The Jeep Wrangler: A Historical Overview
First introduced to the world in 1987, the Jeep Wrangler is perhaps one of the most recognizable vehicles that is manufactured and is definitely one of the most recognizable Jeep vehicles. The Wrangler is considered a mini sport utility vehicle and is and has always been produced by Chrysler, under the Jeep name. The Wrangler was a successor of the World War II Jeep vehicle, but was given a make over in 1987, as well as 1997 and 2007. Despite having a long history, the Wrangler is a very popular vehicle that has been able to stand the test of time. The Wrangler is known by Jeep under several names including YJ, TJ, and JK.
Starting in 1987 the Wrangler, also known as the YJ was built in Brampton, Ontario, Canada. The vehicle continued to be produced at this location until 1992 when it began to be produced by Jeep’s Toledo North Assembly plant that is located in Toledo, Ohio. Though the vehicles were produced in Canada for many years, they were not sold under the Wrangler name was not used. Instead, it was offered as a trim level of a Chevrolet pickup. The 1987 to 1995 models were known as the YK and the 1997 through the 2006 models were sold as the TJ. Most Wrangler fanatics all over the world refer to the vehicle as YJ or TJ to specify the model that they are talking about.
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The YJ, produced from 1987 until 1995 was offered as a two door convertible as well as a two door truck. There were three different engine options that included a 2.0 liter, 4.0 liter, as well as a 4.2 liter as well as four different transmission options. The vehicle came with two different gas tanks, either a standard 15 gallon tank or an optional 20 gallon tank. Most of these models are seen with the 15 gallon tank as that was fairly standard for this type of vehicle at the time, whereas now there is a demand for greater fuel capacity.
The Wrangler produced from 1997 to 2007 was called the TJ and was offered with three different engines including a 2.4 liter, 4.0 liter, as well as a 2.5 liter. The vehicle was offered as both a two door convertible as well as a two door truck. There are three different transmission offerings including a four speed automatic, a five speed manual, as well as a six speed manual. The TJ offers a 19 US gallon gas tank, which is a compromise between the standard 15 gallon and optional 20 gallon offered on the YJ from 1987 until 1995.
The KJ is what the Wrangler will be known from the 2007 model on until it is updated again. Instead of just two different models to choose from, the KJ features two two-door models as well as two four-door models. The current engine is a 3.6 liter V6 with either a four speed automatic or a six speed manual transmission. The new KJ features a larger gas tank in the past with fuel capacity at 21.6 US gallons, which is something that a lot of consumers like.
The Wrangler is one of few vehicles that have stood the test of time, and this is because when the needs of the consumer change, the vehicle changes. While many considered the Wrangler strictly an off road type vehicle in the past, it’s no longer that way with many different model options. In fact, the Wrangler can now be thought of as a family car because of its diversity, spacious interior, and safety ratings.