The Jeep Wrangler remains true to himself, but better

Frédéric Mercier

Thursday, December 14, 2017 10:26

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Thursday, December 14, 2017 10:26

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Do not trust to appearances. The Jeep Wrangler is renewed from bumper to bumper and the other for 2018, and believe us when we tell you that it’s for the better.

The Wrangler, it is the soul of Jeep. Its reason to exist. It is also a vehicle that, despite new developments is virtually non-existent over the past 10 years, continued to do very well in terms of sales. In the totally new, Jeep had everything to lose and very little to gain. The bet was risky.

I sell the punch right away. It is successful on the line.

Under a design almost identical to that of the old generation, the Jeep Wrangler is no compromise. It is still a machine for driving off-road, built first and foremost to cross any trail.

Except that, in addition to that, the Wrangler is now much more liveable on a daily basis via the adoption of a multitude of improvements that make it surprisingly civilized. This is all in keeping with a design that reminds us inevitably to his ancestor, the old Willys was built for the u.s. army in the early 40s.

“Jeep” Willys

The practice before the aesthetics

It is necessary to be a keen observer to differentiate the new Wrangler that Jeep we had for the past ten years. For a vehicle the launch of which was long-awaited, let’s say that there are many who have remained on their hunger.

And yet, it is enough to go a few miles to the edge of the Wrangler to 2018 to understand the magnitude of the changes that have been made.

Read also: A Quebecois behind the design of the new Jeep Wrangler

Read also: The Jeep Wrangler from yesterday to today

Known for its rustic look, the Wrangler surprises now on the road to a title disconcerting. The management has absolutely nothing to do with the former and comes to facilitate the use of the Wrangler to the daily. Because it is nice to go play in the mud, but it is also necessary to do the grocery shopping and pick up children at the daycare.

The windows have been enlarged and allow for even better visibility than before. It has also facilitated a package of stuff that make the Wrangler more user-friendly. Remove the roof and doors, for example, has never been so convenient. And those who already have owned one know how it could be frustrating! The four-door version of the Wrangler offers even now a retractable roof optional electric. A true charm!

You can also lower the windshield of the new Wrangler by removing four bolts placed under the sun visor. To perform the same task with the old model, it was necessary to remove… 28 bolts!

Jeep Wrangler 2018

Frédéric Mercier

Inside, Jeep says hello to the Twenty-first century by getting rid of the indicators antiquated which still held on to the dashboard of the Wrangler. It now offers the latest generation of the mylink infotainment system UConnect with a touch screen which can go from 5 to 8.4 inches, depending on the version chosen.

Jeep Wrangler 2018

Frédéric Mercier

Much more refined than before, the Wrangler is still a vehicle that is faithful to its origins, with the inconvenience that it may cause. The canvas roof makes the concept of sound proofing almost non existent and the aerodynamics, even if it has slightly been improved, remains equivalent to that of a pound of butter, with the sounds of wind and the high consumption that this implies.

A turbo under the hood

Let’s talk about, precisely, of consumption. It is the sinews of war in the automotive industry, and even a vehicle that is as iconic is no exception.

Through the use of lightweight materials such as aluminum and magnesium, Jeep has managed to obtain a fuel consumption improved by about 10% compared to the old Wrangler, all while maintaining the same engine under the hood.

Oh yes, the good old V6 Pentastar 3.6-liter remains in position, the top of its 285 horses. He continues to be paired standard to a six-speed manual transmission, but a new transmission that eight-speed automatic replaces the outdated box to 5 reports.

The V6 has now been added to a new engine four-cylinder 2.0-litre turbocharged engine that will be offered as an option, paired with the automatic transmission. Yes, you read that correctly. The four-cylinder engine will cost more than the V6.

With a torque of 295 lb-ft, this engine was able to draw its pin from the game with a surprising nervousness. The response time of the turbo is a little slow, but when he wakes up, the Wrangler shows us a facet of his personality that we didn’t know until now! As its consumption figures have not been made public, however, it is difficult to say if it is really worth the candle. Especially that in a longer-term vision, the V6 is likely to be more enduring.

The offer of engines will add a V6 diesel of 3.0 liters in 2019, and then a version plug-in hybrid in 2020.

Jeep Wrangler 2018

Frédéric Mercier

Off the beaten path

A road test of the Jeep Wrangler would not be complete without a section on its abilities off-road. And again, the Wrangler does not disappoint.

At the wheel of a model Rubicon, this version specially crafted for the trails extreme, I have climbed the hills of rock so steep that I would never have had the idea for me to venture there myself.

With an approach angle of 44 degrees, a ground clearance of 27.7 cm and the possibility to lock both differentials, the Wrangler remains still faithful to its origins. In fact, Jeep swears hard as iron that it is the vehicle the most capable in its history trails non-paved surfaces.

Jeep Wrangler 2018

Frédéric Mercier

A price that raised some eyebrows

Really, Jeep has succeeded with the Jeep Wrangler. And as the model has almost no competitor, we can expect a commercial success resounding. The catch is that Jeep knows it can be a little bit too.

With the advent of this new generation, the price of the Wrangler has been radically revised to the upside. For the basic version with two doors, one now speaks of an invoice a minimum of 33 945$. The older generation of the Wrangler, it also traded for one last lap around the track in 2018, amounts to exactly 6000$ less.

Of course, the standard equipment of the Wrangler has been significantly improved and now includes a touch screen of 5 inches, a rearview camera and 17-inch wheels. But an increase of 6000$, this is clearly an exaggeration.

Same goes for the Wrangler four-door, where the starting price of 41 745$ is rather difficult to swallow. With the version Rubicon, just have to add one or two options to exceed the milestone of 50 000$. It begins to be expensive, for a vehicle that remains quite rustic.

It is necessary to believe that it pay, an icon.

Jeep Wrangler 2018

Frédéric Mercier

Technical data sheet

Name: Jeep Wrangler JL 2018
Base price: 33 945$
Configuration : four-wheel drive Vehicle with engine at the front

Base engine: V6 3.6 liter
Transmission: Manual six-speed or automatic 8-speed
Power/torque: 285 hp/ 260 lb-ft
Fuel consumption announced: 13 L/100 km (city) / 10.2 L/100 km (highway)

Engine optional: Engine four-cylinder 2.0-litre turbocharged
Transmission: Automatic 8-speed
Power/torque: 270 hp/ 295 lb-ft
Fuel consumption announced: Still unknown

Warranty basic: 3 years / 60 000 km
Competition: A Wrangler is a Wrangler