2012 Jeep Wrangler Overview Change Vehicle

This 2012 Jeep Wrangler review explains changes for the model year, provides a summary of the 2012 Jeep Wrangler, and includes Jeep Wrangler safety, reliability, and fuel economy ratings.

One of the most capable off-road vehicles on the planet, the Jeep Wrangler is a four-seat SUV equipped with a soft- or hard-top, four-wheel drive, and all the rugged hardware necessary to travel just about anywhere you might want to go.

Just one year after Jeep installed an all-new interior in the Wrangler, it slips a new 3.6-liter V6 engine with more horsepower, more torque, and better fuel economy under the hood. It can be paired with a six-speed manual or new five-speed automatic transmission.

In other news, the Wrangler Sport can be equipped with a new Sport S Package that adds alloy wheels and air conditioning, and the Rubicon model can now be equipped with a body-color hardtop and fender flares like the Sahara model. A new Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 special edition model, created in partnership with video game company Activision, is also new for 2012, and comes with 32-inch off-road tires, special graphics, a unique interior treatment, and several Mopar accessories.

There are three different kinds of Wrangler on sale for 2012. The Sport model is the least expensive, and while it is very basic in nature it comes with everything you require for serious trail riding. You won’t care if you scrape the 16-inch painted steel wheels wrapped in P225/75R16 on/off-road tires, and the Wrangler Sport is equipped with a full-size spare on a matching wheel just in case you slice a sidewall on a rock. Skid plates protect the Wrangler’s underside, and the Sport comes with removable metal doors, manual swing-away side mirrors, a fold-down windshield, tow hooks, fog lights, and a soft convertible top with a sunroof feature.

Inside, the Wrangler Sport is equipped with carpeting, floor mats, cloth seats, and a full-length floor console with locking storage. The overhead sport bar is padded and equipped with two speakers and a dome light, the rear bench seats folds or can be removed, the cargo area has tie-down loops, and there’s a secure underfloor storage compartment in the back. Creature comforts are literally limited to a stereo with a CD/MP3 player and an auxiliary audio input jack, a tilt steering wheel, cruise control, visor vanity mirrors, variable intermittent wipers, and a compass so you don’t get yourself lost. The Sport S Package is worth the cost of the upgrade, as it supplies air conditioning, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and a set of 17-inch alloy wheels.

If the Sport model doesn’t fit your requirements, you now have a choice between a more luxurious Wrangler, the Sahara, or a more capable Wrangler, the Rubicon.

If you choose the Sahara, it provides 18-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, power heated side mirrors, body-color fender flares, a body-color top, dark tinted rear windows, tubular side steps, and silver bumper trim. The cabin is upgraded with power windows, power door locks with remote keyless entry, an Infinity premium sound system, satellite radio, a security alarm, and a 115-volt power outlet. Silver interior accent trim gives the Wrangler Sahara’s interior a more upscale appearance.

If you choose the Rubicon, you’re getting a real rock-hopper. Building from the Wrangler Sport, the Rubicon adds Dana 44 front and rear heavy-duty axles, Tru-Lock front and rear electronic locking differentials, a 4.10 axle ratio, and an electronic front sway bar disconnect system for added wheel articulation. The Rubicon’s Satin Carbon 17-inch alloys are equipped with light-truck 255/75 Mud Terrain tires, the sides are protected by heavy-duty rock rails, and the interior has air conditioning, Infinity sound, satellite radio, and a 115-volt power outlet.

All three models can be equipped with seat-mounted side-impact airbags, a Uconnect navigation system, a Freedom Top modular hardtop, an engine block heater, and a Trailer Tow Package that adds Trailer Sway Control, a receiver hitch and a four-pin connector. A Power Convenience Package is optional on the Sport and Rubicon, and includes power windows, power heated side mirrors, power door locks with remote keyless entry, and a security alarm.

Additional options for the Wrangler Sport include tubular side steps, a 115-volt power outlet, and Infinity sound with satellite radio. Sport and Rubicon models can be optioned with half-metal doors, while Sport and Sahara models can be upgraded from a 3.21 axle ratio to a 3.73 axle ratio and be equipped with a Rock-Trac heavy-duty transfer case. Remaining options can be added to the Sahara and the Rubicon models: automatic climate control, Uconnect Bluetooth Phone, two-tone leather upholstery, heated front seats, and remote engine starting.

If you’re looking for something particularly special, or you’re a serious gamer, Jeep is rolling out a Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Special Edition version of the 2012 Wrangler. Based on the Rubicon model and available in Silver or Black, the manly CD:MW3 model adds semi-gloss black wheels, unique black seats, a special gauge cluster, a serialized plaque on the dashboard, and hairy-chested Call of Duty logos and graphics, inside and out. This model also features several Mopar accessories, like slush mats, a “power dome” hood, rock rails, winch-ready steel bumpers, and taillight protectors.

Speaking of Mopar accessories, Jeep dealers offer hundreds of them to personalize your new Wrangler. In addition to those listed above, highlights include an off-road Jeep camper, a tent that connects to the vehicle, classic five-hole and five-spoke wheels, a spare tire-mounted bike rack, and Uconnect Web service that turns a Wrangler into a mobile wi-fi hot spot.

New for 2012, a 3.6-liter V6 replaces the Wrangler’s old 3.8-liter V6. The new engine is Chrysler’s thoroughly modern “Pentastar” V6, the same one installed in everything from the Dodge Challenger and Chrysler Town & Country to the Jeep Grand Cherokee. In the Wrangler, the new V6 makes 285 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 260 pound-feet of torque at 4,800 rpm.

Buyers can choose between a six-speed manual and a five-speed automatic transmission, and fuel economy measures 17-city/21-highway regardless of transmission choice. Jeep says the new five-speed automatic provides a lower first-gear ratio, which translates into a lower overall crawl ratio for improved off-road capability.

Dana 30 front and Dana 44 rear axles are standard on Sport and Sahara models, along with a Command-Trac part-time two-speed transfer case and a Trac-Lok limited-slip rear differential for greater traction in mud, sand, and snow. The Wrangler Sport and Sahara come standard with a 3.21 axle ratio, with a 3.73 ratio available as an option.

The Wrangler Rubicon is outfitted with 4.10 gearing, and Dana 44 axles front and rear. A Rock-Trac two-speed transfer case equipped with a 2.72:1 low-range gear ratio is also standard, along with electronic front and rear locking differentials, a disconnecting front sway bar, and 32-inch light-truck tires designed for slinging mud.

As long as you don’t want lots of airbags, the 2012 Jeep Wrangler is well equipped with safety features. It has traction control, stability control with roll mitigation technology, hill start assist, four-wheel-disc antilock brakes with on- and off-road calibration and brake assist. Opt for the Trailer Tow Package, and the Wrangler gets a Trailer Sway Control system.

Two front airbags are standard on the Wrangler. Seat-mounted side-impact airbags are optional, and we strongly recommend them. Without the side airbags, the 2011 Wrangler received a Poor rating for side-impact crash protection from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The IIHS gives the Wrangler a Good rating in the frontal-impact test, and a Marginal rating in the rear-impact injury prevention test. No roof crush strength tests have been conducted on the Wrangler.

If you’re looking for results from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) testing, you won’t find any except for a 3-Star rollover resistance rating.

Reliability predictions aren’t very impressive, either, though with last year’s new interior and this year’s new powertrain things could improve in years to come. For now, Consumer Reports is saying that the Wrangler’s reliability is expected to be below average, while J.D. Power and Associates is a bit more favorable with a dependability prediction of slightly below average for the 2011 model.

In addition to all of its iconic design cues, the modern Wrangler still has doors that can be removed and a windshield that folds down so that you enjoy bugs in your teeth.

With the new V6 engine, the Wrangler can accelerate to 60 mph in 8.4 seconds. It still isn’t fast, but it’s quick enough to get out of its own way.

A 2012 Jeep Wrangler is rated to tow a maximum of 3,500 pounds, and haul a payload of passengers and cargo totaling 1,000 pounds. As for space for that payload, the Wrangler features 17.15 cubic-feet of room behind the rear seat, 56.5 cu-ft with the rear seat folded, and 61.2 cu-ft with the rear seat removed from the vehicle.

A true off-roader, the Wrangler’s maximum angle of approach measures 44.6 degrees, maximum breakover angle measures 25.5 degrees, and maximum angle of departure measures 40.6 degrees, all with the Sahara model’s 18-inch wheels.

The 2012 Wrangler’s engine and automatic transmission are made in Michigan, and these Jeeps are built in Toledo, Ohio. The six-speed manual gearbox is sourced from Germany.

If you frequently travel to places devoid of paved roads, or if you simply want to own one of the most iconic vehicles of all time, it doesn’t get much better than a Jeep Wrangler. Do yourself a favor and get the optional side airbags unless you expect to really bang the sides of this Jeep up on rocks, and maybe consider an extended warranty in light of those reliability predictions.

-- By Christian Wardlaw