2023 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited Review

Automotive icons such as the Jeep Wrangler seldom need an introduction. With its roots tracing back to WWII, the Wrangler has built an impressive reputation as the go-anywhere off-roader. Over the years, Jeep has tried to stick with the Wrangler’s winning formula, ensuring that it remains a rugged beast, albeit one with enough creature comforts to satisfy city dwellers. We tested the mighty 2023 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited, which is the top-spec, most off-road-focused version of the Wrangler, to see whether it has what it takes to devour both challenging terrain, as well as the urban jungle. We loved the Jeep Wrangler Overland we tested recently, and the Rubicon promised to offer even more impressive off-road prowess.

Jeep has long flexed its marketing muscle in showing how its cars can turn the wilderness into playground, but there is no doubting that the Wrangler is the only real machine you’d want to take on the bush trail out of town. With its massive tyres, huge ground clearances and clever off-roading tech, the Wrangler Rubicon we tested is built for one thing, and one thing only – being a serious, hard-core off-roader. We took the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited to the 4×4 tracks in Toolangi, just outside of Melbourne to see just how well it would cope in the muddy, rocky and treacherous terrain.

Price & Equipment: 8.0/10

If you’re planning on saying “I bought a Jeep”, be prepared to spend quite a bit for the Wrangler, and especially the Rubicon we had here.

The three-door short wheelbase version of the Wrangler Rubicon comes in at $83,950 plus on-road costs. Spend more and for $91,450 +ORC you can have the Rubicon Unlimited with its five door layout. Depending on your priorities and your point of view, that’s either quite a lot for a rather spartan large SUV, or good value for a legendary bush bashing vehicle.

All Wrangler Rubicons come with LED headlights and fog lights, 17-inch alloys wrapped in 32-inch tyres, front and rear diff locks, sway bar disconnects, removable body panels and windscreen, as well as creature comforts such as dual-zone climate control, selectable driving modes, an 8.4-inch touchscreen with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, satellite navigation, a 550W nine-speaker Alpine sound system, a 7.0-inch digital driver’s display, heated and electric mirrors, electric windows, keyless entry and start with remote start and heated front seats and a heated leather steering wheel.

In terms of optional packages, there’s a $7,735 Sky-One-Touch Premium Package with a powered soft top and body-coloured fender flares, the $3,835 Trail-Ready Package with an off-road front camera, black wheels and a steel front bumper and the $3,835 Rubicon Premium Package, which adds a body-coloured hard top and body-coloured fender flares.

Our Wrangler was fitted with the $1,500 Rubicon Luxury Package, which adds a leather interior, and the Trail Management System for $350 which gives you a set of rails in the boot and some tie-down points. Our Wrangler came finished in ‘Sting Grey’, a metallic paint which adds a further $1,145 to the price. The sole no-cost colours are ‘Only Black’ and ‘Bright White’.

How about safety features? Sadly, the Wrangler doesn’t fare too well here, having scored a three-star ANCAP safety rating. The Wrangler’s body doesn’t protect well against whiplash or in a side impact. The rear passengers have no airbags at all. Luckily, the Wrangler does come with stability control and anti-lock braking systems, adaptive cruise control, forward collision warning, forward low-speed auto emergency braking (AEB), roll mitigation, a reversing camera, front and rear parking sensors, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert and an alarm.

Performance & Economy: 8.0/10

The 2023 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon uses Stellantis’ familiar ‘Pentastar’ naturally-aspirated 3.6-litre V6 engine, producing 209kW of power (at 6,400rpm) and 347Nm of torque (at 4,100rpm). The engine is mated solely to the ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic transmission with power sent to all four wheels through a part time 4WD system.

Overall, we’re big fans of the engine and gearbox duo, with both feeling perfectly suited to the character of the Wrangler. Step-off acceleration is eager and the engine’s response is perky. No complaints about the noise either, with the Wrangler’s engine emitting a sporty growl as the revs rise. The engine loves a rev and the transmission does a fine job shuffling through the gears. Only some odd vibrations from the drivetrain when coming to a stop spoil the party.

Even if the Wrangler isn’t the fast SUV out there, it doesn’t need to be. We managed a 0-100km/h sprint time of around 8.0 seconds.

The Wrangler allows drivers to choose between 4HAuto, 4H, 4L and a two-wheel drive mode to save some fuel. No drive modes are available here. Speaking of fuel, expect the Wrangler to be thirsty at the bowser. While it might have a 10.3L/100km official figure, expect to burn around 14.0L/100km in city driving and around 10.0L/100km on the freeway.

Off-Road, Ride & Handling: 9.0/10

As an out of the box off-roader, the Wrangler Rubicon is peerless. The Rubicon takes the Wrangler’s already epic off-road ability and adds yet another level to it. The massive 32-inch BFGoodrich off-road tyres promise stellar grip off-road and in the mud. Jeep’s Rock-Trac 4×4 system with a 4:1 transfer case and a 77.2:1 crawl ratio ensure the engine’s torque will always go the most deserving wheel and get you up the steepest hill possible.

What’s more, the Rubicon features a front sway bar which can be disconnected to allow for improved wheel articulation when traversing ruts and climbing rocks. To keep things protected as best as possible underneath the Wrangler, there are proper steel rock sliders. Add some long-travel suspension, the 252mm of ground clearance, the 20.2-degree rampover number and approach and departure angles of 34.8 and 29.2-degrees, respectively and you have a mighty off-roader. Up steep ravines, the Rubicon was unstoppable, with enough clearance to avoid any knocks, enough grip to make it over steep terrain and the electronic smarts to distribute power to the wheel which needed it most. Excellent cross-articulation seals the deal. The Wrangler felt born to tackle the slope, born to slip then then find grip on rocks and born to make the wilderness tame. We’re confident no other stock vehicle can match it.

But what’s the on-road experience you might ask. Inevitably most Wrangler’s will spend the bulk of their time on sealed roads around town. As brilliant as the Wrangler is off-road, in town it’s driving experience is rather poor.

The Wrangler constantly bobs up and down, never settling on its solid axles, and requires your utmost attention to keep it in its lane. The steering is very disconnected and slow, giving little confidence to the hustle the Wrangler along at speed.

The BFGoodrich off-road tyres might be grippy on mud, but in the wet, on-road, they lack grip and make a huge amount of noise at highway speeds. Speaking of noise, the Wrangler is a cacophony of wind noise, tyre noise and just overall harshness. Not brilliant when it comes to comfort then, but an impeccable machine that really comes into its element the more difficult the terrain gets.

Interior & Practicality: 7.5/10

The Wrangler’s interior really feels retro inside, and harks back to an era of slabby dashboards, blocky design elements and simple surfaces. Rather impressively, the designers have managed to make the Wrangler look both modern and retro at the same time. Luckily, everything feels well made and hard wearing, even the gear selector feels chunky, much like the rest of the car. The ability to remove the carpets and hose out the interior is a godsend after an off-roading trip.

Hopping into the driver’s seat however immediately shows how terrible the driving position is. There’s simply no room for your left foot, even if the large and comfortable leather seats up front are cossetting. The big leather-trimmed steering wheel feels lovely in the hand, and the clear instruments feel classy. The red elements on the dash really lift the appearance inside, while the huge grab handle in front of the passenger gives them something solid to hold when the going gets rough. Cabin storage isn’t the best, with a tiny glovebox is shallow nets in the door bins.

The large 8.4-inch infotainment screen runs Stellantis’ Uconnect 4 system and is easy to operate and looks the part too, with a glossy, bright screen. The operating system might not the be the newest or flashiest anymore, but it does the job. The chunky buttons, dials and switches underneath the screen feel built to last a million years. The window controls can be found down low on the centre console, too.

Jumping into back seats reveals decent headroom, and legroom, and rather short seat base and upright backrest. A limousine this is not. Niceties for rear passengers include air vents, USB-C outlets and a 230V plug.

The 2023 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon’s boot has a claimed 898-litres of space, expanding to 2,050L with the 60:40 split rear seats folded down. That’s a lot for 4X4, meaning the Wrangler will be the perfect adventure companion. The ‘trail rail’ management system is also in the boot, giving you many adjustable tie down points. There are two ISOFIX mounts on the outboard seats and three top tether anchors on the seatbacks.

The swing-out tailgate might not be to everyone’s taste, but it can be split in two, with the rear glass capable of swinging up and away. A full size alloy spare wheel is mounted on the rear of the tailgate.

Service & Warranty: 9/10

The 2023 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon requires a service every 12 months or 12,000km. Jeep offers five years of capped-price servicing, with each service costing $399. Five years of servicing costs will set you back $1,995. We think this is reasonable, considering the Wrangler’s rugged, off-road credentials.

Jeep also offers a five-year, 100,000km warranty with a roadside assistance if you service your Wrangler through a Jeep dealership.

The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited DiscoverAuto Rating: 8.3/10

There is no denying the Wrangler’s abilities off road. The more challenging the terrain, the more the Wrangler comes into its own. There’s also no denying that the Rubicon is the most focused and hard-core off-roading variant of the Wrangler. You’d struggle to find another 4WD as capable as the Wrangler Rubicon off-road.

We just wish the Wrangler wasn’t as compromised in other areas, to be honest. We can forgive its on-road behaviour on account of its off-road brilliance, but it should come with a better safety rating and an improved driving position.

Still, the Wrangler Rubicon is a masterclass in how a 4WD should perform off-road, giving drivers the confidence to tackle the most challenging terrain. For that, we love it dearly.