Information surrounding the all-new 2018 Jeep Wrangler keeps pouring out of Auburn Hills, but the latest news from D.C. The EPA has published the fuel economy stats for the 2018 Wrangler Unlimited with the updated 3.6-liter V-6. Both the six-speed manual and eight-speed automatic transmission are included. The new Wrangler JL shows a marked improvement over the outgoing Wrangler JK, though we expect an even bigger increase with the 2.0-liter turbo-four and 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V-6.

The 2018 Wrangler Unlimited JL with the six-speed manual is EPA-estimated to get 17 mpg city, 23 mpg highway and 19 mpg combined. Opting for the eight-speed automatic bumps the numbers to 18 mpg city and 20 mpg combined, with the highway number staying at 23 mpg.

Both fuel economy estimates are big improvements over the previous Jeep. The 2017 Wrangler JK with the six-speed manual could only muster 17 mpg city, 21 mpg highway, and 18 mpg combined. That means the new six-speed JL improves by two mpg on the highway and one mpg combined. The old JK with its outdated five-speed automatic actually scored the exact same as its manual counterpart, meaning the new eight-speed-equipped JL improves by one mpg city, two mpg highway, and two mpg combined.

Continue reading for more information.

2018 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 3.6-liter V-6 EPA Fuel Economy

The outgoing Wrangler JK will continue into the 2018 model year. This is its EPA-estimated fuel economy.

The all-new 2018 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited JL sees fuel economy improved by as much as two mpg over its predecessor.

The Other Two Engines

For the first time in more than a decade, Jeep is offering engine options in the Wrangler. The last time customers had a choice; it was with the 1997–2006 Wrangler TJ. It offered a 2.5-liter four-cylinder (and after 2002, a 2.4-liter four-cylinder) and the venerable 4.0-liter inline-six cylinder.

Now for 2018, the Wrangler will have three engine choices: the aforementioned 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6, an all-new 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder known as the Hurricane, and the familiar 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V-6 currently found in the Ram 1500 and Jeep Grand Cherokee.

The EPA has yet to release fuel economy estimates for the 2.0-liter and 3.0-liter, but we strongly suspect both with have improved economy over the already improved 3.6-liter V-6. The 2.0-liter turbo-four could achieve something around 19 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined, while the V-6 turbodiesel will be the fuel-sipping champ. It could achieve something like 20 mpg city, 30 mpg highway, and 23 mpg combined.

Final Thoughts

Regardless of engine choice with the all-new 2018 Wrangler, fuel economy numbers are up. Sure, we don’t know exactly what the 2.0-liter and 3.0-liter will score, but both will surely outperform the 3.6-liter V-6. That’s great news for Jeep in light of the CAFÉ standards and Wrangler owners who can save money at the pump. Of course, we’re still waiting for Jeep to mention the hybrid powertrain that’s rumored to be paired with the 2.0-liter. That’s still a few years off, though, so don’t expect word anytime soon.

References

Jeep Wrangler

Read our full speculative review on the 2018 Jeep Wrangler JL.

Read our full review on the 2017 Jeep Wrangler JK.

Read more Jeep news.