With the recent proliferation of hardcore off-road SUVs and new trail-ready trims, the iconic Jeep Wrangler is on the defensive, pressed to innovate as never before. To maintain its top trail-basher status, Jeep has added an ever-increasing arsenal of powertrains and some new tech for 2021 to the Wrangler’s extensive list of trail-proven hardware. The Wrangler may be familiar, but it’s still a great choice for venturing off the beaten path.  

The Jeep Wrangler’s familiar shape and purpose haven’t changed in decades, though the current generation of Wrangler was introduced for 2018. For 2021, Jeep keeps the off-roader current with new powertrains and new trail-busting tech.  Jeep

While technically a small SUV, the boxy Wrangler has a larger-than-life presence. It’s also uniquely configurable: just like its military progenitors, its windshield folds flat, and its doors can be removed in minutes. Pending the arrival of the full-size Ford Bronco, the Wrangler is also the only mass-market off-roader that permits top-down wheelin’, with removable hard- and soft-top options including a powered “one-touch” canvas roof.  

Similar variety can be found in the array of body and powertrain configurations. The fourteen Wrangler trims range from the base Sport 2-door, starting at $30,070 including destination fees, to the V8-powered Rubicon 392 Unlimited 4-door stickering at $74,995.

The base engine is Jeep’s 285-horsepower 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, though a 270-horsepower turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder is a no-cost option. An available 3.0-liter turbodiesel delivers 260 horsepower, 442 pound-feet of torque and 29 mpg on the highway. The Rubicon 392’s 470-horsepower, 6.4-liter V8 joins the lineup mid-year, as does a new 375 combined horsepower plug-in hybrid electric powertrain. Four-wheel drive is standard, but there are three separate drive systems to choose from.

Until the much-delayed full-size Ford Bronco arrives later this year, the Wrangler is the only choice for open-air four-wheelin’, with a choice of five different top configurations.  Jeep

Notably, the Wrangler also still offers a manual transmission, if only on lower trims and engine choices. While this six-speed is satisfying to shift and gives you a better crawl ratio, the eight-speed automatics—there are two—yield superior fuel economy. In four-door form, the automatic 3.6L returns an EPA-estimated 21 mpg combined, while the 2.0 and the diesel both get 22, handily beating the Toyota 4Runner’s combined 17 mpg. The hybrid 4xe does even better at 49 mpge, but the 392 V8 returns just 14 mpg combined.

Off-road is where the Wrangler shines, and all of its engines perform well there. While the torquier diesel and 392 power effortlessly over steep obstacles, even the lesser engines are adequate for daunting crawls. Their power feels sufficient on-road as well, with decent acceleration from both the turbo 2.0 and 3.6-liter V6, though the diesel is the star of the show if the balance between thrust and economy is the goal. 

The Rubicon variants are the best choice for serious off-roaders, starting at $40,470 for a two-door or $43,970 for a four-door Unlimited. The Rubicon’s off-road hardware is extensive, with its electronic locking front and rear differentials, electronic sway-bar disconnects for extra articulation on demand, and standard rock-rails and terrain tires. With the available Rock-Trac two-speed transfer case and its 4:1 low-range ratio, the Rubicon out-gears everything in the segment.

 The Wrangler’s interior is surprisingly comfortable and very user friendly. Though its cabin surfaces may feel less premium than some rivals, they’re designed to be robust even if they get wet and dirty.  Jeep

For less-demanding users, there are two lighter-duty but still quite capable four-wheel drive setups. Standard Command-Trac offers traditional part-time 4WD. Full-time Selec-Trac, now available on the base trim, provides All-wheel-drive-like convenience with its ability to revert automatically to 2WD on clear roads.

Off-road tech assists are impressive as well. Essentials like an inclinometer and extra temp gauges are accessible via the infotainment system, an “Off-Road Plus” drive mode calibrates throttle, shift points, and traction controls for wilderness driving. The available front-facing TrailCam, previously reserved for the Gladiator pickup, is indispensable for negotiating tough technical crawls without a spotter. 

On-road is where the Wrangler’s trade-offs reveal themselves. The quick steering makes it very maneuverable at city speeds, but on the highway the tiller becomes vague and wandery. There’s also ample wind and road noise as the all-terrain tires thunder on the pavement and the upright body punches a box-shaped hole through the air. 

 There are two sizes of Wrangler, the regular two-door kind and the four-door unlimited. As you’d expect, cargo and passenger room are more limited in the two-door model, as it is in the similar Land Rover Defender 90.  Jeep

Refined is not the word for this Jeep’s road manners, though the 4Runner’s aren’t great either. Land Rover’s Defender is far more civilized, but also pricier. If the composed road manners of Ford’s Raptor are prologue, the delayed Ford Bronco may be smoother as well.

For its part, the Wrangler’s interior is comfortable, at least up front, where supportive seats and big, chunky controls make for a user-friendly cabin. Base models get a simple 5-inch infotainment screen, but other trims get standard 7-inch or an optional 8.4-inch units. Jeep’s Uconnect infotainment system works well and looks good on these screens, though some features can be slow to load. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard on all but the Sport. Cabin comforts like heated seats and steering wheel are available, as is a 9-speaker Alpine stereo, but not power seats. 

In the second row, the seats are a little flat, and it can feel cloistered back there with the roof in place. Four-door cargo volume is a decent 31.7 cubic-feet with the rear seats in place and 73.4 with them folded, but it’s awkwardly accessed, requiring an order of operations to the side-hinged rear door and flip-up glass that’s determined by the rear-mounted spare. 

 There 2021 Wrangler gets two new powertrain options, a big 470-horsepower V8 and a very frugal 2.0-liter, 375-horsepower hybrid electric option, offered on the 4xe model.  Jeep

The 4Runner’s max is 89 cubic-feet, and it offers a cool slide-out cargo tray and roll-down rear window. Land Rover’s Defender 110 offers 88 cubic-feet in total. Two-door Wranglers and Defender 90s are about even, at 31.7 and 34 cubic-feet, max.

The Wrangler also lags on safety tech. No active-safety features are standard, and neither of the optional driver-assist packages can be added to the lowest trims. Toyota, by contrast, includes comprehensive safety tech standard. Ford provides standard auto-emergency braking, and the option to add more. The Wrangler’s crashworthiness isn’t impressive either, with incomplete and lukewarm evaluations from NHTSA and IIHS.

Nonetheless, on the off-road measures that count, the Wrangler beats its current competition in real-world capability. The calculus may shift when the Bronco belatedly arrives, but it won’t change the fact that the Wrangler is unstoppable on the trail and an abidingly solid choice for any wilderness adventure.