Jeep Gave the Wrangler More Capability, Tech, and Style for 2024

Automakers love to tout “all-new” or “heavily refreshed” vehicles, but it’s often the case that only a few elements have changed. Jeep unveiled the 2024 Wrangler at the New York International Auto Show today, and while there’s a lot to talk about, this is still the rugged, sometimes-unruly off-roader we’ve seen for decades. 

Jeep offers nine trim levels for the 2024 Wrangler, including Sport, Sport S, Willys, Sahara, High Altitude, Rubicon, Rubicon X, Rubicon 392, and 4xe. The 4xe is available in a new Sport S trim, and the Rubicon X is new for 2024. Overwhelmed yet?

There are also four carryover powertrains for the 2024 model year. The base engine remains the venerable 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, which makes 285 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. A 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine is available with 270 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The top gas engine is a 6.4-liter Hemi V8 with 470 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. Jeep also offers the 4xe powertrain for 2024. All models get an eight-speed automatic transmission, and some come with a six-speed manual.

Some models get more off-road functionality for 2024, thanks to larger tires for the Willys model and an available factory 8,000-pound Warn winch kit for the Rubicon. The beefy Rubicon also gets a new Dana 44 Full Float solid rear axle that lets customers upsize tires more easily and enables a 5,000-pound max tow rating for the SUV.

In terms of styling, not much has changed for the new model year, but Jeep did give the Wrangler a new face. The seven-slot grille is fresh for 2024 and features open grates for better cooling off-road and when towing. Ten exterior colors are available, and each trim gets a unique interior color scheme that makes the SUV look much more upscale inside. Buyers can still upgrade with various top options, including a new soft top, two hardtops, a sliding one-touch power top, and more. There are also half-door kits, so the Wrangler is not hurting for customization options.

One of the more significant changes to the new Jeep came inside, where designers almost completely refreshed the appearance. Each trim gets a unique interior look, and some get fancy-looking map patterns etched into the dash. The upright dashboard now comes wrapped in soft-touch material, fabric, or polyurethane, all with contrasting stitching. There’s also a new AMPs bracket system that lets passengers mount phones, tablets, cameras, and other gear to the dash. Jeep added more interior speakers and microphones and bolstered sound insulation to make the cabin much quieter, and said that it’s much easier to make clear phone calls at higher speeds with the updates.

Tech got a notable upgrade for 2024, as Jeep ditched the multiple screen sizes in favor of a standard 12.3-inch display. It runs the automaker’s excellent Uconnect 5 software, which Jeep said is five times faster than the previous system. It’s based on Android software and features over-the-air updates, five user profiles, wireless smartphone connectivity, dual-Bluetooth connections, Amazon Alexa, and more. A new Trails Offroad partnership gives the Wrangler detailed trail maps with waypoints and interesting bits of history about the surroundings. It’s part of an attempt by Jeep to in-source mapping and GPS functions that have previously required off-roaders to bring iPads and other gear to track.

The current Wrangler earned mixed results in crash tests performed by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, but Jeep hopes to improve that result with updated safety features. The SUV now comes standard with front and rear side-curtain airbags, and the second-row seatbelts now come with pre-tensioners and load limiters. Jeep also improved the Wrangler’s structure for better performance in side-crash situations. The base Sport trim misses most features, but forward collision warnings and advanced cruise control now come standard for the next-to-bottom Sport S trim. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alerts and a parking assist system come on High Altitude and Rubicon models. All models get a rearview camera and electronic roll mitigation.

Jeep hasn’t announced pricing or a release date for the 2024 Wrangler, but a summer 2023 debut wouldn’t be surprising. As for pricing, the current Wrangler starts at just under $33,000 with destination, but it’s possible to spend well over $80,000 for a Rubicon 392. The good news for buyers is that the new 4xe Sport S trim will offer a lower cost of entry to the surprisingly expensive but wildly popular plug-in hybrid off-roader.

[Image: Jeep]

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