Washington, D.C., is not a place to live in. The rents are high, the food is bad, the dust disgusting and the morals deplorable. Go West, young man, go West and grow up with the country.”
So penned famed author Horace Greeley in the July 13, 1865 edition of the New York Daily Tribune. And, so they went … thousands of pioneers in wagons drawn by as many horses, creating those romantic days of the Old West.
And along with them came … the ‘wrangler’, a rough-riding tamer and handler of horses.
You know where we’re headed. The tough and totally in control namesake – the Jeep Wrangler.
The Wrangler JL, the most recent generation, is produced at Jeep’s Toledo complex in Ohio, a direct progression from the World War 2 Jeep produced by Willys, Kaiser-Jeep and the American Motors Corporation from the mid-1940s through the 1980s. Although neither AMC nor Chrysler (after it purchased AMC in 1987) have claimed the Wrangler as a direct descendant of the original military model, but both the CJ Jeeps and the conceptually consistent Wrangler, with their solid axles and open top, are as central to their brand identity as the rear engine of a 911 Porsche.
Like the Willys MB and the CJ Jeeps before it, all Wrangler models continue to use a separate body and frame, rigid live axles both front and rear, a tapering nose design with flared fenders, a fold-flat windshield and can be driven without doors (but not in Australia, thank you!)
Also, with few exceptions, the Wrangler has a part-time four-wheel drive system with the choice of high and low gearing, and standard open bodies with removable hard or soft tops. However, the Wrangler series was specifically redesigned to be safer and more comfortable on the road, to attract more daily drivers, by upgrading its suspension, drivetrain and interior. The suspension on all Wranglers includes track bars and anti-roll bars.
We were driving the upgraded 2024 Jeep Wrangler, which in fact is the biggest update yet for the fourth generation series
The new big deal is a switch from V6 power to a downsized four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine. But it offers more torque, efficiency and refinement, and joins improved technology, safety and a suite of off-road hardware to make this the best Wrangler ever – and for less money.
Jeep Australia has lowered the asking price of the mid-range Overland by $2000, which now starts from $84,950 plus on-roads, while the two Rubicon hero grades maintain their current $83,950 (two-door) and $90,450 (four-door) starting prices.
Billed by Jeep as the world’s most capable and iconic off-roader, the Wrangler has few rivals and that includes the GWM Tank 500 and Toyota LandCruiser 70 series wagon and continues to offer a pair of variant-specific switchable 4×4 systems with low and high-range transmission ratios.
Sport S and Overland grades come with Jeep’s Selec-Trac active on-demand 4×4 system with automatic 2WD/4WD selection based on conditions, while Rubicon variants are fitted as standard with a Rock-Trac 4×4 system with shorter 4:1 low-gear ratio, 77.2:1 crawl ratio, Tru-Lok electronic differential locks both front and rear, and an electronic front sway bar disconnect system.
There’s still no diesel engine or manual transmission, but all MY24 vehicles bring a revised seven-slot grille with shorter and wider openings, new wheel designs and a ‘gorilla glass’ windscreen with integrated radio antenna.
The base sport S has LED ambient interior lighting, heated front seats and steering wheel, a 240-amp alternator, fabric dash panel, automatic high beam, heavy-duty rock sliders with side steps and 17-in. machined alloy wheels with Nexen Roadian AT tyres.
Other standard features include LED exterior lighting, push-button start, remote proximity keyless entry, remote start system, security alarm, deep-tint sunscreen window glass, soft spare wheel cover and a headliner for the three-piece removable hard-top.
Wrangler does like a heavy sip of fuel, but according to Jeep clever driving will return 9.9 litres per 100 km or less.
The Wrangler is covered by Jeep Australia’s five-year/100,000 km warranty and lifetime roadside assist, if serviced at a Jeep dealer. Service intervals remain 12-month/12,000 km, with each service costing $399 in the first five.
Braking news:
The price of Wrangler’s sibling the Jeep Gladiator ute has hit a new low in Australia – slashed by close to $25,000 on some models as part of a special offer after sales slumped to their slowest level since its launch four years ago.
It corrects a series of unprecedented price rises during the Covid pandemic – about $10,000 between mid-2021 and mid-2022 – that pushed the top-of-the-range model to nearly $95,000 drive-away.
Until September 30, Jeep Australia is offering Gladiator Night Eagle utes for $64,000 drive-away nationwide – down from an RRP of $78,250 plus on-road costs, or an estimated regular drive-away price of $83,000 to $85,000 depending on the state of registration.