2024 Jeep Wrangler First Drive Review: Still the Standard for Factory Off-Roaders

Almost everyone has a Jeep story. Whether they owned a YJ way back when, rode shotgun in a TJ on some backroad, or attempted to cram into a two-door JK’s back seat with a couple of buddies, people remember their first encounter with the American off-roader. It's an icon thing—there aren't many other vehicles like it—and the 2024 Jeep Wrangler aims to continue that tradition by upgrading the JL platform in almost every area without taking anything too far.

Me personally, I mastered driving stick behind the wheel of a friend's dad's ‘86 Wrangler in high school. Years later, a couple of us rented a Jeep for a trip to the Eastern Sierra and almost bit off more than we could chew on a handful of sketchy trails. I had almost zero off-roading experience at the time. But the Wrangler didn't care. It just crawled around in low range and did what the nameplate has always done best: provide point-and-shoot capability that gets you where you want to go.

Jeep has moved the ball forward and crafted the 2024 Wrangler into the most capable one yet. It’s done so incrementally across all trims, especially the top-level Rubicon, with a solid loadout of exterior, interior, and chassis changes. And while other models from other manufacturers seek to steal drivers away from their Jeeps, the Wrangler still feels like the top choice when it comes to harnessing sense-of-occasion in a genuinely useful package.

2024 Jeep Wrangler Specs

• Base price (Rubicon four-door as tested): $33,690 ($60,350)

• Powertrain: 2.0L turbocharged inline-four | 2.0L turbocharged inline-four with hybrid assist | 3.6L naturally aspirated V6 | 6.4L naturally aspirated V8 | six-speed manual (3.6L only) or eight-speed automatic transmission | four-wheel drive

• Horsepower: 270 (2.0L non-hybrid) | 285 (3.6L V6) | 375 (2.0L hybrid) | 475 (6.4L V8)

• Torque: 260 lb-ft (3.6L V6) | 295 lb-ft (2.0L non-hybrid) | 470 lb-ft (2.0L hybrid and 6.4L V8)

• Max ground clearance: 12.9 inches

• Max tow capacity: 5,000 pounds

• Quick take: The legend gets a host of updates and trail-ready upgrades.

• Score: 9/10

The Basics

If you're taking a look at these photos and having a hard time figuring out what's different for 2024, you're not alone. The biggest is the grille, which varies in color and design by trim level, and is a tad shorter in height compared to before. Jeep says it’s partly because of the 8,000-pound Warn winch that’s optional on Rubicon rigs. It’s also slightly sleeker as the antenna is now integrated into the windshield frame. Outside of those, plus some changes in wheel design, it's still the same JL-generation Wrangler, only with a little modernization mixed in.

Inside is where the more substantial design decisions were made. The dashboard features a slick throwback design complimented by contrast stitching, and in the middle is an all-new 12.3-inch infotainment screen running Stellantis' Uconnect 5 software. Besides the screen, there are still plenty of buttons to push, most notably for everything regarding off-road duty. It still has analog gauges, too. A small screen sits in the middle of the cluster, but it’s nice to see needles indicating speed and RPM in the year 2023.

I spent a good chunk of time in a four-door Rubicon V6, and it’s honestly a nice place to be. Its cloth seats are comfortable and allowed plenty of legroom, the driving position is upright and equally comfortable, and my six-foot-three self has just enough headroom—a tad more would be nice, but I can’t complain. Bolstering the Wrangler's safety is the introduction of side curtain airbags, which integrate fairly seamlessly into the upper frame along its roll bar. Storage is sufficient with the truck sporting a fairly small glovebox, but massive dual-level armrest compartments that'd be great to stash a large water bottle or two, or, in my experience, a dusty Canon 6D and some snacks. Overall visibility is great—no surprise there—thanks to its boxy design and stilted ride height.

Jeep seems over the moon about the new 12.3-inch infotainment screen, which I was skeptical of at first. Big screens usually mean big glare, so open-roof motoring might mean brutally annoying glare. But I was stoked to find that glare was virtually non-existent in all conditions. Uconnect 5 infotainment was also among the easiest, most straightforward and quick-thinking systems I've ever used. Not only that, but despite being Android-based, connecting wireless Apple CarPlay was quick and breezy.

Driving the Jeep Wrangler

On the road, I spent most of my time behind the wheel of the aforementioned four-door Rubicon. I opted for a Premium Sunrider soft top—standard on most trims—that already had its canvas coverings peeled away, end-of-Terminator style. Wranglers have always had immense charm, with most of it rooted in such a unique open-air driving experience.

Lazily rolling up and down I-15 around St. George, Utah, plus a handful of nearby scenic country roads was a pleasant experience at its helm. Even with most of it unbuttoned to the elements, wind noise wasn't unbearable at around 70 mph on the highway. Its nine-speaker Alpine stereo cut right through it with excellent overall quality and clarity, providing a solid SiriusXM accompaniment to the day.