Introduced in mid-1996 as a 1997 model, the Jeep Wrangler has been completely redesigned and re-engineered.
The Wrangler is available in three trims: SE, Sport, and Sahara.
Jeep owners like their Wranglers because they are fun, stylish and handle well. Some complain about the leaking plastic windows, and how hard the Jeep is to control in the wind. Noise is also a nuisance.
While we highlight specific author bylines where possible, sometimes our content results from the combined efforts of several members of the CarGurus editorial team. As with all our editorial content, you can expect high levels of automotive insight and expertise delivered in a style that is approachable and free from jargon.
Long lasting engines. As far as frame rust goes it happens to all wranglers. Due to the fact jeep never put drain holes in the frames or the floor pans easy to due 3/8th hole front and back same with floor pans just put a plug in pans Mar 18, 2022
by Ralph S
Jul 02, 2021
TJ from this era are classic and have one of the most bullet proof engines. The values hold really well and are inexpensive to repair / do maintenance too. As the saying goes “its a Jeep thing” so to understand it you have to drive one. Jul 02, 2021
by Anonymous
Feb 07, 2021
Had a 97 jeep wrangler for years ,put a ton of miles on it . The 4.0 engine is bullet proof. Loveed it. Feb 07, 2021
User rating:
by Troy H
Mar 18, 2022
Long lasting engines. As far as frame rust goes it happens to all wranglers. Due to the fact jeep never put drain holes in the frames or the floor pans easy to due 3/8th hole front and back same with floor pans just put a plug in pans Mar 18, 2022
by Ralph S
Jul 02, 2021
TJ from this era are classic and have one of the most bullet proof engines. The values hold really well and are inexpensive to repair / do maintenance too. As the saying goes “its a Jeep thing” so to understand it you have to drive one. Jul 02, 2021
by Anonymous
Feb 07, 2021
Had a 97 jeep wrangler for years ,put a ton of miles on it . The 4.0 engine is bullet proof. Loveed it. Feb 07, 2021
by William S
Jan 07, 2015
Good for the occasional trip and errands, Excellent offroad capabilities. Not good for every day commute to work. Not the easiest vehicle to get in and out of and the little bit of cargo space is difficult to access. Had to remove the back seat just so I could have a little bit of space.Jan 07, 2015
by Sarah K
Aug 03, 2013
It is a little difficult for the kids to get in & out with it being a 2 door, but in a few years it's not going to be an issue. I love the fact that it's a hard top but because its in sections, you can just pop out the front top & secure it on top of the other half. Aug 03, 2013
by Anonymous
Jul 18, 2013
Love that it is a sturdy, fun, simple vehicle that anyone can drive even if they have never driven a standard. It is such an easy going ride and is very dependable in any situation. Oh and it has both a hard & soft top!!Jul 18, 2013
by Tyler C
Jul 08, 2013
Not a lot done it is only my Daily.
3" lift kit
33" Cooper Discoverer STT M/t
Hard top
Soft top
Custom blacked out headlights
HIDs hi/lo beams
Hella 100w on tube bumper
blacked out headlight housing
upgraded head unit
upgraded speakers in dash and sound bar
Has a/c which is pretty nice with the hard top on.Jul 08, 2013
by Anonymous
Feb 03, 2013
I like the look of a Jeep, the build quality is superb it is easy to work on and you can find parts for jeeps in quite a few different autoparts or junk yards. The Performance is great, the handling on the road is good.Feb 03, 2013
by Abhay V
Jan 06, 2013
I bought this vehicle used since it was an easy way to get into an open air car that
has plenty of rollover protection yet had very good "presence". It's been great
and I would love to get a new one someday.Jan 06, 2013
by Chad B
Feb 04, 2012
There's no stopping this vehicle. It pulls a lot more weight than one would think. I've taken it a lot of places you typically shouldn't take an off-road vehicle. Thin sand, mud, water, rough cow pastures, through think brush. IT'S SO MUCH FUN!Feb 04, 2012
by Nicholas B
Oct 20, 2011
I love this jeep its like a big quad!! turns on a dime, good acceleration, great
braking, i live on an island so the frame is rusted pretty good had to re-weld once
all ready. Appearance is good with the top on and off! low maintenance, gas
mileage is probably 18 miles per gallon. super fun to drive! On and Off the road!!Oct 20, 2011
by Kelly S
Oct 19, 2011
A Jeep Wrangler isn't meant to keep up with the Hummers etc. They are a rough tough vehicle that is fun to drive and cheap to own. They have timeless styling that Jeep owners demand. The highway performance is lacking but this isn't a vehicle meant for the freeway, it's meant for off road. My Jeep is just awesome and out of all my vehicles, this is the one that I'll own to the end...in fact, they may just bury me in it!Oct 19, 2011
by Nathan G
Jul 09, 2011
This Jeep is a very fun car to drive. I love the 5 speed manual tranny and it shifts well for a Jeep. Its engine is very reliable and Ive heard its one of the longest lasting engines( Its the last model of engine produced by AMC) It does great on the street for a Jeep, well offroad too. Its limited slip diff. in the front axle helps alot even though its not truly locked. Its gas mileage is not great...I blame the rack for part of that. Overall I love it!Jul 09, 2011
by Wes S
Feb 12, 2011
Rugged off-road vehicle with great capabilities. Can be testy in extreme situations,
but can pass through just about anything. Bottoms out fairly easy, but can pull
itself out of almost anything. Can go off-roading all day on one tank of gas!Feb 12, 2011
by Elijah H
Jan 11, 2011
Rugged, tough, plenty of torque, and a real blast to drive. The hardtop is nice and works well. Heat is a little weak and wish there was a fan setting for upper body and feet. Put it in 4WD and it more than lives up to its name.Jan 11, 2011
by Ryan M
May 10, 2010
Performane is Awesome its quick off the line, Its built really good nice and strong, The apperance with my lil monster is awesome i love my jeep, my Jeep is a blast to drive, I dont call it my lil monster for a reason.May 10, 2010
by Budi S
Jan 10, 2010
"There's Only One Jeep", this slogan really describes this car,
This Jeep Wrangler has an enormous power, with 190HP on
wheels, an also a high torsion as well.
This car is fun to drive, but a lil bit difficult for those who are
beginners to Jeep.
Jan 10, 2010
by Kevin M
Nov 17, 2009
214,000 original miles, 5 spd, 33" bf goodrich all terrain tires, 2" budget suspension lift, 1" body lift, custom stinger front bumper i made, hella 500w driving lights, thrush welded muffler, throttle body spacer, long tube cold air intake (more low end torque), accel 42,000 volt ignition coil, rear locker, i removed the exhaust manifold and welded up the cracks that are common on wranglers, it is very fun to drive, most people can't, its fast for a jeep, and it can go pretty much anywhereNov 17, 2009
by Kylen H
Oct 22, 2009
There aren't many options, but perfect for climbing and being a summer toy. I would also get the 6 cyl., the 4 cyl is the slowest thing I have ever driven. Huge torque and climbing power though.Wouldn't suggest a daily driver.Oct 22, 2009
by Anonymous
Oct 22, 2009
Really fun rig. Very high quality for a newer vehical, not too much plastic. The in-line 6 4.0L has a lot of get up and go and does great off road. Really fun to drive; does have some tracking issues over 60.Oct 22, 2009
by Victor B
Sep 30, 2009
Great for summer with the top off and good for winter for those snowy streets. Great off road vehicle with one of the best rated approach and departure angles.I had lots of fun with mine and would get another one in the future.Sep 30, 2009
by Jake V
Aug 04, 2009
It's an effing jeep... It goes anywhere, is a lot of fun to work on, looks awesome, holds it's resale value, the top comes off(and so do the doors and you can even fold the windshield flat!) and it's 4WD so it rocks in the slippery stuffAug 04, 2009
by Chris L
Jul 16, 2009
Performance - 2.5L, slow, recently started misfiring, no ABS, feels like it always gonna roll when cornered sharply
Build Quality - originally a salvage title, rebuilt front clip in my garage, even after a roll over, it still runs and drives near flawless, squeaks in places, little rust and a few dented panels
Appearance -exterior: beauty of a Jeep, looks good with off road tires, nice red paint, cage has a little lean to the left, dented panels
interior: plastic everywhere, gray and black, vinyl seats, spartan interior
Cost of Ownership - 18 mpg, maintenance has been cheap for things like plugs, wires, distributor cap
Fun Factor - the most fun car to drive around, on road or off road, Jeepers share a common bond with each other, people always smile and sometimes ask about it
all in all, its a pretty good truck. fun to drive topless in the summer and be able to go anywhere. A blast to drive in the snowy winters, its nice to be able to pull away from an intersection when everything else is stuck spinningJul 16, 2009
by Rev. Matthew S
Jun 27, 2009
The jeep is an amazing vehicle for all types of road conditions on or off. The performance is amazing and cost of ownership is low to minimal It is a fun beach car to drive and is just overall AMAZINGJun 27, 2009
by Gary R
Jun 19, 2009
Picked this jewel up in Ft.Lauderdale on e-bay for my
son. Drove it home to B'ham with no doors or a top.
What's great about it is everything can be replaced
cheaply. I don't have a convertible, so on the
weekends between March and October this is my
favorite ride. Jun 19, 2009
by Ricky Y
May 18, 2009
Performance:
4.0L inline 6 Cylinder
Banks Exhaust Manifold with custom exhaust and Flowmaster high flow cat and muffler
K&N FIPK air intake
Appearance:
3.5" Rubicon Express Lift
2" Body Lift
Warn Front Bumper
Warn Rear bumper
Warn Raised Gas Tank Skidplate
Warn 9500hsi Winch
33" BFG Mud-Terrains on American Racing Wheels
Custom Side StepsMay 18, 2009
by Dylan C
Apr 29, 2009
Best build quality. Never has needed repairs other
than driver error. Great performance for a 12 year old
car and for looks... hey its a Jeep! Really when you get
down to it its a great car that is fun and challenging to
drive.Apr 29, 2009
by Brandi N
Apr 13, 2009
Is by far the best vehicle I've ever owned although with the 33" tires can't drive it the same way as the minivan but it is so damn fun to drive even if I do, do racecar shifting. Driving without the roof is great as long as you tie your hair back lol. The gas mileage is great for a Jeep as with most you can only get 350 kms to the tank but with this one can get 400.Apr 13, 2009
by Drew S
Dec 24, 2008
I absolutely love this beast. If it were stock, I wouldn't enjoy it so much. If you own a wrangler, you need to put some off road tires on it and a lift. Its awesome in the North East cause it goes through snow like its not even there and in the summer you can take the doors off! Its perfect!Dec 24, 2008
by Alex K
Sep 15, 2008
I love this vehicle, it goes anywhere and gets lots of
attention. It has 120,000 miles on the clock but still
has over half of its life left. It never lets me down. The
only down side is the gas mileage. I only average 19
MPG. Hands down my favorite vehicle I've owned so
far.Sep 15, 2008
by Ben L
Aug 28, 2008
Accellaration and top speed isn't the greatest. I wish it was a manual.
I-6 eats gas like crazy, but you gotta love that strait-six sound!
But, easy to take care of, easy to modify, easy to fix stuff. Mine's all rusted out but that's all that's wrong with it!
Could have more cargo room but my bike fits in there without the back seat, lol.Aug 28, 2008
by Alex D
Jul 28, 2008
It's not for everyone, but for those with an adventurous spirit the Jeep Wrangler TJ is what you want. Forget poser Hummers and pricey landrovers. If you want to hit up the trails, you wont get the same expirience in any other vehicle. Granted its not the most fuel efficient but hell, its a Jeep!Jul 28, 2008
by Jake D
Jul 08, 2008
This vehicle will take you anywhere... be sure to have deep pockets, or at least be able to fill them often. The quality of it is low, as far as plasticy interior, but it is a very simple vehicle. This vehicle is very fun to drive no matter where you are driving it, and unless you are looking for a Cadillac i would recommend this to anyone.Jul 08, 2008
by Zach M
Jun 25, 2008
I love my jeep it has amazing offroad abilities it had 6 in of lift and just kicks ass with what i have under the hood it is a stock 4.0 l with a lil more add ons to make it go fast.Jun 25, 2008
by Nick B
May 13, 2008
Jeep wrangler's are great vehicles, i love it and it is a blast to drive from the removable top, to the flip down windshield to the removable doors, driving this around will turn some heads. Fun to fit in with other wrangler owners.May 13, 2008
by Trent J
Mar 30, 2008
The 4.0 inline 6 cylinder Jeep wrangler Is over all A well put together vehicle. The Tj or 1997-06 Wrangler would have to be the best offered to date it is much more well put together then the YJ. The power produced by the motor is impressive, its is very torquey and has decent overall HP and last many many miles depending on if you do the basic maintenence on it. The Axles offered on these Jeeps depending on what you get range from horrible to pretty solid and a performer. If you are looking to build you will want the Dana 44 Combo as opposed to the 30/35 They are just to small to handle tires much bigger than 33 inches. The stock automatic 3 speed transmission offered in the sport is solid and reliable. The NP231 transfer case is also a fairly stout unit and reliable if you keep clean oil in it. The coil spring suspension rides and handles very well and is leap years better than the previous models that offered leaf springs. The Jeep wrangler/CJ/MB/Jk as always are really good candidates for upgrading and are easy to work on and find parts for. The Jeep is a ride and experiance of its own, theres not many other vehicles that provide the same thrills that a Jeep does. The vehicle is one of a kind and Id recommend it to anyone looking to have fun and have a vehicle that will for many years to come will have a huge aftermarket following. I would buy a second and probably will in the future.Mar 30, 2008
by Shaun L
Mar 26, 2008
Despite being top-heavy, it was a decent drive. Don't get it if you're looking for something with a comfortable, quiet ride. It excels offroad, obviously.Mar 26, 2008
by David R
Mar 21, 2008
This jeep was pretty fun, although only 4 cylinder the engine still moved those 33's and made offroading pretty nice, i could crawl and climb with the 4 inch lift and it was a blastMar 21, 2008
by Pete M
Mar 17, 2008
Sure it's slow, but why do you need to be going so fast?Mar 17, 2008
by Eric B
Jan 24, 2008
This is a TJ Sahara that was custom ordered from factory with the 2.5 I-4 by the previous owner. The Jeep has Centerline aluminum off-road wheels with 33'' mud terrain tires and a 3 inch widetrack kit. It also has a rancho suspension kit that raises the height about 3 inches from stock. The Jeep has off road steel bumpers front and back with a Champion 8000 lb winch mounted frontside. A friend and I installed a Cherry Bomb muffler with the tailpipe exiting in front of the right rear wheel. The interior has some custom painted panels, a green neon under the dash, and a Sony head unit. I plan to install a complete sound system within the next year or so. Jan 24, 2008
When driving from a stop car seems to be fine but as the RPM's climb and press harder on the pedal the car faulters/stumbles, in which it will not accelerate, making me back off of the pedal to slowly(very slowly) accerate
1997 jeep 4.0l wrangler uk model cranks but wont start , im told the pcm / immobilisr is faulty , the uk models had a second immobiliser fitted into the ecu by a company in leicester back in the 1990's and this seems to have failed and we cannot seem to bypass it
I have a problem... I bought a 1997 Jeep Wrangler 2.5 from a family friend it was running fine then one day I went to start it up and it wouldn’t start, it’d crank but wouldn’t start. So I changed the battery, distributor, coil, spark plugs, crank shaft sensor and finally the ECM and I still have no spark I’ve put a meter to it all I have power all the way to the distributor but I’m getting no spark at all and I’m at a dead end here does anyone know what it could be?