The 2020 Jeep Wrangler EcoDiesel Produces 442 Pound-Feet of Torque

When the fourth-generation Jeep Wrangler (JL) debuted for the 2018 model year, the big news was the announcement of a diesel engine for the U.S. Though diesel powertrains have been available for European-spec Wranglers for some time, this is the first time they’re being offered stateside. The 2020 Wrangler and its Gladiator pickup sibling will have a diesel option, albeit with some compromises.

“Diesel power will be offered in response to overwhelming consumer demand with a 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V-6 with ESS” (engine stop-start) Fiat Chrysler Automobiles confirmed in a press release last September. The motor produces 260 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque. The engine was manufactured by FCA EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) and adapted by FCA US to meet NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) regulations.

Check this out: The Lightyear One solar car charges while you drive and has a 450-mile range

The diesel V-6 is borrowed from the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel, which was first introduced for the 2014 model year. That was the first light-duty truck to offer a diesel powertrain in more than a decade, and that engine is now in its third generation. The engine uses a watercooled turbocharger. It is produced at the FCA Cento facility in Ferrara, Italy.

And now the bad news

The introduction of a diesel Wrangler is all well and good, but you may want to curb your enthusiasm. It will only be available on the four-door Wrangler Unlimited models equipped with a ZF TorqueFlite eight-speed automatic transmission. If you want a two-door Wrangler and/or a 6-speed manual, you’ll have to opt for the turbocharged 2.4-liter I-4 or 3.6-liter V-6 engines. Diesel Gladiator customers must also stick with the automatic, which is “designed to handle the increased torque output.”