New for this year, the 2024 Wrangler 4xe is offered with available - 2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe Review
2Wider 4xe availability, a sun-resistant 12.3-inch touchscreen, enhanced safety, and an available winch make the refreshed Wrangler more compelling than ever.
Purebred off-road machines like the Jeep Wrangler tend to evolve on a geologic timescale, which is appropriate because the Wrangler is built to excel when driven over actual geology. It's a "solid axles, meet solid rock," kind of thing. It's therefore no surprise that the mid-cycle refresh applied to the 2024 Jeep Wrangler and Wrangler 4xe hasn't changed the landscape much. In fact, we'd be surprised if you could spot the changes from 10 paces. But the changes are there, and though they're subtle, they are meaningful nonetheless and for a range of reasons.
Resized slots
It starts at the front, where the vertical dimension of the slots in the grille has been shortened, with a thicker rim of body-color paint now outlining the trademark seven-slot array. On its own, this tweak would reduce airflow to the radiators, which must support powertrains including a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, the Rubicon 392's 6.4-liter Hemi V-8, and a largely carryover 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6. To compensate, the previously painted ridges between the slots have been opened up so they can admit more cooling air.
This change was not made for the sake of a mere facelift. Instead, it's a functional outgrowth of a new factory-installed Warn winch that's now available—a first for the Wrangler. Though its lower profile has been tailored to fit the Wrangler, it nevertheless would have protruded up into the old grille's airflow. Warn and Jeep also collaborated on small changes required to pass Jeep's internal-performance and environmental-durability standards, including a reformulation of the winch's internal grease. For its part, Jeep made alterations to the support structure of the front bumper. The result: a fully crash-tested, factory-installed 8000-pound Warn winch you can add to any steel-bumper-equipped Rubicon model by checking a $1995 box on the order sheet.
Altered axle
Though the grille ensures the standard 3.6-liter V-6's cooling system can cope with an increased tow rating of 5000 pounds, the update that enabled that 1500-pound increase is hidden elsewhere. The Rubicon's rear axle now employs a full-floating design instead of a semi-floating one. Rather than being one conjoined part, the rear axle shafts now "float" separately from the wheel hubs. There's no palpable change to the Rubicon's ride or off-road performance, but this change improves the camber stiffness, overall durability, and trail repairability of the rear axle. In addition to enabling a higher tow rating, the Rubicon's standard "full floater" also lessens the reliability peril associated with fitting larger aftermarket tires.
Willys evolves
One of the more visible changes relates to the Willys package, which is now far more capable (not to mention expensive) than before because it has been upgraded with 33-inch Rubicon-spec BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires, rock rails, and a standard electronically locking rear differential. Wide-stance axles and the Rubicon's high-riding fenders come along with this change, making for a considerably tougher-looking and better-performing combination than before. But that tougher, taller stance also brings both improved ground clearance and approach/departure/breakover angles. Costing some $6000 less than a Rubicon, the Willys evolves from a budget appearance package to a compelling off-road choice that's available as a two-door with a stick shift all the way up to a four-door 4xe model.
New standard touchscreen
Climb inside any 2024 Wrangler to see its most obvious update: a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system. It's nicely integrated into the mildly restyled dash, which includes horizontally arrayed center air-conditioning vents beneath the screen that blend into a recontoured passenger grab bar. The best part: The mondo screen is standard across the board, from the lowliest $33,690 two-door Sport up to the $89,390 (!) Rubicon 392. Built-in navigation isn't available until you get to the Sahara model, but wireless phone mirroring and the app-based navigation it enables comes on all trims. The factory navigation system does have other advantages, including built-in Badge of Honor trail guidance and implementation of the Trails Offroad trail-library application that operates from cached data in places where cellular service is absent.
We were dubious of the big screen at first because the Wrangler is, at its core, a convertible. But the display is robustly backlit, to the point where it was easy to read with the top and doors off while the sun streamed in over our shoulder. If anything, the transition from the deep shade of an underpass to full sunlight made it even more impressive. There's also a prominent finger rest across the top and along the passenger-side edge, making it easy to brace your hand while you make selections—a boon on uneven terrain