Review - Jeep Wrangler Unlimited

In its latest form, Jeep has given its four-door Wrangler Unlimited range some minor updates for the latest model year, though the company has announced a restyled and updated Wrangler will be joining the lineup later this year.

This begs the question of whether you’d be better off waiting around for the facelifted Wrangler Unlimited, which may even pick up some clever hybrid tech, or if you should pull the trigger now.

Let’s take a closer look at the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited range to find out.

Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Competition

Starting Price: $81,450

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How Much Does It Cost?

The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited range is priced from $81,450 for the entry-level Wrangler Unlimited Night Eagle, with prices rising to $86,950 for the Wrangler Unlimited Overland and up to $90,4590 for the range-topping Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon. 

Keep in mind that these prices are subject to change, and do not include on-road costs. 

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Jeep Wrangler Unlimited - NIGHT EAGLE (4x4) Specifications

What Features Does the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Have?

Jeep’s entry-level Wrangler Unlimited Night Eagle comes riding on a set of 17-inch alloys, and receives LED headlights and LED fog lights, cloth upholstery, keyless entry & start, a removable hardtop roof with a fold-down windscreen, removable doors, adaptive cruise control, a rear-view camera with parking sensors, climate control, a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster and a  9.0-inch infotainment display with Android Auto & Apple CarPlay, which is paired with a nine-speaker Alpine sound system.

Stepping up to the Wrangler Unlimited Overland adds a set of 18-inch alloys, leather upholstery with heated seats and a heated steering wheel, LED interior lighting and a removable body-coloured roof.

The range-topping Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon comes fitted with 17-inch alloys and receives a black removable hardtop roof, rock slider, electronic stabiliser bar disconnect, locking front and rear differentials and an updated Rock-Trac 4x4 system with a two-speed transfer case.

Range Features:

• 17-inch alloys

• LED headlights & LED fog lights 

• Cloth upholstery 

• Removable hardtop roof with fold-down windscreen & doors 

• Adaptive cruise control 

• 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster 

• 9.0-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto

• 18-inch alloys (Overland)

• Leather upholstery with heated seats & steering wheel (Overland)

• LED interior lighting (Overland)

• 17-inch alloys with all-terrain tyres (Rubicon)

• Rock-Trac 4x4 system with two-speed transfer case (Rubicon)

• Locking front & rear differentials (Rubicon)

• Electronic stabiliser bar disconnect (Rubicon)

Is the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Comfortable to Drive?

On the road, the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited range reminds you constantly of its heavy-duty underpinnings, with Jeep leaving the Wrangler’s on-road driving experience as an afterthought of its off-road abilities.

Power for the Wrangler Unlimited range comes supplied by a 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine producing 209kW of power and 347Nm of torque, which is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

This gives it more than enough grunt around town, with a generous amount of power and torque on offer to help glide you up to speed in a breeze.

“The Wrangler Unlimited struggles to hide its off-road-ready platform around town, though it charms your socks off in the process of a daily drive.”

Around town, the Wrangler’s unapologetic nature comes to the forefront, where it feels less user-friendly than the majority of its rivals while parking, making a quick three-point turn and squeezing through traffic.

The ride quality feels firm around town, with the Wrangler soaking up fewer bumps than you might expect on rougher Australian B-roads, unable to hide its off-road nature even on a daily drive.

Having said that, though, the Wrangler’s driving experience charms, and speaks to its true potential when sealed roads stop.

Is the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Good Off-Road?

If nothing else, the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited’s platform has been built to be a monster off-road as the leading priority, with its on-road behaviour remaining an afterthought.

The end result is a seriously impressive package when pushed off-road, thanks to the Wrangler Unlimited’s tough platform, powerful V6 engine and clever off-road tech that allows it to conquer almost all the terrain you can throw at it.

As standard, the Wrangler Unlimited Night Eagle & Overland pick up Jeep’s Selec-Trac 4x4 system with a two-speed transfer case, while the range-topping Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon receives an upgraded Rock-Trac 4x4 system, a pair of locking front and rear differentials and a front stabiliser bar disconnect.

“A tough off-road platform packed to the brim with heavy-duty hardware, the Wrangler Unlimited is unphased by even the most fierce off-road trails.”

The end result is superior off-road performance for the Unlimited Rubicon thanks to its approach and departure angles of 36.5 and 31.9 degrees respectively and 30mm of added ground clearance over the Night Eagle, making it the best of the bunch.

Off-road performance in the entry-level Wrangler Unlimited Night Eagle is still quite impressive, though, boasting approach and departure angles of 35.2 and 30.5 degrees, respectively, with 232mm of ground clearance on offer.

Is it Fuel Efficient?

The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited range is rated at between 9.7-10.3L per 100km on a combined cycle for the Night Eagle and Overland variants, while the range-topping Unlimited Rubicon is rated at 10.3L/100km.

Is it Practical and Spacious?

Stepping inside the Wrangler Unlimited greets the driver and passenger with a large and fairly tall cabin, which is accompanied by an extremely busy centre console.

The unconventional design approach for the cabin means it takes some time to get accustomed to your surroundings, though a heap of physical buttons means that important controls can be made quickly - so long as you know where to look.

The dashboard stands tall in front of the driver and front passenger, housing climate inputs, off-road driving modes and even the window controls, while a 9.0-inch infotainment display sits atop the dashboard.

“With a removable roof, doors and a fold-down roof, the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited offers a flexible and fun-loving design that no rival can match.”

As is tradition with the Jeep Wrangler, the company has made sure that buyers can remove everything from the roof, each of the four doors and even fold down the windscreen to get open-top thrills in the cabin.

While unnecessary at times, the flexibility from simply having this option is a charming option for buyers that speaks to the true fun-loving nature of the Wrangler’s platform.

Legroom in the second row of the cabin is extremely spacious thanks to the extended wheelbase of the Unlimited platform, making it a great option for those with growing children.

Those in the second row pick up a set of air vents, four USB chargers, map pockets behind the front seats and a heap of headroom thanks to the tall cabin design, while you’ll find ISOFIX anchors and top tether mounts on each of the outboard seats.

Finally, the Wrangler Unlimited’s boot is large. Jeep doesn’t give us exact dimensions, though it matches key rivals on cargo capacity, even while the width potential is eaten up by the wheel arches and Alpine sound system.

Is it Safe?

Safety is one area that the current-generation Jeep Wrangler struggles to keep up with its closest rivals.

From testing back in 2019, the Wrangler Unlimited range picked up a three-star ANCAP safety rating, scoring 60% for adult occupant protection, 80% for child occupant protection, 49% for pedestrian protection and 51% for safety assist.

Standard safety equipment for the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited includes autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring, a rear-view camera with front and rear parking sensors, rear cross-traffic alerts and airbags in the front, while the second row misses out on airbags completely.

Our Verdict: Is The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Worth it?

While it doesn’t come cheap, the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited range is in a class of its own when it comes to its fun-loving personality and off-road heroics of the range-topping Unlimited Rubicon.

Something to keep in mind, though, is the current three-star safety rating and the fact that Jeep has already announced a major overhaul for the Wrangler range for later in the year, which means that some patience will likely reward buyers with a much more impressive overall package.

If you can’t wait, though, be sure to reach out to one of our car-buying specialists here at OnlineAuto who can help narrow down your shortlist and find the best possible price.

Five Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Specs You Need to Know

1. Five-year/100,000km warranty with five-year capped price servicing 

2. Three-star ANCAP safety rating 

3. 9.7-10.3L/100km combined fuel economy

4. Unlimited Rubicon picks up front and rear locking differentials 

5. Four-door platform for Unlimited range; two doors for Wrangler Rubicon