We would recommend the Rubicon trim owing to its unmatched off-road prowess. It offers an optional Recon Xtreme Recon Package featuring 35-inch rigged tires for better trailing experience. It also features a Tru-Lok electronic locking differential for better traction control. The electronic sway bar disconnect system allows the front wheels to drop freely and compress for impressive suspension movement. Also, the available Corning Gorilla glass windshield is resistant to debris while off-roading. 

The 2022 Jeep Wrangler will be offered in two main trim levels which are Sport and Rubicon, but we’ll talk about the latter in a separate review. The Sport trim gets several sub-trim levels which are Willys Sport, Sport S, Willys, and Sport Altitude. Right from the base Sport trim, the Wrangler gets quite well-equipped mechanically for tackling tough terrains with features such as solid front and rear axles from Dana, a standard 4WD layout from Command-Trac, and tow-hooks. However, on the inside, the base Sport trim is no better than an entry-level hatchback retailing below twenty grand in the sticker price. As you climb up the trim ladder, the SUV starts getting the much-required convenience features such as power windows, limited-slip differential, heated and power-operated ORVMs, and leather-wrapped steering wheel. Apart from these, the upper trims do get cosmetic upgrades too that include hood decals, bigger 18-inch wheels with Gloss Black color, gloss black front grille and headlamp inserts, and Wizard Black paint for instrument panel bolster.

We Recommend

We would recommend the Sport S over the lower Sport and Willys Sport trim due to the lack of some basic convenience features on the latter. The Willys trim is recommended if you wish to have a better set of headlamps and tail lamps.

The 2022 Jeep Wrangler is powered by a standard 3.6-liter V6 motor that is found on several Chrysler, Dodge, and other Jeep vehicles as well. In the Wrangler, the motor puts out a healthy 285 horsepower along with 260 lb-ft of torque. The SUV also gets an optional turbocharged but smaller 2.0-liter I-4 motor that, surprisingly, pushes out more torque than the bigger V6 here. Coming back to the six pot oil burner, the motor feels punchy at all times and the 6-speed manual gearbox does a good job too. There is also an optional 8-speed automatic that makes driving more effortless with decently-quick shifts. While driving on the roads, the motor can easily keep up with slow as well as fast-paced traffic while out on the highways, the powertrain can easily cruise at triple digit speeds while getting up to highway speeds quickly. The 0-60mph sprint comes up within 6.8 seconds while the quarter-mile run requires 15.2 seconds. The SUV gets a part-time 4X4 drivetrain from Command-Trac, and it showcases a super off-roading performance too. 

The Ford Bronco gets a smaller 2.3-liter EcoBoost turbocharged I-4 motor and has the highest torque among the rivals with bigger V6 motors mentioned here. Apart from the 315 lb-ft of torque, the motor also dishes out 275 horsepower which might be slightly lesser than the Wrangler’s V6’s output but there’s practically no difference in acceleration times. The Toyota 4Runner gets a 4.0liter naturally aspirated V6 motor with a 4WD layout. It makes the lowest power here but takes the middle ground in terms of torque output.

2022 Jeep Wrangler Ride and Handling

The 2022 Jeep Wrangler is spectacular while you’re trying to tame it at places where roads don't exist. However, returning to places where roads are laden with asphalt, the Wrangler shows its dark side. The suspensions are set up for maximum off-roading hence, even small undulations are felt through the cabin while broken roads will unsettle the occupants pretty easily. By default, the SUV remains in the RWD layout while the 4WD kicks in when required. The steering has absolutely no feedback and the SUV doesn’t exactly go where you want it to, immediately after turning the steering. Moreover, it feels loose at low speeds as well.

2022 Jeep Wrangler Braking Performance

Being a superbly-capable off-roader, having a capable set of brakes is of utmost importance and the 2022 Wrangler’s brakes do look promising on paper. At the front, the SUV gets 12.9-inch brakes while the rear brakes measure 13.4 inches. Despite having fairly big brakes, the SUV comes to a halt at 159 feet. However, the SUV gets some basic safety aids that help improve the braking performance slightly under panic braking situations.

The Ford Bronco gets slightly smaller, with 12.2-inch front rotors along with 12.1-inch rear rotors. It weighs less than the Wrangler at 4,286 lbs and takes advantage of it to stop within a shorter distance than the Wrangler, at 134 feet. The Toyota 4Runner is the heaviest one here and gets average-sized 13.3-inch front and 12.3-inch rear rotors. Despite that, it comes to a complete stop within 144 feet, a significantly shorter distance than the Wrangler.

While venturing off the roads, the last thing you should be concerned about is fuel economy else, it spoils all the fun. However, with the modern turbocharged engines around, we expect some doable fuel economy figures though. The 2022 Jeep Wrangler, due to its aging V6, returns some mediocre fuel economy numbers. Inside the city limits, the SUV returns an average of 17mpg only while out on the highways, the number climbs to 23mpg. With a combined mileage of 19mpg and a big, 21.5-gallon gas tank, the Wrangler manages to hold up in the driving range aspect.

The Ford Bronco is the most fuel-efficient one here naturally since it gets the smallest turbocharged motor here. However, the highway mileage of the Bronco borderlines with the Wrangler’s highway EPA rating, which is surprising. Even though it gets a slightly smaller, 20.8-gallon gasoline tank, it impresses with its over 450 miles of highway and over 400 miles of city driving range figures. The Toyota 4Runner is the least fuel-efficient SUV here due to its old powertrain but, like the Wrangler, manages to hold up somehow with its sizable 23-gallon gasoline storage.

The interior of the 2022 Jeep Wrangler is a brilliant example of a utilitarian cabin with a straightforward design. Moreover, almost all the interior panels are washable since water wading and driving over slush can be unforgiving. All the controls of the SUV are within the reach of the driver while the front passenger gets a solid grab handle mounted on the dashboard. The base Sport trim of the Wrangler can feel too basic since it gets hand-cranked windows and manual locks but as you climb the trim ladder slightly, it starts getting power windows, central locking, and leather-wrapped steering wheels among other features. The headroom and legroom for the front seat passengers are abundant while the rear seats are surprisingly spacious for a two-door off-roader. However, the higher floor at the rear means the rear passengers need to sit with their legs slightly folded and the rear seats can accommodate only two occupants. The cargo capacity behind the rear seats is a decent 31.7 cu-ft.

The Ford Bronco’s cabin blends a modern design with a utilitarian appeal in a subtle manner, and it can divert all your attention away from the Wrangler. At the front, the Bronco gets a tough-looking dashboard dominated by two big screens while the center stack design is neat too with a gear selector mode, a rotary knob for selecting the transfer case modes, and accommodating an armrest. The cargo capacity is on the lower side as compared to the Wrangler, at 22.4 cu-ft. The Toyota 4Runner’s cabin looks and feels quite dated now but its robust build and driver-friendly layout have kept it going at present. Along with being more comfortable than both the Bronco and the Wrangler, the 4Runner offers more cargo capacity at 47.2 cu-ft; however, it is quite expected since the 4Runner is a 4-door SUV.

Some of the key interior features available with the 2022 Jeep Wrangler include:

• Leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Air conditioning
• Power windows and door locks
• Power-operated ORVMs with heating
• Adjustable steering wheel with integrated controls
• Keyless entry(optional)

How intuitive is the 2022 Jeep Wrangler’s infotainment system?

While we’ve seen the 2022 Jeep Wrangler being quite crude and basic in its base form yet, the standard 7.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system runs FCA’s excellent Uconnect user interface. Moreover, the system offers Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. Apart from these, the system offers USB input ports, an MP3 player, and auxiliary audio input as well. If you opt for the bigger 8.4-inch infotainment unit, it comes bundled with navigation, Bluetooth, satellite radio, and a Wi-Fi hotspot.

Some of the most notable infotainment features available with the 2022 Jeep Wrangler include:

• 7-inch/8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment display with Uconnect user interface
• Navigation
• Apple CarPlay
• Android Auto
• Auxiliary audio input
• Bluetooth
• 6-speaker audio system

On the outside, the 2022 Jeep Wrangler carries that legendary design language of the vanilla Jeep but with a heavy dose of modern styling cues as well. At the front, the seven-slot Jeep grille is the most prominent and those round headlamp units bring back a ton of nostalgia at a glance. The front windshield gets hinges to fold it down, just like the old Jeep while the doors feature exterior 180-degree hinges which are completely removable as well. The base trim gets a plain paint job on the outside while the upper trims get several cosmetic upgrades such as Willys and 4X4 decals, gloss black headlamp inserts, and gloss black throat inserts. The wheels also get blacked-out treatment in some trims as well. The Wrangler also offers a segment-leading ground clearance of 10.8 inches which allows it to crawl over almost every obstacle.

Apart from the interior, the Ford Bronco’s exterior can also give the Wrangler a run for its money due to its unique and rugged design. The Bronco also gets round headlamp units that are LED units and the front grille gets a two-part design with Brinco lettering written in capital, running across the grille. The hood gets a square-ish design like the Wrangler but looks sleeker than the latter. Unlike the Wrangler, the front windshield of the Bronco cannot be folded down but the doors are completely removable though. The Toyota 4Runner gets a rugged but more premium design than both the Bronco and the Wrangler. Due to its four-door body style, it is the longest one here.

Some standout exterior features include:

• Fog Lights
• Tow hooks
• Skid plates
• 17-inch steel wheels
• LED headlamps 
• Willys Hood Decal and 4×4 Decal on Swing Gate

Other than the on-road driving behavior, the safety aspect of the 2022 Wrangler is another of its weaknesses. The current model doesn’t have any crashworthiness ratings from both the IIHS and the NHTSA and none of the previous models has been crash-tested either. The disappointment doesn't end there and continues a bit more with the lack of advanced driver assistance features onboard. Only the basics are covered with features such as airbags, a standard rearview camera, traction and electronic stability control, and a rollover protection system. Some of the optional features include Rear parking sensors, Blind spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, and forward collision warning among others.

Some of the standout safety features include:

• Rearview camera
• Rear parking sensors(optional)
• Blind spot monitoring with rear cross traffic alert(optional)
• Forward-facing camera(optional)
• Forward collision warning(optional)
• Forward automatic emergency braking(optional)
• Adaptive cruise control(optional)
• Traction control
• Electronic stability control

2022 Jeep Wrangler vs 2022 Ford Bronco

With the launch of the all-new Ford Bronco, the Jeep Wrangler finally has a worthy competitor, and all for the right reasons too. The Bronco is more fuel efficient than the Wrangler and churns out a segment-leading torque figure as well. On the safety front too, the Bronco is a lot better than the Wrangler and offers a similar off-roading prowess, better with some specific trim levels, and an equally-matching rugged styling too. Moreover, the Bronco also offers removable doors that come as a cherry on the cake, and a reason for headaches for the Wrangler.

2022 Jeep Wrangler vs 2022 Toyota 4Runner

The Toyota 4Runner is among the very few four-door SUVs that are both equally luxurious and rugged, which can give the Jeep Wrangler a tough fight. The 4Runner doesn’t have a refined nature either when it comes to driving dynamics but its cabin is plusher and much more feature-packed as compared to the Wrangler. In terms of fuel economy too, the 4Runner sits slightly below the Wrangler due to its old and bigger V6 motor that hasn’t been updated in a while. Overall, the Wrangler seems to be a better option for shoppers seeking a highly-capable off-roading vehicle on a budget.

No other vehicle in this class can offer you the legend and the special feeling like the Wrangler if you’re an off-roading enthusiast. Yes, the Bronco might pose as a better alternative for many reasons but the classy and more rugged styling of the Wrangler simply sets it apart. With a reasonable base price, plenty of customization options, a choice of torquier and more fuel-efficient turbocharged engine, and impeccable off-roading prowess, the Wrangler is yet to see a better opponent in every sense.