Jeep Unveils Updated 2024 Wrangler at NYIAS
Jeep has taken the wraps off the 2024 Wrangler at the New York International Auto Show. The foundational vehicle of the Jeep brand is getting a midcycle refresh that is mostly focused on off-road capability rather than cosmetic changes.
The interior and infotainment in the popular off-road SUV also received some attention, and new trims were announced.
“The new 2024 Jeep Wrangler is an illustration of how powerful the Jeep community is and how they keep driving improvements based on their expectations of greater capability, advanced technology and more refinement,” said Jim Morrison, senior vice president and head of Jeep brand North America. “With the plug-in 4xe playing a lead role in the line-up, the new Wrangler takes the best and makes it better, with even more legendary 4×4 capability.”
Crossing the Rubicon
The Wrangler’s most capable off-road trim, Rubicon, receives gearing to allow a 100:1 crawl ratio and a new Dana 44 HD full-float solid rear axle. These axles are a popular aftermarket modification because Wrangler owners often install larger-than-stock tires, and they install heavy-duty full-float rear axles to handle the larger rubber.
This axle design was developed for heavy-duty commercial trucks, consisting of a wheel hub assembly that is separate from the axle shaft, with a spindle bolted to the axle tube that supports the wheel hub via a double set of wheel bearings.
By using a full-float axle design, the weight of the vehicle is transferred to the axle tube rather than the axle shaft itself. This means the axle shaft is subjected only to torsional loads, with its sole function being to transmit power to the wheel hub. This stronger, more robust full-float construction enables a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds on Rubicon 2.0-liter and 3.6-liter models with automatic transmission.
Toward that same end, a new Rubicon X premium trim level offers standard 35-inch tires on beadlock-capable wheels, an integrated off-road camera system, and tough steel bumpers. Inside, the Rubicon X adds a 12.3-inch digital touchscreen with navigation, 12-way power adjustable front seats, a nine-speaker premium Alpine audio system and Nappa leather seats. Meanwhile, a Rock-Trac full-time transfer case, body-color hardtop and body-color fender flares take care of business on the outside.
Finally, all Wranglers in Rubicon trims may include an optional factory-installed, 8,000-lb capacity Warn winch.
Wrangler Sport S 4xe
Jeep is expanding the reach of the 4xe plug-in hybrid drivetrain with a new lower-priced trim. The Wrangler Sport S 4xe includes the plug-in hybrid powertrain with 21 miles of all-electric range. Inside, the Sport S 4xe features a standard 12.3-inch digital touchscreen, power windows and door locks, adaptive cruise control with stop, forward collision warning, side curtain airbags, remote keyless entry, premium soft-top, 20-inch aluminum wheels and Gorilla glass windshield.
The 4xe powertrain integrates two electric motors and a 17-kWh battery pack with a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine and TorqueFlite 8-speed automatic transmission. This configuration maximizes the efficiency of the hybrid propulsion components to produce 375 horsepower and a whopping 470 pound-feet of torque and mates the hybrid system with the Wrangler’s existing 4×4 driveline. The system operates in blended hybrid mode like a standard hybrid, or Electric mode as an EV, plus the eSave mode that saves battery power for later use.
New for 2024, all Wrangler 4xe models offer a Power Box that features four 120-volt outlets with 30 amps of total output, allowing the battery pack to power external devices such as phones and tablets.
Giving you the Willys
In a nod to its long history, the 2024 Wrangler Willys trim wears badging from the early days of Jeep, when the Civilian Jeep (CJ) models were made by Willys-Overland. But the new Willys trim is far from a simple paint and stickers package.
This year, the Willys model steps up its 4×4 capability with a newly standard Tru-Lok rear locking differential, steel rock rails, a new trailer towing and heavy-duty electrical package, and larger 33-inch tires. To accommodate the larger tires, the Willys trim also gets increased ground clearance and higher fenders. Both the Willys and Rubicon trims also receive new tubular steel rock rails to fend off potential body damage inflicted while out on the trail.
Guidance onboard
Slated for late arrival next year, Jeep will be the first automotive brand to feature built-in off-road adventure trail guides. The available Trails Offroad comprehensive trail guide system will make off-road trip planning easier than ever and more accessible for customers.
Trails Offroad is a map and trail guide database downloaded into the Uconnect 5 system and displayed on the new 12.3-inch high-resolution screen. The package will include trail guides for the 62 “Jeep Badge of Honor” trails, which include the Rubicon Trail in California, Hell’s Revenge in Utah, Cedar Tree and Firebreak 5 trails in Oregon, and Jericho Mountain in New Hampshire. Owners will also be able to upgrade to a premium subscription that unlocks Trails Offroad’s full catalog of 3,000-plus trail guides.
The Trails Offroad catalog spans a wide variety of difficulty levels and terrains and boasts an unmatched level of information and quality, including consistent difficulty ratings, route descriptions, and key waypoints. Trails Offroad will be kept current with over-the-air updates. Using Uconnect, customers will be able to navigate directly to the trailhead of their chosen off-road adventure and then keep track of their progress by following integrated trail route maps.
An electric future
In addition to expanding the Wrangler 4xe lineup, Jeep has restated its commitment to electrify its entire line-up in some way by the end of 2025, and by 2030, Jeep expects 50% of sales in the United States will be fully electric and 100% of Jeep vehicles in Europe will be fully electric.
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