2021 Jeep Wrangler

The Wrangler comes in two- and four-door body styles, with several roof options that make for an easy transition from warm, cozy, and comfortable to the kind of wind-in-your-hair, open-air freedom that only comes from owning a Jeep. With its signature grille and gritty good looks, every Wrangler conveys a sense of adventure. It’s rooted in off-roading, and whether you choose a rugged Rubicon four-door or a more refined and luxurious Sahara, you’re getting the same iconic Jeep grit that the company was built on. 

The Base 

Which trim will look best in your driveway? Depending on your budget and lifestyle, you might want to start with the base Sport. At $28,295 for the two-door and $31,795 for the four-door, the Sport includes a 3.6-liter V6 engine with automatic stop/start, which delivers more fuel economy by shutting the engine off when the vehicle comes to a full stop. The V6 is paired with Jeep’s six-speed manual transmission, but you can add an eight-speed automatic transmission for an extra cost. 

So Many Options

The Sport trim is just the beginning. All-in-all, there are twelve different Wrangler trims currently available for 2021, with the added 4xe model coming in December of 2020. That may seem overwhelming at first, but each trim is unique and contains special equipment and badging to distinguish it from the others. The complete list of 2021 Jeep Wrangler trims includes the Sport, the Willys Sport, the Sport S, the Islander, the Willys, the special 80th Anniversary, the Freedom, the Altitude, the perennial Sahara, the Rubicon, the Sahara Altitude, and the High Altitude.

Ranging in price from $28,295 for the Sport to $49,495 for the premier High Altitude, each trim is priced to reflect the equipment inside. Some, like the 80th Anniversary Edition, are unique for the 2021 model year and include one-of-a-kind exterior and interior badging. Others, like the luxurious Wrangler High Altitude, can be equipped with a special grille that includes an integrated camera to catch the action during an off-roading adventure. Leather seats, in-dash navigation on the standard 8.4-inch infotainment touchscreen, and an optional Cold Weather Group that adds heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and remote-start, add luxury to the list of the Wrangler’s qualities.

We love that Jeep took a simple soft top roof and expanded it to include so many different configurations for buyers across all price points. The Open Air Freedom concept represents Jeep’s commitment to keeping the Wrangler consistent with its iconic roots, which means building in a removable or retractable roof, as well as removable doors and other open-air features, like fold-down windshields.

Soft Top 

There are several different roof options available across the Wrangler line. The first is a removable zipperless Sunrider soft top, which manually folds back accordion-style to expose 3/4 or all of the roof. Convenient tie-downs make the job of retracting and stowing the soft top easy. Manual pop-out windows in the back and rear come out easily too. It’s a one-person job that transforms the Wrangler into a wide-open wind-in-your-hair cruiser. The soft top comes in standard black, premium black, and premium tan.

Hard Top 

The Freedom Top Three-Piece Hardtop is completely removable, or you can remove sections at a time for a less open-air configuration. There’s the front, driver’s side panel, the front passenger side panel, and the rear section, which is the largest. Each of the panels can be independently removed for multiple configuration options. You can get this top in either black or body-color. 

Power Top

Finally, Jeep introduced a power sliding top for the Jeep Wrangler, giving drivers an easy one-touch option for removing the roof. It slides back accordion-style with one-touch operation, or the roof can be opened as much as the driver wants by pushing the button and holding until the desired retraction is reached. The power top retracts to roughly 3/4 of the car length, with the material gathered at the back 1/4 of the vehicle. 

Regardless of the roof you choose, your Wrangler is equipped to give you an open-air experience. The versatility of an SUV that can be fully enclosed during cold or inclement weather or completely transformed into the best possible version of a convertible is the essence of what the Wrangler represents: Freedom, open-road excitement, and the ability to dial in your brand of fun.

Trail Rated is Jeep’s proprietary classification system that identifies the Jeep models that are the most trail-ready and equipped for aggressive off-roading performance. It all starts with five different criteria: traction, water fording, maneuverability, articulation, and ground clearance. It is the vehicle’s performance in these five areas that qualify it for Trail Rated status. 

Traction

Traction represents the vehicle’s ability to grip the surface on which it is attempting to ride. Whether the challenge is rugged terrain or three feet of fresh snow, a Trail Rated Jeep has optimum traction to keep drivers and passengers safe. Even on steep hills or in thick, wet mud, you won’t find another vehicle this capable. This is achieved by the Rock-Trac 4x4 System that gives you more control and torque than any other Wrangler generation before. 

Water Fording

Water fording is a category Jeep knows all too well. True off-roaders know that they’ll inevitably have to cross high water hazards if their journey takes them far off the beaten path. While most vehicles would stutter and stall, Jeep has equipped its Trail Rated vehicles with equipment like sealed electrical connections, air intakes set high up on the vehicle, and body openings that are sealed tight against potential seepage. This comes in especially handy during heavy rain when it’s difficult to estimate how deep that puddle is in the middle of the freeway.

Maneuverability

The next test is in maneuverability. Trail Rated Jeep vehicles are built to navigate tight turns and treacherous driving conditions that require fine-tuned agility. Jeep looks at optimal wheelbase length and other structural criteria, as well as general handling and precision steering to determine if a vehicle is a Trail Rated contender. Jeep Wranglers are all easy to maneuver over, through, and around all potential obstacles. 

Articulation

Articulation speaks to the vehicle’s ability to stay connected to the ground even when one wheel is lifted. This articulation ability is all about the Jeep’s suspension and structure of the vehicle’s axles. Trail Rated Jeeps have the flexibility and the ability to travel across varied terrain without losing contact with the ground. Even when one or more tires are lifted, Jeep vehicles transfer power to the other wheels to maintain the best possible stability and traction. 

Ground Clearance 

Finally, ground clearance is critical for a Jeep vehicle to earn the Trail Rated badge. It may be the most obvious criterion, but it’s also one of the most critical. For a Jeep to successfully navigate uneven terrain, it must be able to clear large obstacles without incurring damage to the undercarriage. The best way to achieve this is with high ground clearance. Ground clearance matters when ascending a steep hill or driving over rocks. With a high ground clearance, drivers can be confident the front end won't hit the ground before the vehicle can start climbing and that they can navigate over obstacles without damaging the undercarriage. 

If you see the Trail Rated badge on a Jeep, you’ll know with confidence that it’s the best possible option for rugged trail driving and off-roading adventures. Every Wrangler model proudly wears the Trail Rated badge as proof that it is the ultimate off-roading Jeep model. The Trail Rated badge is the off-roading badge of honor, bestowed by the ultimate off-roading company: Jeep.