New York – With the Ford Bronco having returned to North American markets, the Jeep Wrangler no longer has this free-spirited adventure segment to itself.
But rather than letting the competition get ahead, the Stellantis-owned US carmaker is upping its game with with the 2024-model-year Wrangler, unveiled this week at the New York Auto Show. It boasts fresh exterior styling, a revised cabin, enhanced 4x4 capability and other spec adjustments.
The exterior design changes are subtle – it still has to look like a Wrangler after all – but look closely and you will see a new grille, featuring seven vertical slots which now have black rather than colour-coded surrounds.
Jeep has also introduced 10 new wheel designs, ranging in size from 17 inches to 20 inches, and there’s a new colour option called Anvil. A new Willy’s model joins the line-up too, featuring high fender flares, larger tyres and increased ground clearance.
Customers can choose between a multitude of open-air ‘freedom’ combinations for the top, doors and folding windscreen, including an exclusive Sky One-Touch power top option and a dual-door group with half doors.
Inside the new Jeep Wrangler you’ll find a redesigned dashboard with an enlarged 12.3-inch touchscreen housing the latest Uconnect 5 operating system, which is said to be five times faster than the previous set-up. It features wireless CarPlay and Android Auto, as well as a 4G LTE wi-fi hotspot and Alexa Home to Car functionality, including an in-vehicle virtual assistant with natural voice capability.
Design highlights include a heritage-inspired centre stack and a wrapped instrument panel with new soft-touch surfaces. What’s more, high-spec versions like the High Altitude, Rubicon X and Rubicon 392 receive additional sound-deadening, acoustic front glass and thicker carpeting.
The new Wrangler will also offer a comprehensive trail-guide system designed to make off-road trip planning easier and more accessible.
Downloadable to the infotainment system, although you’ll need to buy a subscription to access the full catalogue of 3 000 trails, this new feature provides route descriptions and key waypoints for turns, obstacles and points of interest. However, Jeep has not mentioned whether trails outside of North America are covered.
Speaking of the trail life, the 2024 Jeep Wrangler is available with four advanced 4x4 systems, including the Command-Trac and Rock-Trac part-time transfer cases and Rock-Trac and Selec-Trac full-time transfer cases.
What’s more, Rubicon models are now available with a new Dana 44 HD Full Float solid rear axle that allows for easy tyre upsizing.
Customers can also opt for a new Rubicon X derivative, which comes with a Rock-Trac full-time transfer case, integrated off-road camera, steel bumpers and an Xtreme 35 Package with beadlock-capable wheels and 35-inch BF Goodrich all-terrain tyres.
Engine options, depending on the market, include a 201kW 2.0-litre turbopetrol, 212kW normally aspirated 3.6 V6 and a 6.4-litre V8 with 350kW. Alternatively, there is a plug-in hybrid 4xe option, which pairs the aforementioned 2.0 engine to an electric motor for a system output of 280kW.
“The Jeep Wrangler is the archetypal adventure hero, embodying the spirit and the soul of the Jeep brand,” said Jeep CEO Christian Meunier.
“Since its introduction, we have sold almost 5 million Wranglers around the world, setting new levels of 4x4 capability with each new generation.
“Today, we are raising the bar once again by combining the most capable Wrangler to date, with more technology, comfort and safety features.”
The South African release date, and specifications, have yet to be announced.