Comparing the fuel costs of each Jeep Wrangler engine

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Today, Canadian shoppers have more choices than ever on factory-capable off-road driving machines, and on the powertrains under their hoods. The Jeep brand has long been a go-to for adventure-seeking shoppers, and they’re well positioned to capitalize on the growing number of Canadian shoppers seeking out an off-road capable vehicle.

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Like many automakers in this universe, Jeep is expanding its powertrain offerings rapidly, as shoppers hitting their showroom floors demand greener options, and are increasingly unwilling to pay for capability they don’t need.

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Comparing the fuel costs of each Jeep Wrangler engine Back to video

As a result, Jeep’s ultimate off-roader, the Wrangler, is currently available with four powertrain offerings that cater to a wide range of tastes.

While browsing the Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) fuel economy and annual fuel costs for every Wrangler powertrain currently listed, I found a few interesting facts.

For instance, selecting a manual transmission instead of an automatic costs you about $250 more per year on fuel. Or, that new hybrid tech on the V6 engine minimizes the fuel economy differences between the Wrangler’s body styles — the two-door Wrangler, and four-door Wrangler Unlimited.

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The annual fuel costs of the Wrangler’s various engines are only separated by a few hundred dollars– though some significant performance differences exist. Translation? You’ve got various ways to spend your Jeep dollars on a Wrangler, and even more ways to spend your fuel dollars on its engine.

The NRCan Fuel Consumption Guide

The NRCan Fuel Consumption Guide is a powerful tool to keep handy when you’re deciding on a new car or truck. Whether you download the guide as a PDF file for later reference, or load the guide up from the NRCan website, you’ve got everything you need to know about the fuel economy and fuel costs of currently-on-sale vehicles, all on a single page.

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You can download the NRCan Annual Fuel Consumption Guide here . I recommend opening the PDF file and pressing CTRL+F (⌘+F on Mac) to do a text search for the specific vehicle or model you’re considering.

With this guide in front of you, you’ve got important fuel consumption and cost data for virtually every vehicle in the canadian marketplace, all in a single document. You can use this information to help make a smarter and more informed purchase decision — if you know how.

Let’s dig in.

2.0L Turbo

The Wrangler’s 2-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine makes 270 horsepower and 290 lb.-ft of torque. 

According to NRCan, Wrangler models with this engine use 10.7 litres of fuel for every 100 kilometres they drive in city conditions, 9.8 litres of fuel for every 100 kilometres driven in highway conditions, and an average of 10.3 litres for every 100 kilometres driven overall.

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Below, we’ll express these figures as L/100km, or “litres per one hundred kilometres”.

Those ratings are used to calculate the NRCan annual fuel cost, which is based on 20,000 kilometres per year of driving. With 2-litre turbo engine, Wrangler’s annual fuel costs are $2,575.

In the heavier four-door Wrangler Unlimited model, this engine needs a bit more fuel. Opt for a Wrangler Unlimited, and the combined fuel consumption rating climbs from 10.3 to 10.8L/100km. 

Of all of Wrangler’s engines that have been rated by NRCan, the 2-litre turbo requires the most additional gasoline when switching from a Wrangler to a Wrangler Unlimited, and most of that additional gasoline is used in city driving. To put a dollar amount on that, annual fuel costs climb from $2,575 to $2,700, based on 20,000 kilometres of driving per year.

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3.6L V6 

The Wrangler’s V6 engine option is a highly proven 3.6 litre unit with 285 horsepower and 260 lb.-ft of torque. The NRCan Fuel Consumption Guide gives this powerplant a rating of 12L/100km in the city, 9.8L/10km on the highway, and 11L/100km combined. Annual fuel costs clock in at $2,750.

Wrangler Unlimited uses slightly more fuel with this engine, with the combined fuel consumption climbing from 11.0 to 11.2L/100km, which increases annual fuel costs by about $50 versus the lighter two-door Wrangler.

That’s a smaller fuel consumption gap between body styles than the 2-litre turbo engine, possibly thanks to the use of the eTorque mild hybrid system found on V6 powered Wranglers with the automatic transmission. Using a self-recharging battery and electric motor, the eTorque system helps the Wrangler’s 3.6 litre V6 deliver better throttle response using less fuel.

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Shoppers can choose a manual Wrangler with V6 power as well, though it means giving up the eTorque hybrid system, which is only available with the automatic. 

Choose the manual transmission, and your Wrangler will use about 1 additional litre of fuel for every 100 kilometers you drive, costing you about $250 per year more at the pumps.

3.0L Diesel

The Wrangler’s 3-litre EcoDiesel engine generates 260 horsepower and 442 lb.-ft of torque. Only available on four-door Unlimited models, NRCan pegs fuel consumption at 10.6L/100km in the city, 8.1L/100km on the highway, and a combined 9.5L/100km. 

That’s good for annual fuel costs of $2,280 on standard models, though the heavier and more off-road capable Rubicon EcoDiesel sees consumption rise slightly, and annual fuel costs go up by about $170 per year.

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The EcoDiesel engine is a pricey option, and shoppers often choose it more for its high-torque, low-noise operation and increased refinement than for its fuel savings payback period.

4xe PHEV

The Wrangler’s Plug-in Hybrid (PHEV) engine features all-electric driving capability for shorter trips, full hybrid operation on all trips, and makes 375 horsepower and 470 lb.-ft of torque using an electrified version of the 2-litre turbo engine. 

The annual fuel cost of $2,038 tells part of the story. This partial-electric Jeep shows the heaviest fuel consumption figures of any automatic-equipped model we’ve shown you here, approaching 12L/100km combined.

Still, this Wrangler has a special trick to cut your fuel bill. With its hybrid tech, Wrangler 4xe can handle virtually all trips of less than 40 kilometres entirely on electric power. For some shoppers, this means a dramatic reduction in fuel use and the need to fill up a few times a year, instead of few times a month. In summary, the Wrangler 4xe gives shoppers a performance advantage for their fuel dollar when it is burning fuel, and provides all-electric, fuel-free operation for shorter trips.

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Note that the Wrangler 4xe is a full-function, full-capability Wrangler with no design compromises needed to accommodate its hybrid system. It’s even available in Rubicon configuration.

What this means for you

• The priciest Jeep Wrangler models are the most fuel efficient. 
• Both Wrangler 4xe and Wrangler EcoDiesel command higher prices than more mainstream models, while reducing annual fuel costs. Fuel savings payback may take many years, though these up-level engines also boast significant advantages to torque, smoothness, refinement, noise levels, and overall performance. If that’s not important to you, one of Wrangler’s more affordable engines will only cost you a few hundred dollars more per year at the pumps.
  • For instance, the Wrangler’s 2.0L engine option comes within $300 per year of the fuel costs of the EcoDiesel, but at a significant price advantage. Still, the EcoDiesel boasts a significant torque advantage that some shoppers are willing to pay for up-front. 
• The Wrangler’s V6 engine with automatic transmission boasts annual fuel costs within $175 of similar models with the 2-litre turbo engine, which has less horsepower but more torque for added low-RPM response in city and off-road driving.
• Annual fuel costs of non-hybrid models with an automatic transmission land within a few hundred dollars of each other. Opting for a Wrangler with a manual transmission adds an additional $250 (approx.) per year to your fuel bill.