2024 Jeep Wrangler Debuts Smaller Grille, Bigger Touchscreen In New York

It's hard to believe, but the current-generation JL Jeep Wrangler is already five years old. It debuted in late 2017, and with Ford's reborn Bronco now a significant competitor in the Wrangler's market, keeping things up-to-date in the world of Jeep is more important than ever. Kudos to the automaker for keeping this minor facelift a well-kept secret, but the secret is now out. Behold the 2024 Jeep Wrangler and its refreshed look.

On The Outside
In the world of facelifts, this is one of those instances where a small change has a big effect. Jeep revamped the Wrangler's iconic seven-bar grille, making it smaller at a time when going larger is all the rage. It's still wide enough for those seven slots to look fit and proper, but it's obviously much thinner. The slots are black across the board, save for the Wrangler Sahara, and they are designed to improve engine cooling. The new grille also makes room for a factory-installed 8,000-pound Warn winch, which is now available on Rubicon models.

Along with the new grille, Jeep offers a plethora of new factory wheel options, ranging from 17-inch rims all the way to 20s. Depending on the package, those wheels can wear tires up to 35 inches. There are also new top options for both hard and soft roofs, including a Sky One-Touch powertop. And in the name of aerodynamic efficiency, there's a new windshield-integrated "stealth" antenna.

Bigger Screen, Built-In Digital Trail Guides
Those are noticeable changes on the outside, but driver and passengers will also notice something inside. There's now a 12.3-inch center touchscreen that's standard issue for all Wrangler trim levels. Its placement required ditching the round climate control vents in the middle of the dash; small rectangular vents now blow hot or cool air from beneath the screen. You'll still find rounded vents at the corners, and the rest of the interior remains the same. Visually speaking, anyway.

Working behind the scenes is the latest Uconnect 5 system bringing all kinds of connected services to the Wrangler. Among them is the first factory-available Trails Offroad digital guide that has numerous well-known off-road trails built into the infotainment system. These guides include California's Rubicon Trail, Hell's Revenge at Moab, and numerous others that are part of the "62 Jeep Badge of Honor Trails." The guides show up on the center display and can point out important trail waypoints, features of interest, and trail difficulty. And for those who want more guides, a "premium subscription" opens up a catalog of over 3,000 trails.

New Trims, New Equipment, Same Powertrain
All the familiar Wrangler trim levels return for 2024, with two new additions. The Sport S 4xe brings plug-in hybrid power to a lower-spec trim, though it still features 20-inch wheels and a range of driver-assist systems. The Rubicon X brings more capability and tech to the upper levels of the Wrangler family with 12-way power front seats, a nine-speaker Alpine stereo, Nappa leather seats, integrated off-road cameras, steel bumpers, full-time transfer case, 35-inch tires, and more.

Underneath it all is a new Dana 44 HD Full Float solid rear axle for Rubicon models. A new 100:1 crawl ratio is also available, and all 4xe hybrid models now get a Power Box battery pack with four 120-volt outlets for powering items on the go. 2024 Wranglers get over 85 active and passive safety systems, including second-row outboard seatbelts with pretensioners and improved structural reinforcement for side impacts.

Powertrain options and power levels remain the same for 2024 models. As a refresher, that includes the turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder, 3.6-liter V6, 4xe 2.0-liter turbo plug-in hybrid, and yes, the Rubicon 392 still lives with its 6.4-liter Hemi V8. An eight-speed automatic is available across the board, but the four-cylinder and V6 models can use a six-speed manual. Changes are coming, however, as Jeep states its entire lineup will be electrified by the end of 2025.

Pricing for the 2024 Jeep Wrangler lineup isn't available yet, but you can preview the models starting April 7 at the 2023 New York Auto Show.