2023 NEW Jeep Wrangler OFF-ROAD Test Drive

2023 NEW Jeep Wrangler OFF-ROAD Test Drive

2023 Jeep Wrangler

What's New for 2023?
A new Freedom Edition model joins the Wrangler lineup, but only for a limited time. It wears a military-themed exterior treatment, a steel front bumper, and rock rails on the sides. Elsewhere in the lineup, the Rubicon receives new 17-inch wheel designs. Two new paint colors are now available called Earl and Reign, names which don’t give you a clue as to their true hues. But we’re here to help; you can learn what they look like here.

Pricing and Which One to Buy
Sport $32,990
Sport S $36,490
Freedom Edition $39,485
Willys $39,985
Rubicon $45,090
Sahara $47,720
Sahara Altitude $52,815
High Tide $53,335
Sahara High Altitude $56,815
Sahara 4xe PHEV $58,640
Rubicon 4xe PHEV $62,380
Rubicon Farout $64,290
Sahara High Altitude 4xe PHEV $64,415
Rubicon 392 $84,290
Rubicon 20th Anniversary $92,690

We like the idea of staying close to the Wrangler's simple roots while keeping the price towards the low end of the range, so we'd start with the two-door Wrangler—which comes standard with a removable cloth top. We don't want to go full World War II bare bones, so we'd opt for the Wrangler Sport S for its extra equipment, which includes air conditioning, a leather-covered steering wheel, power windows and locks, automatic headlamps, heated mirrors, and more. Beyond that, we'd spec the 270-hp 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder for its 295 pound-feet of torque —35 pound-feet more than the standard V-6. The four-cylinder also comes standard with an eight-speed automatic, a powertrain combination that should make for low-stress trail driving. We'd also opt for the Technology package for its larger 7.0-inch touchscreen and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay capability.

Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The standard 285-hp 3.6-liter V-6 from the previous-generation Wrangler makes its way under the hood of the new JL and can be paired with a six-speed manual gearbox or a smooth-shifting eight-speed automatic. A turbocharged four-cylinder engine is optional and teams up with an electric motor to provide additional low-end power. In addition to the standard V-6 and optional four-cylinder hybrid, the Wrangler can also be equipped with a 3.6-liter V-6 with similar hybrid assist, a 3.0-liter diesel V-6; a 375-hp plug-in hybrid 4xe powertrain, and a 6.4-liter V-8 are also available. Wranglers are born off-road ready, so part-time four-wheel drive is standard across the range and is controlled by a lever on the center console. In our testing, a base two-door Wrangler Sport with the V-6 and the six-speed manual transmission sprinted from zero to 60 mph in 6.1 seconds; a well-equipped four-door Sahara model with the automatic transmission did the deed in 6.8 seconds. With the four-cylinder hybrid powertrain, the four-door Sahara was slightly quicker at 6.5 seconds to 60 mph. The Rubicon model and the High Tide model—both of which carry additional weight in the form of heavier-duty off-roading equipment—weren't as quick as the others in our testing. Performance at our test track shows that the Wrangler JL is much improved compared with the previous model, but it's merely holding steady with its rivals in some metrics. Although its handling has improved, it's still trucklike in comparison with today's refined SUVs and pickups. The ride in the four-door is acceptably smooth over rough surfaces, but braking distances were inconsistent between our two test vehicles.