KING OFF THE ROAD

IT HAS been a long time coming, but Jeep’s JL Wrangler has finally arrived in Australia more than a year after it launched in the United States. The new Wrangler comes in a six-model line-up set to appeal to a wider range of buyers for the traditional off-road vehicle. Notably in the range, only one variant is available as a two-door short wheelbase, only one of them is available with a diesel engine option, and none of them are offered with a manual gearbox.

All of the international specification Wranglers are fitted with the ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic transmission and the most common engine is the latest incarnation of Jeep’s Pentastar 3.6-litre V6 petrol mill. That’s not a bad thing as the engine makes a healthy 209kW and 347Nm. The eight-speed TorqueFlite, as FCA brands like to call it, adds refinement and fuel economy to the new Wrangler, which otherwise will feel very familiar to anyone who has spent time with the previous