Getting Better With Age: The Jeep Wrangler

One of the aspects that makes the automotive industry such an interesting one is its continuous state of evolution. If you were to list every single significant event and innovation that’s taken place in the past century, you’d have a lengthy manuscript that rivaled Proust and Dickens. For the sake of maintaining a length that’s easy to read through in one sitting, we’ll be limiting our discussion to a shorter time period and, more specifically, one make and model: the Jeep Wrangler.

Perhaps you’ve never given it much thought, but Jeep’s place in popular culture transcends several decades. From its service overseas during World War II to its appearance in several wartime movies, the Wrangler has seen plenty of screen time and actual driving time. If you want to rip a page out of the Jeep history book to have for yourself, then you need to look for a used Jeep Wrangler for sale. Today, we’ll be looking at the vehicle’s recent history and the incredible strides it’s made in the past five years, so you will know what to expect when looking at models on the used market.

eTorque

Introduced for the 2018 model year, eTorque was a major change to the energy utilized by the Jeep Wrangler. While not exclusive to Jeep, as it’s also found in Ram trucks, it was a major breakthrough in technological innovation. The purpose of eTorque is to collect, store, and ultimately utilize energy that might have gone completely unused. Contrary to what the title suggests, eTorque is not a hybrid powertrain, at least not in the conventional sense.

This feature works in place of a typical alternator, creating power when the vehicle is braking or accelerating. This process puts energy to use that otherwise would have been wasted. The implementation of eTorque has led to better fuel economy and towing capacity, which is something any driver will be happy about. While this technology won’t make your vehicle as fuel efficient as the new Wrangler 4xe, it does make quite a bit of a difference.

For example, the 2021 Wrangler with the 3.6L V6 engine without eTorque gets 17 MPG in the city and 25 MPG on the highway. When you add the eTorque system, that rating changes to 20 MPG in the city and 25 MPG on the highway. You will definitely want an eTorque engine when dealing with California traffic.

Sky One-Touch Power Top

In the past, it didn’t matter if you drove a Jeep or a Miata—that is, any convertible required a great deal of time and patience to go topless on a warm day. Jeeps have always been a favorite of the beach crowd for this very reason. Introduced in 2021, the Sky One-Touch Power Top makes open-air travel much easier. Retracting with the simple touch of a button, your trip to Newport Beach just got a lot more fun. You now have all of the advantages of a convertible vehicle without the hassle and hard work of having to remove the top.

HEMI High Performance

The term “HEMI” needs little to no introduction, especially for fans of Dodge and Chrysler’s contributions to the golden age of the muscle car. While there was quite a bit of rejoicing when the 4xe Wrangler was introduced, the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 was paired with the legendary HEMI engine to provide performance not seen before in the Wrangler. 470 is the magic number associated with this powertrain, as it corresponds to both the vehicle’s horsepower rating and the lb-ft of torque it generates. Fans of high performance, rejoice!

Diesel Comes to the Jeep Wrangler

It wasn’t just hybrid and HEMI technology that found its way to the Jeep Wrangler, but an old friend that has experienced a renaissance in the past decade or so––the diesel engine. The diesel engines that are found in several vehicles offer conservative fuel consumption and optimized performance at low RPMs. 2020 saw the inclusion of the 3.0L EcoDiesel V6. Offering drivers 260 horsepower and 442 lb-ft of torque, it was a welcomed addition to the Wrangler engine lineup.

Infotainment Goes to the Next Level Thanks to Uconnect

Infotainment systems are just about as common as airbags these days. They’ve become a standard offering on many vehicles, although Jeep outshone the competition in the 2020 model year. Uconnect has always received praise from consumers and critics, and 2020 was the year Jeep took the concept to a whole new level. The system was well received for its user-friendly interface and quick reaction time. Available with a 5, 7, or 8.4-inch screen, the technology was compatible with Android and Apple devices, had available navigation, and was paired with a nine-speaker Alpine audio system that outdid anything offered by the competition.

The Wrangler Goes Electric!

Seeing that we’ve mentioned it more than a few times already, it’s time we talked about one of the most impressive accomplishments associated with the Jeep Wrangler in recent years. In 2021, the Wrangler 4xe rolled off the assembly lines and into the surprised hearts of many who were curious if such a feat were possible. While not a full EV model yet, as it possesses the ability to propel itself on electricity, gas, or a combination of both, it spoke to Jeep’s ability to adapt to the growing consumer need for more ecologically friendly vehicles. With 375 horsepower and the ability to generate 470 lb-ft of torque, ratings that made quite a few jaws drop in response, the 4xe certainly doesn’t lack in terms of performance.

It’s Not Just a Wrangler…It’s a Transformer!

What happens when you buy a Jeep Wrangler and find yourself wanting to go off-roading in a dune buggy? Well, with a few adjustments, you can live out your dune-filled fantasies. One of the biggest selling points of the Wrangler, and arguably what it’s most known for, is its modular design. If you want to feel like you are driving without barriers, then you can remove the doors. Even the windshield can be folded down for a full open-air experience. Thanks to the Wrangler’s parts being constructed from aluminum, they’re lightweight and easier to carry than they’ve been in previous years. You might have played with transformers when you were young, and now you have an opportunity to drive one!

New Shape…Same Devotion to Excellence

While not a Jeep Wrangler in the strictest sense, 2018 saw the birth of the Jeep Gladiator, a vehicle that seemed to break all the rules and defy all expectations that the public might have had. The Jeep Gladiator combined the body shape of a Wrangler with the bed of a pickup truck. Introduced for the 2018 model year, it broke the mold in terms of innovation and off-roading capabilities. With over eleven inches of ground clearance and the ability to ford water up to 31 inches, the world of off-roading and Jeep has never quite been the same.

The Future Is Unwritten and Anticipated

As you can see, the major milestones that have occurred regarding the Jeep Wrangler have been astonishing, to say the least. In only a few short years, the brand has demonstrated innovation and a continuous stride toward perfection. From its service overseas to its domestication and availability to consumers, it appears there’s nothing that the Jeep Wrangler is incapable of accomplishing. While it’s impossible to tell where the future might take us, it’s safe to assume that the Jeep Wrangler will be there to take us all along for the ride.