With its rugged capability and easy access to the open air, the Jeep Wrangler has excelled
for decades as the off-road totem of the brand.
And to the Jeep faithful, redesigning such an icon, as has been done with the new-for-2018
JL version, will always bring concerns that modernity will dilute the charm of this cherished
backwoods four-by-four.
Indeed, the new JL advances the formula further than ever before, but die-hard fans of the
seven-slot grille shouldn't fret over what is the most accommodating Wrangler yet.
HIGHS Slick eight-speed automatic option, AWD convenience,
greater refinement inside and out, still feels like a Wrangler.
LOWS Can crack $50K with options, still drives
like a Wrangler, hard-core Jeepers might not understand it.
As we learned during our first drive of the JL model, Jeep did not screw up its latest
poster child.
But those examples were mostly of the range-topping Rubicon specification that are outfitted with
meaty tires and beefier axles for maximum trail swagger.
While such capability is central to its mission, the modern Wrangler, through ever-increasing
technology and refinement, also has become a unique open-top alternative to conventional
SUVs that rarely venture off the beaten path.
Reinforcing that truth is the JL's four-door-only Sahara trim level (Jeep no longer officially
refers to the four-door Wranglers as the Unlimited, but the word continues to adorn the side of
the vehicle).
The Sahara slots just below the Rubicon in the lineup and, for the first time ever in
a Wrangler, brings an available full-time all-wheel-drive transfer case for improved
traction and stability in day-to-day driving.A Wrangler for the Road
Like all JL-generation Wrangler Unlimiteds, the Sahara rides on a 2.4-inch-longer wheelbase
than the previous JK Wrangler Unlimited and is some 3.5 inches longer overall.
Despite the growth spurt, its steel ladder frame is both stronger and lighter than before,
and lightweight aluminum has been employed for its doors, hood, and tailgate skin—the
last of these laid over a magnesium frame.
At 4469 pounds, our JL test truck weighed 129 pounds less than a similar JK Unlimited
we tested.
Where the Sahara breaks with tradition is in its optional $595 Selec-Trac transfer case,
which adds an Auto all-wheel-drive mode to the Wrangler's rear-drive and high- and
low-range 4WD settings.
As with the Sahara's standard Command-Trac part-time setup, Selec-Trac features a modest
2.72:1 low-range ratio, and its Dana 30 front and Dana 35 rear stick axles house 3.45:1
gears.
Opting for Selec-Trac also tacks on a $595 limited-slip rear differential and requires
the new-for-2018 eight-speed automatic transmission ($2000) in place of the standard six-speed
manual.
Rolling stock consists of 18-inch aluminum wheels wrapped with rather street-friendly
Bridgestone Dueler H/T 685 all-terrain tires, size 255/70R-18.
The resulting uptick in performance is significant: Motivated by the standard Pentastar 3.6-liter
V-6 boasting 285 horsepower at 6400 rpm and 260 lb-ft of torque at a rather high 4800
rpm, our Sahara scooted to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds and through the quarter-mile in 15.2 at 90
mph—improvements of 1.6 and 1.4 seconds (and 7 mph) over the previous JK with its
five-speed automatic and Goodyear tires.
Even more impressive was the JL's enhanced grip, which saw skidpad performance rise from
the JK's lowly 0.63 g to 0.73 g and shortened the 70-mph-to-zero braking distance from 209
feet to a more acceptable 176.
The latter is also helped by larger 12.9-inch front and 13.4-inch rear disc brakes.Given
the new Wrangler's improved EPA fuel-economy estimates, its greater observed average of
17 mpg—2 mpg higher than the JK's observed number and just 1 mpg less than its city rating—was
largely expected.
We also weren't surprised that it managed only 20 mpg on our 200-mile highway loop,
which is 3 mpg lower than its EPA highway figure.
To the atmosphere, even this latest Wrangler with its slightly faster windshield nonetheless
boasts a bricklike aerodynamic profile.
Still Tows the Line As arguably the cushiest pavement-cruising
configuration of this dedicated off-road vehicle, the Sahara may seem somewhat blasphemous to
hard-core Jeepers fond of rock-crawling and mud-bogging.
But don't call it a wimp, not with 10.0 inches of ground clearance and heady angles
of approach (42 degrees), departure (36 degrees), and breakover (21 degrees) that let the Sahara
roll over obstacles that would hang up a conventional crossover.
Driven normally, the Sahara has a relationship with the road that's notably less compromised
than in previous Wranglers.
Its electrohydraulically assisted steering, paired with a 15.6:1 rack, is slightly more
direct than the JK's hydraulic setup and moves with much greater precision.
The steel coil springs and Sahara-specific monotube dampers, along with the Unlimited's
long 118.4-inch wheelbase, serve up relatively good ride quality and positive highway tracking.
Finally, the eight-speed auto is a boon to the Wrangler's flexibility on the move,
smartly jockeying its ratios in response to throttle inputs to compensate for the V-6's
lack of low-end grunt.Although the Sahara's all-wheel-drive setting doesn't help with
straight-line performance in the dry (our quickest runs were in rear-drive mode), its
ability to shuffle torque between the axles in response to grip levels is a meaningful
convenience both in slippery conditions and when bolting out into traffic, situations
in which previous Wranglers often would spin their rear tires.
But this newfound ability does little to mask the JL's primitive underpinnings when rounding
corners.
Along with some unsettledness related to its tall center of gravity, the Wrangler's chassis
is still easily upset by abrupt throttle inputs and midcorner bumps, which can tug the truck
off line and send front-axle shudders up through the steering column.
Overcook it into a bend and the nondefeatable stability control will quickly step in and
cut power with a heavy hand.
Evolution Ain't Cheap The Sahara trim puts its best tire forward
for those who want a convertible SUV more than an off-road plaything.
As on all Wranglers, that means a standard fold-down windshield, removable doors, and
a retractable Sunrider soft top.
Our testing period in the depths of winter precluded playing with those features, and
our verdict on the new easier-to-use soft top will have to wait for a Wrangler that's
not fitted with the optional three-piece Freedom hard top ($2095 for body color, $1095 for
plain black) that our test truck had.
As equipped, wind roar was still fairly prevalent inside the Sahara's cabin, and the hard
top contributed to some boominess in response to harsh impacts on rough pavement.
But the body structure feels solid, and there's more room to move about inside.
The Unlimited's stretch job amounts to about an inch more rear legroom than before, yet
the increase feels even greater.
Despite rather small door apertures that can hinder ingress and egress, the accommodations
and comfort in back are comparable to a compact crossover's, and the rear seats easily fold
flat for a 72-cubic-foot cargo hold (32 cubes with the rear seats up).
The greater angle of the windshield gives front-seat occupants a bit more breathing
space, and the chairs offer decent thigh and side support.
Jeep has done well organizing the JL's plethora of controls within its vertical cliff of a
dash and center stack; it's busy but well sorted.
And our example's $1495 8.4-inch Uconnect touchscreen infotainment system with navigation,
an Alpine premium stereo, and SiriusXM satellite radio remains one of the best all-around interfaces
in terms of clarity, quickness, and functionality.The JL Sahara starts at $39,290, and opting for
the automatic transmission and Selec-Trac setup raises the entry point to $42,480.
But a buyer can get carried away by the litany of available equipment, such as our test vehicle's
$895 polished-face 18-inch wheels, $1495 black leather seats, $895 Cold Weather Group (remote
start, heated steering wheel, and heated front seats plus a mandatory $95 engine-block heater),
$895 LED Lighting Group (LED head, fog, running, and tail lights), $795 Trailer Tow and HD
Electrical Group (a bigger battery and alternator, a Class II receiver hitch good for 3500 pounds,
and auxiliary power switches), $795 Jeep Active Safety Group (rear parking assist and blind-spot
monitoring with rear cross-path detection), $525 hard-top headliner, $495 proximity-key
entry, $195 Trail Rail cargo-management system, and $130 all-weather floor mats.
All in, we were driving a $53,185 rig.
While Wranglers have notoriously low depreciation and virtually zero direct competitors, that's
luxury-SUV money for a truck that is anything but.
The JL model's pricing potential is really the only reason we can see for the Jeep faithful
to keep sharpening their pitchforks, although the new model is selling well enough for Jeep
to recently nudge the price higher still.
This vehicle remains very much a Wrangler, one that drives better than any of its kind
before it, and the fancy Sahara makes it easier than ever for the less adventurous to enjoy
its unique character.
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