2024 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Road Test Review – Ultimate Off-Road Beast gets Meaner

It no secret that the Best Selling True Blue SUV the Mahindra Thar is based on the Jeep Wrangler. Jeep has been manufacturing and selling the Wrangler globally in huge numbers since a long time now. India got the taste of the SUV that is considered as the meanest go anywhere machine since 2016 when they were initially imported from the US and later they were assembled in India. We now get the latest updated version that is ready for our market. We head to Chandigarh 2 hours away from the city into the foothills of the mighty Shivalik mountain range and also take a dip into the river Sutlej all of this to understand the Breed Jeep Wrangler MY24, here is our drive review of what could be the ultimate real Off-Road SUV that your money could buy currently.

Food for Thought

You might know that the Wrangler we know and love today was inspired by military vehicles. The Wrangler has been into production since 1985 based on the iconic classic Jeep CJ which ultimately trickles down to the father of all Jeeps the Willys MB from the 1940s. The model is currently in its third generation code named the JL that was first introduced in2018 and later receiving MY updates. In India the Jeep Wrangler is built at the FCA unit in Ranjangaon Maharashtra.

Exteriors

In terms of exteriors the MY24 Jeep Wrangler looks more or less like the outgoing version with flat, butch and generous dimensions. There are a few changes that get incorporated with this update, you get an all new design iconic 7-slat Jeep family grille that’s now finished in black. What is retained if the massive bumper that jets ahead of the bodyline in typical Jeep Wrangler fashion. The clamshell hood gets updated hold locks along with a bright crisp Rubicon graphics on it. Headlamps come with LED lights in them along with DRL strips placed on each fenders facing the front.

The side profile also gets a few changes with the all new design alloy wheels mounted with 18 inch meaty off road tyres. Also missing is the radio antenna that was previously mounted on the fender, now it has been printed into the front windshield glass which itself is now Gorilla glass. Large wing mirrors mounted on the doors come with unpainted housing just like the unique Jeep style fenders that extend out of the bodyline highlighting its off road capabilities. The doors come with hinges that are exposed as they can be unbolted along with the roof and the front glass making its one extreme off road beast when needed. Door handles too are kept unpainted and have a certain heavy working mechanism to them. The rear section of the roof that can be removed when needed is finished in black giving that dual tone body color look to the SUV.

The rear profile continues with the flat design rear windshield that opens upwards while the boot door opens side-ward’s. The key Jeep styling elements like the centrally mounted spare wheel and the brute looking rear bumper along with the rectangular stop lamps with LED glow, stop lamp placed on the spare wheel finish the styling element.

Interiors

Climb inside the Jeep Wrangler, you may need to step in using the step ladder due to the SUV’s dimensions. Once inside you will instantly notice the brute SUV vibe that the Wrangler transfers into you as you are cocooned in an all black cabin area that is massive in dimensions while the seating is at a height giving you the hawkeyed view of the road ahead. The flat dash gets soft material on it along with a hand stitched line, what is new here is the 12.3 inch touchscreen AVN system that now runs on the latest U-Connect 5 OS. You get all the connectivity options may it be Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, Bluetooth or FM radio. This screen is super high in terms of resolution displaying some excellent visuals which are very handy while off roading. The cabin also gets a 7 mic array system for noise cancelling that helps reduce sound by 15DB.

The steering is a three spoke design with leather wrapping and the much needed MFD control buttons on them along with heating feature too. Instrumentation is also tweaked with an Ana-Digi unit that gets you all the needed vitals of the SUV at all times. The canter dash gets the two zone climate control unit with rotary dials, placed below are the control buttons for the power windows. You get the Off-road+ control buttons placed below here Front seats get 12 way electric adjust feature, heating and cooling with the control buttons being water, dust and weather proof.

In fact all the cabin switches and buttons are now weatherproof and you can literally wash the cabin with a hose without worrying about water spoiling the electrical. The legendary Willis model is encrypted on the drive shifter while just besides it is placed the 4×4 drive shifter. It not about the comfort in the Wrangler but still this latest updated one offers some excellent in cabin comfort.

You get a 552W Alpine audio system with a 12 channel 8-speaker system along with a subwoofer along with active noise cancellation.

Drive – Off-road – Handling

Powering the Jeep Wrangler MY24 is the same engine that was powering the outgoing model, you have the 2.0L four cylinder turbo petrol unit that hits out 270hp and 400nm of mean torque. This engine gets paired to an 8-speed torque converter automatic transmission and Jeep’s well known Selec-Trac full-time 4WD system, the Wrangler is all ready to take you there where no other SUV can even dream of taking you.

They say off roading is an art and we were all set to learn this art. We started with the trail drive, with inclines and declines and here we used the 4 low and 4 high to conquer the harsh terrain while at the same time we also understood the Wranglers traction capability. After this we entered the articulation arena, where there were different articulation obstacles were to be driven on and here the  Sway bar disconnect feature which is a new one came into action. This feature optimizes the throttle, transmission and traction control along with the electronic sway bar disconnect with Tru-Lock front and rear locking differentials.

After this we headed into the rock bed which showcased the ground clearance and suspension handling of the Wrangler. We also took the mighty Wrangler through some narrow trail drive highlighting its maneuverability. Last but not the least we had to cross the river Satlej to check the Wranglers Water fording-river crossing capability which is rated at 864mm or nearly 34 inches of water which it conquered with a smile on its face. The Jeep Wrangler comes with a full float DANA HD 44 heavy duty rear axle that can tow upto 500LBS.

The Jeep Wrangler 2024 offers good ride quality overall for a Wrangler. The suspension travel and big sidewalls rolled over anything larger with ease, and completely defeated the point of any speed bump. At the end of the day we understood what the Jeep Wrangler is really all about.

Safety

Jeep Wrangler MY24 comes with a long list of safety features which includes ADAS Level 2, 6-airbags, auto high beam headlamps, adaptive cruise control, collision warning with active brakes, brake assist, traction control ABS, EBD etc.

 

Verdict

Jeep maintains its mantra of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” It doesn’t shy away from meaningful upgrades, though, like freshened-up looks and a modernized interior, especially when it comes to safety and tech. This update also enhances the cabin comfort and the Wranglers off road capability which was already extreme. If you want a Extreme Off-road machine that can also do your daily drives in plush style, comfort and turn heads in the process then this is the one for you.

The Jeep Wrangler is an Icon and always shall remain one – Unshakable Forever.

Words – Ritesh Madhok
Photography &Video with Edits – Bhushan Joshi