Before a car goes on sale, the US Environmental Protection Agency usually knows how efficient it will be. Occasionally, that information trickles out well ahead of the vehicle's release, as it has with the 2018 Jeep Wrangler.
The EPA's fuel economy website has MPG figures for the 2018 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited equipped with the 3.6-liter V6. When mated to a six-speed manual, the four-door Wrangler will achieve 17 mpg city and 23 mpg highway, compared to the outgoing car's 16 mpg city and 21 mpg highway. Combined mpg changes by 1, from 18 to 19.
Replace the stick shift with a new eight-speed automatic, and the numbers rise to 18 mpg city and 23 mpg highway. The old Wrangler Unlimited had a five-speed automatic, which helps explain why its numbers are a bit lower, at 16 mpg city and 20 mpg highway. Its combined rating jumps up by 2 mpg, from 18 to 20.
According to the EPA's fuel cost calculator, the new Wrangler Unlimited with a six-speed manual will save you $750 in fuel costs over five years compared to the outgoing version. That savings expands further with the automatic, netting its lucky owner an extra $1,250 in fuel costs over five years. That's using the EPA's calculator, so your own mileage may vary.
That leaves just two big question marks for the 2018 Wrangler in terms of fuel economy. It's not yet known how the Wrangler's new four-cylinder engine will perform, nor do we know how efficient its diesel engine will be. But given that the 2018 Wrangler receives an official debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show in about three weeks, we probably won't be waiting for long.
2018 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited MPG
| Model | New MPG | Old MPG | Net Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wrangler Unlimited (Automatic) | 18/23/20 | 16/20/18 | +2/+3/+2 |
| Wrangler Unlimited (Manual) | 17/23/19 | 16/21/18 | +1/+2/+1 |
