My first car was a Jeep Wrangler. At that time, there was one version: a small, boxy, two-door SUV. You could option your Wrangler with an automatic transmission, but you would be frowned upon by enthusiasts if you did. Times have changed. And the purist’s definition of the Wrangler has faded into irrelevance, as the car has become more popular than ever.
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StellantisThe four-door Unlimited version is now the default Wrangler. Around 90 percent of buyers opt for the eight-speed automatic. You can now fit a Wrangler with a Hemi V8. And the best all-around Wrangler for most people is now a plug-in hybrid. How will Jeep expand the definition of Wrangler next? We may have received a preview with the Wrangler Overlook concept Jeep is bringing to SEMA.
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The Jeep Wrangler Overlook is a three-row Wrangler. Jeep created it by stretching a Wrangler Sahara by 12 inches to fit in a third row. It also features a custom modular roofline with a raised portion in the rear, sort of like the Nissan Xterra. And Jeep did that for a similar reason: headroom for the rear passengers because the third-row seat sits right over the rear axle. It’s badass looking, sporting 37-inch MT tires, and it’s plush with Katzkin leather seats.
Buyers can’t get enough of three-row midsize SUVs. And Jeep responded in a big way in 2021, adding a new three-row Grand Cherokee L and full-size, three-row Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer SUVs built on the Ram truck platform. Stretching the Wrangler to three rows for a production car is not something Jeep has confirmed yet. But the Jeep Wrangler Overlook concept is a sign that the brand is at least thinking about a third row and curious about Jeep owners’ reactions.
And we suspect — given how madly popular three-row SUVs are and how much people seem to be willing to pay for Wranglers — Jeep’s inquiry may quickly shift from why should we do a three-row Wrangler to why shouldn’t we.