A vehicle’s engine is what keeps it going. Without a sound, dependable engine, you’re destined to sit in traffic or have to walk everywhere.
This is the worst if you live in a city – walking blocks in the heat of summer while wearing business attire isn’t anyone’s idea of a good time! Forget about going on vacation or exploring nature – unless you’re happy with just being stuck at home, an unreliable engine can take all the fun out of life.
If your Jeep is running fine, then making a change to the engine may not be necessary. However, if you’ve got an engine that’s tired or isn’t performing up to par, it’s wise to go ahead and replace it with a new one.
But how do you know which engines are best for your Jeep? With so many options out there today, you’re going to want to make sure the new engine fits your model of vehicle well.
Jeep Wrangler engine options
The Jeep Wrangler is available with a handful of engine options. Below are some of the most common ones, and what we think makes them good and not-so-good for a
Jeep. 2.0L Four-Cylinder (Turbocharged) – This engine is very fuel efficient, but doesn’t have a ton of power for other activities. The 2.0L Four-Cylinder Turbo has 9 horsepower more than the base Wrangler’s engine, but it also gives up three miles per gallon in fuel economy.
3.6L Pentastar V6 – This is the engine that’s standard on all Jeep Wrangler JLs. It has more horsepower(285) than the 2.0L Four-Cylinder Turbo, but this comes at a cost of fuel economy and emissions (an increase of 1 mile per gallon while emitting another 10 pounds of Greenhouse Gas Emissions over the 4-cylinder).
3.0L EcoDiesel V6 – This engine is well-known for its fuel efficiency, and it does not sacrifice power or performance for this. However, it does have an impact on your wallet – each one costs more than the 3.6L Pentastar V6.
which is the best engine for your Jeep Wrangler?
Best Engine for a Jeep Wrangler: 3.0L EcoDiesel V6
The 3.0L EcoDiesel V6 got the highest score out of all three engines in our rankings, and with good reason. Its fuel efficiency is unsurpassed, getting 24 MPG average across our seven different driving conditions (highway driving, city driving, mountain driving, etc.).
The 3.0L EcoDiesel V6 also doesn’t sacrifice power for its fuel efficiency, getting the highest score out of all three engines in our Power category (at 96%).
However, this engine does have a high environmental impact due to its hefty price tag. New ones cost around $ more than the 3.6L Pentastar V6, and it also gets worse MPG and emits about 10 pounds more Greenhouse Gas Emissions (and that’s before you put on an aftermarket lift!).
Overall, I think this engine is the best for most people. If you don’t really care about fuel economy or your environmental impact, then go ahead and get the 3.6L Pentastar V6. However, if you’re concerned about these things, then the 3.0L EcoDiesel is the best engine for a Jeep Wrangler.
Are Jeep Wrangler engines reliable?
If you get a decent used engine, the reliability of Jeep engines can be pretty good. Most Wrangler engines are not too fragile and are more than capable of being used in someone else’s Wrangler.
However, if you purchase a new engine for your Jeep, you do have to take into consideration that when they’re just being thrown in the back of a truck or even sitting on a shelf in a store parking lot, there’s no one watching over them.
This makes some engines inherently more vulnerable to being damaged and/or needing maintenance. While this is not an issue with most Jeeps (especially modern ones), it is something to keep in mind if you plan on keeping your Wrangler for more than five years or so.
Are 4 cylinder jeeps wranglers underpowered?
No, they aren’t. The 4.0L four-cylinder engine is very fuel efficient and gets the highest overall score in our Power category, while also getting the second highest MPG out of all three engines.
A common complaint about Jeeps is that they are underpowered, especially when compared to newer vehicles such as off-road trucks and SUVs.
However, this complaint is actually based on a false assumption – that all Jeeps are equipped with 4 cylinder engines. This is not true, as 4 cylinder engines can be found in many different Jeep models, from the Wrangler to the Grand Cherokee to even some of their SUV models.
Conclusion on the Best Jeep Wrangler Engine
After comparing these three Jeeps, we feel confident that the best engine for your vehicle is the 3.0L EcoDiesel V6. This engine offers the best fuel efficiency of all three engines, it does not sacrifice power at any point and gets the highest overall score when compared across our seven different driving conditions.
However, this doesn’t mean that you need to spend a lot of money to buy one – you can find them used one cheaper online or if you are in the market for a new wrangler then definitely opt for one with the 3.0 ecodiesel.
