The JL Jeep Wrangler has been on sale since the 2018 model year, so for its seventh year of production, Jeep decided to switch some things up. Mainly, the only way you’ll be able to get a Pentastar V6 in the Wrangler is if you pair it with a six-speed manual transmission, and power locks and windows are now standard for the first time ever. Purists look away.
Jeep is dropping the automatic option for its 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 for 2025. If you want the eight-speed auto, you’re going to have to either go for the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, the plug-in hybrid 4xe or the 6.4-liter Hemi V8 in the 392 Final Edition. The other big news is, of course, the addition of power locks and widows across the entire lineup. To me, that’s even more surprising than the manual availability. You just know there’s some ancient CJ Jeep purist out there yelling obscure slurs and talking about how real Jeeps don’t even have windows or whatever.
There are a few other little odds and ends that are new for 2025., like a new paint color to enhance your stolen valor called “41.” It’s a sport of military olive drab-inspired color. Jeep is also adding Active Cabin Ventilation that’ll allow customers to pre-cool their Wranglers through a mobile app before getting in. It’s a goddamn luxury vehicle now.
Other than that, the Wrangler lineup is staying pretty much the same for next year. The four drivetrains remain the same. The 2.0-liter turbocharged four (paired exclusively with an eight-speed auto) puts out 270 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. The Pentastar V6 is still at 285 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque – though you can only get it with the manual. The big ol’ Hemi V8 is still pumping out a massive 470 horsepower and lb-ft of torque. That’s more than enough to kill you in a Wranger (in a good way). Finally, the 4xe remains largely unchanged. It still employs the 2.0-liter turbo engines, two electric motors and eight-speed automatic transmission. That’s good for 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. Jeep says it’ll get 21 miles of all-electric range out of the 17 kWh battery if you remember to plug it in.
The model lineup also remains the same for 2025. There are a total of 18 different Wrangler models you can choose from between two-door, four-door and 4xe variants. If there isn’t a Wrangler for you, then perhaps you are the problem. As always, there are an endless array of off-road permutations you can select for your Wrangler.
It makes sense that this year didn’t see too many outlandish updates for the Wrangler. It just saw a pretty sizable midcycle refresh for the 2024 model year. It gave buyers stuff like power seats, a much bigger 12.3-inch center screen, wireless phone connectivity, a revised front facia and some new off-road packages.
Would it have been nice to see Jeep add a little bit more to the Wrangler lineup for 2025? Sure, I guess. This car is starting to get quite old, but it doesn’t seem like customers really mind. These things still sell really well.
I get why Jeep didn’t change too much else, though. Stellantis is going to be busy fending off a January 6-style attack over the addition of standard power locks and windows.