The seats are supportive, the driving position is comfortable, - 2020 Jeep Wrangler Review
1Overview
The 2020 Jeep Wrangler is what the Jeep brand is all about—with roots that date back to the original World War II–era military vehicle—and its off-road capability borders on amazing. While it looks much like the first-generation Jeep that was created to support our troops, it has evolved into a one-of-kind four-wheel-drive vehicle, with tech and luxury to match its off-road chops. It offers everything from air conditioning to leather. Two mild-hybrid engines are available; a stretched, four-door version called the Wrangler Unlimited is also available. No matter what version you get, you can still remove the doors and roof, fold down the windshield, and enjoy motoring through the great outdoors.
What’s New for 2020?
Jeep has added several trim packages, an optional diesel engine, and revised the gas-engine lineup. Two-door Wranglers are available in base Sport, Sport S, and Rubicon versions. The four-door Wrangler Unlimited lineup includes those three models plus a Sahara trim. The 3.6-liter V-6 is standard across the board and can now be had with mild-hybrid e Torque assist in the Sahara. A turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder is optional in most models and can be supplemented with e Torque assist in the Sahara. Three new optional packages report for duty: the Wrangler Willys Edition adds a limited-slip rear differential, aggressive rock rails and fat 32-inch mud-terrain tires for more off-road capability. A Wrangler Freedom Edition pays homage to U.S. military members with special interior and exterior touches. The Wrangler Black and Tan package is not inspired by the Guinness-based libation of the same name but is a trim package that includes a tan soft top and black exterior badging. Most important is the expected mid-year arrival of a 3.0-liter V-6 EcoDiesel that's expected to deliver 260 hp and 442 lb-ft of rock-crawling torque; it will be available only in Unlimited models.
We like the idea of staying close to the Wrangler's simple roots while keeping the price towards the low end of the range, so we'd start with the two-door Wrangler—which comes standard with a removable cloth top. But we don't want to go full World War II barebones, so we'd opt for the Wrangler Sport S for its extra equipment, which includes air conditioning, a leather-covered steering wheel, power windows and locks, automatic headlamps, heated mirrors, and more. Beyond that we'd spec the 270-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder for its 295 lb-ft of torque —35 lb-ft more than the standard V-6. The four-cylinder also comes standard with an eight-speed automatic, a powertrain combination that should make for low-stress trail driving. We'd also opt for the Technology package for its larger 7.0-inch touchscreen as well as Android Auto and Apple CarPlay capability.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The standard 285-hp 3.6-liter V-6 from the previous-generation Wrangler makes its way under the hood of the new JL and can be paired with a six-speed manual gearbox or a smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic. A turbocharged four-cylinder engine is optional and teams up with an electric motor to provide additional low-end power. Wranglers are born off-road ready, so part-time four-wheel drive is standard across the range and is controlled by a lever on the center console.
In our testing, a base two-door Wrangler Sport with the V-6 and the six-speed manual transmission sprinted from zero to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds; a well-equipped four-door Sahara model with the automatic transmission did the deed in 6.8 seconds. With the four-cylinder hybrid powertrain, the four-door Sahara was slightly quicker at 6.5 seconds to 60 mph. The Rubicon model—which carries additional weight in the form of heavier-duty off-roading equipment—isn't as quick. Performance at our test track shows that the Wrangler JL is much improved compared with the previous model, but it's merely holding steady with its rivals in some metrics. Although its handling has improved, it's still trucklike in comparison with today's refined SUVs and pickups. The ride in the four-door is acceptably smooth over rough surfaces, but braking distances were inconsistent between our two test vehicles.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG
In this segment of gas guzzlers, it doesn't take much to be at the top of the class. The new Wrangler JL's EPA fuel-economy estimates put it ahead of rivals such as the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 and the Toyota 4Runner. The V-6–powered four-door Wrangler Sahara returned a 20-mpg result on our 200-mile highway fuel-economy test route, 3 mpg fewer than its EPA rating for highway fuel economy. The turbocharged four-cylinder hybrid model fared much better, delivering 26 mpg—2 mpg more than expected.