2024 Jeep Wrangler upgrades comfort, tech

NEW YORK — Jeep is upping the comfort and technology in the 2024 Wrangler as the venerable nameplate jousts with the Ford Bronco.

The refreshed Wrangler SUV is getting a quieter cabin and power seats in the front row on top trim levels, standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a larger 12.3-inch touch screen in the center stack, and the Uconnect 5 infotainment system.

The vehicle is debuting Wednesday at the New York auto show. Consumers can order it now, and it's expected to arrive at U.S. Jeep dealerships later in 2023.

Now that the Wrangler has a direct rival in the Bronco, which Ford revived in 2021, did that influence Jeep's decisions on the refresh?

"All I can say is competition is good," said Jim Morrison, Jeep's North America head.

That competition is heating up as U.S. sales of the Bronco rose 38 percent in the first quarter to 32,430, while Wrangler volume fell 17 percent to 37,971.

The latest Wrangler features the reworked seven-slot grille introduced on the 2023 Wrangler Rubicon 20th Anniversary edition at the Chicago auto show in February. The grille, Jeep said, is slimmer and has black textured vertical slots that improve cooling.

The brand is expanding availability of the 4xe plug-in hybrid powertrain further down the lineup to the Sport S model, making electrification more accessible.

Jeep said the High Altitude, Rubicon X and Rubicon 392 models come with a standard premium cabin package that adds acoustic front glass, thicker carpet and additional sound-deadening foam in the windshield header, front cowl and B-pillars for a quieter ride.

Each trim level comes with standard side curtain airbags.

Jeep said it's taking the Wrangler's capabilities up a notch with the nameplate's first full-float Dana rear axle, an available 100:1 crawl ratio, a new factory Warn winch and a 5,000-pound increase in towing capacity.

"Designing an icon is always a challenge," said Zach Whitaker, chief designer of the Jeep interior design studio, during a media briefing ahead of the auto show. "We have a great interior today, and we wanted to take it to the next step. And we did that for two things: refinement and technology."

Jeep said the Wrangler's UConnect 5 system has off-road trail guides for the 62 Jeep Badge of Honor trails. An upgradable subscription is available to unlock the full catalog of 3,000-plus trails from Trails Offroad, the company that creates the guides.