The new JL Jeep Wrangler marks the first time a four-cylinder engine will be offered in the iconic model in more than a decade, and the new powertrain—a turbocharged 2.0-liter four with an electric-assist system—seems to be earning its keep in terms of fuel economy, at least according to the EPA. Ratings are out for the 2.0-liter Wrangler, and they’re several mpg higher than the V-6 model’s estimates, at 24 mpg combined for the two-door model and 22 mpg combined for the four-door. The V-6 Wrangler is rated at 20 mpg in both two- and four-door styles.
The biggest gain is in the city, where the two-door four-cylinder earns a 23-mpg rating and the four-door hits 22 mpg, gains of 4 and 5 mpg over their automatic-transmission V-6 equivalents (the 2.0-liter is only offered with an eight-speed automatic, so there’s no sense comparing it to the V-6 manual). The 2.0T’s highway numbers aren’t quite as different, with the two-door’s 25 mpg and the four-door’s 24 mpg representing bumps of 2 and 1 mpg.
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The edge in efficiency is especially impressive when you consider that the four-cylinder produces 295 lb-ft of torque, 35 lb-ft more than the V-6—and that’s without the extra boost that the eTorque assist can provide. Max towing numbers are the same for both engines, at 2000 pounds for the two-door and 3500 pounds for the four-door.
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The four-cylinder will begin appearing in dealerships this summer, a Jeep spokesperson said. It will cost $1000 extra over the V-6 (or $3000 if you count the $2000 it costs to swap out the standard six-speed manual for the eight-speed automatic the 2.0T requires). Given our mostly positive first impressions of the engine from our first drive and its on-paper advantages, it’s looking like a worthy upgrade for those unconcerned with a little more complexity in the engine room.
Despite being raised on a steady diet of base-model Hondas and Toyotas—or perhaps because of it—Joey Capparella nonetheless cultivated an obsession for the automotive industry throughout his childhood in Nashville, Tennessee. He found a way to write about cars for the school newspaper during his college years at Rice University, which eventually led him to move to Ann Arbor, Michigan, for his first professional auto-writing gig at Automobile Magazine. He has been part of the Car and Driver team since 2016 and now lives in New York City.
