[Omkar]

2024 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Review

Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Pros

• A timeless design with loads of character
• One of the best offroaders on the planet
• Good build quality and abuse-friendly nature
• Highly customizable. You can go crazy with modifications
• Punchy 268-BHP 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine is refined and smooth
• 8-speed ZF automatic gearbox is competent and does the job well on / off-road
• Loads of off-road tech (locking differentials, sway bar disconnect, full-float rear axle, etc.)
• Features list includes ADAS tech, front camera, new 12.3-inch touchscreen, 9-speaker Alpine sound system, heated steering wheel & front seats, 12-way powered front seats, and more

Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Cons

• Lack of engine options. No diesel engine on offer, nor a larger petrol (available internationally)
• Firm, busy ride in the city. Bumpy on bad roads
• Backseat isn't comfortable over long distances. Also, best for 2 adults and not 3
• A 1-star Euro-NCAP safety rating is a dealbreaker for most buyers
• On-road dynamics are poor, more so with the stock MT tyres (Jeep should've given AT tyres). Best to stick to safe speeds
• Driver footwell is cramped and will get uncomfortable over long drives
• Missing features like auto wipers, auto folding mirrors, a dead pedal, a 360-degree camera and ventilated seats

This review has been jointly compiled with Samurai. Thanks to him for the expert observations!

Introduction

If there’s one name synonymous with 'off-road fun' - it’s the Wrangler. It has a strong legacy and continues to stay true to its nature. Of course, over the years, with new technologies coming in and customer preferences shifting towards comfort, the Wrangler received plenty of modern features, but it has maintained its off-road prowess. Jeep introduced the Wrangler in India as a CBU, but eventually started assembling it locally in 2021. In fact, India is the only country outside of North America to assemble the Wrangler.

In 2024, the Wrangler (JL) receives a minor facelift where it gets some design tweaks to the exterior and interior while getting a few feature additions as well. It is available in two variants: Unlimited and Rubicon. Of the two, the Unlimited is the more road-friendly version which can be your daily driver as well. Rubicon is the more off-road-focused variant and even gets Mud Terrain tyres as standard. If you plan to do some serious off-roading, this is the variant you should be looking for and we got to drive it for a day in Chandigarh. There’s a lot to cover, so let’s get right to it.

2024 Jeep Wrangler Price & Brochure

The MY2024 Jeep Wrangler has been launched at Rs. 67.65 lakh for the Unlimited variant and Rs. 71.65 lakh for the Rubicon variant (ex-showroom). That's Rs. 5 lakh more expensive than the outgoing car! This makes the Wrangler a bit pricey IMO as the car is mechanically identical except for the full-float rear axle. There are feature additions, but Jeep should've tried to price the Wrangler a bit more aggressively.

You can download the 2024 Jeep Wrangler Brochure here - Jeep Wrangler Brochure.pdf

[Omkar]

Exterior

Design & Styling

Distinctive. That’s one way to describe the design and styling of the Jeep Wrangler. You’ll know that it’s a Wrangler right away. The original Jeep design is unique and immediately recognizable. You’ve got the big seven-slot grille up front with the round headlamps. Black-coloured fenders, squared wheel arches and stubby mud terrain tyres give it a masculine feel. The hood latches, exposed door hinges and chunky door handles just add to the character of the vehicle.

The car may look average-sized in the pictures, but in person, this is a big car. Just for reference, it has a wheelbase of 3,007 mm which is more than the entire length of the MG Comet! Overall, the Wrangler Rubicon measures 4,867 mm in length, 1,894 mm in width and 1,848 mm in height. It will be available in 5 colour options: Anvil (Bluish grey shade), Firecracker Red, Sarge Green, Black and Bright White (our test car)

Build Quality, Fit & Finish

Considering that the main function of the Wrangler is to be driven off the road, the build quality is good and sturdy. Everything feels abuse-friendly and built to last. The panel gaps are not as tight as you would find in on-road cars, but they’re consistent. The doors have a good amount of heft to them and you have to slam them shut. The hood is heavy too. The paint may seem basic, but the quality is good.

Wheels & Tyres

As mentioned earlier, the 2024 Wrangler is available in 2 variants: Unlimited and Rubicon. The Unlimited variant gets 18-inch alloy wheels as standard shod with 255/70 section highway terrain tyres as standard. The Rubicon variant gets 17-inch alloy wheels with 255/75 section mud-terrain tyres as standard.

Ground Clearance

Given the vast differences between both the variants, the ground clearance is also slightly different. The Unlimited variant has a ground clearance of 223 mm while the Rubicon variant has a ground clearance of 237 mm.

Standard & Extended Warranty

The Jeep Wrangler comes with a basic 3-year / 1,00,000 km warranty coverage that also includes a corrosion warranty. For more information regarding the standard warranty, do check out their warranty brochure - Jeep Wrangler Warranty Manual.pdf. There are also extended warranty packages after the standard warranty expires up to 5 years / 1,50,000 km. We strongly recommend you take the extended warranty package.

Maintenance

Jeep has maintenance packages that include periodic maintenance service, labour and replacement of parts. They have 3 to 5-year packages, so you can check those out.

Safety

This has always been an area of concern for the Wrangler post the Euro NCAP crash test where it scored just a 1-star rating. To compensate for that, safety features have been added to the 2024 Wrangler. The important highlight is that now 6 airbags are offered as standard. They’re integrated into the roll cage, so even if you’ve taken the doors and the roof off, the airbags will be functional. You now also get ADAS tech that includes forward collision warning and emergency braking, adaptive cruise control and automatic high beam headlamp control. It doesn’t have a rear radar, so rear cross-traffic alert or blind spot monitoring features aren’t available.

Interior

Cabin Design & Quality

The interior design has more or less remained the same from the pre-facelift version but gets minor changes. You now have an all-black interior with red accents all around. The cabin is very straightforward and functional. The quality of plastics is also very basic, but the fit & finish is good. You get some soft-touch plastics on the top of the dashboard and in certain areas, some good-quality plastics have also been used. Since the Wrangler is an off-road-focused car, the dashboard can withstand some amount of water.

Space & Comfort

As mentioned earlier, the Wrangler is a big vehicle. Getting in and out of the car is a task as compared to your regular on-road cars. Getting in the driver’s seat, you will have to climb into the vehicle and most likely use the grab handle on the A-pillar. Inside, there’s good space for 4 adults to travel comfortably. 3 adults in the back seat can manage small distances, but that wouldn’t be as comfortable.

Seats are wrapped in leatherette and provide good comfort. They’re quite accommodating and even individuals with a heavy build would find them to be comfortable. The cushioning is a bit on the firmer side but isn’t uncomfortable. The front seats provide good overall support and you also have 4-way adjustable electric lumbar support.

Driving Position & Ergonomics

In the driver’s seat, the first thing you’ll notice and appreciate is the high seating position and the commanding view. Overall glass area is good in terms of visibility and you can even see the bonnet.

New on the 2024 Wrangler is the electronic seat adjustment. You now have 12-way power-adjustable front seats with 4-way lumbar adjustment. Since this is an off-road vehicle, the electronic seat adjustment controls are waterproof and can be operated even when submerged under water. Some people might notice that the controls are rather hard to reach when the door is shut.

The steering is adjustable to height and reach. For most drivers, finding their ideal seating position should be easy. However, taller people (6 feet and above) will find that the to & fro adjustment range of the front seats is limited. The steering adjustment range for reach is also a bit limited.

Cabin Storage

Since this cabin doesn’t entirely focus on comfort and practicality, the cabin storage isn’t that great. You get two cupholders, an armrest storage and an average-sized glovebox to keep your things. The doors have nets instead of door pockets like in regular cars. The rear passengers get seatback pockets to keep their stuff. If you are someone who carries a lot of stuff, there are some storage accessories from Jeep.

Air-Conditioning

We drove the Wrangler in Chandigarh and the AC managed to keep us cool throughout. The rear passengers also get AC vents and the cabin cools pretty quickly.

Features

Unique & Noteworthy Features

If you’re buying a Wrangler, comfort features aren’t a dealbreaker. But it’s always nice to have features that will make the drive more comfortable. While the Wrangler is not equipped to the brim with features, it gets a good amount of them. For starters, you have auto LED headlamps, LED taillamps, 12-way powered front seats (heated, not ventilated), 7-inch digital MID, 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment, 9-speaker Alpine sound system with subwoofer, dual-zone automatic climate control, heated steering, auto-dimming mirrors, heated ORVMs, etc. With the 2024 facelift, Jeep has introduced a trail-ready antenna that’s integrated into the front windshield which also gets Corning Gorilla Glass protection. You also now have a front camera that’s placed on the grille and with the Rubicon variant, you get a cabin noise reduction (wind and road) package that includes acoustic laminated front door glass and acoustic front seat area carpet. In terms of off-road tech, the Heavy-duty Dana 44 full-float rear axle replaces the semi-floating rear axle from the pre-facelift car. You do miss out on some features like auto wipers, auto folding mirrors, a dead pedal, 360-degree camera and ventilated seats.

Audio System & Sound Quality

New on the facelift is the bigger 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment unit with the Uconnect 5 system that comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. It also gets an in-built navigation system and integrated voice commands. The infotainment system is mated to a 552W, 8-speaker Alpine sound system with a 12-channel amplifier and a subwoofer in the boot on the Rubicon variant. You also get active noise cancellation for reducing ambient noise. The audio quality is average and not very impressive. It will do the job just fine. The Unlimited variant gets an 8-speaker sound system.

Rear Passengers

Rear Seat Comfort & Space

If you’re planning to travel long distances in a Wrangler, it’s best if you stick to the front seats as things aren’t that great in the rear. For starters, the Rubicon variant doesn’t get side steps for easier ingress and egress. Instead, you get rock rails that are good for off-roading. The Unlimited variant gets a side step. Getting in and out of the Rubicon is a task and you have to climb into the back seat using the grab handle on the B-pillar.

Once in the rear seat, things don’t necessarily get better for tall folk. The under-thigh support isn’t that great as the seatbase isn’t long enough. At 5’10”, sitting on the rear seat felt like being seated on a bar stool. The seat placement is also low which means that I was in a knee-up seating position. The backrest is fixed at a comfortable position, albeit a bit upright. An irritating bit about being seated in the rear is the seatbelt placement. I found that the seatbelt kept rubbing against my neck which after spending some time in the rear seat got highly uncomfortable. The knee room is adequate and there’s plenty of headroom thanks to the tall nature of the car. Rear passengers get seatback pockets for storing their items and door nets. If you want more storage, you can opt for Mollee accessories from Jeep. Additionally, rear passengers get AC vents and regular & USB-C charging ports along with a 3-point switch (you’ll need an adapter though).

Boot Space

There’s a good amount of boot space to carry a family’s weekend luggage. You can expand the boot space to roughly 900 litres by folding down the rear seats. The loading lip is a bit high, but the floor is flat so sliding in the luggage is convenient. There’s some storage space under the boot floor as well.

[Omkar]

Driving the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon - On Road

This generation of the Wrangler (JL) is available only with a 2.0-litre petrol engine in India that is shared with the Grand Cherokee, albeit in a different state of tune. Internationally of course there are multiple powertrains including a V6 petrol, a 4-cylinder diesel, a plug-in hybrid and even an all-electric Wrangler. There’s also a 6.4-litre hemi-V8 powered Wrangler that has a claimed 0-100 km/h time of 4.5 seconds. As of now, we have to make do with the 2.0-litre engine that makes 268 BHP @ 5,250 rpm and 400 Nm @ 3,000 rpm. Right off the bat, this engine seems like a perfect fit for Indian driving conditions. It strikes a good balance between on-road and off-road driving. We got to drive the Rubicon primarily off-road and also on regular roads for some time. Let’s start with the on-road driving part first and we’ll move on to the off-roading part after that, so keep reading.

Start the engine and you will notice that the cabin is quieter than the pre-facelift car thanks to the improvements in the NVH package. Release the brake pedal and the Wrangler moves off the line smoothly. The power delivery is smooth and the Wrangler isn’t in a hurry to get a move on. With a light foot on the accelerator, the car crawls in a relaxed manner. The throttle inputs are smooth and unlike the Grand Cherokee which feels a bit eager, the Wrangler treads carefully. Driving smoothly at city speeds shouldn’t be an issue. The turbo kicks in linearly and you get a strong surge of power which should take care of the quick overtakes in the city.

Out on the highway, the Wrangler manages to get by. The strong mid-range means that you will reach highway speeds with ease. We were in the rural areas of Punjab, so we couldn’t push the car above 100 km/h. At high revs, the engine sounded strained and not something you’d like to hear. On kickdown, the gearbox is responsive and drops gears instantly to give you a strong surge of power. The claimed 0-100 km/h acceleration time is 8.1 seconds.

The 8-speed automatic gearbox is one of the nicer units. The shifts are smooth while driving on the road and also off the road.

Noise, Vibration & Harshness (NVH)

The MY2024 Wrangler comes with a noise-reduction cabin package. This includes acoustic laminated front door glass and acoustic front seat carpet area. The dashboard also gets PUR wrap which claims to reduce 50 decibels. Has all of this made a difference in cabin NVH? Yes, it has. In comparison with the pre-facelift Wrangler, the cabin is noticeably quieter. The engine is loud on the outside, especially when in 4L, but a lot of that noise is eliminated in the cabin. The mud tyres on the Rubicon variant make a lot of noise at high speeds.

Mileage & Fuel economy

If fuel economy is a priority, then this lifestyle off-road turbo-petrol car may not be for you. Jeep claims that the Wrangler Unlimited has a fuel economy of 11.4 km/l while the Rubicon variant has a fuel economy of 10.6 km/l. The car is equipped with auto start-stop technology to improve fuel economy.

2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo-petrol engine makes 268 BHP @ 5,250 rpm and 400 Nm @ 3,000 rpm. It’s mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission:

Suspension

Ride Comfort

The Jeep Wrangler is a body-on-frame off-road SUV that doesn’t get an independent suspension setup like most SUVs today. It remains one of the last SUVs to have rigid axles at the front and rear. These are some of the key reasons why the Wrangler is so good at off-roading. Of course, there’s a compromise to having rigid axles, which is seen in the on-road driving dynamics of the Wrangler. The ride is not as comfortable as your usual on-road cars. The suspension system transfers most of the bumps and potholes on the road inside the cabin and it can get a little bumpy. On the flip side, the suspension is extremely abuse-friendly. You can go through any pothole without ever worrying about it damaging your car.

Handling & Dynamics

As you gain speed, the ride gets slightly better, but it’s not exactly planted. We could go only up to 100 km/h on the rural roads and the car stayed fairly stable for a big off-road SUV. There was vertical movement at speeds and we’d suggest staying under the 100 km/h mark especially due to the mud terrain tyres on the Rubicon variant.

Twisty roads are also best taken at safe speeds as the Wrangler is no corner carver. There’s plenty of body roll and you’ll notice the traction control kicking in to cut the power. There’s not enough grip from the mud terrain tyres on the road as well.

Steering

The Wrangler is equipped with an electro-hydraulic power steering (EHPS). The steering weight is light at slow speeds and weighs up as you build up speed. The turning radius isn’t tight and you will end up taking 3-point turns at places. It doesn’t feel very connected, but that’s something we see quite often with off-road cars.

The Wrangler comes with a steering stabilizer which is essentially a small shock absorber on the steering linkage. It helps stabilize the unwanted side-to-side motion of the front tyres up through the steering system:

Braking

You get all-wheel disc brakes on the Wrangler. We drove the Rubicon variant which was equipped with mud terrain tyres and the braking performance on the road wasn’t great. If your driving primarily involves on-road driving, do consider the Unlimited variant which gets highway terrain tyres. Braking off the road was much better. The brake pedal feel was progressive, but not too sharp.

[Samurai]

Driving the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon - Off Road

The Wrangler Rubicon 2024 has an excellent set of 4WD features that makes it one of the most respected offroad vehicles in the world.

Dana 44 Full floating Solid Axles

While most SUVs have moved on to comfort-friendly independent suspension, Rubicon stays true to its offroad heritage with rugged solid axles. Solid axles are almost indestructible compared to independent suspension. The pre-facelift Wrangler got a semi-floating rear axle which is now replaced with the Dana 44 heavy-duty fully floating axle (FFA) on the 2024 Wrangler. Why is this exciting? We have a thread from 2009, explaining the difference.

Let us use an image from that thread, to explain it quickly:


As you can see, in the case of semi-floating, the axle shaft is connected to the housing using a ball bearing. But the wheel is attached only to the axle and not the housing. This means the axle is bearing the weight of the vehicle, apart from its primary duty to turn the wheel. However, in the case of full-floating, the wheel is mounted on the axle housing, and the axle carries no weight. Here, the axle only needs to turn the wheel. This allows the axle to turn more freely and deliver the torque more efficiently. Another advantage of FFA is that one could attach free-wheeling hubs, which allows the vehicle to be towed by unlocking the hub if the axle is broken.

Sway Bar Disconnect

All cars have a sway bar in the front to improve the handling and reduce body roll. However, it is not very helpful in off-road situations where much greater wheel articulation is desired. The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon has a Sway bar disconnect feature that allows the vehicle to achieve much greater articulation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmYKmkLLczg

Let us see this in action:

Axle articulation in both drop and lift position, when the sway bar is connected. You see that the wheel is still somewhat within the wheel well, even while hanging in the air:


And the wheel is nowhere close to the ceiling of the wheel well when the wheel is fully smooshed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjnCxQRRSQM

Axle articulation in both drop and lift position, when the sway bar is disconnected. The wheel is fully outside the wheel well:


Here the wheel is almost touching the ceiling of the wheel well:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sV8k0YlRK7c

Now, here is the funny part. After watching the action under both modes, many media cameramen decided to shoot the Rubicon doing the above obstacle with the sway bar connected. They considered that more dramatic than the wheel dropping down, with less tilt of the body. If the Rubicon can do the obstacle while the sway bar is connected, what is the big deal about the sway bar disconnect feature? This doubt can be raised because the track designers had not provided an obstacle that can be done only with the sway bar disconnected, out of safety concerns. Later when I spoke to our track guide, he confessed that the track was designed to a mere 30% of Rubicon's real ability. And I concurred. If the track was designed for testing 100% ability, that would require every driver to be an offroad expert and it would still involve dozens of rescues (winching/towing) every day.

Rock-Trac® 4x4 System Driving Modes

2H: For highways, where only the rear axle is engaged, delivering 100% of the torque to the rear.

4H Auto: This is similar to AWD or Full Time 4x4, where the transfer case is capable of turning the front and rear propellers at different speeds depending on the traction available. In this mode, you can drive anywhere, even on the road. But we don’t have any more technical details on how it is implemented. However, there is an important clue, they mention that the torque split is 50/50 between front and rear in this mode. This clearly points to an open center differential, with no slip. Therefore, on a good road, 25% torque would be delivered to each of the 4 wheels. This also means if both wheels in front or rear lose traction, no torque will be delivered at all. That is when you need to engage the 4H Part-time.

4H Part-time: This is similar to 4H on any traditional 4WD vehicle. The front and rear propellers are locked and will turn at the same speed. This should be used only on slippery roads. On-road, this mode can cause transmission windup.

4L: This is similar to 4L on any traditional 4WD vehicle, but the ratio is 4:1, which is astonishing. The torque will be multiplied by 4 times, while the speed will be reduced by 4 times.

How does it work?

An open differential system, whether it is front, rear or centre, is susceptible to loss of torque if the traction is lost on any one side. First, let's look at how an open differential system works. Traction happens to be the most important aspect of off-road driving. That is the sole reason why off-road vehicles have 4-wheel drive instead of 2-wheel drive. In a two-wheel drive vehicle with an open differential, if one tyre loses traction, that tyre starts spinning and the other tyre will stop turning. This is because an open differential sends the same amount of torque to both wheels while allowing them to run at different speeds. The tyre without traction demands just enough torque to spin the wheel, and that is the amount of torque sent to both the drive axles. That amount is not enough to move the tyre with traction, so it just stops. This puts very little load on the engine, which generates just enough torque to spin the tractionless wheel, and nothing more. To put this in numbers, let’s say 10 Nm of torque is required to overcome the traction of one of the tyres, then the engine will generate 20 Nm of torque, and the differential will send 10 Nm to each drive axle. It doesn’t matter if the engine is capable of generating 100 Nm, 200 Nm or 400 Nm of torque. The torque generated is entirely dependent on the load, which in turn, depends on the traction. The maximum torque generated is also limited by the engine capacity, that goes without saying.

To counter this loss of torque, 4x4 systems use techniques like Limited Slip Differential (LSD), Brake Lock Differential (BLD) or Manual/Mechanical Locking Differential (MLD).

Limited Slip Differential (LSD)

The LSD simply replaces the open differential, and it allows the two sides to get different amounts of torque. The popular types are clutch-type, torque sensing or TORSEN and Viscous coupling differential. The LSD sends more torque to the wheel that has torque while sending very little to the wheel with less traction. Since Jeep doesn't use LSD, we won't be discussing LSD any further.

Brake Lock Differential (BLD)

Jeep Wrangler Rubicon uses a Brake Lock Differential in all its 4WD modes. The term can be a bit confusing because it has nothing to do with the actual differential. However, it is the braking that achieves or mimics the function of an LSD. It has sensors at each wheel to detect whether the wheel is turning faster than the car is moving. It also has computer-controlled individual disc brakes on each wheel. When a tyre loses traction and starts to spin, it is detected instantly by the sensor. This enables the computer to apply brakes to that wheel so that speed matches the other wheel with traction. The lack of traction is compensated by the brake resistance. So, the load will increase and torque will continue to flow. If one tyre in both the front and the rear loses traction at the same time, then the engine continues to send torque to the remaining two wheels with traction (4H part-time and 4L mode). It will also send an equal amount of torque to the tractionless tyre that is under brake resistance, which is dissipated as heat. Furthermore, if 3 tyres lose traction, all of them will encounter brake resistance, ensuring that the only tyre with traction will get 1/4th of the torque generated by the engine. None of the above requires any driver input or skill. This is the first clear advantage the BLD has over mechanical offroaders without LSD.

When an offroad vehicle travels on slippery terrain, the traction offered to each tyre keeps changing continuously. In a mechanical offroader like Thar, the driver has to continuously watch, anticipate, avoid, compensate or recover from situations where vehicles can get stuck. On the other hand, the BLD's wheel sensors will be continuously watching for loss of traction in all four wheels. When loss of traction is detected, it will apply brake resistance instantly and individually to compensate, and release the brakes instantly when the traction is restored. Since the traction status of all the wheels is available instantly, the computer can use complicated algorithms to compensate for it. Even the most vigilant driver will not be able to match this electromechanical control system. This is the second clear advantage the BLD's electronics have over mechanical offroaders without LSD.

Why do most modern 4WD vehicles opt for BLD over LSD, despite the weakness of losing 50% torque on chewing the brake pads? LSD is not computer-controlled, it can't detect if the vehicle is running on-road or off-road terrain. Therefore, it tends to activate even on-road and overcompensate, affecting the dynamics of the vehicle. It is too unsafe to be installed on the front and can be a little iffy on the rear while driving on-road. However, BLD is very safe to be installed on every wheel, even for on-road use. It can use the same sensors and braking system used by ABS and TCS.

Tru-Lok® locking front and rear differentials

If you were bothered about the 50% torque waste in BLD, here is your deliverance. The Rock-Trac® 4x4 System also comes with Tru-Lok®, which allows the driver to lock the front and rear differentials. This can used only in the 4L mode.

You can selectively lock just the rear, or front+rear. You cannot lock only the front axle. When locked, both wheels on that axle will turn at the same speed, and torque will be distributed according to the load on each wheel. One more thing, when the axle is locked, the BLD for those wheels will be turned off. Since axle locking can achieve up to 100% torque transfer to the wheel with traction, the BLD has no role to play here.

This feature is like a nuclear button, to be used when everything fails, when there is very little traction. Never try to turn the steering wheel when the axles are locked. Incorrect usage can result in a broken axle very fast. The media drive didn't have any obstacles that needed engaging these locks.

Mud Terrain Tyres

The Rubicon comes with 17-inch wheels with mud terrain tyres. This is great for mud alone... In rocky or sandy terrain, it doesn't help much. It will be horrible on highways too. While driving on the dry sandy trails, the Rubicon was bouncing a lot. At first, we were puzzled and then came the realization. Dry sand requires balloon tyes with no treads at all so that the treads don't dig into the sand. Instead, we had MT tyres that were continuously digging and then bouncing out of the sand. All-terrain tyres instead of mud-terrain tyres would've been more practical.

[Samurai]

Offroad driving experience (Jungle Trail)

Usually, off-road media drives are quite tame since they have to design the track for drivers who are not familiar with off-roading. But this was Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, so the track was quite an upgrade. Except for the articulation testing ground, the rest were natural terrains including wild forest paths, loose sand, dry river bed, wet river bed and even the mighty Sutlej River crossing.

The previous day we were asked to pick between an open Jeep with tubular doors and a fully closed Jeep. The other media team who shared the Jeep with us wanted to ride the open Jeep, but I got them to change their mind after I told them how we would have to eat dust and suffer the heat the whole day, apart from dealing with river water inside the Jeep. It saved us a lot of grief the next day. It also saved us from hearing the loud engine noise in 4L.

The trail guides were instructing everyone to drive in 4L. However, the 4:1 ratio of 4L made it very slow to move and also very loud. Whenever I drove, I quickly got a waiver from the guide to switch to 4H part-time, so that I could move faster.

How loud was it in 4L, here is a sample:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNNF8N0RTlA

The forest trails were wide enough to allow the Wrangler. There were lots of inclines and slopes, and none were a challenge to the long-wheelbase Jeep Wrangler.

This area has no rocks, so they had to special order rocks to demonstrate that ability:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJDKc6oVSFk

Some videos and images of inclines and slopes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ky8fbyVXPDo

The ADAS and parking sensors don't turn off by themselves once we are in 4H part-time or 4L. They would continuously bleat and become a total nuisance. We soon turned them all off.

https://youtu.be/W6NLym5k9y4

https://youtu.be/6-B4BP3b8II

Offroad driving experience (River Bed Dry+Wet)

Once the Jungle trail drive was completed, we got out of the private resort and entered the dry river bed. The trail was mostly dry sand and therefore not very friendly to the mud terrain tyres.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzBO-__scAQ

However, somewhere in the middle, we found some standing water in the river and that led to some splashing fun:











After that, we got to cross the mighty Sutlej into a small island and revert. The Wrangler Rubicon can wade water up to 34 inches (864 mm). The river had a lower water level than the previous days, so we didn't get to test true limits.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJQh2R2Udu4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5E6GdHUp4A

[Omkar]

Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Exterior Images

The updates on the 2024 model include a new grille design up front that’s all black and feels one with the round headlamps. Below, the bumper design has been left unchanged and you also get black fenders that also carry DRLs:


There are no changes to the rear in comparison to the pre-facelift car. You have a boxy rear design with a tailgate-mounted spare wheel and squarish taillamps:


The Wrangler is a big car with a wheelbase of 3,007 mm which is more than the entire length of the MG Comet (2,947 mm). The 17-inch wheels don’t look proportionate to the size of the car, but they’re more focused towards function over form:


The current generation of Jeep Wrangler (JL) was introduced in 2021 in India. The updated model or the facelift that we now get was introduced internationally last year:


The Wrangler Rubicon measures 4,867 mm in length, 1,894 mm in width and 1,848 mm in height. Ground clearance for the Rubicon variant is 237 mm. As you can see, there's no sidestep on the Rubicon variant (The Unlimited variant gets it), instead you get rock rails as standard here:


A closer look at the new 7-slat grille. The headlamps and the grille seem to be merged into a single element. The pre-facelift grille design was a bit more distinctive from the iconic seven-slat design (reference image). New on the facelift is the front camera that’s placed in the centre slat. It also gets a washer to clean off the dirt during off-roading:


LED auto headlamps also get auto high beam function as a part of ADAS features:


Front bumper design has been carried forward. The Wrangler gets LED fog lamps:


Exposed wiring near the bumper is not something you’d like to see:


Underbody protection doesn’t extend all the way back. Note the towing point on the top left of this picture:


The fender-mounted antenna has been replaced by a windshield-integrated antenna. See the yellow line on the RHS of the windshield? That’s the new antenna. The Wrangler comes with ADAS tech, whose camera is mounted behind the windshield. Like the previous Wrangler, you can fold down the windshield:


New on the 2024 Wrangler is that the windshield gets Corning Gorilla Glass protection:


The hood design is the same as the pre-facelift car and gets fake air vents:


Rubicon badge on the side may look excessive but adds to the character. Note the exposed hood latches:


Squared-off wheel arches look very macho. The Rubicon variant gets 17-inch wheels shod with 255/75 R17 mud terrain tyres:


The Wrangler gets all-wheel disc brakes. The 2024 model gets a new design for the alloy wheels. IMO, the pre-facelift Wrangler alloy wheels had a better design (reference image):


The Wrangler gets a Trail-Rated 4x4 badge:


ORVMs are integrated with turn indicators. Note that they’re door-mounted and don’t get an auto-folding function. Since the doors of the Wrangler can be removed, these come off with it:


Very basic black-coloured door handle with an old-school keyhole. There’s a request sensor on the door handle. Please excuse the dirt on the car, it was hard to keep the car clean amidst off-roading:


One more old-school element – The fuel lid needs to be opened using the key:


A look at the 3-piece modular rooftop. The front two parts are very easy to take off, but to remove the rear part, you will need to send the car to the workshop:


With the front two parts removed, you have a wide open roof:


A look at the tailgate-mounted spare wheel that also houses…


… a reversing camera in the middle and …


A stop lamp on top:


The traditional square tail lamps have been carried forward and get the LED treatment:


Down below you get an exposed red tow hook:


The semi-floating rear axle has been upgraded to a Dana 44 heavy-duty full-float rear axle:


Here’s the Wrangler Rubicon in Firecracker Red paint shade. All the doors and the roof has been removed and the windshield has been folded down as well. The Jeep looks absolutely insane in this wild form:


This is the 2024 Wrangler Unlimited:

[Omkar]

Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Interior Images

The interiors of the Wrangler can be described as functional. There are no crazy curvy elements, it’s pretty straightforward with squarish and round elements. There have been a few feature additions to the 2024 model, but the overall design is very much the same as it has been. Since the Wrangler has a water-resistant dashboard, the quality of materials may seem basic, but it’s meant to withstand abuse:


Leather-wrapped steering wheel gets contrast red stitching. The buttons on the left are for operating the MID and telephone, while the buttons on the right are for ADAS controls. There are also the typical Jeep buttons behind the steering wheel for music controls:


Standard Jeep instrument cluster with analogue dials and a 7-inch MID screen in the middle:


Lot of information is displayed on the screen, especially the ones related to off-roading:


While off the road, it’s great to have information regarding the car like battery voltage, coolant temperature, transmission temperature, oil temperature, oil life etc. Thankfully, you have all that information on the Wrangler MID:


Very basic round AC vents. Note the red accents on the part of the dashboard surrounding the vent:


Headlamp controls are placed on the right-hand side of the driver. You get auto-headlamps, but no auto wipers:


The removable doors get a net to store your items. The armrest is wrapped in leatherette and the top part of the door is soft to the touch:


A closer look at the ORVM controls and the door handle. You don’t get auto-folding mirrors on the Wrangler:


Ingress and egress are difficult in the Wrangler Rubicon variant as it doesn’t get side steps. You must climb into the cabin, and you will need to use this grab handle:


Black Nappa leather-wrapped seats get red contrast stitching and Rubicon embossing. They offer good overall support and can accommodate larger individuals with ease:


Front seats get 12-way electric adjustment along with 4-way lumbar adjustment:


Not having a dead pedal is still okay, but the footwell of the Wrangler is very cramped. Over long distances, the driver will get uncomfortable:


You get auto-dimming IRVM, but the view is restricted by the tall headrests and the tailgate-mounted spare wheel:


Rectangle-shaped ORVMs are heated and have a concave edge:


New on the 2024 model is this area on top of the dashboard. You get two flat surfaces on top which have a rubber mat. You can remove it and you’ll find mounting slots for your action camera to capture the off-road trails. Very unique:


As mentioned earlier, the dashboard design is functional and has a lot of basic square and round elements. The highlight of the 2024 model is the big 12.3-inch touchscreen. Since the doors are removable, the power window controls have been added to the centre console:


The 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system gets Uconnect 5 and comes with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay connectivity. The display is bright and clear even under direct sunlight. The interface is smooth and doesn’t have much lag. It has a split screen setup and is overall convenient to use:


Strangely the front and rear camera display covers only 2/3rd of the screen and there’s a Jeep graphic on the right. Why not have a full-screen display? Even if there are some resolution limitations, why not have the display closer to the driver's side and the Jeep graphic on the passenger side? Very strange. There’s a ‘Clean camera and rear glass option’ on the front camera display which activates the rear washer and the front camera washer. Guidelines for front and rear cameras are adaptive. You can control the ADAS options from the touchscreen as well and there’s a quick-access menu for all the functions of the car:


You have a separate section for off-road pages where you have plenty of information that you would need when off-roading. Check out all the information:


Below the horizontal central AC vents, you have the button cluster for media, HVAC and vehicle controls. The buttons feel basic, but the quality is good:


Power window controls are placed on the centre console. Only the driver-side window gets auto-up and down. Old school cigarette lighter is placed on the left side and you have an AUX port, a USB-C and a regular USB port on the right:


The serious off-road controls are placed way down low and aren’t easy to reach. This might be done on purpose to not activate some of these controls accidentally. You have the locking differential controls in red. Note that you cannot lock only the front differential. It’s either the rear only or the front and rear both. There’s also the button for Off-Road+ mode that enhances the Rubicon’s tractive capabilities and you also have the Sway Bar disconnect button:


These are customizable auxiliary switches that you can use to operate any accessories that you have added like a winch, lights etc.


A look at the 4x4 gear lever. As you would expect in an off-roader, operating this lever isn’t smooth. You really have to put some effort into shifting to 4L from 2H:


The 8-speed automatic transmission is a smooth-shifting gearbox and Manual mode is activated by sliding the gear lever to the left while in ‘D’:


Willy’s Jeep logo on top of the gear lever is a nice touch:


A look at the passenger side of the dashboard. The pre-facelift model used to get a big red plastic insert here and I’m glad that they’ve replaced it. This looks more subtle in comparison, but I prefer this over the previous one (reference image):


The passenger gets a grab handle to hold on to while off-roading. Note the white stitching design on the handle:


Average sized glovebox isn’t very wide but is deep enough. No ventilation or illumination here:


The front 2 parts of the roof are removable. All you have to do is remove the clamps and you can easily do it without any tools:


A quick way to convert a covered Jeep into an open-roof one. To remove the rear part of the roof, you will need tools and some technical knowledge. Best to get it done at the service centre:


You get two big roof-mounted speakers:


Just like the front seats, you will need to use the grab handles to get in the backseat:


The backseat is best for 2 adults to travel comfortably. A third adult would be a squeeze. All three passengers get 3-point seatbelts and adjustable headrests:


The backrest of the middle passenger folds down as a centre armrest for the rear passengers. The headrest in fact has integrated cupholders and a phone holder in the back:


Here’s Samurai (5’8” tall) in the backseat behind his driving position. There’s good knee room and headroom, but the backrest angle is a bit upright. Glass area is plenty and you won’t feel claustrophobic at any time. Note that there are no handles on the side for the rear passengers. Passengers will have to hold on to the grab handle in the front on the B-pillar while off-roading:


The seat base is short which means that the under thigh support is very less. Spending a long time in the backseat can get uncomfortable really soon:


One bit that I found particularly irritating is the mounting of the rear seatbelt. When buckled in, the seatbelt kept rubbing against my neck and thanks to plenty of off-roading that we did, this irritating feeling kept on getting amplified:


Rear passengers get round AC vents and like the front, power window controls are placed below and not on the doors:


Below you have 2 regular and 2 USB-C charging ports along with a 3-point switch:

The boot is quite accommodating for carrying a family’s weekend luggage:


The seats fold in a 60:40 split. To fold down the seat, you have to first flip the headrest by pulling on the small flap and then pull the big flap to fold the entire seat:


With the seats folded down, the boot space is roughly 900 litres. The good thing is that the boot floor is flat and sliding bags in and out of the boot will be convenient:


The subwoofer is placed in the boot and gets the Alpine branding:


On the left, you have a 12V DC outlet. Note the JL badge below:


Lift the boot floor and you will find an additional storage area:


Jeep has an accessory for the tailgate where you can have a fold-out table here:


Plate on the tailgate with all the details of the Wrangler (JL):


There is plenty of exposed wiring at the rear, but since this is a modular hardtop roof, can overlook this part:


Disclaimer: Jeep invited Team-BHP for the 2024 Wrangler Rubicon test drive. They covered all the travel expenses for this driving event.

[Omkar]

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[Pythonista]

Looks sweet! The Jeep Wrangler is definitely the best off roader under 1cr. However, some glaring misses are evident (lack of dead pedal, 1star EuroNCAP rating, etc.). Also, it is not a very good primary car.

So yeah, seems to be targeting the niche segment. Would be awesome as a rental car, though.

P.S thought this was a modded Thar at first glance

[Venkatesh]

The Jeep Wrangler facelift has been launched at Rs 67.65 lakh.

https://youtu.be/XKT72kH3FYw?si=BADcyhBKdX10fNKK

[Bhodrolok]

1star GNCAP rating?

Why? This seems really odd for a vehicle like this and at this price and segment.

[docprashant]

Now might just be the right time for Jeep to bring in a 3 door Wrangler at an acceptable pricing and for Mahindra to bring in the Thar Armada with an intent to go slighlty premium from their current positioning.

The Wrangler has been a dream car for many, but its extreme off road focus limits its usability in the real world. A rationalised pricing approach by Jeep India would also have aided in bringing feet through the doors.

[justwheels]

In my wishful world, vehicles like Wrangler, Bronco, 4runners, pickups with 4x4 and our own Thar would be selling side by side in India and I as a customer could choose between each without breaking a bank.

In the real world, I proudly own a Thar that politely looks like a mini wrangler and I cannot imagine spending that much moolah for the real Wrangler (Rubicon in particular).

So on one hand most of us have the image of the Wrangler in the tough terrains of Utah in USA in the valleys of the canyon climbing up the Rubicon trails, Big Bear pass etc., but on the other hand we have a very expensive not so comfortable vehicle from a company whose cumulative sales are becoming a shame year after year in India. And then you have the 1* rating.

A brilliant offroad product, a dream for many that might continue to be a dream for many.
That red color with tubed doors and the roof taken out, that just looks menacing to say the least.

[r2212xx]

It is interesting to note that the gear level positions have remained unchanged from the left-hand drive version. Interestingly, the primary gear lever being closer to the driver while the 4x4 being away makes more ergonomic sense in the right-hand drive version. Some unchanged aspects from the LHD version include the left positioning of the camera video feed on the screen, making it closer to the passenger side in RHD. A positive way to see all this is that Jeep has retained the original, global essence of the product and not diluted it for the Indian market.

[sudeepg]

Originally Posted by justwheels

...but on the other hand we have a very expensive not so comfortable vehicle from a company whose cumulative sales are becoming a shame year after year in India. And then you have the 1* rating.

I feel we should just look away at parameters like sales figures & NCAP ratings for such vehicles as long as Jeep is able to provide a great reliable service network for their vehicles, much like Toyota. I think doing just that, they will continue to find buyers even if they price it super premium. Many BHPIans love these vehicles and all they really need is a proper service network to enjoy it.