It was early in Jeep CEO Christian Meunier’s tenure when the brand was prepping the powerful Wrangler Rubicon 392 that would bring a new level of performance to the nameplate with a Hemi V-8 engine.
The inaugural 2021 model carried a hefty $74,995 price tag when — in line with Wrangler tradition — it debuted with no power-adjustable seat offering. Meunier, who came to Jeep from the luxury world as former global president of Infiniti, found that surprising.
Wrangler buyers were used to forgoing creature comforts to get their hands on the trail cruiser, and if Jeep ever decided to add the amenity, engineers would have to figure out how to keep power seats functional in off-road sessions that could involve water fording.
Despite the challenge it posed, Meunier wanted to deliver power seats to Jeep customers, but he said there was pushback.
“It’s a pretty pricey vehicle and I said, ‘We don’t have power seats,’ and for me, it was shocking,” Meunier told Automotive News. “The reason was right: Water fording is putting a lot of pressure on engineering to seal everything to make it possible.”
But at the end of the day, with Jeep North America chief Jim Morrison’s support, “we made it happen,” Meunier said. “We know how to seal for a 4xe battery because the 4xe has a water fording of 34 inches, so there is no reason for not having power seats in the car.”
The refreshed 2024 Jeep Wrangler offers power front seats for the first time in higher trim level vehicles. Introducing the option took years, but expect Jeep to move faster with advancements now that rival Ford Bronco is on its heels.
The race is tightening. U.S. sales of the Bronco rose 38 percent in the first quarter to 32,430 vehicles, while Wrangler volume fell 17 percent to 37,971 vehicles.
Jeep executives downplayed the influence of the Bronco in the updated Wrangler that debuted last month, saying the vehicle was in the works before its challenger was on the market. Meunier admitted, however, that the Bronco will push Jeep to act more swiftly going foward.
Competition is good, Morrison said, adding that Jeep gets its direction from its customers. He pointed to the annual Easter Jeep Safari in Utah where brand designers and engineers glean insights from enthusiasts. “We were out in Moab listening to the core customers that are really the ones that are driving the brand,” he said.
There’s an emphasis on comfort with the 2024 Wrangler. In addition to power seats, higher trim level Wranglers get acoustic front glass, thicker carpet and more sound deadening foam for a quieter ride.
Jeep also sought to make phone conversations clearer by using a seven-microphone array, up from just two microphones in the previous Wrangler, that results in a 40 percent improvement in speech intelligibility, chief engineer Mario Holmes said.
“We never rest on our laurels,” Meunier said. “I think it’s important because we’re a leader, [we] want to keep the leadership and you’re going to be on your toes all the time. I think Bronco is only an additional stimuli. It’s a catalyst for our willingness to be pushing the limit always, but all these things were in the works three years ago.”
Whether or not the Bronco spurred the Wrangler’s 2024 upgrades, industry observers say Jeep is better prepared to combat Ford and appeal to a wider audience by focusing on creature comforts.
Matt Degen, senior editor of Kelley Blue Book and Autotrader, said it’s nice to see Jeep offering more technology and safety features in the Wrangler, with perks that include a new 12.3-inch touchscreen and side curtain airbags for both rows. Forward-collision warning and adaptive cruise control are now standard on the Sport S and higher series vehicles.
“All together, I think it makes an iconic vehicle that appeals to so many even more attractive,” Degen said. “The fact is, whether a Wrangler owner ever takes their Jeep off-road or not, most will appreciate modern amenities like power seats and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone integration. And Jeep continues to offer an attractive variety of powertrains for the Wrangler, including a plug-in hybrid version that, as of now, is still unanswered in the Bronco.”
Even as the Wrangler gets more refined, Jeep wants the public to know the off-roader hasn’t lost its toughness, said Alistair Weaver, vice president of editorial for Edmunds.
“It’s interesting in the messaging that they are pushing comfort, but they’re also quick to say that this is not compromising its core appeal,” Weaver said. “The fact that they’re messaging that hard does suggest that they are a little bit concerned about being seen to have gone soft. So let’s talk about the new winch at the same time as we’re talking about the power seat. They don’t want to feel like they’re going too far and upsetting traditional Jeep customers.”
Meunier said there’s “a lot of things” Jeep needs to do to ensure the Wrangler is “more up to date and in tune with the market expectations.” More refinement, comfort and technology is important, he said, and competition is healthy.
The Wrangler will “keep evolving,” Meunier said. “We have to, and we have a competitive environment, so that gets us to move quicker.”