Tough love: a review of the 2024 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

The Jeep Wrangler Sahara will take you down the road less travelled in a state more civilised, says Simon de Burton.

If there’s one thing more American than apple pie, the Statue of Liberty and bald eagles, it’s probably the Jeep Wrangler. One of the most distinctive vehicles on the road, the Wrangler has retained its recognisable appearance across four generations since the original in 1986, and is still instantly relatable to the civilian Jeep CJ of 1945 born from the Second World War original.

But what is perhaps even more remarkable about the 2024 Wrangler is that it has maintained the rough, tough, dependable go-anywhere character of its predecessors despite being equipped with features that most of us have
come to expect of the modern SUV.

In early 1940, the US Government – in anticipation of the country’s inevitable entry into the war – invited 135 motor manufacturers to tender their designs for a light, highly adaptable, all-terrain four-wheel-drive reconnaissance vehicle. Since the brief was so tight and the time frame so short, only two firms submitted viable pitches: Willys-Overland and American Bantam, with Ford being kept in the wings in case its huge production capacity needed to be called upon.

American Bantam landed the job initially, commissioning designer Karl Probst to conceive and present a prototype within the Department of War’s 49-day deadline. Probst hit the bullseye in every respect with the Bantam Reconnaissance Car (BRC), which went on to be called, simply, the Jeep (no one really knows exactly why).

More than 2,700 BRCs were made, but American Bantam couldn’t scale up sufficiently, so the blueprints for the design were handed to Willys-Overland and Ford to get things moving.

Measuring 3.3 metres long, 1.6 metres wide and weighing a gossamer 896 kilograms, the Willys Jeep laughed in the face of tricky terrain, and with its punchy 2.2-litre Go Devil engine it was quick off the mark and could touch 104km/h. The Jeep became so vital to the war effort that more than 637,000 were built by the end of 1945 and, with a design this good, it made sense to create the CJ Civilian Jeep when peace resumed.

After more than 20 years, the CJ evolved into the Wrangler, which was intended to combine Jeep capability with modern-day comfort to attract a more widespread audience. The recipe succeeded and, back in 2004, the original, short wheelbase design was complemented by a four-door, long wheelbase (LWB) version that has become the most popular model by far.

Its vast load area, superior passenger-carrying capacity and greater comfort have made the LWB Wrangler a familiar sight at marinas around the world, where it’s often seen performing a multitude of tasks from relaying VIP guests to towing boats out of the water – and, of course, doing its bit to make the occupants look a whole lot cooler than people travelling in cars that some might have considered far more exotic.

And I can confirm that after driving around in a bright red Wrangler in Sahara trim for a week or so, it became apparent that what makes this mother of all SUVs so special is that it really is cool, while also being truly down to earth.

With its separate body-on-frame design, live axles, a fold-flat windscreen and the option to remove not only the roof but also the doors, there’s no getting away from the knowledge that it’s based on old-fashioned engineering. And that’s what gives it its unmistakable character.

But the Wrangler’s rugged, retro looks disguise the fact that the latest models have been equipped with no fewer than 85 safety features, a “U Connect” navigation and infotainment system (with truly massive speakers) and luxuries such as heated seats with eight-way power adjustment. 

Our Sahara model was fitted with Jeep’s Selec-Trac switchable traction management system, which automatically adjusts how the wheels are driven according to the conditions (snow, sand, rocks etc). The off-road-biased Rubicon version has Rock-Trac transmission with additional features designed for extreme off-roading.

Although the option of permanent four-wheel drive has become available on all 2024 Wranglers, ours had the standard manual system in which four-wheel drive is engaged with a good old lever – a set-up that’s perfectly simple to use and which has the benefit of reducing tyre wear and improving fuel economy.

Combine that with electronic differential locks and secondary low-ratio gears and the Sahara’s ability to go almost anywhere did seem to be limited only by the skill (and bravado) of the driver. There is a lot to like about Jeep’s most celebrated product, not least because it is so characterful, so capable and, in what seems to be a sea of SUV clones, so truly unique.

True, if you want to cross continents on smooth highways travelling in the utmost comfort and in silence at great speeds, a Wrangler might not be the vehicle for you. But if you want a car with presence, personality, plenty of carrying capacity and the ability to take you along roads less travelled, it’s difficult to beat.

And if the idea of Wrangler ownership does appeal, it’s probably worth making a move to secure one sooner rather than later – because we surely won’t be allowed to own cars that are this much fun for very much longer… jeep.com

First published in the September 2024 issue of BOAT International. Get this magazine sent straight to your door, or subscribe and never miss an issue.