Logo
No matching results

Recent Articles

Popular Makes

Body Types

10 Things You Need to Know About the 2019 Jeep Wrangler JL

Scott Oldham
by Scott Oldham
February 10, 2019
5 min. Reading Time
2019 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited ・  Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

2019 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited ・ Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

Some things stand the test of time. Blue jeans. White T-shirts. Rock and Roll. BBQ. And, of course, the Jeep Wrangler. After more than 75 years, the simple, authentic, and tough 2019 Jeep Wrangler is more popular than ever. Its ancestry dates back to 1941 when the first Jeeps were military vehicles and a key weapon in the Allies victory in World War II. After the war, civilian Jeeps (or CJs) became available to the public. And seven generations of the vehicle later, the rugged little SUV took the name Wrangler in 1987.

Today, Jeep sells more Wranglers than it ever has before. Sales of the SUV have exploded over the last decade, and Jeep now consistently sells over 200,000 Wranglers a year, all of which are built in Toledo, Ohio. Of course, all 2019 Jeep Wranglers come equipped with four-wheel drive, and the Wrangler is always on our list of favorite SUVs. Here are 10 things you need to know about the 2019 Jeep Wrangler.

1. It’s an affordable four-passenger convertible.

It’s easy to think the Wrangler is just for serious off-road enthusiasts looking for a tough rock crawler, but it isn’t. Last year, Jeep completely redesigned the Wrangler, and it's more comfortable and easier to drive on the road than ever before. No, it hasn’t lost any of its legendary off-road capability — in fact, that’s been improved as well — but the Wrangler’s new suspension and steering are now just as competent on-road.

And with prices starting at just $29,540, including a $1,495 destination charge, the two-door 2019 Jeep Wrangler is one of the most affordable four-passenger convertibles on the market. It’s also the only SUV you can buy with a removable top and doors and a folding windshield, and you haven’t lived until you’ve driven along the ocean in a wide-open Wrangler.

 Photo by Jeep

Photo by Jeep

2. It’s still not offered with a diesel or V8 engine.

There have been rumors of a diesel-engine powered Wrangler for decades, but it remains on Jeep’s drawing boards. This is also the situation with a Hemi-powered V8 Wrangler. Jeep has teased us over the years. It even fitted a supercharged 707-horsepower Hellcat engine in a Wrangler and displayed it at some auto shows, but there hasn’t been a V8 in a production Wrangler since the 1981 CJ-7.

Today, the 2019 Jeep Wrangler comes standard with a 3.6-liter double overhead cam V6 with variable valve timing and start/stop technology, which shuts off the engine at idle to save fuel. It produces 285 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. For a $1,000, Jeep offers a significantly more fuel-efficient turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 268 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. If you can swing the extra grand, go with the four-cylinder.

 Photo by Jeep

Photo by Jeep

3. Most buyers choose the four-door Wrangler Unlimited.

Jeep introduced the longer-wheelbase four-door Wrangler Unlimited in 2007, which radically expanded the vehicle’s appeal to include families and weekend off-road enthusiasts who appreciated its additional practicality and comfort. Today, about 90 percent of all Wranglers sold have four doors.

Prices for the larger Unlimited model start right around $33,000. Although Jeep has made air conditioning standard on all Wranglers, buyers still have to step up to the Sport S trim level to get power windows and locks. The popularity of the four-door body style just makes the traditional two-door Wrangler a bit more contrarian and that much cooler. Plus, it’s easier to park, and because dealers sell more four-doors, they may be more willing to deal on the price of a two-door Wrangler.

 Photo by Jeep

Photo by Jeep

4. The Wrangler Rubicon is for serious off-roaders.

Any 2019 Jeep Wrangler is off-road ready. But if you’re really going to go off-road, Jeep offers the Wrangler Rubicon. Named for the famous and infamous Rubicon Trail, one of the most challenging in the world, the Wrangler Rubicon comes standard with 33-inch off-road all-terrain tires, high-clearance fender flares, a Dana 44 wide-track heavy-duty axles, Tru-Lok front and rear locking differentials, a Rock-Trac two-speed four-wheel drive system, an electronically disconnectable front sway bar, steel off-road rock rails, and skid plates, and winch-ready steel bumpers are also available. 

The two-door Wrangler Rubicon starts at $39,540, while the four-door Unlimited model costs about $3,500 more. There isn’t a better rock-crawler on the market. This is the ultimate trail vehicle.

 Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

5. It’s still offered with a manual transmission.

Every two-door 2019 Jeep Wrangler comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission. How’s that for old school? Don’t be afraid of it. The clutch is light and easy to modulate, and the transmission is well-geared and takes little effort to shift.

Most Wranglers are sold with the optional eight-speed automatic transmission, however, which costs an additional $2,000. The eight-speed is also impressive, and it’s well-matched to the Jeep’s standard V6 or the optional turbocharged four-cylinder. Which would we choose? Well, we actually prefer the Wrangler with the automatic, but we would probably save the $2,000 and stick with the standard manual.

 Photo by Jeep

Photo by Jeep

6. It’s the most customized car in the world.

It’s been said that the Jeep Wrangler is the most modified vehicle of all time. If that’s true, more Jeep Wranglers have been customized than Ford Mustangs and Chevrolet Camaros. Wow. And for the ninth year in a row, the Specialty Equipment Market Association has chosen the Jeep Wrangler as the Hottest SUV of the SEMA Show, the organization’s massive automotive aftermarket trade expo.

“Whether drivers are accessorizing the Jeep for off-roading or for everyday driving, there are outstanding options available for Jeep owners,” said SEMA President and CEO Chris Kersting. He’s right. The Jeep Wrangler aftermarket accessories business is huge and even includes many parts from Jeep itself, which are sold at Jeep dealers. They include more than 200 Jeep Performance Parts and accessories to personalize any new Jeep’s suspension, body, and interior.

 Photo by Jeep

Photo by Jeep

7. It has a killer heating and air conditioning system.

When your vehicle is capable of being driven to the far reaches of the Earth, it had better be able to keep you comfortable. Or more importantly, alive.

This is why the heating and air conditioning system of the 2019 Jeep Wrangler has been tested all over the world. The Jeep’s heater is ready for the harshest winters, and its air conditioner will freeze you out on a 125-degree summer day in Death Valley. More importantly, they have the chops to keep you comfortable when you have the top down and the Jeep’s doors removed.

 Photo by Jeep

Photo by Jeep

8. Its designers added many 'Easter eggs.'

Jeeps designers love to talk about Easter eggs — small, subtle design details you may not notice at first but feel special once you find them. The exterior of the 2019 Jeep Wrangler is full of them. Here’s just a short list of what to look for, but there are others you’ll have to find on your own:

The Jeep grille logo appears in the center of the Wrangler’s headlights. The silhouette of a classic 1941 Willys Jeep is incorporated into the black surround of its windshield. The chassis code for this generation of Wrangler is JL, and it's written in Morse code under the Jeep’s rear cargo 12-volt plug. OK, just one more then you’re on your own: There’s a small pair of flip flops etched into the windshield wiper cover.

 Photo by Jeep

Photo by Jeep

9. Think of the Sahara as the luxury model.

If the Wrangler Rubicon is the brute of the pack, think of the Sahara as the luxury model. Only offered on the four-door Wrangler Unlimited, the Sahara starts a few bucks shy of $40,000.

Standard features include 18-inch polished aluminum wheels with gray spokes, tubular side steps, body-color fender flares, an infotainment system upgrade, and dual-zone automatic climate control. Options include a Selec-Trac two-speed transfer case with full-time four-wheel drive and a hardtop with the Sky One-Touch powertop, which allows occupants to open or close the Wrangler’s roof with a push of a button.

 Photo by Jeep

Photo by Jeep

10. It has an excellent infotainment system.

Jeep equips the 2019 Jeep Wrangler with a very capable and very easy to use infotainment system. However, buyers should be aware that there’s more than one version of the system.

The base Sport and Sport S models get the Uconnect 3 system with a 5.0-inch screen. Uconnect 4 with a 7-inch touchscreen is available on the Sport S models and standard on the Sahara and Rubicons, while Uconnect 4 with navigation and an 8.4-inch screen is optional on the Sahara and Rubicons. The fourth-generation of the Uconnect system includes Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the 7.0- or 8.4-inch touchscreens have pinch-and-zoom capability.

 Photo by Jeep

Photo by Jeep


`

Interested in Getting a New Car?

Used Cars Near You

No Data Available

Powered by Usedcars.com
©2024 AutoWeb, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Some content provided by and under copyright by Autodata, Inc. dba Chrome Data. © 1986-2024.