The new 2018 Wrangler got awesome- better in every way.

Yaj Yak

Gladys
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May 24, 2007
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https://jalopnik.com/the-2018-jeep-wrangler-didnt-get-soft-it-got-much-bett-1821160227

All that time to develop the vehicle brought tons of new features including aluminum doors, hinges, hood, fenders and windshield frame, as well as a magnesium rear swing gate with aluminum skin.

The 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 that had powered the Wrangler since 2012 has been upgraded with two-step variable valve lift and cooled exhaust gas recirculation. Plus, thereā€™s a new 48-volt mild hybrid 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four joining the mix.

On top of that, the transmissions are all new, the steering is now electro-hydraulic, the whole Jeep is a couple of inches longer, the tops are much more intuitive, the interior is new, the frame is new (and 100 pounds lighter than before in the case of the four-door)... heck, even the door handles got a new design.

Despite being ā€œall new,ā€ the JL is still quintessentially a Wrangler when it comes to off-road capability. Approach, departure and breakover anglesā€”which dictate how aggressively the Jeep can climb, descend and crest slopes without scrapingā€”have somehow gotten significantly better than those of the outgoing Wrangler across all trims. And the last Wrangler was an industry benchmark here.

On the Rubicon model, the numbers go from impressive to downright absurd. The approach angle jumps from 42.2 degrees to 44 degrees, the departure angle climbs from around 32.5 degrees to a massive 37 degrees, and the breakover angle grows to either 22.6 or 27.8 degrees (from 21.2 or 25.8 degrees for the four-door and two-door, respectively). Ground clearance is also up across the board, hopping from between about eight and 10 inches between the diff and the dirt to between about 10 and 11 depending on the trim and tire size.

Practically speaking, that means the Wranglerā€™s ability to do a mountain goat impression has increased markedly.

But geometry isnā€™t the JLā€™s only off-road improvement over the last Wrangler. The crawl ratios are also much bigger than before. The Aisin D478 manual transmission comes with a granny-like 5.13:1 (up from 4.46:1) first gear ratio; when mated to the 4:1 low-range gear and the 4.10:1 axle ratios found in the Rubicon, that yields a crawl ratio of over 84 (up from 73).

The ZF-based 850RE eight-speed automatic transmission also gets a short first gear ratio at 4.71:1 (up from 3.59:1), yielding in a similarly ludicrous 77.2 crawl ratio (up from 58.9). This all means more torque at the wheels, and thus more forward thrust to get the Jeep up and over steep obstacles.

One of my fears going into this as a Jeep ā€œtraditionalistā€ was the CV joints (the part of the axle shaft that allows the wheel to receive torque while simultaneously turning), as theyā€™re harder to fix than U-joints on the trail, and they tend to be more vulnerable. But I learned that those only come on Wrangler Saharas equipped with the optional full-time transfer case (which exists, in part, to pass a stringent Euro NCAP brake test that a part-time system would struggle with). That means most trims, thankfully, will get big, beefy u-joints that can be replaced with nothing more than a big rock and a socket.

Another name for a mild hybrid system; eTorque replaces the alternator with a Motor Generator Unit that charges the 12-volt battery, sends torque to the engineā€™s crankshaft via the accessory belt, and turns the vehicleā€™s forward motion into current for the liquid-cooled 48-volt lithium-ion battery.

As far as ever more expensive new cars go, the Wrangler starts out affordable. The Sport costs $26,995 in two-door guise or $30,495 as a four-door. If you want the lockers and 4:1 transfer case, the Rubicon will cost you $36,995 as a two-door or $40,495 as a four door.

After driving the JL, which launches with the V6 in the first quarter of 2018 and with the turbo-four in the second quarter, all of my worries disappeared. The interior is fantastic, the tops are so much better than the outgoing ones, the windshield folds down in a cinch, the doors come off more easily, and the visibility is phenomenal.


Never before have I driven something whose incremental improvements over its predecessor made such a dramatic difference. The JK was already great; but based on my short time behind the wheel, the JL feels like a masterpiece.


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https://jalopnik.com/the-2018-jeep-wrangler-didnt-get-soft-it-got-much-bett-1821160227

Lot's more info in the link, but looks like Jeep crushed the wrangler's redesign.
 

Dasfinc

Ready for the EVlution
Sep 28, 2007
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Wheaton, IL
I always thought the JK looked odd with the gap between the fender and bumper......then the JL came out and I take it back. Being filled in looks weirder.

One of the Dirt Every Day shorts was with the product manager for the JL and Fred, where they mentioned they added the piece for Aero/MPG's, but that its designed to come off with 2 bolts in case the owners want to throw them away immediately.
 

RICH17

Dr. Pussy Slayer, MD
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Nov 14, 2008
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belt wear?

you serious clark?

cause you replace the current belt in your car very often?

right :rofl:

super new hybrid system and rich is nervous about the belt.


Another name for a mild hybrid system; eTorque replaces the alternator with a Motor Generator Unit that charges the 12-volt battery, sends torque to the engineā€™s crankshaft via the accessory belt, and turns the vehicleā€™s forward motion into current for the liquid-cooled 48-volt lithium-ion battery.
Did no one else read this part? You cannot tell me that the belt grip to send tons of torque to the engine to get it going
 

Yaj Yak

Gladys
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May 24, 2007
122,148
87,664
Niche score of 2,363
n case you missed the full official 2018 Wrangler JL specs which we posted a couple of nights ago, the horsepower and torque numbers were finally released for the 3.0L diesel and 2.0L turbo engines. The 2.0L turbo engine develops 270 horsepowers / 295 lb-ft torque and the ecodiesel puts down an impressive 260 horsepowers / 442 lb-ft torque!

According to our JL Wrangler schedule, the 2.0L turbo Wrangler will start production in January-February 2018 and the diesel Wrangler begins in August 2018.
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