a firm, well-damped ride. The steering feel is a bit light on feedback, and the upgraded brakes have a two-stage feel that takes some getting used to, but the Rubicon 392 seems like it can go just about anywhere and do so in style.
Ron Sessions
Is the 2024 Jeep Wrangler a Good SUV?
Although the Jeep Wrangler faces substantial competition from the recently revived Ford Bronco, it still defines the rugged go-anywhere and do-anything sport-utility vehicle. It's distinctive, timeless, and immediately recognizable as the four-wheel-drive off-roading icon that it is. Owning a Wrangler means getting comfortable with being slightly uncomfortable in everyday use. Still, the payoff is a vehicle absolutely ready for lousy weather, off-pavement adventures, or whatever else life brings on any given day.
