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The 2019 Jeep Wrangler is a living legend that has a head full of technology and the legs of a mountain goat. See if it’s it fresh enough to face the competitors.
What’s New for the 2019 Jeep Wrangler?
The 2019 Jeep Wrangler is a legend because of its history of being able to climb over anything since WWII. But even legends can do with some updates.
Although given a substantial update in 2018, the Wrangler gets the Advanced Safety package which adds adaptive cruise control and a forward collision mitigation warning. For grins, Wrangler also gives you our new favorite exterior color, Bikini Blue. And when you open the hood, you’ll see a standard 3.6-liter V6 or, if you option it, a turbocharged four-cylinder engine hooked up with an additional electric motor that should give you somewhere south of 25 miles on EV mode.
Is the rocky trail calling your name? If you’re the type for a Jeep, you know what to do.
2019 Jeep Wrangler – media.stellantisnorthamerica.com | Shop 2019 Jeep Wrangler on Carsforsale.com
The Breakdown
We like the ability to be a mountain goat
We like the easy clean interior
We would love better ride and handling on pavement
We would love better gas mileage for the V6
2019 Wrangler Specs
- 285 horsepower from base engine
- 260 lb-ft of torque from base engine
- 5 available trims
- 72.4 cu-ft. of cargo capacity behind the first row
- 31.7 cu-ft. of cargo capacity behind the second row
- Dana solid front and rear axles
- Towing capacity of 2000 lbs
2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee Powertrain
It’s crazy to think that a Jeep can do 0-60’s in the 6-second range, but they can. The base model Sport two-door, with its 3.6-liter V-6 with 285 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, sprinted to 60 mph in a timed 6.3 seconds – and that’s with us shifting the six-speed manual. We suspect that the optional 2.0-liter turbo-four with 270 hp and 295 lb-ft won’t be far behind. That’s so impressive.
The 2.0-liter is what’s called a mild-hybrid. FCA does a similar thing with the RAM 1500 eTorque system, and it gives you more power while also providing better fuel mileage. We suspect the heavier off-road trims will be a little slower off the line but, to be sure, a Jeep isn’t about drag racing but more about slow climbing over rough terrain. For that, you need the Rubicon or MOAB, where increased ride heights and supportive suspensions do the work.
If you’re going to spend most of your time around town, you’ll want the very smooth 8-speed automatic transmission to assist your drive. As much as we love the Jeep on the trails, it stills drives like an old school truck on the surface streets, however. The ride quality isn’t horrible but don’t expect it to treat you like a Honda CR-V. You’ll always know you’re in a Jeep.
Towing & Payload
The 2019 Jeep Wrangler four-door can tow up to 3,500 pounds, properly equipped, and the two-door can tow 2,000 pounds. Additionally, the Jeep Wrangler comes standard with anti-sway control for trailering.
If you add the Trailer Tow Group, you’ll get a class II receiver hitch, auxiliary switches, four-pin, seven-pin wiring harnesses, a 240-amp alternator, and a 700-amp battery.
2019 Jeep Wrangler Fuel Economy & MPG
Fuel economy isn’t one reason you historically get a Jeep. Still, if you get the optional mild-hybrid turbo-four-cylinder and automatic, you’ll get an EPA estimated 23 city and 25 highway mpg. Given that the two-door with the V6 is rated at 17 city and 25 highway, the turbo-four is a veritable economy car.
With the V6, a four-door 2019 Jeep Wrangler is rated at 17/23 mpg with the manual and 18/23 mpg with an automatic. By comparison, a turbocharged four-cylinder gets an EPA-rated 22/24 mpg city/highway.
Interior, Comfort, & Cargo Space
If you’re in the market for a Jeep, you already know that it’s going to be a tight fit for four people and luggage – even in the four-door versions. Even though you can road trip, the Jeep isn’t comfortable taking people on long trips across multiple states but its happiest rolling on the trails. With that in mind, having fun with 3 of your friends becomes a great adventure.
With the doors and roof off, you have more than enough room and very minor issues seeing around you. With an enclosed cabin, we noticed a few blind spots in the rear c-pillars, but the rearview mirrors and a look over the shoulder will take care of that.
Even with the update in 2018, Jeep kept the Wrangler’s interior character when integrating the technology. It’s not a RAM truck, by any means, but you still get touchscreens and infotainment options to match current competition. Touchscreen sizes go from 5-inches up to an 8.4-inch version. Depending on the model you choose, you get CarPlay and Android Auto with optional navigation on everything except for the MOAB, where it’s standard. Sound quality is good in the base Wrangler Sport but gets better as you move up towards the Alpine nine-speaker audio system.
Regardless of the model and options, you get the welcoming Jeep dash with large buttons and switches within a short arms reach. We had to get reaccustomed to the front windshield being so close and were eventually grateful for the efficient use of the interior real estate.
The good thing about the Wrangler is that you can get by with the Sport or lux out (in a Jeep way) with the MOAB and still be happy. It’s not about the options but about the adventure that comes with a Jeep.
Entertainment & Technology
Every version of the Wrangler comes with the highly regarded Uconnect infotainment system. But you’ll want to be aware of the one that comes with your model choice.
The base Sport and Sport S get the smallish 5-inch screen and Uconnect 3 – without CarPlay or Android Auto. For the Rubicon and Sahara, you get a 7-inch screen and Uconnect 4, which has some user interface updates. Optional on the Rubicon and Sahara is the mega 8.4-inch screen that’s standard on the MOAB. But, to get that screen, you also must get navigation, which isn’t always necessary these days. So, make your choices wisely.
The 7-inch screen is optional on the Sport S, and Alpine’s excellent nine-speaker audio system is available on everything but the base Sport.
Safety Features
Like its sister company RAM, Jeep doesn’t provide standard driver safety assists on the base model. What Jeep calls the Active Safety Group, available on the Sport S and above, has blind-spot and rear parking sensors. In the Advanced Safety option, you get forward collision mitigation and adaptive cruise control.
As an aside, even the base model Sport gets hill-start assist and hill descent control. And even though they’re not in a safety group, they provide safety and security while on the trail.
The 2019 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited received a four-star front crash and three-star (out of 5) rollover score from the NHTSA.
2019 Jeep Wrangler Trims & Pricing
Sport – starting at $28,045
The 2019 Jeep Wrangler Sport includes 17-inch black steel wheels tied to the Command-Trac part-time four-wheel drive. Inside, the Wrangler Sport has cloth upholstery, power sockets in front and rear, rear folding seats, and a black Sunrider soft top. Added are a push-button start, cruise control, rear backup camera, and a 5-inch touchscreen Uconnect 3 system with eight speakers.
Sport S – starting at $31,245
The Sport S adds 17-inch alloy wheels, air-conditioning, power windows, power locks, and a keyless entry. Also on the Sport S are automatic headlights, deep-tint windows, and power heated rearview mirrors.
Sahara- starting at $38,395
The Sahara has an upgrades suspension with 18-inch polished wheels and off-road tires. Inside are an upgraded infotainment system, automatic climate control, and premium cloth low-back bucket seats.
Rubicon- starting at $41,545
The Rubicon is one of the two more serious off-road machines. The suspension is upgraded to Jeep’s Rock-Trac HD 4WD system with Dana 44 heavy-duty axles plus locking front and rear diffs. Extra clearance and a beefier suspension give it some high-quality off-road capabilities. The infotainment system is the upgraded Uconnect 4 with its 7-inch HD touchscreen.
MOAB- starting at $51,300
The MOAB has Jeeps premium lighting group with LED headlamps, tail lamps, and fog lamps. The MOAB exterior also has a dual power-dome vented hood, black tow hooks, and black aluminum wheels. Jeeps Selec-Track Full-Time 4×4 system anchors you to any terrain, while leather-trimmed seats and an 8.4-inch Alpine infotainment system comforts you in the process.
Warranties
The 2019 Jeep Wrangler comes with a very uninspiring three-year/36,000-mile limited warranty. As with other makes, you can always pay for an extended warranty if you’re keeping it past the 3-years.
What we think
2019 Jeep Wrangler – media.stellantisnorthamerica.com | Shop 2019 Jeep Wrangler on Carsforsale.com
We continue to love the style and function of the Wrangler. It stands out as an icon in a sea of vanilla. Although the new Ford Bronco will surely put some pressure on the Jeep, it has a long way to go before it has the passionate following of the Wrangler.
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