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.

Driving the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 

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.

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.

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)
• Ride quality is too bumpy for this Jeep to be your daily driver
• 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

Read Team-BHP's detailed Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Review

My brother parked the Thar outside Candies restaurant in Bandra and was waiting for a friend, when a random guy came up to him and went ballistic appreciating my Thar saying how cool it looks etc.

BHPian Dippy recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

So I guess quite a few of us might have seen videos of people getting gifted a 1:64 scale hot wheels model of their car by a random stranger like in this video.

Something similar like this happened with the Thar. My brother parked the Thar outside Candies restaurant in Bandra and was waiting for a friend, when a random guy came up to him and went ballistic appreciating my Thar saying how cool it looks etc.

Few minutes later he pulled out a 1:64 model of a Jeep and gave it to my brother saying this looks very close to our Thar and that he would like him to have it, it a gift. Quite a sweet gesture I would say.

Here are a couple of pics:

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

Adventure isn't always about breezing through pristine trails.

BHPian pramods recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

This past Sunday took me on a wild ride that eclipsed all my previous off-roading shenanigans. A seemingly innocuous water channel beckoned us, looking much the same as the last time when we nearly got stuck. It's funny how water and mud can play tricks on your mind, making you believe it's the same old song and dance. Well, not this time, especially when the rain decided to join the party.

Image 1: The deceptive water channel, our playground for the day.

Plunged in 4H and revving the engine, we were initially met with a discouraging lack of movement. The tires churned the water into a frothy mess, spinning but not gaining any ground. The usual strategy wasn't cutting it. The familiar sense of being stuck in a muddy waterlogged trench started creeping in.

Image 2: The dance of the tires, spinning but going nowhere.

I decided to switch tactics. Engaging both diffs, my Jeep morphed from a tame cruiser into adetermined beast. A tense game of tug-of-war ensued with the stubborn earth beneath. It was all about wriggling left and right, moving forward and back, every move designed to break free from the muddy chains that bound us.

Image 3: The Jeep transforming into a battle-hardened warrior.

Adventure isn't always about breezing through pristine trails. Sometimes, it's about getting down and dirty with the elements, wrestling with nature herself. And let me tell you; it's worth every bit of grit, sweat, and mud.

Image 4: Breaking free from the muddy shackles.

And for those moments when you're stuck in the mud, with water lapping at your doors, remember - it's just another part of the ride. Until the next adventure, keep wheeling and stay safe.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information.

I am looking to get the headliner fixed in the Jeep, and this would help with heat and sound. The top gets hot. Nonetheless, the AC is quite good.

BHPian pramods recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

Five months and 5K km later, I am more confident to take it anywhere. I have done numerous hard trails ( I believe these same trails would be much more difficult in the rain, but currently doable in Rubicon like it was nothing).

The first service was done at 5K, and the service people didn't rotate the tire. I got it done at a tyre shop ( all five rotated).

Some DIY updates, there was a whistling sound at a speed higher than 60kmph, which turned out to be a gap created by the foldable windshield. A small rubber packing makes it go; similarly, the plastic panel also need the same treatment, and now it's very quiet ( in relative terms!).

I am looking to get the headliner fixed in the Jeep, and this would help with heat and sound. The top gets hot. Nonetheless, the AC is quite good.

Read BHPian comments for more insights and information. 5