The Jeep Wrangler is an automotive cornerstone. Ferrari’s founder, Enzo Ferrari, even said the Willys Jeep “was America’s best sports car.” Granted, Ferrari said it with a certain amount of disdain for American automotive engineering, but the grumpy old Italian might have been right. Now, the 2022 Jeep Wrangler is here, and it’s continuing the tradition of being loud, bumpy, uncomfortable, impractical, not reliable, and still one of the most beloved vehicles ever made. 

The 2022 Jeep Wrangler isn’t great but you’ll still love it 

If this “hot take” seems familiar, well, it should. We wrote a similar piece last year, arguing that although the 2021 Wrangler was dead last on Consumer Reports, it wouldn’t really affect sales or how much people love it. Now, here we are again arguing the same thing. 

Is the 2022 Jeep Wrangler a good SUV?

Consumer Reports gave the 2022 Jeep Wrangler a 28/100 landing it last. The Wrangler wasn’t just last for its segment; it scored lower than any other SUV for 2022. In fact, the 2022 Jeep Wrangler scored lower than any 2022 model vehicle rated by Consumer Reports, period. 

Objectively speaking, the 2022 Jeep Wrangler is really not a great truck. With a starting price of $29,995, it’s not even cheap. So, what’s the draw? Why do people keep buying Wranglers? 

What is so special about Jeep Wranglers? 

Outside of being one of the best off-road platforms ever made, the Wrangler can make it tough to exactly what it is we love about them. 

I drove a 2000 Jeep Wrangler Sahara for over 11 years. It always seemed too small to do anything practical, gas mileage was horrible, the inside would get wet when it rained, and the boxy design required me to replace the windshield four times. However, none of those things once stopped me from being totally in love with it. 

Consumer Reports found more nonsensical love for the worst car rated for 2022. For every model CR reviews and rates, the testers conduct a study of owners and ask a series of questions to find out if people actually like the car they bought. 

Many reliable, popular models get a low predicted satisfaction rating because the car may be fuel-efficient, comfortable, and reliable, but it has no spark. The 2022 Jeep Wrangler is the exact opposite. It doesn’t check any of the practical boxes, yet CR found that most buyers still loved their Jeeps. As a result of this study, CR gave it a four out of five on predicted customer satisfaction. 

Should you buy a Jeep Wrangler? 

This is the $64-question. Suppose you are easily bothered by road noise, a rough ride, poor handling, a spartan interior, sub-par safety ratings, and questionable reliability. In that case, the 2022 Jeep Wrangler (or any, for that matter) might not be the best fit. However, if you are willing to sacrifice all the comforts of a car and the convenience of an average car for the feeling of pride every time you get in and out of your ride, then maybe you found your place. 

The Jeep Wrangler is a strange, perplexing, and marvelous SUV that occupies a badass and unrelenting segment of the automotive world – and we wouldn’t change a thing. However, with the introduction of the Wrangler 4xe, Jeep may be relenting after all. If Jeep joins the 21st century, who knows? Maybe they can become civilized SUVs after all.