In what seems like the longest, slowest unveiling ever, intentional or not, we are now finally seeing actual internal Jeep documents about the upcoming, still-yet-to-be-officially-released JL Wrangler. It appears that a massive amount of information about has been brought to life by JLWranglerForums, among them the ever-crucial User’s and Owner’s Manuals.
It is also immediately evident that the images we’ve been seeing have been extremely close to the production body, and we now know the 2.0L Hurricane turbo and V6 Pentastar will be the only engines available upon launch. As expected, the drivetrain receives a thorough overhaul and upgrade, and the vehicle will showcase a slew of tech that will, finally, make the open-roof Jeep a truly modern, current vehicle.
For more on what new JL information has come to light, click past the jump.
The release of the JL Wrangler has already been a long time in the making but, though it’s not over just yet, we do now have what’s as good as official word from Jeep itself on what some of the nitty-gritty details will be. A lot of it is expected, a lot of it completely unsurprising: the bottom line is that Jeep has gone to great lengths to make its flagship off-roader more daily-driver-friendly, a less harsh place for passengers to be, and, I’m happy to report, even better on the trail. So, even though I’ll admit I haven’t read through the hundreds upon hundreds of pages included in the Owner’s and User’s Manuals, what are some of the highlights in the JL news? And were any of my predictions correct?
Mechanically we have a new engine choice in the turbocharged four-cylinder, which I predicted (along with much of the Jeep-interested world), and it’s one many will likely opt for. Better gas mileage is always a good thing, and readily accessible low-end torque should be beneficial for wheeling duties as well. The ease of locking the differentials on Rubicon models seems to have been simplified as well, and it appears that the axles themselves have been beefed up too. Though there’s no outright mention of the diesel that I can find, glow plugs are listed in the manual as “optional equipment,” so hopefully it’s on the horizon for release soon after the JL’s first year of production comes to a close.
On the outside, off-roaders will be happy to know the bumper end caps, are easily removed for wheeling purposes. This may also negate the need for a high-clearance, wheel-well-opening front bumper for use with larger tire sizes, which could in turn save owners who modify their vehicles money, though many may continue to upgrade for the protective nature of aftermarket bumpers. Other confirmed exterior elements include the indented outer slot in the classic seven-slot grille, fender-mounted LED turn signals that are incorporated into the body much better than I expected them to be, and subtle elements that further tie the brand and its heritage together. It’s a cohesive redesign that’s very much more evolutionary than it is revolutionary. But with the sales figures Jeep has for its JK Wrangler, there’s a very valid argument to be made for not shaking things up too much, and clearly Jeep has a deep understanding of that.
On the inside, the rumored and spy-photographed Grand Cherokee-style electronic shifter appears to be gone, in its place a more traditional unit. There will be three different optional infotainment screen sizes, and at the top-end are “performance pages” style tabs for off-roading purposes rather than racing purposes as seen on the SRT products’ UConnect screens.
A power sliding top is confirmed, which I would expect will be much in the vein of the last-gen Liberty’s Sky-Slider roof, and they make note of the fact that the location of a bolt for the doors has been moved to a more easily accessible place so as to lessen the difficulty of door removal, which was rumored to be going away altogether. Likewise, it seems that the windshield can still be folded if equipped with the option to do so – what that option is remains to be seen, but it very well could mean that power-sliding-top models don’t get a folding windshield. The omission of curtain airbags is interesting and somewhat surprising, and it looks like the front-offset-crash-helping knee airbags are the only additional airbags over the JK. This could be a testament to the vehicle’s inherent safety due to structural rigidity and frame design, but I’m by no means an engineer so that’s all I’ll say on the topic.
Final items of note for the interior are all-new gauges, a number of roof options, and, obviously, an all-new, more upscale interior over that of the JK the new model replaces. Like the exterior, it seems that the interior has received a very cohesive upgrade over the JK, though likely even more so due to Jeep’s continued desire to market the Wrangler to the masses versus just to those willing to put up with its drawbacks.
In all honesty, I think the JL is shaping up to look fantastic, and I can’t wait to see how it drives. While it’s still very, very much like a JK, it’s different enough to be noticeable to those who care. My main concern resides in the inevitable price hike, especially so with a nicely-optioned Rubicon Unlimited. As a whole, it seems as if it will be much better at everything, and as such a much stronger competitor to those it competes with but yet cannot match on pavement, like the 4Runner and lower-trim Discovery.
No information has been revealed about the JT pickup, but you can expect to see more, and the final product/details, in the upcoming months at either SEMA or the LA Auto Show. Obviously we are still awaiting some important information such as gas mileage, approach/breakover/departure angles, and, most crucially, price, but expect those to be revealed officially by Jeep itself closely after the actual unveiling of the JL model line. Meanwhile, they are still pushing the JK and JKU models including the never-ending special editions, so as to unload inventory on vehicles for which they likely paid off their tooling around 2010. Some advice: if you’re in the market for a JK, don’t buy it in the immediate future, but rather wait until the JL drops and see how prices fair. Chances are you’ll be able to swing a good deal on the generation that’s being phased out once its successor starts hitting dealer lots.
Should you want to read more on the topic I recommend reading the thread at this link but, as with anything on the internet, take everything with a grain of salt and try to stick to factual information rather than speculative posts. There’s quite a bit more info on JLWranglerForums as well, so take a look and let us know what else you find interesting.
Jeep JL Wrangler: Owner's and User's Manuals leaked, ton of info surfaces
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3 responses to “Jeep JL Wrangler: Owner's and User's Manuals leaked, ton of info surfaces”
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If this is not a “leak” (as in, “quotes, leak”), somebody in MarCom won’t get a holiday bonus this year.
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Still has the stick axles. No way they’ve dropped the manual transmission option. I’m ok with it. Not excited about the extra features in the interior, but I’m not really the market for these.
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By the time I’m ready for my next vehicle, my oldest will be out of college, my middle in college, and my youngest just starting to drive. I’ll be ready to ditch the twenty-year prison of minivan dullness and get something fun. This may be it. I’ve missed my old 360 CJ-7 Renegade.
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