Review: 2016 Jeep Wrangler
Tuesday, March 7, 2017 at 8:06AM 
The Jeep Wrangler badge has a rich history dating back to the mid-1940s. It’s a classic vehicle with a very distinct look and is known for being a vehicle that could conquer any terrain.
Exterior Design
The 2016 Jeep Wrangler’s exterior design hasn’t changed much this year and it’s unmistakably Jeep. Its simple straight lines make it easy for any child to draw... talk about brand impression at a young age! The Wrangler incorporates its iconic front grille and circular headlights.
Its doors have hinges on the outside so you can remove the doors and ride the Jeep true freedom-style!
Our 75th anniversary edition also came with bronze painted wheels.
Interior Design
The interior design is similar to the previous models and has a distinct rugged feel. It also repeats the circular shape throughout the interior including the instrument cluster gauges, HVAC vents, and climate controls.
For those who want to know, the instrument cluster provides feedback on critical information for the vehicle such as engine oil pressure.
The window switched are located in the centre stack, which is an obvious choice given that you have the option to remove the exterior doors.
The rear window switches are also located in the middle, along with the cupholders.
My one complaint would be that the cupholders aren’t very deep, see picture above for the rear. Below are the cupholders for the front.
The gear shifter is also reminiscent of past models.
The infotainment touchscreen is sufficient, though it lacks some exciting graphics and images that you see in modern vehicles. The CD player is hidden behind the screen, and there is a USB port available.
One welcomed feature is that the 2016 Jeep Wrangler has a 115V plug – very handy!
While there’s not much storage in the Wrangler (remember it’s limited because the exterior doors may be removed), they attempted to provide storage where possible including slots on the dashboard.
The speakers are built into the middle beam so that when you drop the top down, you’ve still got your sound system above you.
Lastly, in case you forgot what the iconic Jeep design looked like, it’s repeated throughout the vehicle.
75th Anniversary
Special to Jeep’s 75th anniversary celebration is the Sarge Green exterior colour and bronze accents, anniversary badge, Moroccan sun accents, and more. Personally, I love the colour! Totally fitting for a Jeep Wrangler.
The power dome hood also features functional air vents that allow the engine bay to cool more efficiently.
Under The Hood / Basic Maintenance
For all the keeners out there, the Wrangler’s hood was meant to be open with its exterior hood latches.
The 2016 Jeep Wrangler engine bay is quite compact, but well laid-out. Basic do-it-yourself maintenance are obviously placed, such as the battery with a ground connection located nearby (in case you need to jump-start the truck).
The coolant reservoir, however, is tucked away and difficult to read the minimum/maximum levels. You might want to take a Sharpie pen and go over those markings to make it easier to see at a glance.
Child Car Seat
In terms of installing a rear-facing child car seat in the 2016 Jeep Wrangler, you may lose some space for the front seats to accommodate the car seat’s recline angle. The rear seat bench has a slight angle as well so you’ll require pool noodles during a rear-facing child car seat installation in order to get the correct recline angle.
For a forward-facing child car seat, the headrest of the rear seats angles forward ever so slightly and the back of the child car seat will likely sit flush with the car’s seatback.
Lastly, the UAS anchors are clearly visible, separate from the seat cushion so you won’t have any problems using or removing the latches!
Each tether is located behind the seat and the anchors aren’t blocked by the trunk floor.
Storage / Trunk
There’s enough space in the Wrangler trunk for most day-to-day needs. If you have the hard-top version, you can store the soft-top in the trunk as well, though it blocks your ability to load anything taller from the rear trunk door.
The Jeep Wrangler is no doubt an automotive icon and has one of the most loyal followings – for good reason. The design almost has a ‘bring it’ attitude when it comes to nature’s toughest terrain.
At the time of writing, the 2017 Jeep Wrangler starts at $28,695CAD.
Model tested:
2016 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara 75th Anniversary
3.6L V6 engine
6-speed manual transmission
4x4
Seating Capacity: 5
Road Test Terrain: 70% city, 30% highway
Tested MSRP: $53,440 CAD
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