AutoVault's overall score, weighted for what a off-road suv is actually for — performance, technology, comfort, reliability, safety and value.
Specifications
Engine
6.4L V8
Horsepower
470 hp
Torque
470 lb-ft
0–60 mph
4.5 sec
Top speed
99 mph
Drivetrain
AWD
Seats
5
Combined MPG
15 mpg (13 city / 17 hwy)
Range
244 miles
MSRP
$84,185
Body style
Off-Road SUV
The verdict
What's good
Thunderous V8 off-road icon
Removable top and doors
Best-in-class trail ability
Strong resale and collector appeal
What's not
Very poor fuel economy
Loose, tiring highway manners
Noisy at high speed
Pricey to own and fuel
The engine
HEMI 392 / Apache
6.4L V8
The big 392-cubic-inch HEMI gives the Wrangler an old-school muscle-car bark and 470 hp, hauling a brick-shaped off-roader to 60 mph in around 4.5 seconds.
This 6.4-liter HEMI traces its lineage to Chrysler's revived HEMI V8 family and is offered as the range-topping engine in the Wrangler, tying modern muscle to over 80 years of Jeep heritage going back to the Willys MB.
The 6.4 HEMI carries the internal nickname 'Apache' within Stellantis's engine lineup.
Putting a V8 in the Wrangler was a deliberate heritage play; Jeep has marketed special 392 editions (Rubicon Final Edition, Willys 392) around the engine's limited, celebratory availability.
Despite its size the engine breathes through a hydroguide setup designed to survive water fording, keeping the off-road mission intact.
See the rest in AutoVault
The six sub-scores behind the 81 — performance, tech, comfort, reliability, safety and value