Jeep Wrangler Rubicon review

Driving position

Like a cowboy mounting his trusty steed, you climb up into the Wrangler – though you’re given a hand with the running boards as a step and chunky grab handles on the A-pillars near where the front doors hinge onto the body work.

That old-fashioned upright windscreen sets the tone – high and upright.

Older versions are more truck-like with a big steering wheel and vertical utilitarian dashboard. This iconic design continues today, but newer cars feel more gentrified – a step closer to making the Wrangler a ‘Chelsea truck’.

Outward visibility is good, and rearward visibility is fairly strong given that the tailgate-mounted spare wheel blocks some of that.

Where this car feels its size is on tighter side streets – the flared wheel arches and the fact that you can see acres of bonnet in front of you make it more challenging to weave in and out of parked cars.

It’s worth noting that the central transmission area of the Wrangler does encroach on foot space, so there’s not an awful lot of room to keep your left foot, which needs somewhere comfortable given that the Wrangler is now automatic-only.

Tech and features

Despite the touchscreen infotainment system that’s up to 12.3 inches in diameter, the cabin still feels suitably retro overall.

The original Jeeps had fold-down windscreens and no roof - and here the tradition has stuck.

Even the newer models have a fold-down screen and removable doors.

The previous choice of roof options has been boiled down to just one catch-all solution - you get manually removable panels that pop off in seconds and store in a handy bag in the boot.

The whole of the roof also removes with a few bolts and quick-connect electric cables, but you’ll need to store that in your garage.

The sound equipment has been good for many years. Wrangler owners like a good loud stereo, and the nine-speaker Alpine system we had in our 2024 Wrangler Rubicon test car was sublime.

Our top-spec test car was also fitted with keyless entry, all-round parking sensors with a reversing camera, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel.

Engines and power

Previous Wranglers have been available with punchy diesel engines, and we think they’re the best option for this rugged, hard-core SUV.

However, Jeep dropped diesel power in 2020 in favour of a 272hp 2.0-litre petrol engine. In isolation, it’s a mighty impressive engine with a whopping big turbocharger.

It’ll get to 62mph in 7.6 seconds, which is really not slow for such a large, utilitarian truck.

All of that said, the 2.0-litre petrol engine drinks fuel like it’s going out of fashion, making it hard to recommend. More on that below.

Jeep introduced its 4xe powertrain to some European countries in 2021 – it’s another 2.0-litre petrol engine, but it’s supplemented with a 17kWh battery pack for a 25-mile electric-only range.

Total system output stands at 375hp, but it can be a lot more economical than the petrol-only car on shorter trips. Shame we don’t get that model in the UK (yet).

Handling and ride comfort

With heavy-duty four-wheel drive, pliable suspension, properly chunky tyres, high ground clearance and a protected underbody, the Wrangler has epic off-road capabilities to tackle snow, sand, rock, mud, water and steep gradients. Anything, really.

Back on the road, it drives unlike any other car. The normal standards of smooth, quiet motoring are disregarded.

You sit high and feel like you’re driving a truck or a tank. It feels unstoppable.

It can be fun to control the Wrangler as it wallows and bounces, roars and grumbles. It seems to turn a simple journey into an expedition.

If that’s the sort of experience you’re after, then it’s great fun, but if you just want to show off in a large SUV, there are more comfortable and refined alternatives.

Boot space

Five-door models offer better boot space compared with the now-discontinued three-door versions, but the side-hinged boot door can still be cumbersome in tight spaces.

The 533-litre boot is on par with many family SUVs, but other Chelsea tractors like the Land Rover Defender have bigger boots (the Defender has 786 litres of space in five-door, five-seat format).

Rear seats

Now that the Wrangler is five-door only, getting into the back seats is an easy affair.

Its boxy design means there are stacks of headroom, even with the roll bars that provide protection when the roof is off.

Legroom is acceptable, and a low transmission tunnel helps accommodate a middle-seat rear passenger, too.

Storage solutions

Inside, you get the usual cupholders in the centre console and a decent-sized cubby under the armrest, but the glovebox isn’t as wide as we’d like it to be.

In keeping with the adventurous theme, the door bins are made of elasticated netting, so you can fit all manner of things in them. The only problem is that you can’t… the doors close tight to the seat bases, so you won’t be able to close the door if you have something big like a bottle in the door.

Towing

The Jeep Wrangler is rated to tow up to 2,495kg, so you shouldn’t have a problem pulling anything from a small trailer to another car.

Off-roading

This is the Wrangler’s pièce de résistance. Off-road features include a heavy-duty rear axle built to handle rough terrains, a low-ratio gearbox to give you more control over power delivery at slower speeds and lockable front and rear axles to help the Wrangler maintain traction in slippery conditions.

All of that means you’ll be able to pick between automatic, high ratio and low ratio four-wheel-drive modes, as well as a slightly more efficient two-wheel-drive mode, on the drive mode selector in the centre console.

With 252mm of ground clearance in Rubicon form (242mm in Sahara form), the Wrangler is nearly as adept at tackling the rocky stuff as considerably more expensive Land Rover products. Its 762mm wading depth should also be fine for all but the most challenging circumstances.

Approach, departure and breakover angles stand at 36°, 31.4° and 20.8° respectively for the more suitable Rubicon model, which has smaller 17-inch wheels.

The Sahara, with its bigger 18-inch wheels, has smaller 35.4°, 30.7° and 20.0° angles for approach, departure and breakover.

Safety

It might have decades of history, but the latest Wrangler cars are filled with reassuring safety kit. From 2024, the Wrangler has been sold with lane departure warning, drowsy Driver Alert and a traffic sign information display.

There’s no hiding from the fact that the Jeep Wrangler got a one-star Euro NCAP rating in 2018, but although it hasn’t officially been tested, it has had plenty of upgrades in the years that followed.

Fuel economy

The rugged Wrangler is not a car for those cautiously checking fuel bills. If you want to keep your running costs as low as you can, consider a used diesel model.

Jeep says its Wrangler Rubicon will do 24.8mpg, or 27.2mpg for the Wrangler Sahara. We spent a week with the less efficient version, and averaged around 19mpg. That included up to 21mpg on a motorway trip and as little as 17mpg around town.

Reliability

Electrical and mechanical problems aren’t unheard of, and some models will sometimes show the effects of off-road use, but the reality is that Jeep cars are generally considered reliable thanks to their affiliation with Fiat and other Stellantis brands.

Insurance groups

Insurance, tax and maintenance costs will be higher than average. It sits in groups 32-41.

The best financial news is that Wranglers keep their value for decades. Depreciation is lower than other SUVs.