A brand new Jeep Wrangler handles motorway driving much better than previous generations of the iconic SUV. That said, the Wrangler is far from the most comfortable or efficient highway cruiser. Whether driving a Jeep Wrangler daily is a good idea depends entirely on your priorities and your daily driving.
Is the Jeep Wrangler comfortable on the highway?
When Doug DeMuro first drove the latest Jeep Wrangler generation (2018 present), he was impressed. He said it “drives like a regular SUV” on the highway, naming Pathfinder and Pilot as comparisons. Despite this improved handling, the Wrangler is still loud at high speeds.
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Jeep Wrangler’s layout is old school to say the least. Since World War II, Jeep SUVs have had a powerful step frame design, part-time 4WD and a solid front axle. This layout makes them capable and durable off-road driving, but unsuitable for road driving.
The ever-popular Jeep Wrangler gained a reputation for excessive wind noise, run-or-miss fuel and a high-speed vibration often referred to as “death wobble”. So imagine the critics’ surprise when Jeep rolled out the 2018 Wrangler “JL” and it was stable on the highway, with a number of more efficient power plants.
DeMuro pointed out that in order to achieve smoother handling from a new generation of a car, “you need to widen it and lower it.” What is impressive about the latest motorway-ready Wrangler is that its dimensions are identical to the outgoing model. But with this blocky body, there is little Jeep engineers can do to reduce wind noise at high speeds.
Is the Wrangler fuel efficient?
Jeep Wrangler is a large, heavy SUV and absolutely not designed for fuel efficiency. Due to the Wrangler’s boxy shape, some jeeps have found that their actual mileage for motorway fuel varies greatly (14-23 mpg based on wind speed).
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When MotorTrend conducted a long-term test with the new “JL” generation of the Jeep Wrangler, the publication found that the SUV’s fuel efficiency was inconsistent. What was the deciding factor for Jeeps MPG? It was often the weather. This is what MotorTrend said:
“Due to the Wrangler’s aerodynamic shape, the fuel economy of the highway has varied greatly, from a self-reported average of 14 mpg over a tank of fuel on a windy day to about 23 mpg with tailwinds.”
MotorTrend
The official EPA rating for the two-door Wrangler with a four-cylinder turbocharged engine is 22 city / 24 highway mpg (23 combined). If you upgrade to a four-door with a naturally aspirated V6 that drops to 18 city / 23 highway mpg (20 combined).
Do Jeep Make Fuel-Free Wranglers?
Jeep has launched relatively fuel-efficient diesel and hybrid powertrains, but both are expensive alternatives.
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Jeep offers a turbocharged V6 rated at 22 city / 29 highway mpg (25 combined). Finally, the brand new plug-in hybrid Wrangler 4xe gets 20 mpg combined when running on gas and a 49 mpg electrical equivalent when in EV mode.
But to get a diesel engine, you have to spend at least $ 4,000 extra ($ 6,000 if you would not have chosen the automatic transmission otherwise). And the Wrangler 4xes MSRP is a staggering $ 52,530.
If you are more concerned about ground clearance, handling of poor road conditions and durability than fuel driving and wind noise, the Jeep Wrangler can be a good daily commuter. But if your commute is long and mostly on the highway, the Jeep Wrangler may be a better weekend vehicle for you.
Watch Doug DeMuro review the latest generation of the Jeep Wrangler in the video below:
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