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Jeep built the Wrangler to go off the beaten paths and explore the great outdoors. With an outdoor-centric vibe, people admired the brand's superior off-roading capability. However, many critics gave a low rating to Jeep Wrangler's recurring reliability issues.
Consumer Report placed the 2022 Jeep Wrangler on the bottom of their list of most unreliable vehicles for the year. Despite the poor ratings, many people still love this compact SUV. So, it's surprising to know that the Wrangler won the Best Value in the Vincentric Awards.
What is Vincentric?
Vincentric is a private automotive data compilation and analysis firm. They identify and apply various aspects of automotive ownership costs to provide insights and data to the automotive industry. They use a trademarked comprehensive and proprietary cost-of-ownership database called Dynamic Cost to Own.
Headquartered in Bingham Farms, Michigan, they analyze and measure the overall cost of operating and owning certain vehicles through their database. They also measure the impact of the vehicle's value provided to the buyers. Companies like Yahoo!, Cars.com, AOL, Fleet-Central.com, and various automakers use their analysis to get automotive insights.
How is the Best Value award determined?
Vincentric's Best Value award was based on several factors, including the cost of ownership analysis. The awards were given to certain sedans, SUVs, and pickup trucks with considerably low tax charges, fees, and financing. They determine the winners by checking the affordability of the insurance fees, lower repair costs, and lower maintenance charges.
Moreover, the vehicle must have relatively low depreciation rates and not provoke a high opportunity cost risk. The company also determines the winners through their fuel efficiency, which helps drivers save money from fluctuating oil prices.
Aside from Wrangler, Vincentric was also awarded the Jeep Gladiator in the small/mid-size category. Despite the notoriously unreliable issues of Wrangler, Vincentric's recognition has a positive influence on the iconic SUV.
Wrangler's ownership cost
For consecutive years, Wrangler won Vincentric's best value award. The ownership costs for this compact SUV have been 12 percent lower than the firm projected.
- Price: The high-end trim of this compact SUV typically costs more than its rivals. But the base trim has an affordable price of around $30,000 compared to others that cost up to $50,000.
- Engine: The Wrangler comes in various engine options, such as the gasoline 3.6L V6, a 2.0L turbocharged four-cylinder gas, and a 3.0L V6 turbo diesel. If you're willing to pay a little extra, you will get better gas mileage from the turbocharged engine. Particular trim levels with the four-cylinder gas V6 engine are available with mild hybrid-assist technology called eTorque.
- Add-ons: The base Jeep Wrangler Sport comes with some off-roading equipment. Aside from the all-season tires, it comes with standard accessories such as a two-speed transfer case, fog lights, tow hooks, and skid plates. The Rubicon models have 33-inch tires, locking front and rear differentials, and Fox shock absorbers.
- Optional Jeep accessories : You can add a limited rear-slip differential and rock sliders. You can also choose between a hard or soft Jeep top.
What makes Jeep Wrangler unreliable?
Jeep recently recalled some 2021 Wranglers due to the overheating clutch component that may increase the fire risk. It can damage other nearby components as it may cause debris to fall onto the road. It can also cause loss of drive control that increases the risk of a crash.
One of the terrifying issues is the "death wobble." When the wobble kicks after you badly hit a pothole, check the steering wheel if it shakes violently. It feels like the Jeep wheels or the axles will fly off because the steering components become damaged or loosen.
The suspension, engine, transmission, and power equipment problems are the usual complaints on this compact SUV. The 2018 model of Wrangler received the highest total complaints, while some owners of the 2012 model experienced low mileage and high repair cost.
These problems are dangerous to come across on the road, and they're also expensive to repair. For Consumer Reports, the Jeep Wrangler is one of the least reliable vehicles in the market. The 2022 model placed second-to-the-last with an overall score of 28 out of 100. Even though Wrangler is a highly-regarded sports utility vehicle, it scored only 2 out of 5 for predicted reliability.
Dependable in off-road
It may be too early to tell, but the latest Wrangler model is unproblematic. Wrangler models seemed to have improved over the years, even though they still get low ratings and negative reviews.
But even the hard-to-please testers of Consumer Reports had to relent that the Wrangler rides impressively off-road. Wrangler's reliability shines when you drive it on rough roads and bumpy trails.
Jeep never fails to amaze people when it comes to off-roading. It is built with a short wheelbase, high ground clearance, stout axles, flexible suspension, and a four-wheel-drive drivetrain (4WD). That's why it is a great off-road SUV. Many people, including quality testers, liked the controls and upscale touches in the interior, which are present on the higher trims.
How do reliability ratings help buyers?
The predicted reliability scores (from Consumer Reports) can benefit consumers shopping between models. It makes researching about vehicles easier to understand.
When it comes to the car-buying population, many people like to know the reliability of a particular vehicle. They do some research before opening their wallets. Most buyers want to know which vehicles have the top ratings from Consumer Reports, Kelley Blue Book, and other car review sites. But many quality ranking firms love to hate on Wrangler.
Testers like to point out that the automaker ignored the passenger comfort, so the ride is rough and erratic. But they may have forgotten that Jeep based today's Wrangler design on Bantam's military vehicle, so comfort is not its strong suit.
Reliability does not matter to all consumers. Brand loyalty is another reason some automotive brands could sell many cars even though they often get low-reliability reviews. Jeep Wrangler is an iconic model with a vast and loyal fan base. Despite the poor ratings and low rankings, it is not surprising that record sales are still high.
When owning a Wrangler, you have to be aware of the potential issues that come with it. Many people are still loyal to the brand and love their Wranglers despite the low ratings and poor reviews regarding its reliability. It is still the top choice for its utmost off-road capability if you want a best value compact SUV.
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