It may be extremely capable off-road but, having last been redesigned in 2006, the Jeep Wrangler is getting on a bit, which you can tell by a quick look at its specs.
For example, in spite of being fitted only with the 3.6-liter Pentastar V8 V6, its 21 mpg highway and 17 mpg city official consumption figures are worse than some of Chrysler’s V8 models.
One of the reasons is that the Wrangler is solely available with a 5-speed auto gearbox. According to an FCA filling, Jeep plans like to rectify this by equipping its iconic 4×4 with the 8-speed ZF auto transmission that’s used by main of the group’s models.
Chrysler would like to ditch the old 5-speeder as soon as possible but the current frame makes fitting the new transmission impossible. Thus, it will have to wait until the next redesign that’s scheduled in four years’ time.
The 2018 makeover is, according to Left Lane, expected to be a major one, too. Apart from the transmission, which is a cert, there are many other options currently reviewed by Chrysler’s board.
For one, there’s a lot of talk about the 2018 Wrangler getting an aluminum body. This would significantly reduce weight and further improve fuel economy. The second option, and this one is going to raise a lot of eyebrows, is ditching the solid axles for an independent suspension layout.
This, right now, is just a rumor. It would make sense, though, as an independent suspension would not only increase fuel efficiency but also improve on-road driving dynamics.
On the other hand, such a dramatic change could compromise the Wrangler’s excellent off-road manners. Not to mention how customers’ reactions…
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