16 August 2024

Old-school Wrangler does its stuff

17 August 2024 | Paul Gover

The Wrangler has had a major makeover. Photo: Supplied.

The big boxy build of the Jeep Wrangler marks it as one of the world’s truly iconic vehicles.

For most of its life, being big and tough was more than enough. It helped in wartime, too. But not in 2024, when even the Wrangler has had a major makeover to make it more enjoyable, and sensible, for day-to-day life.

Then again, the price has also skyrocketed to a basic $75,950 and then up to $90,450 for the four-door Wrangler Rubicon, which is a lot of money for a single-focus off-road champion.

What makes the Wrangler special is its ability to go anywhere you want to go, even if that’s at the extreme end of the four-wheel drive world. It gets its name from the Rubicon Trail in northern California and, having been through that trial in a Jeep, it gives any survivor a big tick.

The 2024 Wrangler is competent in all conditions. Photo: Supplied.

Driving the 2024 Wrangler, which is still more like an axe than a Swiss Army knife, the brutally effective history has been toned down. There is a giant 12-inch infotainment screen in the dash, more compliant suspension, lower noise levels, and a four-cylinder engine which still has plenty of shove but skips the gas-guzzling V8 of earlier models.

At first view, everything about the latest Jeep shouts Wrangler. You just know it will head deeply into the outback without raising a sweat – for you or the car. Around town, though, it is much more user-friendly.

In the past, the Wrangler has had a wobbly feel in suburban streets thanks to big tyres and steering which kicked and bucked over bumps. That’s fine if you’re avoiding a broken wrist in a sandy wash-away, but not what you want for smooth easy commuting.

That’s what you get in the latest Jeep, which is vastly smoother in all conditions and requiring far less work by the driver.

Jeep talks about the new-look, but still traditional, grille and things like a heated steering wheel and seats. The extra heating was welcome during the latest cold snap, definitely with the electric roof open. The seven-inch driver display is just what you expect today, same with wireless phone connectivity, as well as driver-assist systems and even side-head airbags.

The Jeep even has great headlights, with auto dipping, as well as oversized alloy wheels and a boom box-style sound system. Still, it’s the toughness of the Jeep which continues to draw buyers.

It’s the car that Suzuki Jimny owners dream about and off-road enthusiasts brag about. For the rest of us, it’s a bit of fun and proof that the world still has a place for a historic success story with a fresh chapter of updates.