Jeep Calls The Wrangler An SUV, But Much Of The Internet Begs To Differ
Let's get one thing straight: Jeep officially markets the Wrangler as an SUV. But if you look at these Facebook and Reddit discussions, you'll find people calling the Wrangler a truck, an SUV, or simply a "Jeep." Because the Wrangler's exterior design, including its round headlights, flared arches, and seven-slot grille, is heavily inspired by the brand's Willys era, and considering the lengths Stellantis has gone to protect that design, simply calling the Wrangler a "Jeep" has more to do with brand recognition and identity than anything else.
Broadly speaking, an SUV is a vehicle that's generally considered spacious and boxy, while sitting high and coming with decent off-road and towing capabilities. As you may know, the Wrangler ticks many of those boxes rather comfortably. However, some comments, like the ones from Wrangler Forum, reserve the SUV title exclusively for the four-door Wranglers.
Things get a bit confusing when the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) starts classifying Jeep-like vehicles (the new Bronco, Wrangler, and so on) as open-body-type multipurpose passenger vehicles. According to 49 CFR Part 571 (Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations), a vehicle designed with either no roof or a user-removable top and built either on a truck chassis (body-on-frame) or with off-road hardware, while seating 10 or fewer people, qualifies as a multipurpose open-body vehicle. So, the Wrangler is an MPV now? Technically, yes.
But there's more
Sifting through the federal regulations, specifically 49 CFR Part 523, you'll notice that the Jeep Wrangler can fall into the light truck category as well. This category is defined as a vehicle having four-wheel drive or a gross vehicle weight (GVWR) of more than 6,000 pounds. Not only that, but the classification also demands the vehicle complies with four out of the five separate clearance requirements, including specific approach, departure, and breakover angles — all of which the Wrangler meets. Although most 2026 Wranglers weigh under 6,000 pounds gross, it's worth pointing out that certain models, like the Moab 392, have a GVWR of 6,400 pounds. But the point is, calling the Wrangler a light truck isn't necessarily wrong.
And then you have this weird conundrum where certain states register Wranglers as station wagons or trucks, while others classify them as SUVs or multipurpose vehicles. Per this Facebook discussion, Michigan owners report their Wranglers being registered as wagons, while drivers from other states like Kentucky and Colorado say theirs are classified as trucks. However, North Carolina considers Wranglers as multipurpose vehicles, while Massachusetts lists them as SUVs, according to comments in the thread.
However, the NHTSA explicitly states that it is the manufacturer's responsibility to classify a particular vehicle in the first place, and that the agency may tentatively classify the automobile according to its own understanding within the context of federal safety standards. By that logic, the Wrangler is an SUV, as Jeep says so. Regardless of which camp you fall into, the Wrangler is a capable machine that's surprisingly resilient to depreciation and happens to have its fair share of lovers and haters.