The new 2018 Wrangler is a far more superior car, better for everyday adventure off-roading. It is powered by a standard 3.6-liter V6 engine that is further paired with either a 6-speed manual or an 8-speed automatic. The top trim levels are offered with an optional 2.0-liter turbo-4 along it a mid-hybrid electrification system that shutdowns the engine in order to save fuel.
Offered in four trims, the 2018 Wrangler comes standard with a 285-horsepower V6 engine. The carmaker has also offered the legendary off-roader in two body styles: the base 2-door model and the four-door Wrangler Unlimited, with an extra seat for one occupant. Choosing a Wrangler mainly depends on your selection of body styles.
Beyond the body style, off-road is a factor for a better pick. The Sahara and Rubicon trims are capable of amazing off-road. So, if your weekend plan includes hitting the trials then the Wrangler Sport S is the best pick. This trim offers plenty of technical refinements and handles serious off-roading smoothly. It also cost lesser than the top trims.
| Trims |
Sport |
Sport S |
Sahara |
Rubicon |
| MSRP (2Door) |
$26,995 |
$30,195 |
No 2-door |
$36,995 |
| MSRP (4Door) |
$30,495 |
$33,695 |
$37,345 |
$40,495 |
| Features |
- Single Top Package.
- Normal Duty Suspension.
- Cloth Seats with Adjustable Head Restraints.
- Driver Height Adjuster Seat.
- Low Back Bucket Seats.
- Manual 6-Way Driver Seat.
- 5.0-Inch Touchscreen Display.
- Cluster 3.5-Inch TFT B&W Display.
- Integrated Voice Command with Bluetooth.
- Uconnect 3 with 5-Inch Display
|
Sport+
- Leather-Wrapped Steering Wheel.
- Speed Sensitive Power Locks.
|
Sport S+
- Leather Trimmed Seats With Sahara LOGO.
- Leather-Wrapped Park Brake Handle.
- Apple Car Play.
- Cluster 7.0-Inch TFT Color Display.
- Android Auto.
- Integrated Center Stack Radio.
- Sirius SAT Radio w/1 year Radio subscription.
|
Sport S+
- Leather Trimmed Bucket seats.
- Premium Cloth Low-Back Bucket Seats.
- Air Conditioning w / Auto Temp Control.
- Cluster 7.0-Inch TFT Color Display.
|
"There's no doubt the Wrangler is a five-star machine when it comes to off-road prowess. But everyday steering and handling suffer because of the ladder frame."-Edmunds
Engine & Transmission
2018 Wrangler comes powered with a familiar 3.6-liter V-6 engine, which also comes with stop-start functions, helping in boosting fuel economy. The engine churns out a maximum power of 285 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. The new 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine cranks out 270 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque.
Jeep calls the 2.0-liter variant as a mild-hybrid with eTorque tech which is possibly used to improve the fuel economy. While Toyota’s 4Runner manages to propel a maximum power of 270 hp and 278 lb-ft of peak torque.
| Models |
Jeep Wrangler Sport |
Toyota 4Runner SR5 |
Land Rover Range Rover Evoque |
| MSRP |
$30,495 |
$36,285 |
$41,800 |
| Engine |
3.6L V6 24V VVT Engine w/ ESS |
4.0-Liter V6 DOHC |
2.0-Liter 4-cylinder |
| Transmission |
6-speed maunal |
5-speed automatic |
9-speed automatic |
| Power |
285 hp @ 6400 rpm |
270 hp @ 5600 rpm |
237 hp @ 5500 rpm |
| Torque |
260 lb.-ft. @ 4800 rpm |
278 lb.-ft. @ 4400 rpm |
251 lb.-ft. @ 1250 rpm |
Acceleration
With the help of the 3.6-liter V6, the Jeep Wrangler accelerates 0-60 mph in 6.7 seconds. This is quite faster than the competitors like Toyota 4Runner SR5 and the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque. The Wrangler does a quarter mile in 15.2 seconds.
| Models |
Jeep Wrangler Sport |
Toyota 4Runner SR5
|
Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
|
| 0-60 mph |
6.7 sec |
7.9 sec |
7.4 sec |
| Quarter mile |
15.2 sec @ 90.2 mph |
15.7 sec @ 87.5 mph |
16.8 sec @ 82.5 mph |
| Engine |
3.6L V6 24V VVT Engine w/ ESS |
4.0-Liter V6 DOHC |
2.0-Liter 4-cylinder |
| Emission Tons/yr of CO2 Emissions @ 15K mi/year
|
9.8 |
9.8 |
7.3 |
Braking and Handling
The 2018 Wrangler continues to offer a five-link coil suspension, which ensures better off-road needs and handling. The four skid plates protect the fuel tank, automatic transmission pan, and transfer case from trial impacts while traveling through uneven terrain. The off-road focused Rubicon trim, offers steel rock rails to protect the exterior.
The higher trims have added locking differentials and sturdier suspensions to make the off-roader more capable and reliable.
| Model |
Jeep Wrangler Sport |
Toyota 4Runner SR5
|
Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
|
| Brake pads-front(in) |
11.9 |
13.3 |
11.8 |
| Brake pads Rear(in) |
11.9 |
12.3 |
11.9 |
| Curb weight(lbs) |
4277 |
4675 |
3865 |
| 60-0 MPH (ft.) |
128 |
121 |
125 |
| Max. Tow capacity (lbs) |
3500 lbs |
5000 lbs |
3968 lbs |
The engine combined with the 8-speed automatic returns an EPA rated fuel economy of 18 mpg city, 23 mpg highway and 20 mpg combined. While the 6-speed manual drops the mileage figures to 17/25/20 mpg.
The Range Rover Evoque offers some impressive fuel economy figures in this class. The Evoque returns 21 mpg city, 29 mpg highway, and 24 mpg combined.
| Model |
Jeep Wrangler Sport |
Toyota 4Runner SR5
|
Land Rover Range Rover Evoque |
| mpg city |
17 |
17 |
21 |
| mpg highway |
23 |
20 |
29 |
| mpg combine |
19 |
18 |
24 |
"Jeep Wranglers have long been focused primarily on capability instead of comfort, but the redesigned 2018 model retains the former while making strides toward the latter." -Edmunds
The Jeep Wrangler has shown up some good interior transformation. The entire dashboard is, however, less prominent than the previous model. The new model offers airier feel with a lower window line. You’ll find the controls mounted on the higher position that makes then easy to reach. The Four-door wrangler is supposed to outsell their two-door counterparts as they offer ample cabin space.
This year’s longer wheelbase adds an extra inch of legroom and the split-folding rear seats allow more space in the cargo area. The speaker bar has been shifted to the front and now offers hidden crab handle for off-roading. Additionally, the rear seat occupants get their own climate control vents, and on the top trims, they even get a USB port.
| Model |
Jeep Wrangler Sport |
Toyota 4Runner SR5 |
Land Rover Range Rover Evoque |
| Passenger capacity |
5 |
7 |
5 |
| Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg)(In.) |
41.3/55.8/41 |
39.3/57.8/41.7 |
40.3/56.5/43.1 |
| Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg)(In.) |
40.4/56.8/37.2 |
38.6/57.8/32.9 |
39.7/55.8/35.6 |
| Third (Head/Shoulder/Leg)(In.) |
N/A |
34.3/57.7/29.3 |
N/A |
Infotainment
The 2018 Wrangler trims come with three different sized touchscreen infotainment system. The base models get a 5-inch touchscreen system with traditional button control. The knobs are larger and offer more tactical feel. The system is integrated with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The intermediate Wrangler models get a 7.0-inch touchscreen with no physical buttons or knobs. The system allows you to interact with it through speech recognition.The top tier system also comes with no knobs and buttons just like the intermediate system. The system also includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The 8.4-inch large touchscreen offers better visibility and interface.
Cargo Space
With the rear seats up, the 2018 Wrangler offers nearly 32 cubic feet of cargo space, which is roomy and cooler. When you fold the rear seats down, you’ll get more than 72 cubic feet-which is enough to haul big items and make some countryside weekend plans.
Meanwhile, the two-door Wrangler fails to offer as much cargo as the Unlimited. It manages to offer 13 cubic feet of space behind the rear seats and 47 cubic feet with folded rear seats. The Toyota 4Runner offers only 9.0 cubic feet cargo behind the third-row seat, which is the smallest in the segment.
| Model |
Jeep Wrangler Sport |
Toyota 4Runner SR5 |
Land Rover Range Rover Evoque |
| Behind 3nd Row(ft.cube) |
NA |
9.0 |
19.4 |
| With 3nd row folded (ft.cube) |
31.5 |
47.2 |
47.6 |
| With All Seats folded (ft.cube) |
70.6 |
89.7 |
51.0 |
With a completely tweaked and redesigned body, the 2018 Jeep Wrangler is nor more fuel efficient without losing its off-road capability. The front fascia gets a bold and erect front grille along with large headlights carved into the signature seven-slot arrangement. Phew! After these many tweaks, you can still fold forward the windshield for low-speed off-roading, and improve the airflow.
However, design wise the exterior resembles the last generation wrangler but you need to become a keen observer to identify the subtle exterior change. Even the swept-back windshield doesn’t tamper the legendary design. Just like the past Wrangler models, the vents in the front fenders minimize underhood pressure and prevent hood wriggle.
| Model |
Jeep Wrangler Sport |
Toyota 4Runner SR5 |
Land Rover Range Rover Evoque |
| curb weight(lbs) |
4277 |
4675 |
3865 |
| Length(in) |
184.9 |
190.2 |
172.0 |
| Width(in) |
73.7 |
75.8 |
78.1 |
| Height(in) |
72.6 |
71.5 |
64.4 |
| Ground clearance(in) |
8.7 |
9.6 |
8.3 |
| Wheelbase(in) |
116 |
109.8 |
104.7 |
| Track width(in) F/R |
61.9/61.9 |
63.2/63.2 |
64.0/64.0 |
Design and Styling
Even the base Wrangler trim looks metal and tough. Thanks to the revamped fender flares that are iconic as the seven-slot grille. Jeep can be seen honoring the previous Wrangler models without losing the taste.
The tailgate is slightly hinged on the passenger side, but luckily it’s lighter. The spare tire mounted on the tailgate features a third brake light that can be tweaked to assemble up to 35-inch tires.
The 2018 Wrangler has not been fully crashing tested. The NHTSA has awarded the off-roader a three out of five stars in rollover and frontal crash tests. While the Wrangler has performed poorly in the frontal crash prevention test.
IIHS Rating
Crashworthiness
| Small overlap front driver side |
Good |
| Moderate overlap front |
-------- |
| Side |
Good |
| Roof strength |
Good |
| Head restraints & seats |
Marginal |
Crash Avoidance and Mitigation
| Frontal crash prevention |
Poor |
| LATCH |
Marginal |
Safety Features
The safety feature count for this year’s Wrangler is higher. You’ll find four airbags and advanced optional safety features like rear parking sensors and blind-spot monitors. The missing features include automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and active lane control. While a rearview camera is a standard across the lineup.
| 2018 Jeep Wrangler Safety Features |
| StabiliTrak electronic stability control system. |
| Airbag system. |
| Helps maintain traction when accelerating on slippery road conditions |
| Rear Vision Camera. |
| Child security rear door locks. |
| Passenger Sensing System. |
| Rear seat reminder. |
| LATCH System. |
| Teen Driver. |
| Tire Pressure Monitoring System. |
| Horn, dual-note. |
Jeep Wrangler SUV Vs Toyota 4Runner
The Wrangler offers outstanding off-road performance but disappoints in space. While the Toyota 4Runner provides a bit more space. In the midsize SUV segment, the 4Runner is priced quite higher than the Wrangler trims, and the base 4Runner is less costly than major Wrangler Unlimited trims.
The 4Runner also offers great handling with the help of limited-slip differential and skid plates. Where the Wrangler doesn’t offer third-row seats, the 4Runner offers third-row seats that can carry seven occupants in total.
Jeep Wrangler SUV Vs Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
The Range Rover Evoque is considered as budget-friendly SUV in the Range Rover family. The Evoque comes with good off-road capabilities. Evoque comes with a Crawl control that automatically modulates gas and braking duties. There is hardly any driving situation that the Evoque can’t tackle.
Wranglers have always justified their prices. They apparently don’t need to be bargain-priced as nothing can match their appeal and performance in the market. Jeep has been successfully carrying the heritage and personality of the offroader Wrangler since 1941. The redesigned 2018 Wrangler model is believed to be a worthy successor as it integrates modern features and enhanced efficiency.
The modernization of the 2018 Jeep Wrangler JL has not affected its trail-blazing capabilities. The newly refines Sahara trim is priced competitively to go neck-to-neck with more conventional full-sized crossovers. For this year, Jeep has wisely placed the redesigned Wrangler among a wider section of SUV buyers.
