The jeep wrangler is a sports utility vehicle that got its name from its ability to traverse small, rugged terrains with relative ease. The first-generation Jeep wrangler was introduced in 1986 on the 80th anniversary of the original model made by Willys.
The newer generations of jeep wranglers have a six-cylinder engine for increased power and torque. The engine is a 4 cylinder or six-cylinder unit depending on what you choose and who you ask.
It is fitted underneath the body of the jeep wrangler and it acts as a power source. In this discussion, we will focus on the difference between these two types of engines.
The main difference between a 6 cylinder wrangler and the 4 cylinder wrangler is the engine output, the 6 cylinder produces 190 horsepower (hp) and 222 pound-feet of torque (lb-ft) whereas 4 cylinder Jeep wrangler outputs 120 horsepower and 140-pound feet of torque, this article goes in detail with other differences.
Core Difference between 6 Cylinder Jeep Wrangler and 4 Cylinder.
Power Output
The 6 cylinder engine has more cylinders which means that it has more power than the 4 cylinder engine. the 6 cylinder wrangler produces 190 horsepower (hp) and 222 pound-feet of torque (lb-ft) whereas the 4 cylinder produces 120 horsepower and 140-pound feet of torque.
The torque is the turning force that makes your wheels move. The horsepower is the amount of work that can be done in a certain amount of time. A larger engine will make it easier to accelerate even when you are climbing a hill.
Gas Mileage
The 4 cylinder engine gives you better gas mileage compared to the 6 cylinder engine. The 6 cylinder wrangler gives you an average of 17 miles per gallon whereas the 4 cylinder gives you an average of 23 miles per gallon. The difference in fuel economy is due to the difference in power and torque.
Drift and Acceleration
The 6 cylinder engine gets better acceleration because it has more power than the 4 cylinders. It feels more powerful and responsive during acceleration because of the additional horsepower. The 4 cylinder wrangler is visibly slower in accelerating because of its torque.
Offroading
The 4 cylinder engine gives you better performance in off-road situations than the 6 cylinder engine, although the 6 cylinder is good offroad the increased power makes it likely to slide and spin wheels too often on the roughest of terrains.
The 4 cylinder wrangler is better if your using it for off-roading because it has more torque and lesser horsepower giving it better traction and stability.
Transmission
6 cylinder jeep wrangler is equipped with ax15 transmission whereas the 4 cylinder jeep wrangler is equipped with ax5 transmission. the ax15 is superior to the ax5 because it has a longer shaft, bigger gears, and a wider range of gearing. it can be used on both 4 cylinder and 6 cylinder wranglers but the ax5 is limited to the 4 cylinder wranglers.
Gear ratio
the 4 cylinder has 4.10 gears stock but the 6 cylinder has 3.73 gears stock. this means that the 6 cylinder gear ratio is a bit lower than the 4 cylinder gear ratio.
This gives the 4 cylinder wrangler better torque and more stability and less power, however, the 3.73 will feel way faster than the 4.10. But on the road, you will really notice the difference and will be able to feel the fuel savings.
Towing
the 6 cylinder engine has a gross tow rating of up to 4000 lbs. lbs (1814kg) whereas the 4 cylinder engine has a gross tow rating of 3500 lbs (1588 kg). This means that you can pull heavier things with the 6 cylinder wrangler.
Reliability
the 6 cylinder engine is more reliable than the 4 cylinder engine. This is mainly because the 6 cylinders are designed for heavy-duty work and they have been proven to be more reliable. The four-cylinder, on the other hand, has been proven to be less reliable.
Resale Value
6 cylinder wranglers retain value better than 4 cylinder wranglers. This is because the 4 cylinder wranglers are becoming more and more unreliable.
Their engines just get destroyed and are replaced at a much faster rate than 6 cylinder wranglers. This means that you will end up paying more for the replacement of the 4 cylinder engine compared to the 6 cylinder engine.
Maintenance
6 cylinders are easier to maintain than 4 cylinders, mainly because there are fewer things that need maintenance in a 6 cylinder. The 4 cylinder engine needs to be replaced relatively soon after the car is owned and this is why it ends up costing you more on your insurance premium.
Final Thoughts
Both Jeep Wrangler 4 cylinder and 6 cylinder are great engine options, they are made to last and handle different types of terrains and surfaces.
If you are looking for a daily commuter car that is fuel-efficient and drives good enough then the 4 cylinder wrangler is your best bet, but if you are looking for a more fun to drive car, more power, more torque, and towing capacity then the 6 cylinder wrangler is the right choice.
