Almost everyone we come across here at Landmark Dodge of Morrow has a Jeep story! Maybe they owned a YJ some time ago or excitedly rode shotgun on a TJ on a challenging fire road. The first encounter with this adventurous American off-roader is always memorable. It’s thoroughly “an icon thing," and it’s easy to love how no other vehicles like this exists. The 2024 Jeep Wrangler aims to continue this tradition by providing the JL platform with some sweet upgrades while leaving the vehicle’s unique persona intact.
The 1986 Wrangler was the vehicle that many mastered driving a stick in, along with properly learning how to navigate sketchy terrain fearlessly. Even for someone with zero off-roading experience, one can crawl around in low range and enjoy an amazing sense of “point and shoot” capability. Jeep has now adequately moved the ball forward and molded the 2024 Wrangler into the most capable one yet. The top-level Rubicon trim now boasts an excellent assortment of interior, exterior, and chassis changes.
The base-level powertrain is a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four cylinder. Most avid range rovers and rock climbers love the step up to the 3.6-liter naturally aspirated V6, with the range-topper being the 6.4-liter naturally aspirated V8. Diehard petrolheads love that this is one of the rare current models available with a six-speed manual. The V6 cranks out 285 horsepower, and the V8 allows for happy trails courtesy of 475 hp.
The Wrangler’s 12.9 inches of ground clearance is also an excellent match for any raging streams with a mind of their own, and you’ll be arriving at the campsite with a max tow capacity of 5,000 lbs. The new grille is just a bit shorter in height than before, partly to accommodate for the 8,000-lb Warn winch that is now an option on the Rubicon. The antenna is also now integrated into the windshield frame, adding another modernized touch. The dashboard now features a throwback design nicely complemented by contrast stitching, with an all-new 12.3-inch infotainment screen that runs Uconnect 5.
The analog gauges on board provide a very cool retro touch, and there are still physical needles to show speed and RPM. There are now side curtain airbags integrated into the upper frame along the roll bar, and the Wrangler’s boxy design offers consistently excellent site lines. Large infotainment screens can sometimes pose an overpowering glare, and the Wrangler’s new model thankfully does not. The testing crew from auto blog The Drive enjoyed rolling up and down I-15 around St. George, Utah, with Sirius XM and the 9-speaker Alpine stereo providing excellent clarity.
The electro-mechanical steering doesn’t offer the typically overpowering movement style that solid axle trucks often do. The 33-inch BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires also cooperated quite well with the 14.9.1 steering ratio and 38.8-foot turning radius. 3-pointers and u-turns were simple to execute, and the push-button sway bar’s disconnect rendered the Wrangler unstoppable off-road. Once the crew reached Sand Hollow State Park, they were able to scramble over some of the most challenging rock formations they had ever encountered. This is a thrilling example of everything a mid-cycle refresh should be, with its trail-conquering abilities flawlessly trumping the competition.
