TrailTorque
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #1
Original content by:
MOTOR AUTHORITY
Author:
Andrew Ganz
First drive review: 2020 Jeep Wrangler Ecodiesel ratchets up the power, range, and price.
Photo credit: MOTOR AUTHORITY
Key Takes:
This version of the turbodiesel V-6 is modified from the engine used in the Ram 1500 with a raised intake and other tweaks to give the diesel Wrangler the same 30-inch water-fording rating as its gas siblings.
Don’t look for a manual gearbox. Opting for the turbodiesel V-6 requires first selecting the $2,000 8-speed automatic transmission, something Jeep admits around 90 percent of buyers do anyway. From there, the diesel is a $3,250-$4,500 option, depending on the trim level. The engine hasn’t been certified yet by the EPA, though Jeep suggests fuel economy ratings are imminent. Figure nearly 30 mpg on the highway, or around 4-5 mpg higher than the standard Wrangler. That’s good, but it will never recoup the $5,250-$6,500 price admission for most drivers.
The calling cards: Power and Range
Photo credit: MOTOR AUTHORITY
The diesel instead trades on its power and range—Jeep figures upward of 500 miles from the 18.3-gallon fuel tank. Positioned behind the tank is a 5.1-gallon DEF tank good for around 10,000 miles of urea that is splashed into the exhaust to reduce emissions.
The engine’s torque comes on in full force from just 1,400 rpm. With a 4,400-rpm redline, the engine is easy to keep in its power band. The diesel Jeep doesn’t spin its tires from a stop, but power pours on steadily and forcefully like it’s poured from a bottle of maple syrup. Highway passing is a cinch, especially compared to the Wrangler’s relatively high-strung V-6. With its brick-like shape and 4,800-pound curb weight—the diesel adds around 400 pounds—this plump Jeep punches a big, square hole in the air.
The diesel has a unique sound-deadening package, but it doesn’t contribute meaningfully to that extra weight. At idle, the turbodiesel V-6 clatters away distantly. Tip into the throttle and it rattles like a coffee can full of gravel. Vibrations are kept to a minimum, and the standard stop/start system operates quietly, but the constant high-pitch ticking underhood becomes a nuisance eventually. However, that is often overcome by the predictably raucous wind and road noise endemic to—or part of the charm of—all Wranglers.
Jeep isn’t making the Selec-Trac transfer case with its full-time four-wheel-drive option available with the diesel engine, though an engineer said that’s more a complexity-reducing decision than any technical hurdle. That’s a shame as the full-time mode is a set-it-and-forget-it features that works well in rainy or slushy conditions.
With its extra torque, the diesel engine should provide more-confident towing, though Jeep says the 3,500-pound maximum trailer-lugging rating is unchanged from properly equipped gas models. That’s enough for a small camper, but don’t expect to use the Wrangler for heavy loads.
Photo credit: MOTOR AUTHORITY
+++++++++++
My take, I think it’ll be a great motor and pretty popular given it’s torque values, however, I’m saddened by no offering of a manual transmission as well as similar tow capacities as it’s siblings.
MOTOR AUTHORITY
Author:
Andrew Ganz
First drive review: 2020 Jeep Wrangler Ecodiesel ratchets up the power, range, and price.
Photo credit: MOTOR AUTHORITY
Key Takes:
This version of the turbodiesel V-6 is modified from the engine used in the Ram 1500 with a raised intake and other tweaks to give the diesel Wrangler the same 30-inch water-fording rating as its gas siblings.
Don’t look for a manual gearbox. Opting for the turbodiesel V-6 requires first selecting the $2,000 8-speed automatic transmission, something Jeep admits around 90 percent of buyers do anyway. From there, the diesel is a $3,250-$4,500 option, depending on the trim level. The engine hasn’t been certified yet by the EPA, though Jeep suggests fuel economy ratings are imminent. Figure nearly 30 mpg on the highway, or around 4-5 mpg higher than the standard Wrangler. That’s good, but it will never recoup the $5,250-$6,500 price admission for most drivers.
The calling cards: Power and Range
Photo credit: MOTOR AUTHORITY
The diesel instead trades on its power and range—Jeep figures upward of 500 miles from the 18.3-gallon fuel tank. Positioned behind the tank is a 5.1-gallon DEF tank good for around 10,000 miles of urea that is splashed into the exhaust to reduce emissions.
The engine’s torque comes on in full force from just 1,400 rpm. With a 4,400-rpm redline, the engine is easy to keep in its power band. The diesel Jeep doesn’t spin its tires from a stop, but power pours on steadily and forcefully like it’s poured from a bottle of maple syrup. Highway passing is a cinch, especially compared to the Wrangler’s relatively high-strung V-6. With its brick-like shape and 4,800-pound curb weight—the diesel adds around 400 pounds—this plump Jeep punches a big, square hole in the air.
The diesel has a unique sound-deadening package, but it doesn’t contribute meaningfully to that extra weight. At idle, the turbodiesel V-6 clatters away distantly. Tip into the throttle and it rattles like a coffee can full of gravel. Vibrations are kept to a minimum, and the standard stop/start system operates quietly, but the constant high-pitch ticking underhood becomes a nuisance eventually. However, that is often overcome by the predictably raucous wind and road noise endemic to—or part of the charm of—all Wranglers.
Jeep isn’t making the Selec-Trac transfer case with its full-time four-wheel-drive option available with the diesel engine, though an engineer said that’s more a complexity-reducing decision than any technical hurdle. That’s a shame as the full-time mode is a set-it-and-forget-it features that works well in rainy or slushy conditions.
With its extra torque, the diesel engine should provide more-confident towing, though Jeep says the 3,500-pound maximum trailer-lugging rating is unchanged from properly equipped gas models. That’s enough for a small camper, but don’t expect to use the Wrangler for heavy loads.
Photo credit: MOTOR AUTHORITY
+++++++++++
My take, I think it’ll be a great motor and pretty popular given it’s torque values, however, I’m saddened by no offering of a manual transmission as well as similar tow capacities as it’s siblings.
Sponsored
