Verified: 2018 Wrangler JL/JLU Will Get 3 Screen Sizes

[JAY]

The JL/JLU Wrangler will offer more connectivity and better on-board infotainment system than ever before in a Wrangler, with multiple touchscreen options.

We can confirm that like the recently announced 2017 Jeep Compass, the JL/JLU Wrangler will feature the latest 4th generation Uconnect systems. The base system will feature a 5" touchscreen (the only one that will retain some physical radio buttons), the intermediate system will be a 7" touchscreen and the largest option will be a 8.4" touchscreen (available with or without navigation system).

The 8.4 inch screen will come with the new Off-Road Pages feature (recently introduced in the 2017 Grand Cherokee). The Off-Road Pages will provide useful info regarding the JL Wrangler’s off-road systems, including wheel articulation, transfer case status, pitch and roll, transmission temperature, suspension, and monitor the basic essentials like oil and coolant temperatures, oil pressure and battery voltage. We've posted a good video below briefly demonstrating Off-Road Pages in action.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will be included. And don't worry, none of the screen eliminate the physical climate control knobs.

As a preview, here is how the three touchscreen sizes look and compare in the Jeep Compass.

Here some videos showing the 4th gen Uconnect system in action on the 8.4" screen.

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[RobNY]

Lots of changes. For example, the 4 round air vents now line up left to right, with the center ones being on each side of the radio (instead of below the radio).

Sounds like the center stack will be a lot wider than the JK's? It's going to have to fit the 2 round air vents on each side of the radio unit and up to a 8.4" screen.

Current JK center stack has no room to fit even 1 air vent on the side of radio.

 

[Work]

Hope it works well. Really sick of fighting the Bluetooth in my JK.

 

[Davos77]

Nice the 8 inch screen is huge. What uconnect generation is in the JK?

 

[Fargo]

Uggg. And with that, Jeep just convinced me to buy a JK. Dang I was really liking the JL too. But I refuse to buy anything with a touch screen. I hate that garbage. Just give me easy to use knobs to adjust my climate control. Why does it have to be so complicated. This is the 2nd sale that Chrysler has lost from me due to this touch screen garbage. I almost purchased a Dodge Journey a couple years ago. But one drive trying to figure out that touch screen and I was convinced I will never own a vehicle that used a touch screen to operate simple functions like climate control. Oh well, the Nissan Pathfinder I purchased instead is an amazing vehicle. Maybe I'll see what the new Ford Bronco brings. Hopefully Ford will keep things simple and basic.

 

[JAY]

Uggg. And with that, Jeep just convinced me to buy a JK. Dang I was really liking the JL too. But I refuse to buy anything with a touch screen. I hate that garbage. Just give me easy to use knobs to adjust my climate control. Why does it have to be so complicated. This is the 2nd sale that Chrysler has lost from me due to this touch screen garbage. I almost purchased a Dodge Journey a couple years ago. But one drive trying to figure out that touch screen and I was convinced I will never own a vehicle that used a touch screen to operate simple functions like climate control. Oh well, the Nissan Pathfinder I purchased instead is an amazing vehicle. Maybe I'll see what the new Ford Bronco brings. Hopefully Ford will keep things simple and basic.

All of the screens options will still come with physical climate control knobs. The base radio will have a 5" touchscreen needed for the backup cameras which are mandated by law for all 2018+ vehicles. It will also have hard buttons for volume, radio and other settings.

 

[BlackRubi]

Uggg. And with that, Jeep just convinced me to buy a JK. Dang I was really liking the JL too. But I refuse to buy anything with a touch screen. I hate that garbage. Just give me easy to use knobs to adjust my climate control. Why does it have to be so complicated. This is the 2nd sale that Chrysler has lost from me due to this touch screen garbage. I almost purchased a Dodge Journey a couple years ago. But one drive trying to figure out that touch screen and I was convinced I will never own a vehicle that used a touch screen to operate simple functions like climate control. Oh well, the Nissan Pathfinder I purchased instead is an amazing vehicle. Maybe I'll see what the new Ford Bronco brings. Hopefully Ford will keep things simple and basic.

You understand the Bronco or any other new vehicle youre considering will have a screen of some sort right? Better get used to it if you plan to ever buy a new car in the future.

It sounds like you are unfamiliar with the Wrangler. Even the touch nav screens still have physical buttons for climate control as well as controlling the radio (volume, stations, source etc). Really not a big deal and guaranteed Jeep is not going to change that anytime soon if ever.

 

[Spank]

But I refuse to buy anything with a touch screen. I hate that garbage. Just give me easy to use knobs to adjust my climate control. Why does it have to be so complicated.

All of Chrysler's vehicles still have buttons and knobs for climate controls, volume, and everything else. You aren't going to lose that.

Doubt the JL is going to have dual-zone climate controls, but a variation of the HVAC and audio knobs and buttons you see here will definitely be there. In fact, picture this dash with the round vents you see in the JK and this is most likely what you'll get in the JL.

 

[Fargo]

That would be great if it still had manual climate controls. I'm OK with a touch screen for backup camera and other misc stuff. But I don't want it for basic features that I need to adjust when I am driving. I don't remember that the Journey I drove had manual climate controls. All that I remember is anything I wanted to adjust with the touch screen was always 2 or 3 layers deep. It was terrible. I just shook my head and walked away from the dealership.

My 2005 Rubi is all manual just the way I like it. My friend has an 07 JK, but I don't remember him having any touch screen stuff in his Jeep. I thought everything was manual in that too, but I could be wrong.

I'm not against a touch screen or electronic climate controls if it really works and is easy to use. I just hate how things like touch screens are added to cars just so they can have the newest and shinyest thing. My 2002 maxima has a fantastic electronic climate control. My 2011 Pathfinder is still the top end Pathfinder, but the climate controls took a step backwards in order to provide more bling in other areas. (But still worlds better than the touch screen in the Journey. Man that was bad.) But honestly the only advantage that any of the electronic climate controls have over turning a knob is that they can be programed to turn on in the winter only after the engine warms up. So I can start my car in the winter and run in the house and the fan doesn't blow any air until the engine has warmed up enough to blow hot air. This helps the engine warm up faster. But apart from prewarming a car in the winter. You really can't improve on a simple knob. Everything else is just for show. Unfortunately, bling sells.

 

[Aaron]

This is fantastic news! I have a touchscreen with Android Auto in my Vette and I love it. Any word on whether the Sport will offer the 7 or 8.4 inch touchscreens as an option or will we have to buy the Sahara or Rubicon to have them available?

 

[Spank]

My 2005 Rubi is all manual just the way I like it. My friend has an 07 JK, but I don't remember him having any touch screen stuff in his Jeep. I thought everything was manual in that too, but I could be wrong.

I can't speak for other manufacturers, but all FCA vehicles have nicely designed physical controls for climate and radio functions. And for what it's worth, FCA is the only manufacturer I can think of (other than Tesla, maybe) with an OEM radio and navigation system that actually kicks ass. It's clean, simple, functional, and well designed. GM, Ford, Subaru, Toyota and the like still can't seem to design an OEM UI that isn't absolute garbage.

 

[The Great Grape Ape]

Having talked to the Uconnect and QNX folks last year at CES (when the 4th gen U 2.0 was introduced) I'm looking forward to a bunch of the handy features, especially after we chatted about possibly adding a trail-centric version of the existing 'follow-me' group location/route sharing feature it has.

It would be nice to see what newer Google aspects they will add which were partially shown at this year's CES, there is still a lot of potential there.

The Uconnect platforms are a pretty solid and often well received/reviewed platform, but we can always use more, and of course the JK's variant is showing it's decades old age.

Still would love to see an option for the 12" Charger Pursuit version in a JL to provide great trail map viewability, terrain camera, and guage options, however I know that's as unrealistically unlikely in stock form as a Hemi JL unfortunately.

Would like Jeep/FCA to offer the option of disabling the Heat and AC from remote start. I know it's thinking it's helping, but especially with the top off don't need thae AC going, and don't need the super toasty interior when the engine needs a while to warm up when I'm bundled in -40 gear.

 

[four low]

I'm " Old School", but appreciate the need for Backup Cameras ; the Base, with climate knobs, will be " Just Right" for me.
Since phones and Tablets are evolving at such a rapid rate, I'd rather have the minimum of built-in "Connectivity".
Mounts for phone and tablet are easy, help keep the JL "simple", as in less to go wrong.

 

[JJ75]

Lots of changes. For example, the 4 round air vents now line up left to right, with the center ones being on each side of the radio (instead of below the radio).

Sounds like the center stack will be a lot wider than the JK's to fit the 2 round air vents on each side of the radio unit, especially since there'll also have to be enough space to fit up to a 8.4" screen.

Current JK center stack has no room to fit even 1 air vent on the side of radio.

Sounds nice and symmetrical. The vents all lined up across reminds me how they're done in the new Mercedes C Class and Audi A3 interiors.

 

[BDJeep1]

Sounds nice and symmetrical. The vents all lined up across reminds me how they're done in the new Mercedes C Class and Audi A3 interiors.

I hope the screen doesn't stick up like that. That just looks like bad and lazy design when they can't figure out a way to integrate the screen better. And potentially blocks a bit of the visibility.

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