2026 Jeep Wrangler Reviews, Pricing & Specs

A Jeep Wrangler is one of those vehicles that's immediately recognizable at a glance with its upright, military-style stance and distinct seven-slot grille. The doors and roof are removable, and it's even possible to fold down the windshield for a complete open-air experience. One of the things we really like about the Wrangler is the numerous customization and trim options, which take it from bare-bones basic to plush and powerful. Our test vehicle was a Willys ’41 model finished in a special army green colour with matching painted wheels and a ’41 hood graphic. Plus, there are available accessories such as exterior decals or an interior multi-function accessory bar on the dash for mounting the likes of GoPros or phones.

While our Willys ‘41 test vehicle was only available as a four-door, a lot of Wrangler trims — including the Sport, Sport S, Willys, Rubicon, and Rubicon X — are available in both four-door and two-door configurations. In addition to the Willys ‘41, the 85th Anniversary Edition, Sahara, and Moab 392 are four-door-only.

The interior is on the utilitarian side with rugged materials and a minimalist design. But it works for the Wrangler, and with easy-to-clean materials, drivers won’t be afraid to get it dirty. Our Willys ’41 test vehicle had weatherproof floor mats and tan-coloured cloth seats, but the darker colour kept us from worrying that it would become stained and dingy. While there are a number of hard plastic surfaces inside, we didn’t think that was amiss due to the Wrangler's adventurous intentions. What we like even more is the fact that there are still hard buttons and dials for the HVAC system. There are some redundant climate controls in the touchscreen, but it isn't obligatory to use them.

While Jeep's designers prioritized functionality and capability, they still had a little fun with Easter eggs peppered throughout the interior and exterior of the vehicle. We enjoyed discovering the old-school Wrangler climbing up the windshield and the Morse code “JL” generation designation in the cargo area. Owners can spend years unearthing the myriad surprise design elements.

The 2026 Jeep Wrangler has a powertrain for everyone, offering the stalwart Pentastar 3.6-litre V6, a more efficient 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo, and a powerful 6.4-litre Hemi V8. Even though most models come with an eight-speed automatic transmission, those who opt for the V6 engine have access to a six-speed manual.

Our Willys ’41 test vehicle came with the V6 — which delivers 285 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque — and the automatic. This engine has plenty of power for everyday driving and plenty of oomph for merging and passing on the highway. We really appreciated the low-end torque that allowed us to back up a 22-degree incline into our garage at a slow and steady speed without having to gun the engine. This will translate well to slow crawling at off-road speeds.

Another point in the plus column for the Wrangler is maneuverability. Obviously, the intention is to handle tight turns on wooded trails, but we found this extremely helpful in the urban jungle. With an excellent turning radius, the Wrangler handles city parking lots and tight alleys with ease.

While some Wranglers come with all-season tires, our test vehicle had knobby off-road tires, which inevitably made for some rough handling and a lot of tire noise. Combine that with the wind noise from the upright stance, and the cabin at highway speeds was not quiet — even with the optional hard top. When we made a phone call via Bluetooth, we had to shout to be heard and cranked the speaker volume all the way up to hear the person on the other side of the line.

The Jeep Wrangler is a double-edged sword when it comes to practicality. With its standard 24.6 centimetres of ground clearance, it’s super practical on a ranch or a dirt road. With the ability to ford up to 75 centimetres of water, it’s also practical in cities prone to flooding at underpasses.

The 898 litres of cargo space behind the four-door model's second-row seats is great for multiple carry-on suitcases, trips to Costco, or carrying recovery gear. When the rear seats are folded flat, the maximum 2,050 litres of cargo space is enough for trips to Home Depot and IKEA, or buyers could even throw a couple of inflatable bed mats in the back for some car camping. However, cargo space is just 365 litres behind the second row in the two-door model, with 898 litres behind the front seats.

We do like the swing-out tailgate and lift-up rear glass, which provide easy access to cargo. Mounting the spare tire on the back of the vehicle, rather than underneath, makes life easier if there's a puncture in a rocky off-road situation.

For those who carry back-seat passengers on the regular, even the four-door Wrangler is not so practical. In addition to the high step-in height, the back seat itself is tight for anyone larger than kids or very small adults. Front seat space is also on the narrow side, so taller or broader passengers and drivers might not be comfortable. Those who want amenities such as multiple cup and bottle holders, cubbies beyond the armrest and glove box, and a place to set multiple phones are out of luck.

For a vehicle on the rugged end of the spectrum, the Jeep Wrangler actually has a lot of standard technology, much of which was added in the refresh for the 2024 model year. A 12.3-inch touchscreen is standard, backed by an infotainment system that includes wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A two-year free trial of the Trails Offroad app is included, allowing drivers to explore trails and topographic maps via the infotainment screen while using CarPlay or Android Auto. The smartphone mirroring features can also be used to access onX maps — another backcountry mapping app — with an existing subscription.

Optional tech features include a nine-speaker Alpine audio system, a digital rear-view mirror, a forward-facing TrailCam that displays the terrain in front of the vehicle, a 7-inch display screen in the instrument cluster, and navigation. There is no surround-view camera system available on the Wrangler because all the doors can be removed, and most side cameras are embedded under the side mirrors, which come off with the doors.

Our Willys ’41 had many of the optional tech features, including the 7-inch display and the Alpine audio system. We liked the analog gauges but appreciated the digital trip information in the display, and there are some Easter eggs hidden there, too. The Alpine audio system is also pretty good, which is important since drivers really have to crank up the volume at highway speeds.

The test vehicle didn’t have the TrailCam, but we have tested it on other Wranglers. It’s well positioned for watching tire placement to avoid catching a tire on a sharp rock. This is definitely a feature we'd recommend for those who head off-road, and it's available on Sport S, Sahara, Rubicon, and Rubicon X models.

Jeep includes little beyond federally mandated safety features as standard equipment, so pretty much any advanced safety tech comes at a price.

The base Sport trim doesn’t offer any extra safety tech in packages or as standalone options. For example, adaptive cruise control becomes standard on the Sport S trim but isn’t available on the base Sport at all. Starting at the Sport S, features such as blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, rear parking sensors, and high beam assist are optional. These features only become standard at the Rubicon X trim level.

In terms of safety ratings, the Wrangler is a mixed bag. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) hadn't published safety ratings for this generation at the time of writing. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gave the Wrangler a mix of ratings ranging from good to bad. It received “Good” ratings in the updated moderate overlap front and updated side crash tests and an “Acceptable” rating in the small overlap front test. The headlights received “Poor” and “Marginal” scores, depending on the trim level.

The Wrangler has two primary and disparate competitors: the Ford Bronco and Land Rover Defender. Like the Wrangler, both are incredible off-road, and both offer two- and four-door body styles. But the Defender is comparatively bougie, slightly bigger, and costs much more.

The Wrangler is the hands-down winner for those in the market for a bare-bones off-roader. At the time of writing, the base two-door Sport model was priced at $43,895 with destination and without options, whereas the least expensive two-door Bronco started at $54,360. However, that price includes safety features such as automatic emergency braking and high beam assist that the Wrangler Sport doesn’t offer. Remove the Bronco's doors, and the side mirrors stay attached to the A-Pillar, which facilitates a surround-view camera system the Wrangler doesn't have.

The least expensive Defender costs $80,600, but that includes a more powerful base engine, premium amenities, and standard features such as electronic air suspension and a surround-view camera system.

Of the three vehicles, a Wrangler with the turbocharged four-cylinder engine is the most fuel-efficient with a Natural Resources Canada combined rating of 11.0 litres per 100 kilometres in both the two- and four-door body styles. While this engine is a no-cost option on even the base Sport trim, buyers will have to upgrade to the eight-speed automatic transmission, adding $2,995 to the bottom line. Even so, $46,890 is still significantly less than the $54,360 for a base Bronco.

The Jeep Wrangler is one of those vehicles that tends to retain its value. At the time of writing, CarGurus pricing trends suggested a used Wrangler costs about $36,000 on average. Looking at the current generation, which dates back to the 2018 model year, average prices range from $25,000 to $48,000, and shoppers will have to go back at least 10 years before prices start to dip below $15,000.