2011 Jeep Wrangler Overview Change Vehicle

This 2011 Jeep Wrangler overview explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2011 Wrangler, and includes Jeep Wrangler safety, reliability, and fuel economy information.

We dare say that no one has ever praised the interior quality of a Jeep Wrangler, but that may change once word gets out about the 2011 model. Like the vast majority of vehicles included under Chrysler’s corporate umbrella for 2011, the Wrangler has been treated to a boost in overall refinement, courtesy of upgraded interior materials and efforts to limit interior noise.

The changes don’t end there. All Wranglers now come standard with four-wheel drive, as the good Lord intended. Larger rear windows improve outward visibility and all Wranglers have a USB adaptor. A new Sport S model adds a bunch of stuff you wish came standard on the base model, like alloy wheels, air conditioning, and cruise control, among other features. Sahara variants are now offered with a body-color hard top, heated mirrors and seats, a redesigned steering wheel, a 115-volt outlet for recharging items such as phones and hand-held games, and automatic climate control. Detonator Yellow returns as an exterior color option, and is accompanied by Deep Cherry Red, Sahara Tan, Cosmos Blue, and Bright White.

Perhaps more notable than any of those tweaks is 2011’s Wrangler Black Ops Edition. Based on the Rubicon, this limited-production Wrangler is drenched in black paint with special graphics, rides on dark alloy wheels and features a few exterior upgrades from the Mopar parts catalog. A new Unlimited Mojave Edition is also available, equipped with Saddle leather, a body-color hardtop and wheel flares, Mineral Gray wheels and tires from the Rubicon model, Driftwood interior trim, and, sadly, a bunch of dumb-looking lizard decals. Finally, Jeep is offering special 70th Anniversary Editions of both Wranglers equipped with unique 18-inch wheels, Bronze Star paint, Dark Olive premium leather, Berber floor mats, and other upgrades.

Jeep’s most recognizable model, the 2011 Wrangler, is available to buyers in four flavors: Sport, Sport S, Sahara and Rubicon, as well as in three special edition models described above.

Starting things off is the Sport, which belies its entry-level status with fog lights, an audio system with an auxiliary input jack and USB input, cloth upholstery, and a top with removable panels that create what is essentially a sunroof. All of this comes standard, plus the improved interior materials that come with every 2011 Wrangler. The Wrangler Unlimited also includes air conditioning.

Most people will want to upgrade to the Sport S model, which is new for 2011. The Sport S adds alloy wheels, air conditioning, cruise control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, Command Trac 4WD, and Dana front and rear axles, among other items.

As it has done for years, the Sahara model serves as the most luxurious version of the Wrangler. To woo potential buyers, Jeep has equipped this variant with an impressive Infinity sound system with satellite radio, power door locks and windows, and keyless entry. Alloy wheels are also part of the package, along with heated power side mirrors, automatic headlights, and dark tinted rear windows. If you want to dial things up another notch or two, consider adding options such as leather seats, automatic climate control, or a UConnect navigation unit with Bluetooth hands-free calling capability.

Unlike the relatively luxurious Sahara, the Wrangler Rubicon is built for the serious four-wheeling enthusiast. Unique components include heavy-duty axles, front and rear locking differentials, Jeep’s Rock-Trac transfer case, aggressive off-road tires, and more.

For 2011, Jeep has once again tasked the hoary old 3.8-liter V6 with moving its popular Wrangler model. Output measures 202 horsepower and 237 pound-feet of torque, and EPA-rated fuel economy is 15 mpg in the city and 19 mpg on the highway. There’s a shrinking variety of models available with manual transmissions these days, but the 2011 Wrangler continues to be available with a six-speed stick shift as well as a four-speed automatic.

Every Wrangler also comes standard with four-wheel drive, a change from last year. The off-road capability on which the Jeep Wrangler has built its reputation comes from a regular part-time four-wheel-drive system or a more hardcore option with a lower low-range gear ratio.

Among the 2011 Wrangler’s standard safety features are stability control, hill start assist, and four-wheel-disc antilock brakes with brake assist. Buyers who select the optional towing package get the added bonus of trailer sway control, and Jeep offers side impact airbags as an option to protect people sitting in the Wrangler’s front seats.

When it comes to crash-test performance, the 2011 Wrangler earns the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) best-possible Good rating for front-impact protection. Standing in stark contrast to that rating is a bottom-of-the-barrel Poor score for side-impact protection with the two-door model (the Wrangler Unlimited gets a Marginal rating in this regard). It should be noted that these ratings are based on performance without the optional side airbags.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has revised its methods and procedures this year, and complete results were not available when this article was published. The only data that carries over from 2010 is the Wrangler’s 3-Star rating for rollover resistance.

Despite the Wrangler’s upgrades for 2011, reliability predictions from Consumer Reports and J.D. Power and Associates remain unfavorable. J.D. Power says reliability is expected to be slightly below average for both models, while Consumer Reports predicts that the Wrangler Unlimited will return below average reliability while the Wrangler two-door should muster average reliability over time.

To some people, dressing the Wrangler’s interior in higher-quality materials is akin to putting lipstick on a pig. In their eyes, this is a Jeep that, at its core, remains antiquated and unworthy of buyers’ consideration in every respect, save for its impressive off-road capabilities. For these individuals, the 2011 Jeep Wrangler is undoubtedly the wrong choice. But for those among us who are willing to forego modern driving dynamics and fuel efficiency to obtain a version of performance that is unparalleled by any other vehicle on the market, the Wrangler is the obvious choice. The question is, which characterization best describes you?

By Thom Blackett