Four-pot Jeep Wrangler $5500 cheaper than V6

BY MATT BROGAN | 7th Mar 2024

JEEP has slashed up to $5500 from the list price of its Wrangler off-roader as the all-new four-cylinder range gets set to arrive Down Under.

Along with technology and safety equipment upgrades, the turbocharged four-cylinder petrol range boasts more efficient and torquier specifications than those offered by the naturally aspirated Pentastar V6 predecessor, the changes marking the model’s most significant update in almost six years.

Pricing for the Wrangler has increased markedly over that period (+$22,500), Jeep’s four-cylinder range now winding that number back by almost 25 per cent. The MY24 range commences from $75,950 plus on-road costs with the Sport S grade replacing the Night Eagle as the entry point to the line-up.

The mid-tier Overland arrives $2000 cheaper than before, now from $84,950 + ORCs, while pricing of the range-topping Rubicon is unchanged at $83,950 + ORC in two-door form and $90,450 + ORC for the four-door.

As reported by GoAuto previously, the updated Wrangler offers an all-aluminium turbocharged inline four-cylinder displacing 1995cc and outputting 200kW at 5250rpm and 400Nm at 3000rpm. In Australian tune, the unit delivers 9kW less than the six-cylinder mill it replaces but offers 53Nm more torque.

An eight-speed automatic transmission is standard across the range.

Fuel consumption drops by 0.5 litres per 100km to a Combined cycle average of 9.2L/100km for four-door models other than the heavier Rubicon. That variant now consumes 9.9L/100km, a reduction of 0.2L/100km.

Two-door models feature a 66-litre fuel tank and four-door models an 81-litre unit. All require 95RON premium unleaded as a minimum.

For short-wheel base (two-door) Wrangler variants we find dimension changes only in height, the model crossing the tap at 4334mm in length, 1894mm in width, 1894mm in height, and riding on a 2459mm wheelbase.

Long-wheel base (four-door) grades measure 4882mm long, 1894mm wide, 1901mm tall and ride on a 3008mm wheelbase.

Track measurements for all guises are unchanged front and rear at 1598mm.

Jeep quotes a braked towing capacity of 2495kg for four-door grades and 1497kg for the two-door.

As was the case previously, low- and mid-grade Wrangler variants are equipped with Jeep’s Selec-Trac four-wheel drive system with shift-on-the-fly 2H to 4H functionality, while Rubicon grades feature the tougher Rock-Trac four-wheel drive system with Tru-Loc front and rear locking differentials, electronic front sway bar disconnect, 4:1 low-range gearing, and an impressive 77.2:1 crawl ratio.

Elsewhere, the mildly made-over Wrangler range offers freshened exterior looks, new tech features and improved safety in the form of first- and second-row side-curtain airbags (joining front and front-side airbags). All Wrangler grades include adaptive cruise control, AEB, blind-spot monitoring, front and rear acoustic parking sensors, and a reversing camera.

By grade, we find the Wrangler Sport S arriving with 17-inch alloys wrapped in Nexen all-terrain rubber, dusk-sensing LED headlights with auto high beam, an in-windshield radio antenna, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, DAB+ digital radio, nine-speaker Alpine sound, climate control, ambient cabin lighting, a fabric-covered dash pad, 240-amp alternator, heated steering wheel and front seats, black cloth upholstery, and keyless entry and ignition.

Wrangler Overland grades add 18-inch alloys, a Dana-sourced M220 rear axle, black wing mirrors, soft spare wheel cover, McKinley upholstery, 12-way powered front seats with four-way lumbar adjustment, and hard plastic covers on the back of the driver and front-passenger seats.

Finally, and in addition to the 4WD-specific changes listed above, the flagship Rubicon grade ditches the powered passenger-side seat but picks up 17-inch alloys with off-road tyres, Performance suspension, acoustic laminated front door glass, forward-facing TrailCam, Premium dash pad wrapping, and black Nappa leather-trimmed upholstery.

Optionally, the new Wrangler is offered with Jeep’s Sky-one-touch powered top on Overland and Rubicon grades (+$6450), and 18-inch seven-spoke alloys on Overland grades (+$950). All colours except Bright White attract a surcharge of $1490 – there are 11 finishes to choose from.

Jeep has set service intervals for the four-cylinder Wrangler range at 12 months or 12,000km (whichever comes first), with capped-price servicing offered for the first five years at $399 per visit.

All Wrangler models are covered by a five-year/100,000km warranty with lifetime roadside assistance.

The 2024 Jeep Wrangler will arrive in Australian showrooms from April.

2024 Jeep Wrangler pricing*: