Well, this is some big news that will interest all the Jeep Wrangler fans out there. JLWranglerForums has received a scoop on the pricing of the diesel engine option. As it turns out, the famed 3.0-liter EcoDiesel engine will be available as optional on the 2020 Jeep Wrangler JL for $6,000.

This includes the price of the eight-speed automatic gearbox as well. But there’s a catch. Although the premise of this engine making its way under the hood of the Wrangler is exciting at the onset, we are utterly disappointed that this engine cannot be mated to a manual transmission. Come on, Jeep. Why can’t you let us have the cake and eat it too this one time?

There Is No Manual On Offer

With the way Ford was attacking the Wrangler with the Bronco, a big move like this was inevitable. The new engine that’s set to debut in the Wrangler is the third-gen EcoDiesel mill. It can be found under the hood of the 2020 Ram 1500 pickup truck as well. Our biggest concern is that the engine cannot be mated to a manual transmission despite paying such an exorbitant amount of money.

A Manual Gearbox Has Many Pros Over Its Automatic Counterpart

Purists who buy the Wrangler opt for a manual transmission to have complete control over the SUV, which an automatic transmission cannot provide. Although an automatic gearbox is great in the city, they are not the first choice for old-school folks when it comes to off-roading. This relinquishing of power can also be argued upon. In many cases, this leads to overheating when the SUV is put under a serious test, and that could lead to gear slippage and serious damage if not paid attention to. Even if you ignore all of these things, there are people who prefer a dying breed of stick-shifts over two pedals any day. It’s just a personal choice and a rather common one with Wrangler enthusiasts.

It Can Have A Lot More Buyers If A Third Pedal Is Offered

The engine in question is a 3.0-liter, V-6 EcoDiesel unit that makes 260 ponies and 442 pound-feet of torque. It comes with standard ESS, 3.73 axle ratio (4.10 for the Rubicon diesel), Dana D44 axles in the front and rear, and an 18-gallon fuel tank.The same engine – only the engine - in the Ram 1500 commands a premium of $4,995 over the stock mill, and $3,000 over the 5.7-liter, V-8 Hemi engine with eTorque mild-hybrid technology. In that sense, this engine in the Wrangler is not a rip-off.

What’s All The Fuss About This Engine?

This engine first created noise when it made its debut in the 2020 Ram 1500. The same mill in the pickup truck generates 260 horses and 480 pound-feet of torque. This is a noticeable increase over the second-gen EcoDiesel engine that produced 240 ponies and 420 pound-feet of torque. It will be mated to the existing eight-speed TorqueFlite transmission. This new engine comes with a water-cooled turbocharger with variable geometry that helps it respond better to your throttle inputs.

This engine is a lot more efficient, and thanks to the strict emission norms these days, automakers have no choice but to develop mills that cause less harm to the environment. To take care of this, Ram has introduced a dual, high-pressure and low-pressure exhaust gas recirculation system, redesigned the pistons, optimized the combustion chamber geometry, and added a brake system vacuum pump with low friction blades.

Ram Is Slaughtering Ford And Chevy’s Engines With This Masterpiece

When compared to its primary rivals, the new EcoDiesel engine makes the highest torque. The Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Duramax develops 277 horses and 460 pound-feet of torque, whereas the Ford F-150 Power Stroke Diesel churns out 250 ponies and 440 pound-feet of twist. The current Ram 1500 Rebel is available with two engine options – a 3.6-liter, V-6 Pentastar mill that produces 305 horsepower and 269 pound-feet of torque, or a 5.7-liter, V-8 Hemi engine that makes 395 horses and 410 pound-feet of torque. Both the engines are mated to an eight-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission. If Ram is ready to plonk it into its sporty offering, you can imagine how well it’ll perform in the Wrangler as well.

Final Thoughts

The news of Wrangler receiving this engine is exciting for sure, but the company would do a lot better to offer it with the six-speed manual transmission. It’s quite unfair that a customer would pay $6,000 and still not get his choice of transmission. Production is slated to begin on November 25, but customers can go ahead and book it right away. There is no word on the official fuel economy numbers yet, but it is estimated to be in the ballpark of 30 miles per gallon on the highway. Although a potent engine, I would not opt for it until it comes with a manual transmission. How about you? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below.

Further Reading

Read our full review on the 2018 Jeep Wrangler.

Driving the 2018 Jeep Wrangler JL