In order to keep up with the competition and also allow it to meet the latest safety standards, the upcoming Wrangler is going to be an all new model. While many people are excited about it, the new model is not going to be perfect. In fact, Jeep is going to take some great features of the car in the sake of safety and fuel efficiency but more on that later. The largest change for the upcoming 2018 Jeep Wrangler is going to be the move to an aluminum body. This has been rumored for a long time and only recently Jeep confirmed it.
PRICE
This should make the new Wrangler quite a bit lighter than before but Jeep might decide to add beefier parts to the mix so the drop in weight might be minimal. We expect it to still shed around 200 to 300 pounds which will still be noticeable, especially in the way it drives. Thankfully, the Wrangler will remain a body on frame crossover, so its off-road capabilities and the ease of accepting mods should stay. The price has also been confirmed to remain pretty much unchanged, so expect it for around $25,000 which would be extremely good if Jeep manages to add all the parts they want.
RELEASE DATE AND EXTERIOR OF 2018 JEEP WRANGLER
Unfortunately we will have to wait up until at least the mid of 2017 to see a production version while the production model will only hit the market at the end of that year. Like we mentioned, the 2018 Jeep Wrangler is not going to be perfect. In order to make it safer, the car will not get the detachable windshield and doors which means that off-road guys will now struggle to keep them intact.
On top of that, the front of the Wrangler will get more aerodynamic and softer as well. In order to boost fuel efficiency and meet the pedestrian safety standards, the Wrangler will have to get lower in the front. This will likely hurt its off-road prowess and it might make it harder to modify.
INTERIOR
The cabin of the current model was average at best. In order to make its passengers more comfortable and allow the Wrangler to be used like something more than just a toy, the new model will be different. In fact the upcoming Wrangler is expected to use a more car-like interior. This will feature a nicer dashboard, softer materials, a more driver-oriented cabin as well as better seats.
The new chassis will also allow them to offer quite a bit more space inside the cabin as well. Unlike before, also expect Jeep to offer a more luxurious model in order to compete with the upcoming 4Runner.
2018 JEEP WRANGLER ENGINE
Two years ago many people said that the 2018 Jeep Wrangler was going to get a turbocharged V6 engine. Unfortunately Jeep dismissed all those rumors and instead they said the new Wrangler will benefit from a new 3.6 liter V6. This naturally aspirated unit will be based on the current Pentastar and it should be capable of delivering over 320 horsepower and close to 300 lb-ft of torque. A hybrid has also been announced but it seems that we are not going to see any details about it until 2024 which is a shame.
This change in plans comes after the FCA group decided to keep the petrol engine the only option due to the low prices of fuel. The highly anticipated diesel on the other hand will only be released closer to 2024 and that’s a real shame because it makes US customers miss on something amazing. The only real change here is going to be the transmission, a new 8 speed automatic which was expected since 2014.
Will they still sell the Wrangler with factory half doors?
That information is not available at the moment.