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2018 Jeep Wrangler First Drive Review | Improving an Icon

TUCSON, Ariz. — We crawled, with the lightest possible touch of the accelerator pedal, over a boulder-strewn mountain peak just outside of Tucson. We'd been driving for a few hours already, through city streets, along the highway, through twisty stretches just outside of Saguaro National Park. But it wasn't until we were pointed skyward, at such a severe vertical incline that we could only barely make out the hands of the trail guide ahead, that we knew Jeep had nailed the 2018 Wrangler redesign. That light-bulb moment was punctuated by the screeching steel impact of a skid plate along the jagged edge of a boulder. There's just something that feels right about a vehicle designed with purity of purpose. Leave the one-size-fits-all approach to the midsize crossover; stop attempting to be all things to all people like the midsize sedan. The problem with narrow-minded vehicles, though, is that they all require some sort of significant compromise to live with on a daily basis. With the latest version of the iconic Wrangler, Jeep set out to banish as much compromise as possible. Smoothed-out corners and lightweight materials improve efficiency, a range of engine choices opens the envelope to a larger swath of buyers, and big infotainment screens and backup cameras make the 2018 Wrangler easier to live with than ever before. But that essential purity of purpose remains intact. The latest Wrangler is better in every way than its predecessor, a fact that rings true no matter what type of terrain you're driving on. A casual observer may not notice the subtle exterior tweaks made to the 2018 Wrangler, codenamed JL, over the JK model it replaces. The round headlights, LED units on higher-end models, now cut into the outer two vertical grille slats, which are canted back just enough to make a difference in the wind tunnel. The windshield, too, is swept back further than ever before, but not so much that it messes up the Wrangler's timeless design. Hood and door latches are still externally bolted to the body — crucially allowing the doors and windshield to be removed or folded down for the pinnacle of open-air motoring — like little lumps of clay the designer forgot to smooth out. Vents in the front fenders reduce underhood pressure and keep the hood from writhing about at speed as it did on Wrangler models in the past. So picky are Wrangler customers that Jeep's decision to move the turn signals ignited a thousand threads on internet forums worldwide.

Jeep bringing Renegade Hard Steel with adorable matching trailer to Geneva

Trailers are hardly an uncommon site. They can, after all, be an effective way of adding cargo capacity when you need to haul more than you can fit in your car and truck. But there's something that just gets us about trailers made to match the vehicle behind which they're being towed. Like this one, attached to this unique Jeep Renegade. Set to be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show mere days from now, the Renegade Hard Steel concept is a joint effort between various elements of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles group, including Jeep, Mopar and the FCA Style Centre. It's based on the Trailhawk off-road model, but is distinguished by its unique metallic finish, offset by matte black trim and a full raft of available and custom Mopar accessories. Though Jeep has yet to show us what it looks like inside, it's said to have a specially coated leather finish. And of course there's that trailer. Designed to mimic the Renegade's rear-end styling, the appendage will be used on the floor of the Geneva Palexpo to showcase the vehicle's Uconnect Live infotainment system through an oversized pop-up touchscreen display that mirrors the new 5- or 6.5-inch display that'll soon be available on the littlest of Jeeps, offering streaming content including music, news, social media and traffic conditions. We have no indication that a similar trailer could be going into production (minus, of course, the infotainment stuff), but it's worth noting that Jeep has indeed done something similar before. Feel free to read more in the press release, below. Related Video: 27 February 2015 Renegade Hard Steel Jeep Showcar The Renegade Hard Steel Jeep showcar, which blends style, off-road vocation, and technology, will be making its debut and the 2015 Geneva International Motor Show. Created by the Jeep brand, in collaboration with the Mopar brand and backed by the FCA Style Centre, the showcar "explores" the potential of a model that provides countless customization options, while also providing an outlook for potential future Mopar accessories dedicated to the new Renegade. Based on the Trailhawk - the off-road version of the range - the prototype is not a simple customisation in aftermarket but a design project that, with due respect to the peculiarities of original models, has led us to the creation of a unique and fascinating article.

FCA denies report it's pulling Chrysler brand from Japan

TOKYO - Fiat Chrysler Automobiles denied it had decided to pull the plug on the Chrysler brand in Japan, after local media reported it was planning to stop selling the US cars in the country as early as next year following years of poor sales. "Although FCA Japan has already announced its intention to concentrate its resources on the Jeep brand ahead, no decisions have been made regarding (the) Chrysler brand," the automaker said ion Monday. The Nikkei business daily reported that the European-US automaker, which also sells the Jeep, Fiat, Alfa Romeo, and Abarth brands in Japan, was close to deciding to throw in the towel on the Chrysler brand, which posted sales of less than 300 vehicles in 2016, having fallen steadily since around 2000 and are about a tenth of what they were a decade ago. FCA sells only one Chrysler model in Japan, the full-size 300s sedan, which is sold at the company's Jeep dealerships. FCA's Fiat brand, which includes smaller models, and its Jeep brand have been growing in the country. Last year they sold around 6,700 and 9,400 units, respectively, making them top 10-selling foreign branded vehicles in the Japanese market. However, foreign cars constitute a small portion of the total Japanese auto market, which is dominated by domestic brands. Last year, 295,000 foreign-branded new cars were sold in the country, roughly one-tenth of total new vehicle sales. Reporting by Naomi TajitsuRelated Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery 2017 Chrysler 300S Sport Appearance Package: New York 2016 View 12 Photos Auto News Chrysler Fiat Jeep Sedan FCA