It’s 4:30 p. m. on a gloomy February day this past year, when I came across a Jeep Wrangler Sahara 4xe at Denver International Airport. I had spent the entire day watching flights being canceled repeatedly and with a business event scheduled for 8 a. m. in Aspen the next morning, I just didn’t have a choice yet to keep going to the end. This time of year, it’s a 220-mile journey at altitudes up to 11,000 feet. Snow began to fall 20 miles from Denver.
Needless to say, I was pleased to have the Wrangler’s impeccable Selec-Trac permanent all-wheel drive (4WD) setup and its all-terrain tires on this white-knuckle ride, even if they were used to avoid off-road excursions. Of course, while the Wrangler is as reassuring an off-roader as one could wish for and the 4xe plug-in hybrid is probably the most complex device to ever come out of Toledo, it’s a noisy and choppy road. and with relatively few amenities. The trail is wonderful to hike, but getting there is rarely part of the fun.
This Sahara is a 2023 model. This brought me to Aspen, loudly, but a few months later, the company unveiled the 2024 Jeep Wrangler. Things are a little different now.
After witnessing the enormous good fortune of the model’s first genuine direct rival in decades, the all-new Ford Bronco, Jeep has designed a mid-cycle update that brings a number of improvements to the Wrangler. There are styling tweaks (mostly up front) and mechanical innovations, though some of the innovations include a quieter cabin, major in-car tech innovations, new optional forced seats, and increased availability of the 4xe powertrain.
To get a sense of those upgrades, I recently spent some time aboard the fancier 2024 Wranglers, a $71,520 High Altitude (including destination). It’s a label of considerable value, however, this edition is as much about the status between the Bentaygas and G- of Aspen. Wagens as these are the nearby trails of Mount Baldy. However, it was a good taste of the 2024 Wrangler’s improvements, many of which are shared with lower versions.
On the outside, tweaks to the 2024 Wrangler are slight. Jeep’s signature seven slots remain, but they’re slimmer and the grille extends around the lights. This provides a new face to the estate body while also freeing up space for the optional 8,000. Factory-installed Warn winch on Rubicons, which also provides up to a 100:1 gear ratio and a new forged Dana 44 HD fully floating rear axle. There are also 10 new wheel models, adding up to the High Altitude’s pretty 20- wheels. inches, however, it’s the internals that are addressed in this update.
Returning Wrangler enthusiasts will notice a much-changed dashboard with that 12. 3-inch infotainment screen as the centerpiece and soft-touch fabrics and traditional stitching even on the low-end trims. Thankfully, all the hardware controls are still there, adding the center. -Window switches mounted, but the giant screen adds a lot of capacity and is much larger than the old 7- or 8. 4-inch set of screens.
The giant screen runs the latest edition of Stellantis’ Uconnect Five system. It’s highly customizable, allows for five individual user profiles, and is easy to report and use. With over-the-air update capability, you also deserve to stay up to date. Updated a long time ago. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included, as is Alexa virtual assistant integration, predictive search navigation, and a Wi-Fi hotspot. Jeep also offers in its “Trails Offroad” guide, a virtual catalog Of more than 3,000 adventure courses, only 62 (Jeep’s “Badge of Honor” courses) are included without subscription.
There are also new editions and more 4x. The largest is the $51,890 Sport S 4xe. This access-level edition costs $7,000 less than last year’s hotspot for the country’s most popular add-on, but there are also new Willys ($56,630) and Rubicon X ($71,590) 4x. 4xe models now also offer 30-amp accessories. strength to run things like coffee makers and other camping equipment.
Beyond all the added technology, the Wrangler simply provides more comfort and what appears to be a top point of refinement. There are now eight-way power-adjustable front seats on the top trims, a first for the Wrangler. Since this is a vehicle with detachable doors and a 34-inch wading intensity used by drivers, it took Jeep engineers a long time to make sure that all the electrical parts of the seats were well sealed.
These seats are a little more comfortable than before, and most productive of all, when driving on the road, things are quieter.
High-end Wranglers now feature acoustic glass, more sound-absorbing foam, and thicker carpeting, which help counteract wind and road noise. It’s not a quiet Genesis G90, but the Wrangler feels quieter than before and you can hear better. In February, as with many of the Wrangler’s previous road trips, Bluetooth phone calls were a real scream-fest. That’s no longer the case, as the Wrangler now has seven handsets (instead of two), larger speakers, and active noise cancellation when making calls. active.
Jeep also provided more protective gear. On all models, except for the base Wrangler S, first- and second-row side curtain airbags are popular. Forward collision warnings and adaptive cruise with prevention (although, curiously, not “Go”) are now popular as well. It’s still a modest list of popular ADAS features (there are many more available or included in more expensive versions), but it’s bigger than before.
Added as a package for the Sahara models in 2021, the High Altitude is part of a proliferation of specialist Wranglers in recent years, adding the 4xe and Rubicon 392, but it goes in a different direction than most of its siblings. The High Altitude’s monochromatic paint job (bathing many of the Wrangler’s black accents in the paintwork) and 20-inch wheels convey street style, as do the big-wheeled G-Wagens and Land Rover Defenders, which are priced similarly to the High Altitude.
Inside, its forced seats are upholstered in Nappa leather and above sits a full-length Sky One-Touch Power Top. Once retracted, you can more obviously see some of the speakers in the High Altitude’s premium stereo, an alpine formula that Kool Moe Dee would be proud of. All available driver assistance features are integrated, as are all available off-road camera perspectives and the Power Box. There’s still painted steel throughout, so don’t expect a Grand Cherokee, but the cabin looks sleeker than other Wranglers.
High altitudes can only be reached with the 4xe powertrain, which combines a turbocharged 2. 0-liter four-cylinder with an electric motor for a combined output of 375 horsepower, 470 pound-feet of torque and 21 miles of electric range. On other 4xe trims, it comes only with an eight-speed automatic transmission and only in a four-door version.
Wheels and tires don’t replace the High Altitude’s handling, and it’s still not a handling-focused vehicle. It pushes down winding paved roads and ends up suffering with understeer or tail dragging, and it’s just not as docile or precise as the Bronco. But as stated above, it’s much less noisy.
Jeep says it’s up to five decibels quieter than before, but that turns out more, especially when you consider the studded tires and cloth top. There’s less roar at highway speeds and it’s especially serene in the city in electric mode. The engine will still make its presence felt, but that will make it travel a greater distance than before.
Despite its claim to luxury, the High Altitude still includes all of the Sahara’s 4WD apparatus and a Trac-Lok wheel-drive rear differential. (If you want the maximum excessive speed and the lowest platform ratios, the Rubicon calls it. )The dubs are also shod with all-terrain tires, and if you’re looking for more off-road capability, all you want is a second set of wheels and tires.
After all, it’s still a Wrangler, but prettier and much better for long winter rides.
Editor’s Note: Our 2024 Wrangler 4xe High Altitude component of the recent “Drive Revolution” event, an electrified vehicle festival hosted through the Northwest Automotive Press Association (NWAPA).