If you’re in the market for a 4×4 that you can drive on a daily basis while still being able to storm up the most difficult off-road trails, getting one with a diesel engine overflowing with torque could be a good decision. The Jeep Wrangler EcoDiesel might just be the very finest.
While the JL Wrangler was not offered with a diesel engine when it first hit the market, a diesel did arrive last year and Roadshow recently had the opportunity to test it out.
The 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 powering the Wrangler EcoDiesel delivers 260 hp and 442 lb-ft (599 Nm) of torque, making this the torquiest engine ever offered in the Wrangler. This six-cylinder unit is coupled exclusively to an eight-speed automatic transmission driving all four wheels.
It’s not just torque that makes the diesel stand out from the rest of the Wrangler range. The engine is also the most fuel-efficient offered for the off-roader, returning 29 mpg highway, 22 mpg in the city and over the combined cycle, 25 mpg. That makes it slightly more efficient than the available 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder mild-hybrid that is rated at 25 mpg highway, 23 mpg city, and 24 mpg combined.
The Wrangler EcoDiesel isn’t particularly cheap, however, as the diesel engine adds $4,000 to the price tag while an extra $2,000 is added due to the obligatory eight-speed automatic. The example tested by Roadshow was priced at over $60,000 due to an array of options. Is it worth that much?