2023 Jeep Wrangler

Its seven-slot grille flanked by headlights gives way to big fender flares. At the rear, the spare tire takes up a ton of real estate, which is all part of the Wrangler’s classic appeal.

Rubicon and Mojave versions have different fender flares that can accommodate tires as big as 35 inches without a suspension lift, too.

Optional painted fender flares and hardtop panels dress the Wrangler up, but only a little.

It’s just as playful inside, with a T-shaped dash panel housing either a 7.0- or an 8.4-inch touchscreen. Plenty of knobs and round air vents are easy enough to sort out, too.

Of course. Even a base Wrangler Sport offers a full toolbox of four-wheeling kit with its 2-speed transfer case, high ground clearance, and available meaty tires. 

Rubicon versions add locking front and rear differentials for improved traction in sticky situations. The Mojave has a rear locker for sand use, and the tech is available on select trim levels for an extra cost. 

Jeep fits a basic 2-speed transfer case not suitable for four-wheel-drive use on dry pavement, but an optional setup called Selec-Trac has an automatic mode that’s great for rain or light snow. 

How fast is the Jeep Wrangler?

The 285-hp 3.6-liter V-6 purrs at idle and snarls into action, though mass and aerodynamics work against the 2023 Wrangler. The standard 6-speed manual has somewhat long throws and some odd gear spacing, but it works well enough. The available 8-speed automatic has a near telegraphic way of going about its business.

The 270-hp 2.0-liter turbo-4 may not impress on specs alone, but its 295 lb-ft of torque comes on much lower than the 3.6-liter V-6, which makes for easier take-offs and improved passing power. It comes only with the automatic.

The real torque of the town here is the 3.0-liter turbodiesel V-6, which is costly but powerful with a hefty 442 lb-ft of torque at just 1,400 rpm. It’s also fitted to the automatic. 

Rubicon 392 versions go bonkers with their 470-hp 6.4-liter V-8. Paradoxically, the fastest Wrangler is also the most capable with its full bevy of four-wheeling kit, yet it can hit 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. 

Finally, the 4xe has proven a hit thanks in part to federal tax incentives that can outweigh its cost of admission. The powertrain consists of the 2.0-liter turbo-4 bolted to a 17.3-kwh battery pack, a motor-generator, and an electric motor for a total system output of a plentiful 375 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque. These models are downright quick, and they’re smooth to boot.

Smooth is not a word we’d use to describe the Wrangler’s ride quality. Its coil-sprung solid axles provide serious off-road articulation but result in considerable side-to-side motions on pavement. Four-doors ride better than two-door versions, but only by a little. There’s plenty of steering heft and a relatively precise tiller, but the Wrangler wanders at highway speeds.

Four-door models have a decent 32 cubic-foot capacity behind the rear bench.

Refinement is not a Wrangler hallmark, though the latest models are reasonably quiet for highway use. 

Most trims are offered with an option package that bundles adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and a few other niceties. 

Hey, at least outward vision is good.

That feature set earns the Wrangler a solid 5. Its limited standard fare is offset by a huge range of trim levels, though none approach the comfort of, say, the Land Rover Defender.

The Wrangler is covered by a 3-year/36,000-mile warranty plus three years of included maintenance. 

Which Jeep Wrangler should I buy?

That really depends on what you’re after. A basic Sport is a blank slate, but you’ll spend a lot more on aftermarket kit to build one as capable as the Rubicon. Figure about $47,000 to start, and something north of $50,000 by the time you add a hardtop, safety tech, and a few other niceties. 

How much is a fully loaded Jeep Wrangler?

A Wrangler Rubicon 392 can top $90,000 with options. Yes, really.

Our 2 out of 10 rating applies to V-6/automatic four-door versions, which are estimated at 19 mpg city, 24 highway, 21 combined, per the EPA. Two-doors are a bit thriftier, but high-riding Rubicons are a bit thirstier.

Bottom of the pack? The Rubicon 392 at just 14 mpg combined. 

The turbo-4 nudges mpg to 22 or 23 mpg combined, depending on the body. Turbodiesels, meanwhile, rate 25 mpg combined in four-door configuration, though Rubicons slide to 23 mpg.

The miserly choice here is the 4xe, which rates a so-so 20 mpg combined and 49 MPGe but offers more than 20 miles of tailpipe emissions-free driving on a full charge.