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2018 Jeep Wrangler: The iconic off-roader, with new innovations

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — The Jeep Wrangler has a spirit, and Mark Allen is one of its keepers. That's why the 2018 edition still has a fold-down windshield, despite the reality that even the most die-hard Wrangler owners seldom use it anymore. The folding screen dates to the origins of the Wrangler, when Willys were sent to Europe during World War II. The reasons: "The windshields folded down for shipping — and the guy in the back with the howitzer," says Allen, the longtime Jeep design boss. Delivered in 2017 in the FCA Design Dome, the line comes across as a quip, but it's historically dead on. It's through this lens that Allen and the rest of the Jeep designers and engineers devised the modern successor to a primitive military vehicle. The windshield folds down in minutes with the turn of four bolts on this new generation, the JL. It takes about 90 minutes and 28 bolts to do the same on the outgoing JK. Needed or not, the windshield is better and more functional for 2018, even if it looks about the same. This aptly sums up the new model. Get closer and get inside. Look under the hood. There's much more going on than is evident at first glance. Allen says the broad strokes of the current design didn't change because he wanted to remain true to the Wrangler's identity, which lights the path for the entire brand. Crazier ideas were considered, but ultimately, this evolutionary approach was deemed the best. "The Wrangler is instantly recognizable around the world," says Jeep boss Mike Manley. "It has been and remains the absolute icon of the brand." But it is different, and by using any objective metrics, better. The JL is lighter than the JK. It offers a new engine with a mild hybrid function – more on that later. Fuel economy is improved. The interior is nicer, yet still rugged. The on-road ride quality is upgraded, but you can still scale mountains and conquer the jungle. Still, it looks about the same. Let's start there. The round headlights are all-LED, with a horizontal projector sandwiched between the high beams. The taillights are square and have available LEDs. The grille has been massaged to a "keystone" design that recalls the CJ, Allen says. The front wheels are pulled slightly forward, and the beltline is lowered. The vehicle also is longer (how much depends on the version), which creates a better stance. Half doors will be offered on the Rubicon model in 2019 and then will be available across the Wrangler lineup.

2017 Jeep Com-Patriot looks like a mini Grand Cherokee

Jeep plans to merge the Compass and the Patriot into a single model, and today we're getting an undisguised look at the compact crossover. These images from Brazil's Autoo were captured before a photo shoot. The SUV, which retains the same shape as the prototypes our photographers captured testing earlier this year, borrows a sizable amount of styling cues from the larger, more expensive Jeep Grand Cherokee. If the SUV's badging is anything to go off of, Jeep will retain the Compass moniker for the upcoming vehicle. At the front, the SUV has a similar grille to the Grand Cherokee with seven rectangular openings, which are smaller than the ones found on the current compass, with chrome trim. The headlights and LED daytime lights are also similar to the ones on the Grand Cherokee. The black roof, which is a new touch for Jeep, is a nod toward the SUV's European competitors like the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque. The new model loses the square-like taillights on the previous model for oval-shaped ones. Overall, the SUV adds modern touches to the aging Compass and Patriot models while staying true to Jeep's iconic look. The SUV is expected to utilize a modified version of the platform found on the Jeep Renegade and Fiat 500X. Power could come from a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four engine that's mated to either a nine-speed automatic transmission or a six-speed manual gearbox. Just like the current model, the upcoming Compass will have front-wheel drive as standard with all-wheel drive as an option. The next-gen Compass will be manufactured at Jeep's new plant in Brazil, where the vehicle will also makes it official debut later this year. The baby Grand Cherokee will make its first appearance on American soil at this year's Los Angeles Auto Show. Related Video: News Source: AutooImage Credit: Autoo Design/Style Spy Photos Jeep Crossover SUV jeep compass jeep patriot

Jeep Rubicon Alaska Cannonball overlanding trip, part 6 | Mucking with the Mudbudz

Our man Jonathon Ramsey is driving a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon on a 14-week, 14,000-mile journey across North America. Check out his first, second, third, and fourth, and fifth installments. GREAT FALLS, Montana — This is not the last time I'll write this: No stock vehicle on sale in the U.S. today can match the capabilities of the 2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon. I discovered that during the first here-goes-nothing off-road excursion on my Rubicon Alaska Cannonball run, two days of crashing around Cadomin in Alberta, Canada. This adventure is also where I discovered muskeg, a bog muck I prefer to call "swamp guts." That's a picture, above, of our first meeting. Getting high-centered was my fault, not the Wrangler's. You'd get hung up on things, too, if you were carrying 800 pounds in your rear. But we'll get to that. We left off in Tuktoytaktuk. I departed the Arctic on a Sunday afternoon with my patched spare tire, headed for a meet-up with the MudBudz Wheelin' crew in Hinton, Alberta. Turning back from boreal climes, the whole ball of Earth welcomes all who return. Sparkling lakes and mossy tundra framed Yellow Brick Roads made of dirt. This time I'd drive slow enough to avoid another unfortunate meeting with volcanic shard, if possible. E-load-rated BFGs, the equivalent of a 10-ply tire, were stock fitment on the JK Wrangler. On the JL, Jeep switched to a C load rating, the equivalent of a six-ply tire. The thinner construction means lower rolling resistance, a softer sidewall for a better ride, and better gas mileage. For 2.5 hours, I bounded and rebounded over 90 miles of pulverized highway to Inuvik. I filled the tank, then hit the Dempster at the onset of another drawn-out Arctic twilight. A hazy moon hung above the spruce as I descended to the MacKenzie River ferry crossing. As on the drive up, a million times I wanted to stop for photos, but I had to get across the Peel River further down the road before the ferry stopped. I never got to see the southern stretch of the Dempster in daylight. On the run north, I'd arrived at the Peel at dawn. I did get to see the Northern Lights again, the fifth straight night of " Star Trek" interludes. The lights were so bright I could shoot them with my phone. I also saw two bright yellowish dots glowing down the road, reflecting the wave of illumination thrown by the Mopar five-inchers. Eyes. Around 50 yards away, I made out a massive moose. I crept closer. Moose are crazy.