by Matt Konkle
Torque Editor-In-Chief
So you’ve taken the plunge and bought yourself a new Jeep. Or maybe a new-to-you Jeep that has been gently used before finding its way to you. Perhaps it wasn’t even you who did the purchasing, but someone in the family, a significant other or work friend.
Regardless, the vehicle is delivered and you should know that you, your friend, family member or significant other—whoever owns the Jeep—are definitely in popular territory. Fiat Chrysler, owner of the Jeep brand, just came off a record-setting year of sales. While 2019 may not quite reach that peak, the Jeep Wrangler is still one of the top-selling vehicles in the entire Fiat Chrysler stable.
And, for you, now is perhaps to be the best time to start traveling down modification road. Perhaps it will be a bumper purchase. Or some floor liners. Maybe even a soft top now that it is warmer and you don’t want to spend the season with the factory hard top.
So you have the catalog and are ready to buy exactly what you want. Or you are staring at the website, mouse in hand, to place that order.
But there is one problem. The salesperson or product description on the website asks which Wrangler you own. Is it a JK, or JL?
Wait, what? It's a newer Jeep, so it has to be the latest model, right? Perhaps. If you know the vehicle is a 2019 or 2020 Wrangler then, yes, it is definitely a JL edition. But what if you have a 2018 Wrangler? Well, that can be a bit tricky.
See, Jeep rolled out two versions of the Wrangler in early 2018. One was the older-edition JK, which is the version Jeep has sold since 2007, and the other is the current Wrangler JL.
Fiat Chrysler made the decision to sell both editions at the same time, at least for a little while, in order to make sure its 2018 Wrangler JL roll out went smoothly. If it didn’t, FCA reasoned, it still would have the JK models to sell.
While this did ensure a constant product supply early in the new Wrangler model lifespan, it also makes for some added confusion for those buyers who are not sure what, exactly, they have when it comes time to buy products.
We still see that confusion on the phones and in emails every day.
So here are five quick and easy ways to determine which Wrangler you own—the JK or JL.
- 1
Push Button Start
While it may feel like every new vehicle on the planet employs a push button start these days, Jeep Wranglers have always utilized a key to fire up. Well, that is until the new 2018 Wrangler JL emerged on dealer lots. This new feature, along with numerous other interior refinements, all serve to make the JL ‘feel’ more in line with vehicles in the same price range. So if you push a button to start your Wrangler, then you drive a JL edition. Should you use a key, then it is a JK.
- 2
Front Grille
At first glance, the 2018 Wrangler JL and JK versions both appear nearly similar. They share that same boxy look that has defined Wrangler forever, and retain the seven-slot grille and round headlights. Look a bit closer, though, and the subtle differences show through. One of those is the front grille. On the JK edition, that grille is smooth from top to bottom and has a narrow space between each grille opening. It also has the Jeep logo in chrome, right above the grille openings. On the newer JL Wranglers, the grille has a ‘kink’ in the middle as the grille face goes slightly out and then back from top to bottom. There is also a wider gap between each grille-slat opening.
If you are not the vehicle's owner, and are not sure if it has a push button start, then a quick glance at the front grille should give you the answer.
- 3
Fender Vent
Another exterior feature the newer JL Wrangler offers is a small vent right behind the driver and passenger front fender flares. This vent isn’t just a cosmetic feature as it mainly serves to allow better airflow from the hood area—essentially working to keep the engine slightly cooler. One issue on the older JK Wrangler was hood flutter caused by restricted airflow and hood catches with worn out rubber insides. Wrangler engineers addressed both with new hood catches on the JL, as well as these vents to assist airflow. It is also another great way to tell which version Wrangler you—or whoever you are buying for—own.
- 4
Fender Signal Lights
While the front grille was one subtle difference between 2018 Wrangler versions, another is light strips on the fender flare face. The newest generation Wrangler JL now has signal lights on the front flare face itself instead of under the headlights. Perhaps designers felt the signal lights were easier to see on the flare, or just looked better that way, but it is definitely one simple way to determine that 2018 Wrangler edition.
- 5
Touchscreen Multimedia with Backup Camera
A backup camera, like the push button start, is a feature most vehicles out there have included for at least a few years. Combine that with multimedia infotainment consoles that easily integrate with today’s smartphones, and you have entertainment options unheard of in older Jeep Wranglers. At least, ones that still include factory components. All that changed for the 2018 JL Wrangler, as engineers mounted a backup camera on the spare tire while completely revising the center stack - giving the vehicle an all-new touchscreen UConnect system. If nothing else, and you know the radio isn’t actually just a radio, but a touchscreen system complete with backup camera ability, then you have the 2018 JL Wrangler.
