Reliability Test: The 2018 Jeep Wrangler Surpasses Expectations
The 2018 Jeep Wrangler was put to the ultimate reliability test. This four-door JL Jeep Wrangler Rubicon was put to the test to see how it would perform as a daily driver, road trip vehicle, errand runner, and more until it hit 50k miles. Check out if the Jeep Wrangler could stand the test of time or if it performed as lemon.
2018 Jeep Wrangler Reliability test
The 2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon was thoroughly tested by the editors and staff members at Edmunds. They went with the Rubicon Unlimited trim for the promise of more technology, lightweight aluminum doors, a stronger tailgate, pre-wired upfitted switches in the dash, and much more.
With the cost of $52,699, this Jeep Wrangler came with a 3,6-liter V6 engine with 285 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque. It can tow up to 3,500 lb and accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 6.9 seconds.
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This Jeep also has Dana M210 and 2020 axles, locking differentials, anti-roll bar disconnect, and a 4.10 axle gearing. They also added the soft top and hardtop, along with the 8.4″ Uconnect infotainment center display.
2018 Jeep Wrangler pros
After spending two years with the 2018 Jeep Wrangler, Edmunds had positive things to stay. Their main takeaway is that the Jeep Wrangler was fun and seemed to motivate more adventuring.
As they headed for the freezing mountains toward Lake Tahoe, they didn’t need to use their snow chains. Driving in 4X4 high mode allowed the Jeep to handle well in snowy, slushy conditions.
The 2018 Jeep Wrangler was also praised for having no shortage of power. When crawling over rocks on the trail or driving on the pavement, it was fast and sporty. It also seemed more comfortable than previous Jeep Wrangler model years with less shaking in the cabin and plush seats.
Plus, it was easy to perform maintenance on this Jeep from the comfort of home. You don’t need any special tools or a jack to change the oil. The soft top was very easy to use, and they only spent $2,086 on maintenance. The highest cost was replacing the windshield that wasn’t under warranty.
2018 Jeep Wrangler cons
The ride was a little bumpy and noisy; however, using the hardtop helped quiet the cabin a little. The steering felt very stiff and was referred to as driving a boat. Due to the solid front axle, it struggled in headwinds at highway speeds but had better handling on mountain roads.
They had to deal with two recalls. One was for the cruise control system, and the other was for the voltage regulator. They blew out three shock absorbers on a fire road, but they were replaced under warranty.
Loading items in the back of the Jeep seemed to be a hassle. If you regularly haul bikes, Edmunds recommends getting a trailer. When heading to a campsite, the navigation dropped its connection, and they feared getting lost Deliverance style.
The 2018 Jeep Wrangler seemed pretty dependable overall with only one mechanical surprise. It’s definitely more suited for off-roading than daily driving, but improvements have been made for its comfort. Also, it’s one fun SUV that the entire team enjoyed despite the noisy cabin and stiff steering.
