2026 wrangler changes?

[jeepingib]

Only a very very (did I say very) small percentage of owners take them rockcrawling and IFS is a whole lot better in all other spectrum of driving and at least equal in ‘’regular’’ offroading. Yes the solid axles have more wheel travel, but most IFS equipped competition have the electronics and lockers to keep moving forward.

Hardly anyone will throw a new Jeep in the boulders and rocks. So if anyone wants to rockcrawl, the used market is floaded with used Jeeps.

Lets stop arguing and lets see what arises.

Meanwhile, I know exactly what I’m talking about.

Perfect example, there's another of the countless SUVs with IFS. I'll bet you can even come up with more! Now for a true challenge. Can you name the one other SUV for sale in North America with a solid front axle?

Sponsored

 

[Steph1]

Ok…. Ineos Grenadier . Hence why the next Jeep will be IFS…. Every manufacturer knows and so does Jeep…. They cant stay in the 90s forever.

The ride difference is out of this world.

 

[jeepingib]

Ok…. Ineos Grenadier . Hence why the next Jeep will be IFS…. Every manufacturer knows and so does Jeep…. They cant stay in the 90s forever.

The ride difference is out of this world.

That's the beauty of it. Nobody cares. Sales across the board are down due to the market, but the Wrangler is still the vehicle that is most popular in the "adventure" SUV segment.
151,163 Wranglers sold last year.
109,172 Broncos sold.
92,156 4runners
27,707 Defenders
IFS doesn't sell the vehicle in this category. The ability to have fun does. Every single vehicle that has tried to switch to IFS in this category over the years has had plummeting sales after the shiny has worn off the new thing. Where is the Xterra, FJ Cruiser, Suzuki Sidekick now? Solid axles allow us to cheaply modify and customize our Jeep to fit our needs, and enhance the performance of the suspension in ways that IFS can not match per dollar. And the ease of doing this, which also enhances the visual appeal to many people, sells the image of the Wrangler. Going to IFS would be harmful to that. Fun fact, every new version of the Wrangler, or we can even go back to the CJ, was more capable off road and on, than the version it replaced.

 

[YBABRAT]

If going with a new 2.0L turbo on the edge of meeting Audi counterpart, they'll need to increase oil pan capacity a quart or more, or Jeepers will find fuel wash out like never before. Guliua prounced as Julia not Goulia... peeps are seeing it as daily commuters. But official Audi fix is replace oil pan with larger to hide the issue or change oil by 3k... and that's with modern synthetics.

 

[YBABRAT]

I can't believe gen X Y and Z think modern is new every 3 years. IFS has been around long before they were born. Compare a Pentastar with any domestic engine within the last 10 years and tell me what is not modern. Geezo, tires are probably the most antiquated thing cars have. We need anti gravity capabilities now!

IMO a Wrangler is not a Smart Phone, why make it one to be flashy. It's the last modern vehicle based on a timeless design. It cannot not be placed in the retro wannabe crowd, because nothing about it is retro.

To be honest... if Wranglers were offered base without funky touch screens and digital read outs, we would enjoy the features of real buttons and knobs and enjoy driving much better. Heck, you could mount a decent aftermarket stereo system within the space taken up by the touch screen. Geezo!

 

[Alan_Hepburn]

All this talk of solid axle vs. IFS reminds me of when Jeep went from leaf springs to coils...there were advocates on BOTH sides back then as well!

 

[2nd 392]

That's the beauty of it. Nobody cares. Sales across the board are down due to the market, but the Wrangler is still the vehicle that is most popular in the "adventure" SUV segment.
151,163 Wranglers sold last year.
109,172 Broncos sold.
92,156 4runners
27,707 Defenders
IFS doesn't sell the vehicle in this category. The ability to have fun does. Every single vehicle that has tried to switch to IFS in this category over the years has had plummeting sales after the shiny has worn off the new thing. Where is the Xterra, FJ Cruiser, Suzuki Sidekick now? Solid axles allow us to cheaply modify and customize our Jeep to fit our needs, and enhance the performance of the suspension in ways that IFS can not match per dollar. And the ease of doing this, which also enhances the visual appeal to many people, sells the image of the Wrangler. Going to IFS would be harmful to that. Fun fact, every new version of the Wrangler, or we can even go back to the CJ, was more capable off road and on, than the version it replaced.

At 42K more sales than the Bronco, going IFS like everyone else and abandoning the base buyers purchase reason for Wrangler’s unmatched off road capability would be very unwise. The 42K difference if they lose the base would be ?

yeah they might pick up some soccer moms giving them another choice in the already saturated SUV segment.

 

[Powelligator]

Could a state of the art IFS system be designed into the next generation Wrangler that would satisfy the “Jeep Faithful” with best in class articulation as well as the aftermarket for lifts, etc. while also providing a better street ride? I think it’s doable. That said, Jeep would have to knock it out of the park, so to speak.

But….

With the current theme at Stellantis to shave every penny of cost to meet quarterly numbers mixed with a fair amount of offshored engineering adding in the desire to keep as many parts common across all platforms, I’m not optimistic.

 

[Dusty Dude]

Only a very very (did I say very) small percentage of owners take them rockcrawling and IFS is a whole lot better in all other spectrum of driving and at least equal in ‘’regular’’ offroading. Yes the solid axles have more wheel travel, but most IFS equipped competition have the electronics and lockers to keep moving forward.

Hardly anyone will throw a new Jeep in the boulders and rocks. So if anyone wants to rockcrawl, the used market is floaded with used Jeeps.

Lets stop arguing and lets see what arises.

Meanwhile, I know exactly what I’m talking about.

Well then, I guess I’m hardly anyone. Five BOH trails before 10k, a sixth before 15k, and a lot of other non BOH trails locally in between. Stock XR suspension, and there is nothing remotely “equal” with IFS.

There were a lot of JL’s and JK’s on those trails, with the exception of Black Bear Pass, where I was totally alone. I rarely saw anything with IFS on a trail rated above a three. One Bronco was spotted at the south end of Poughkeepsie Gulch hanging out with Jeeps, the others were hanging out with the toy boys on the easy trails.

My point of all this is that even though “hardly anyone” will take a new Jeep out on the rocks, good luck finding anything with IFS out on the rocks, new or old.

Out on the trails, where an IFS is struggling, the SFA Jeep is just getting warmed up.

 

[Steph1]

Well then, I guess I’m hardly anyone. Five BOH trails before 10k, a sixth before 15k, and a lot of other non BOH trails locally in between. Stock XR suspension, and there is nothing remotely “equal” with IFS.

There were a lot of JL’s and JK’s on those trails, with the exception of Black Bear Pass, where I was totally alone. I rarely saw anything with IFS on a trail rated above a three. One Bronco was spotted at the south end of Poughkeepsie Gulch hanging out with Jeeps, the others were hanging out with the toy boys on the easy trails.

My point of all this is that even though “hardly anyone” will take a new Jeep out on the rocks, good luck finding anything with IFS out on the rocks, new or old.

Out on the trails, where an IFS is struggling, the SFA Jeep is just getting warmed up.

You have to admit that you are one of the few that make you hardly anyone. Totally with you on rockcrawling’s superiority of SFA, but have to argue regarding regular trail riding, wich is what most that do go offroad do….. tons of comparison videos on youtube, have fun checking them out. But for the record, I was just replying to this thread by saying that I was quite certain that the next generation will have IFS. No more no less.

 

[jeepingib]

You have to admit that you are one of the few that make you hardly anyone. Totally with you on rockcrawling’s superiority of SFA, but have to argue regarding regular trail riding, wich is what most that do go offroad do….. tons of comparison videos on youtube, have fun checking them out. But for the record, I was just replying to this thread by saying that I was quite certain that the next generation will have IFS. No more no less.

And we are questioning that certainty. The engineers have already said that they have considered IFS in the past. But there is no reason to alienate so many for a marginal improvement in on road handling. The JL is better than previous Wranglers on the road, stock. And can be easily and cheaply upgraded to ride so nice that you don't realize it has a SFA. It has been compared to the Sasquatch Bronco and it's about 50/50 as to which ride people prefer.

 

[Dusty Dude]

You have to admit that you are one of the few that make you hardly anyone. Totally with you on rockcrawling’s superiority of SFA, but have to argue regarding regular trail riding, wich is what most that do go offroad do….. tons of comparison videos on youtube, have fun checking them out. But for the record, I was just replying to this thread by saying that I was quite certain that the next generation will have IFS. No more no less.

I understand what you are saying. It is tempting for the bean counters to consider IFS, but when you look out on the trails, not even the rocks, you will find all kinds of JL’s, JK’s, and very few, if any, of the various IFS offerings. Why? IMHO, it is because most don’t think their vehicles are capable of doing the harder trails. Jeeps are made specifically to go anywhere and have fun doing it. The marketing people aren’t going to want to give up that edge and alienate the “hardly anyone” group in order to cater to the soccer mom crowd like every other company is doing.

Jeep wants to stand out in the crowd, not just be in the crowd.

 

[Steph1]

I understand what you are saying. It is tempting for the bean counters to consider IFS, but when you look out on the trails, not even the rocks, you will find all kinds of JL’s, JK’s, and very few, if any, of the various IFS offerings. Why? IMHO, it is because most don’t think their vehicles are capable of doing the harder trails. Jeeps are made specifically to go anywhere and have fun doing it. The marketing people aren’t going to want to give up that edge and alienate the “hardly anyone” group in order to cater to the soccer mom crowd like every other company is doing.

Jeep wants to stand out in the crowd, not just be in the crowd.

I totally have to admit that I had no problem considering hard trails with my Jeep while there ain’t no freakin way that I’d throw my Defender in those same places. Has more to do with the luxury and the fact that it cost twice what my Sahara cost me. But, while I had wheeled my previous Jeeps in pretty hardcore crap, there’s no way I’d throw any vehicle that I truly care about in those same places, even tho I did it with my prized Jeep.

But…. I sincerely believe that the Defender is better than my Jeep in any situation I’d be willing to throw it in, the Jeep fealth less prone to damage which means a lot when comes time to offroad.

 

[Dusty Dude]

I totally have to admit that I had no problem considering hard trails with my Jeep while there ain’t no freakin way that I’d throw my Defender in those same places. Has more to do with the luxury and the fact that it cost twice what my Sahara cost me. But, while I had wheeled my previous Jeeps in pretty hardcore crap, there’s no way I’d throw any vehicle that I truly care about in those same places, even tho I did it with my prized Jeep.

But…. I sincerely believe that the Defender is better than my Jeep in any situation I’d be willing to throw it in, the Jeep fealth less prone to damage which means a lot when comes time to offroad.

I bought the Jeep specifically to use the hell out of it. My Challenger I bought new and drove it year round in Chicago. My Roadrunner was brought back from the dead for my retirement. I’m not about to hold on to it and save it for the next guy to enjoy. Too many people stash a nice vehicle in a corner and only take it out once in awhile or not at all. What a waste. Whether it is stashing a new vehicle or “I’m gonna fix it up some day”, there is no point in just looking at something and never enjoying it.

I’m not suggesting going crazy on the rocks or trails, but getting out there and enjoying the outdoors wherever you feel comfortable going. Where I wanted to go, IFS wasn’t going to cut it. YMMV.

Sponsored