Test Drive of the New Jeep Wrangler in Ukraine: The King of Off-Road

The Jeep Wrangler is primarily associated with off-road. After all, nothing else should be expected from a model that traces its lineage back to the famous Willys. Although the world is now filled with crossovers of various types, Jeep is not planning to abandon its iconic model and has introduced its fourth generation. Recently, the new Wrangler finally reached Ukraine and we were able to get acquainted with it. Test Drive of the New Jeep Wrangler in Ukraine: The King of Off-Road

Design of the 2018 Jeep Wrangler

Test Drive of the New Jeep Wrangler in Ukraine: The King of Off-Road

Naturally, the new 2018 Jeep Wrangler remains body-on-frame, but the car’s construction now incorporates more aluminum, making it 90 kg lighter than its predecessor.

As before, a short 4.3-meter version and an extended 4-door variant nearly 4.9 meters long are offered as Unlimited. Test Drive of the New Jeep Wrangler in Ukraine: The King of Off-Road

As for the design, there are no revolutions here. The SUV retains its signature grille, round headlights, and pronounced fenders, so you need to take a good look to realize that it is indeed the new 2018 Jeep Wrangler. Among other things, it features air intakes on the sides and on the hood. Doors and the roof can still be removed, and the windshield can be folded forward.

 

Interior and Equipment of the 2018 Jeep Wrangler

Test Drive of the New Jeep Wrangler in Ukraine: The King of Off-Road

Meanwhile, the Jeep Wrangler’s interior has changed significantly more. First, the quality of the trim is far superior to that of its predecessor. Secondly, the instruments are now separated by a color onboard computer screen, and the central panel features a touchscreen up to 8.4 inches in size. Test Drive of the New Jeep Wrangler in Ukraine: The King of Off-Road

The steering wheel and gear lever are leather-trimmed already in the base version, with the shift lever adorned with an image of the Willys. The buttons and switches in the cabin are intuitive, except that the power window buttons are not very conveniently located on the central panel.

Test Drive of the New Jeep Wrangler in Ukraine: The King of Off-Road

The front seats of the 2018 Jeep Wrangler have become more comfortable and provide better back support. By the way, in the base version Sport, both the seats and the steering wheel are heated. The seating position is traditionally high, and visibility is quite good, though it is somewhat limited by the spare tire. Test Drive of the New Jeep Wrangler in Ukraine: The King of Off-Road

In the short version, the rear row doesn’t offer much legroom, and access is somewhat restricted. However, in the Unlimited variant, there is ample rear space and the trunk is noticeably larger – 533 liters compared to 197.

In more expensive versions, a subwoofer with waterproof covering is located in the trunk floor. The Jeep Wrangler 2018’s equipment has been expanded, and now keyless entry, air conditioning, an audio system, satellite navigation, a light sensor, and parking sensors are included in the base model. The Sahara variant adds climate control and 18-inch alloy wheels. Options now include Wi-Fi and blind spot monitoring.  

New Jeep Wrangler on Asphalt and Off

Test Drive of the New Jeep Wrangler in Ukraine: The King of Off-Road

Initially, the new Jeep Wrangler in Ukraine is only offered with a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline inline-four.

The engine produces 272 hp and has a torque of 400 Nm at 3000 rpm. It is flexible and torquey in the mid-range and provides excellent dynamics – 6.8 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h. However, it does have a considerable appetite – 15.6 l/100 km in the city and 8.8 l/100 km on the highway. Test Drive of the New Jeep Wrangler in Ukraine: The King of Off-Road

The new 8-speed automatic works more smoothly. Also, the Jeep Wrangler is equipped with a modified all-wheel-drive system featuring an Auto mode.

Most of the time, the SUV is rear-wheel-drive, and the front wheels are engaged in case of slippage. However, the electronics don’t always respond quickly, often causing the rear of the car to skid in corners. Test Drive of the New Jeep Wrangler in Ukraine: The King of Off-Road

Still, just like before, full drive can be engaged forcibly by locking the central differential. There’s a low-range gear, and the ground clearance is 235 mm. Thus, the Jeep Wrangler isn’t afraid of serious off-roading.

Mud, swamps, and fords up to 76 cm deep are its natural habitat. Test Drive of the New Jeep Wrangler in Ukraine: The King of Off-Road

For extreme enthusiasts, there is the Rubicon variant with front and rear differential locks, a disconnectable front sway bar, and off-road tires. It has a higher ground clearance (252 mm), with an approach angle of 36.4° and a departure angle of 30.8°. Finding obstacles for it is generally difficult. Test Drive of the New Jeep Wrangler in Ukraine: The King of Off-Road

However, off-road capability has always been the highlight of the Wrangler, which is why the new SUV impressed us much more with its on-road behavior.

It’s much softer and quieter than its predecessor, with significantly improved directional stability (especially in the five-door version). The steering has become more precise, although it is quite light. The new Jeep Wrangler in Ukraine costs from 1.4 million UAH for the short version and 1.58 million for the Unlimited. A more economical diesel modification is expected in 2019. But in any case, there is always a solution to travel issues – http://kyivtaxi.ua/taksi-vishnevoe/.

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