Introduction

The Jeep Wrangler is an icon that has managed to remain loyal to its roots while adapting to the changing spirit of its age. If you think that it’s strictly for Californian rock hoppers and D-list boy band members, then think again. The much improved 'JL'-series fourth generation model introduced in 2018 was the most credible Wrangler yet, justifying what Jeep sees as its position as the only true off-road company in the market. Here, we look at the 2018-2022 ‘JL’-series models as a used buy.

History

Back in 1938, the US government’s original brief for a ‘light reconnaissance vehicle’ resulted in the development of the Willys Jeep, and the subsequent production of 368,000 of them for use during World War 2. General George C Marshall described it as "America’s greatest contribution to modern warfare". The spiritual successor to the Willys Jeep is the Jeep Wrangler.

Much separates the two designs of course. What’s ideal for a theatre of war doesn’t necessarily work for a family trip to the cinema and over the years, through CJ, YJ and TJ Wrangler models, as different company owners have come and gone, Jeep designers have struggled with the need to develop this icon without losing its distinct appeal. Their biggest challenge came with the ‘JK’ version, launched in 2007 with the need to justify its existence in a modern SUV market that claims to have an answer to every need. Jeep’s response was offer two Wrangler ‘firsts’: five doors and diesel power.

But that ‘JK’-series model still didn’t really reach out beyond this car’s hard core base of enthusiasts. This, its ‘JL’-series successor, needed to continue to please these people – as it did, with better off road angles, more ground clearance and a tighter turning circle. But at the same time, this more modern Wrangler needed to offer slightly wider appeal. For that, brand owners Fiat Chrysler knew that a completely fresh generation of powertrains would be required. And areas like ride quality, refinement and day-to-day usability would need to be completely re-evaluated. As they were with this ‘JL’-series car. It’s a Wrangler – but perhaps not quite as you know it. The Wrangler sold in this form from 2018. Buy 2022 though, the diesel engine option had been dropped and a 4xe Plug-in petrol variant introduced. It’s the 2018-2022-era ‘JL’-series models we look at here.

What You Get

The Wrangler format is iconic but quite a lot changed with this ‘JL’-series design, as the designers sought to subtly evolve the look for this fourth generation model. The front grille, the headlights and the windscreen are all different, as is the fascia inside.

All ‘JL’ Wranglers come as standard with a three-piece Modular Hard Top with lift-off front panels. The rear section must be removed with a socket set. If you don’t like the thought of that, you can get a car whose original owner specified a ‘Sunrider Soft Top’ that folds back either manually or electrically instead. With the roof fully down, the doors removed and the windscreen folded, the Wrangler driving experience really is like nothing else.

In the rear, the 4-Door model’s extra half metre of length might make possible a properly-sized rear seat, but it doesn’t deliver doors that open with a very wide aperture. And once you’re inside, it’s not hugely comfortable either, though it’s obviously a huge improvement on the cramped conditions you’d get in the alternative 2-Door model. Out back in the 4-Door, there’s a 533-litre boot.

What To Look For

Most Wrangler owners we surveyed seemed pretty happy with their cars, but inevitably, there were some buyers with issues. Mainly, it’s just the usual things; check the alloys for kerbing and the underside for over-enthusiastic off road use.

Always first check the body of the vehicle: the undercarriage will be the most visible indicator of how much life is left in the Wrangler you’re looking at. Check the outer panels too: significant denting can be a sign of hard use. Inspecting the tyres for uneven wear patterns is important in spotting things like alignment problems or improper rotation. A Wrangler with low mileage might have been driven under severe off-road conditions, which could make another vehicle with high mileage and gentle use a better option.

If everything looks good under the bonnet, you should still ask for a full record of maintenance and repairs the vehicle has received. A spotty maintenance history could set you up for early part failure. Always take a test drive. This is a chance to uncover symptoms or issues with the vehicle.

On The Road

The main changes with this MK4 design took place beneath the bonnet. Buyers choose between a 200hp 2.2-litre Multijet diesel or the 272hp 2.0-litre petrol turbo unit, both engines available only mated to a slicker-shifting 8-speed auto gearbox. As with all proper off roaders, there’s a two-speed transfer case offering a series of dedicated 4x4 driving settings – ‘4H’, ‘4H part-time’ and the ‘4LO’ crawler gear. With the slightly more road-orientated ‘Sahara’ and ‘Overland’ variants, all this works through a ‘Command-Trac’ 4WD system, but with the more serious top ‘Rubicon’ derivative, there’s a heavy duty ‘Rock-Trac’ 4WD set-up, which uses a tougher low range crawler ratio. ‘Rubicon’ models also get detachable ‘Sway bars’ for extra suspension travel; heavy duty Dana front and rear axles that can be manually locked with the brand’s ‘Tru-Lok’ electric front and rear axle lockers; and gnarlier BF Goodrich 32-inch tyres. All of this delivers an extreme level of off road capability. And once you’ve experienced it, you’ll view this Jeep in a whole different light.

Overall

If previous generation versions of this Jeep weren’t for you, you probably still won’t like this one. No problem: the market’s stacked with compromised alternatives. But if you’ve always wanted an excuse to choose one of these, this ‘JL’-series model’s extra polish and new-found sophistication provides it. In this form, it proved to be a vastly more capable all-rounder. But it's still very much a Wrangler. And that's all that really matters.