Not Horsing Around - 2024 Jeep Wrangler
It isn’t uncommon for Jeep to update the Wrangler in the middle of a model run.
The JK, which came out in the 2007 model year, saw a 2011/12 update that updated the interior as well as replaced the 3.8L V-6 with the Pentastar 3.6L. Since Jeep likes to run with a version of the Wrangler for a decade or more, it only makes sense to update things a little to keep the model appealing.
But, that’s not the whole story with the 2024 refresh of the JL Wrangler.
Some updates were already pushed out over the last couple years. For one, the JL, which maxed out originally with 32” tires from the factory now has 35” available in some trims and the new 20th anniversary Wrangler Rubicon has available 37’s.
The JL started out with both the 3.6L V6 from the JK and a turbo 4-cylinder with mild-hybrid assist. But, in the first half of the model’s run, we have seen a diesel option (dropped after 2022), the mild-hybrid replaced by a plug-in hybrid 4xe, as well as a hemi V8.
If Jeep has seen fit to give us quite a few options and changes to the Wrangler even before its mid-cycle refresh, look no further than the good folks over in Dearborn and their Bronco for the reason why.
The Bronco brought a fair amount of refinement to the retro-styled off-roader game. 35” tires were part of its initial option list. A turbo V-6 in the Bronco Raptor dropped recently and is a not so subtle reason why Jeep decided to finally give the Wrangler the hemi treatment.
So…it should come as not surprise that the mid-cycle update to the Wrangler is also a little deeper than a light freshening to the dash.
Out front, Jeep is bringing a new grille to the Wrangler. This is a departure if you consider that the JK Wrangler maintained the same grill treatment (though occasionally with contrasting colors) for its entire 12-year run. The new Wrangler updates the 7 slot grill with some additional visual interest that surrounds the grill bars with matte plastic and extends the grill itself to include the headlight ‘buckets’ and stretches well under the headlights themselves. There is also updated texturing within the slots. Overall the look is a bit more sophisticated while maintaining the Wrangler’s tough good looks.
Also tough, but not just for looks is Wrangler’s first factory installed winch. 8000lb capacity isn’t quite what some folks would option as they upgrade their rig, but 8000 lbs is plenty for the sort of person who would want their Wrangler optioned for off-roading directly off the showroom floor. We’d expect that to be really popular for all those Rubicon buyers who like their 35” tires and steel bumpers but don’t want to spend countless hours pouring over the Quadratec/Northridge 4x4/Extreme Terrain catalogs.
All the wheel designs for the ‘24 Wrangler are new. Impressive when you realize that encompasses 10 new designs.
Where those wheels hit the ground, there is a new story as well. The rear axle is a updated version of the Dana 44, a ‘full float axle’ that now allows the Wrangler to top out at 5000lbs of towing. This is quite a jump from the 3500 lbs that the Wrangler has maxed at for many years.
But, despite style and functionality improvements - the real story of the new Wrangler is inside the cabin.
Most of the changes to the interior seem centered around making the Wrangler quieter and more comfortable for road use. This is one place where the Bronco has outpaced the Wrangler since day one, so this would be a good way for the Wrangler to attract some of the customers that have jumped ship to the Ford’s stable.
The interior rocks a much larger center screen that supports a built-in off-road navigation system as well as support for wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. If you opt for the High Altitude, Rubicon X, or Rubicon 392 models, the Wrangler brings acoustic glass up front, thicker carpet, and sound deadening foam in the windshield header, A and B pillars, and cowl - making these more expensive Wranglers also a quieter place to be for their higher price-points. Not having the added sound deadening in the lower models is almost certainly recognition that people who buy a Wrangler and immediately start adding and removing parts to make a more trail-focused rig don’t care as much about the luxuries and wouldn’t be happy paying for them.
Another addition to the new interior is side curtain air bags for both front and second row seating. It will be interesting to see exactly how that is integrated into the Wrangler’s roll cage in a way that allows modifiers to make their changes as well as not interfering with the Wrangler’s iconic removable doors.
Also part of the safety story is the Wrangler’s first implementation of adaptive cruise control - with the ability to also bring the Jeep to a stop if traffic in front demands it. This is far from autonomy - but it is nice to see Jeep finding ways to make on-road use a little bit nicer.
When the JL came to market, they impressed with the option of a button panel that would allow add-on lights and accessories to work without cobbling together a button or switch panel. In the new interior, Jeep raises the stakes by also offering a bank of 4 - 110v outlets (in 4xe equipped models - since they also posses a high-capacity battery that can power these outlets through an on-board inverter).
What we have here is the most impressive mid-cycle refresh the Wrangler has ever seen. This should certainly go a long way to attracting the group of potential buyers that Ford has been winning with the Bronco. The impressive part is that, while adding luxuries and sophistication, Jeep has obviously not ignored the kinds of features that the Jeep faithful would enjoy. It should keep Wrangler relevant and successful for at least another 5-6 years to come (when the -next- Wrangler should bow).
Expect the new Wranglers to go on sale this summer.