Jeep Wrangler review

Pros: astounding off-road capability, improved infotainment, chunky looks

Cons: tyre noise, limited engine choice, not available here

Jeep Wrangler Design

The Jeep Wrangler’s basic shape comes from the Willys Jeep of the 1940s and it is currently into its fifth generation under the ‘Wrangler’ nameplate. This update sees the design of the company’s signature seven-slot grille changed, with more definition and colouring to the feature. Jeep has also incorporated the aerial into the windscreen, instead of it being a mast-like device on the front wing which was prone to fouling on foliage in off-roading situations. A new colour, Anvil, and four fresh designs of alloy wheel (from 17 to 20 inches in diameter) complete the changes for the 2024 model year Wrangler, while there are still two distinct versions – the Sahara, which has more body-coloured parts and 18-inch wheels with road-oriented tyres, and the rugged Rubicon, which has 17-inch wheels with mud-rated tyres, much black detailing on the exterior and a more serious off-road bent. All 2024 Wrangler are five-door ‘station wagons’, with the removable roof panels and doors which mean the industrious owner can turn it into a giant beach buggy if they want.

Jeep Wrangler Interior

Inside, the Wrangler continues to have an interior which focuses on the pragmatic – there are large, chunky buttons and even grab handles for passengers to cling onto when the Jeep is venturing through rougher terrain. The main update for 2024 is a better infotainment system presented on a larger touchscreen in the centre of the dashboard, technology that is said to be five times faster in use than the Wrangler’s old set-up and which is now powered by an Android operating system. There are also new soft-touch surfaces on the fascias and some contrast stitching, but what you can’t see is there are also additional sound-reducing materials packed into hidden areas to make the Jeep quieter at cruising speeds. Otherwise, the same five-seat interior that’s reasonably spacious, along with a sizeable 533-litre boot, is retained, although be aware access to the Wrangler’s luggage space is via a side-hinged door, so you need to leave a lot of space behind the vehicle in order to fully open it up.

Jeep Wrangler Performance & Drive

Jeep offers just one 2.0-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine for the 2024MY Wrangler, which delivers up to 272hp. That leads to an impressive-sounding  0-100km/h time of 7.6 seconds, but the Jeep never feels that quick because it’s a big, brick-like machine and it’s not built for speed. It’s also not built to give an on-road driving experience that is as quiet, refined and comfortable as any top-end SUV these days, but it’s also not bad – the ride comfort is good thanks to the long-travel suspension and large tyres, although there’s a fair degree of body lean at times, as well as road and wind noise in the cabin of the Rubicon, in particular. However, off-road, little can touch the Wrangler. Its heavy-duty differentials in the four-wheel-drive system and its mammoth ground clearance mean it can go places that vehicles such as the BMW X5 and Volvo XC90 can only dream of. So, if you can accept a little sacrifice of its outright on-road manners, then you will fully appreciate what the deep-seated appeal of the Wrangler is.

Jeep Wrangler Pricing

The Wrangler isn’t officially offered through Jeep Ireland’s dealerships right now. About your best bet if you want one is to import a UK car over, but its high levels of CO2 (250-269g/km) will mean you will be stung for both VRT (41 per cent) and motor tax (€2,400 per annum). Standard equipment is very generous on both models, however, and to get anything ideologically like the Wrangler (mixing a luxurious cabin with amazing off-road abilities), you’ll be looking at the Land Rover Defender, Mercedes-Benz G-Class or Ineos Grenadier – all of which are expensive 4x4s.

Carzone Verdict

There are better family SUVs available out there than the Jeep Wrangler if all you’re ever going to do is drive on the road, and the fact it is not officially available through dealerships here also hampers its case. But this is a 4x4 vehicle with a huge amount of ability, charisma and differentiation to the mainstream norm, and it’s also comfortably the best product Jeep makes right now. If you can get your hands on a 2024 Wrangler, you won’t be disappointed with it.