Automotive contributor, Miles Branman, walks us through the updates to the 2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon with the team from Jeep.
Few vehicles can challenge the Wrangler off-road, and even fewer stumble into the truck’s unique segment. The closest rivals include Toyota’s 4Runner TRD Pro, Jeep’s own Grand Cherokee Trailhawk, and the Land Rover Discovery. None of these SUVs can take off their tops (or fold their windshields), but if the new Wrangler isn’t any better on-road, that might not matter.
There’s little to distinguish the JL generation Wrangler’s exterior from its JK predecessor, so we won’t spend much time picking it apart. Overall, the 2018 model has grown by 2.8 inches in length for two-door models and 3.8 inches for four-doors. Both trucks are 0.2 inches wider. Jeep’s designers hide the growth spurt well with a bigger grill, larger headlights, narrower bumpers, and skinnier fender flares. Other tweaks include LED daytime running lights on the front fenders, rounded window housings, a ventilated hood (Rubicon trims), and a redesigned soft-top. In short, it still looks like a Wrangler.
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