What SUVs Are Most Like The Jeep Wrangler Without Having To Be A Jeep Wrangler?

The Wrangler has been at it for decades now, showing no signs of slowing down. Sure, it's not perfect, but the Wrangler's personality and character are so unique that there's nothing quite like it. However, if you're not part of the Wrangler "cult" and fancy the off-road thrills of rock crawling and dune bashing in a similar package, your options are fairly limited.

If you're shopping new, the closest you can get to the Wrangler experience is with the new Ford Bronco, or maybe even the Toyota 4Runner or the new Land Cruiser. Push the budget a bit more, and you can bring home a nicely-specced Land Rover Defender or the industrial-looking Ineos Grenadier that Hertz will rent you, if you're really into the off-road scene and don't mind its slightly compromised on-road behavior. The used market, on the other hand, offers more variety. Depending on your budget, anything from an old-school Land Cruiser FJ40 to the first-generation 4Runner is on the table.

It's worth pointing out that each of the trucks and SUVs mentioned above has its fair share of pros and cons. The Defender, for example, is very comfortable given its capabilities, but it's not for those who like to hose out their interiors and take the roof off. As for the Grenadier, it's pricey and not particularly exciting to drive, which, to a certain extent, is also true of the Japanese old-timers. These Toyotas aren't cheap, but they're not out of reach either. Unlike modern trucks and SUVs, however, they are incredibly simple in their design and construction. Still, it's really the new Bronco that's the Wrangler's closest off-road alternative.

Since the reborn Bronco is fairly new to the market, a fair, apples-to-apples comparison would be against the Wrangler JL. Firstly, both the Wrangler and Bronco are available in two or four-door variants. Secondly, the Bronco, just like its Jeep counterpart, offers the option of taking the doors off, as well as the roof. The level of customizability is also roughly the same between the two SUVs. Ford offers more modularity in the way the roof splits. Jeep offers the optional One-touch Power Top, which, in all fairness, is far more convenient. As far as factory 4x4s go, both the Wrangler and Bronco are right there at the top, according to Kase and Tommy of the TFLtalk YouTube channel.

That said, there are differences between the two. The Bronco uses an independent front suspension, as opposed to the Wrangler's solid axle. While wheel articulation may seem compromised, the independent system does translate to a much better on-road experience. As for engines, the Wrangler's optional 470-horsepower 6.4L V8 towers over the Bronco's standard engines: a 300-hp turbocharged 2.3L four-cylinder or 330-hp twin-turbocharged 2.7L V6. Base variants of both SUVs offer manual transmissions, although Jeep has more variety in the engine department, with a turbo-four, V6, and V8 options. However, be mindful of the price. In Ford's case, the spiciest V6 is only available in the $80,000-plus Bronco Raptor, while Jeep offers a V8 Wrangler Willys 392 from as low as $72,000. If that's too expensive, check the used market. Although used Wranglers have pretty strong demand, you can find three- to four-year-old Broncos at a fairly reasonable price.