2023 Jeep Wrangler

The 2023 Jeep Wrangler, the brand’s quintessential off-roader, is unchanged for the model year except for very minor trim tweaks. The Rubicon receives new standard or optional 17-wheel designs, and there are two new exterior paint shades: Earl, a light grey and a pun on Earl Grey tea; and a purple hue cleverly named Reign. Snazzberry, a shade of red, has been discontinued.

The Wrangler is a two-door model, but you can also choose the four-door Wrangler Unlimited, covered separately here. The four-door is more popular with buyers and so it offers more engine selections than its two-door sibling, including a plug-in hybrid and V8 engine that aren’t available in the two-door Wrangler.

Performance

The Wrangler comes with a choice of two engines. The 3.6L V6 makes 285 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. When mated to a six-speed manual transmission it has start/stop, which shuts off the engine at idle to save fuel and emissions. With the eight-speed automatic, it includes eTorque, a self-charging mild-hybrid system that provides electric assist on acceleration, although it can’t drive on its battery alone.

Also available is a turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder engine, making 270 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. It comes only with an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Three 4x4 systems are available, depending on the trim. Command-Trac is a part-time system with 2High, 4High and 4Low. Selec-Trac is a full-time system that further adds 4Auto, which can be used on hard surfaces. Rock Trac, used on the Rubicon, is available as a part-time or full-time system, and with a low-range ratio of 4:1. The Rubicon also includes front and rear electronic locking differentials.

Practicality

The Wrangler holds four passengers to the Unlimited’s five-person seating, and it’s a tight squeeze for those two rear-seat folks to get back there. Both models offer the expected off-road ability, but the shorter Wrangler can be more manoeuvrable on tight trails, and with a breakover angle of 27.8 degrees compared to the Unlimited’s 22.6 degrees. Depending on the trim and tires, the Wrangler’s approach angle is 41.4 to 44 degrees, and its departure angle is 35.9 to 37 degrees.

The doors and roof can be removed, and the windshield can be folded down. Taking the hardtop roof off can be a chore, but an optional Sunrider flip-top for it lets you easily flip back the roof over the first row for open-air driving. An optional dual-door package includes both full and half doors, and there’s a factory accessory kit of mirrors that fit in the hinge when the doors are removed. A front-facing off-road camera is available also. All trims can tow a maximum of 2,000 lbs.

Canadian Pricing

The Wrangler comes in four trim levels — Willys Sport, Sport S, Willys and Rubicon — ranging from $42,030 to $55,195. It used to stand alone for its off-road chops but now faces stiff competition from the Ford Bronco, although that model tends to have a higher starting price than the Wrangler’s for 2023.