2014 Jeep Wrangler

The 2014 Jeep Wrangler comes in 2-door and Unlimited 4-door variants. Both the variants are available in three different trim levels. The standard features list feels lacking and it even lacks many of the basic standard driver assistance features and safety tech. The standard features include 16-inch steel wheels, a removable black soft top, cruise control, fog lamps, front and rear tow hooks, a 6-speaker sound system, crank windows, and a height-adjustable driver seat. You can upgrade to the Sahara or Rubicon trim levels for a better standard features list. 

The Sahara trim equips 18-inch alloy wheels, upgraded suspension, under-hood insulation, side steps, automatic headlights, power windows, and a 6-speaker Alpine sound system. The Rubicon trim includes all the features of the Sport trim and adds 17-inch wheels, 32-inch tires, heavy-duty axles and transfer case, electronic front, and rear locking differentials, leather-wrapped steering wheel, Disconnecting front sway bar, and Satellite radio.

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If you want the best features with your Jeep Wrangler, then the Sahara trim is the one you should go for. It offers the best features compared to the other trim levels and is also priced well. We recommend going for the Unlimited 4-door variant. But if you want a better off-road machine, then the Rubicon trim becomes the obvious choice. It packs in some of the serious off-road features and the additions are well worth the money. You can consider the 2-door soft-top variant here. 

The 2014 Jeep Wrangler comes powered by a 3.6L V-6motor that is a very capable engine for the segment. The engine produces a maximum of 285 horsepower while the peaky torque output ranges to 260 pound-feet. The engine is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission that does its job perfectly. None of the cars in the segment are made for serious performance and racing purposes. The only goal here is to make a vehicle that is capable in off-road conditions and drives well on the road. The Jeep Wrangler scores very well in both regards. 

The engine doesn’t face any resistance in off-road or normal driving conditions. The one thing that makes highway driving pathetic is the ride quality which keeps you bouncing up and down. The engine noise also becomes very evident at highway speeds which again takes away from the driving feel. But when it comes to the off-road driving conditions, all these downsides turn into the favor of the Jeep Wrangler.

The Jeep Wrangler houses the most powerful engine in the competition and the acceleration figures also go in the favor of the Wrangler. Wrangler takes 7.1 seconds to reach from 0 to 60 mph which is very impressive for an off-road vehicle and it also beats all the competitors. It even goes ahead of the more sophisticated Hyundai Santa Fe Sport with a slight margin in the 0 to 60 mph run, while the margin only gets bigger in the quarter-mile run.

The fuel economy is always on the lower side for any of the off-road vehicles compared to the similarly specced vehicle designed for normal driving conditions. The capable hardware and bulky design affect the fuel economy figures for sure. The 2014 Jeep Wrangler manages to deliver 16 mpg in the city, 21 mpg on the highway, and a combined fuel economy of 18 mpg. The fuel economy figures are not that bad considering the capabilities of the Jeep Wrangler. The Jeep Wrangler comes with a 22.5 gallons fuel tank which really helps it achieve some impressive range. The 2014 Jeep Wrangler can go a maximum of over 472 miles on a full tank.

All the vehicles that are designed for off-road driving are offering similar fuel economy figures in the competition. The Hyundai Santa Fe Sport is the only vehicle that doesn’t come with serious off-roading abilities in the competition and manages to deliver some impressive fuel economy figures beating all the other rivals. The Jeep Wrangler impresses with its largest fuel tank in the competition and manages the best highway range beating all the rivals. 

The interior has never been that impressive for a Jeep Wrangler and the 2014 Wrangler is not very different at all. The interior of the Wrangler is more inclined towards practicality over comfort. You can find the use of hard plastic inside the cabin which is almost everywhere including the dashboard. The cabin is designed in such a way that it is easy to clean the cabin, as the Wrangler will spend most of its time in dirty and muddy conditions. However, the design language looks good and it is the result of so many years of refinement in the interior quality. 

The controls for the driver are very easy to use and it doesn’t take much time to understand all the off-road controls. The 2-door variant is very limited in space for the rear passengers and it is also very difficult to access the rear seats. It can accommodate only 2 passengers at the back and do not expect it to be a comfortable experience over there. The Unlimited 4-door trim offers better space in the rear and can accommodate three passengers. It also offers easy access to the rear seats. The cargo area is also more premium in the Unlimited 4-door variant which is hardly there in the 2-door variant. 

The Unlimited 4-door variant of the 2014 Jeep Wrangler offers some impressive space for the passengers in front and rear. The 2-door variant is not a very practical choice, as it lacks rear-seat space and the cargo area is also missing behind the second row of seating. The other rivals also offer very similar space compared to the Unlimited variant. The cargo area is not among the best in the segment, but it is still very practical. Standout interior features include:

• Height adjustable driver’s seat
• Heated 10-way power seats
• Air conditioning
• Tilt-Adjustable Steering Wheel
• Power Steering

How good is the 2014 Jeep Wrangler’s infotainment system?

The 2014 Jeep Wrangler comes with a very basic infotainment system. You do not get a lot in terms of the modern technology in the infotainment or anywhere else inside the cabin. The Jeep Wrangler supports the connectivity features like Bluetooth connectivity, Aux input, and it also gets a CD player. The infotainment system also gets SiriusXM satellite radio, storage for music, and AM/FM radio. The audio is managed via a standard 6-speaker audio system. The upper trim gets a better-sounding 6-speaker Alpine sound system. The infotainment features include:

• CD player
• AM/FM radio
• Bluetooth connectivity
• SiriusXM satellite radio
• 6-speaker Alpine sound system
• Navigation system

The exterior of the 2014 Jeep Wrangler will strike those who admire old-school SUV looks. The design hasn’t changed much compared to last year’s model and it has been the same design for quite some time now. Still, there are very few people who would not be happy with the overall exterior design of the Jeep Wrangler. The beauty of Wrangler’s design is that it never gets old and even if you look back at it after a few years, it will impress you with the classic SUV look that it carries. The design is a very subjective choice and some people might not like it, but the rugged look of the Wrangler impresses most people. 

The Jeep Wrangler is the shortest vehicle in the comparison even with its Unlimited 4-door variant but offers the longest wheelbase compared to the other rivals. It is also not as heavy as the Nissan Xterra S and the Toyota FJ Cruiser. The overall width and height also remain on par with the rivals. The standout exterior features include:

• Removable black soft top (2-door)
• Hard-top (Unlimited 4-door)
• 16/17/18-inch wheels
• Removable doors
• Foldable front windshield

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not crash-tested the Jeep Wrangler for its safety yet. However, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has crash-tested the Jeep Wrangler to test its safety ratings. In the side impact test, it received a Poor rating, in the rear crash protection test it scored marginal, and in the moderate overlap front test, it managed to score Good. The ratings are not very impressive and it lacks many safety features in the standard kit. Most of the compact SUVs in the price bracket fail to impress with the safety ratings. The safety features include in the 2014 Jeep Wrangler:

• Electronic Brakeforce Distribution
• Post-Collision Safety System
• Stability Control
• Traction Control
• Tire Pressure Monitoring
• Emergency Braking Assist

The 2014 Jeep Wrangler stays strong as a rugged and capable off-road vehicle in the segment. The reasons to love it and the reasons to avoid it remain pretty much the same. You get a capable vehicle that can go serious off-roading without much worry. The ride quality is compromised for normal driving conditions. The interior also doesn’t feel that premium and poor safety ratings are also a major turndown. If you can ignore these points, then the 2014 Jeep Wrangler is a great choice in its segment.