2019 Jeep Wrangler Review

As much as the Jeep Wrangler has historically appealed to drivers who love to wander off the beaten path — or to those who want to look the part — it's also been just as unappealing to drivers wanting refinement and a smooth and quiet ride. But that juxtaposition has softened with the newest-generation Wrangler (the JL) that debuted last year. The redesigned model boasts improved cabin materials, modern tech features and a (relatively) more comfortable ride. Newly available advanced safety features set the bar even higher for the 2019 Jeep Wrangler.

Though Jeep has improved the Wrangler's on-road manners for this generation, the rough-and-tumble truck is still decidedly old-school. The axles remain solid for better off-road performance, and the base Sport model doesn't offer newfangled fripperies such as air conditioning, alloy wheels or power accessories. Every model also features a fold-down windshield, removable doors and a soft top for a truly outdoor feel. There's also the Rubicon with its big knobby tires and specialized traction-enhancing hardware.

If you prefer a Wrangler that isn't a bare-bones truck or a hardcore rock-crawler, the middle trims offer a little more polish. Leather upholstery, a large touchscreen, navigation and an upgraded audio system are all on the options list. You can even specify advanced safety features, including blind-spot monitoring, forward collision warning and rear parking sensors.

As long as you don't prioritize a supremely quiet cabin or cushy ride, the 2019 Jeep Wrangler offers something for everyone. The Wrangler deserves a spot on your shopping list, whether you want a supremely capable off-road bruiser or a rugged-looking boulevard cruiser.

What's it like to live with?

The Edmunds editorial team purchased and lived with a Jeep Wrangler JL for two years as a part of our long-term fleet. We put 50,000 miles on the red four-door Jeep, trading out a hardtop for a soft top, tackling every off-road obstacle we could find, and commuting in the Wrangler Rubicon on a daily basis. To learn more about the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, read our long-term coverage to see what Jeep ownership is actually like. Note: We tested a 2018 Wrangler, but our coverage applies to the 2019 model as well.

The 2019 Jeep Wrangler is a truck-based midsize SUV available in a pair of body styles: the two-door and four-door Unlimited. The two-door is available in Sport, Sport S and Rubicon trims, while the four-door is available in Sport, Sport S, Sahara, Moab and Rubicon trims. Both body styles are available with a soft-top convertible or a hardtop. The Sport has a basic set of features, and the midlevel Sport S and Sahara add some convenience features. The Moab combines additional luxury features and some of the Sahara's off-road-friendly options, along with special badging and styling elements. The Rubicon is the most capable off-road thanks to its special features, including shorter axle gearing and an electronically disconnecting roll bar.

A 3.6-liter V6 (285 horsepower, 260 pound-feet of torque) is standard across the board. By default, it's paired to a six-speed manual transmission, though an eight-speed automatic is optional. A turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder (270 hp, 295 lb-ft) with the mild hybrid eTorque system is available on any trim, and it's mated exclusively to an eight-speed automatic. A 3.0-liter diesel engine is expected later in the model year.

The Sport trim level, while somewhat basic, has much more equipment than previous Wranglers. Standard equipment includes 17-inch steel wheels, a full-size spare tire, skid plates and tow hooks. It also has foglights, removable full metal doors with crank windows, a fold-down windshield, manual mirrors and locks, cruise control, air conditioning (optional on the two-door Sport), a height-adjustable driver's seat with two-way lumbar adjustment, a driver information display, cloth upholstery, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, and a one-piece folding rear seat.

Also included on the Sport are a 5-inch Uconnect touchscreen display, Bluetooth, a rearview camera, an eight-speaker sound system with a USB port and an auxiliary audio jack. Besides its two extra doors, the Unlimited version also has a bigger gas tank, air conditioning and a 60/40-split folding rear seat.

On top of the base Sport equipment, the Sport S adds alloy wheels, air conditioning, automatic headlights, remote locking and unlocking, heated power mirrors, power windows and locks, an alarm, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and sun visors with vanity mirrors.

The midlevel Sahara is only available in the four-door configuration and adds to the Sport S with 18-inch alloy wheels, upgraded brakes, painted exterior body panels and trim, automatic headlights, automatic climate control, and a 115-volt outlet. It also comes with a bigger driver information display, an additional USB port, and an upgraded version of Uconnect with a 7-inch touchscreen, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay smartphone integration, and satellite radio. Also available is full-time four-wheel drive with a lockable center differential.

The Moab builds on top of the Sahara, adding unique black wheels, mud-terrain tires, LED exterior lighting (headlights, foglights and taillights), rock rails, a steel front bumper, black-painted exterior trim, the full-time four-wheel-drive system, a limited-slip differential, a body-colored hardtop, keyless entry, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, premium leather upholstery, blind-spot monitoring, rear parking sensors, an 8.4-inch Uconnect system with navigation, a nine-speaker Alpine audio system, and special badging.

The most off-road capable of the Wranglers is the Rubicon. It gets the basic Sport equipment plus 17-inch alloy wheels, special off-road tires, a steel front bumper, a heavy-duty Dana M210 front axle and a M220 rear axle, shorter 4.10 axle gearing (other trims come with a 3.45 ratio), 4.0-to-1 low-range gearing (other trims come with a 2.72 ratio), electronic front and rear lockable differentials, an electronically disconnecting front roll bar, rock rails, upgraded cloth upholstery, and an additional USB port.

Much of the upper-level equipment is available in groups or as stand-alone options for lower trim levels. Other options include remote start, heated seats, a heated steering wheel, leather upholstery, and a nine-speaker Alpine sound system. All trims are also available with a higher-quality soft top as well as a black or a body-colored hardtop. If you're looking for additional safety features, the new Advanced Safety Group package is available on all but the Sport model. It adds adaptive cruise control and a forward collision warning system.

Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our full tests of the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon (3.6L V6 | 8-speed automatic | 4WD) and Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara (3.6L V6 | 8-speed automatic | 4WD).

NOTE: Since these tests were conducted in 2018 the current Wrangler has received some revisions, including additional driver aids for 2019. Our findings remain applicable to this year's Wrangler, however.