Do Jeep Wranglers Make Good Family Cars?

Once you have a family, your options of appropriate vehicle choice tend to slim down a bit. If you are a fan of the Jeep Wrangler, you might be considering one as an option, but are they good as family cars? 

Jeep Wranglers have multiple seats, and are designed for a comfortable and casual ride. But as a vehicle designed with a powerful engine, and modular features like a removable top, it’s reasonable to question whether one will be the best for your family. 

If you are finding yourself in this boat, there is no need to panic. Read further on where we will cover some of the finer points of the Jeep Wrangler so that you can come to a decision yourself. 

Background & History Of The Jeep Wrangler

The Jeep Wrangler was first produced in 1986. The Wrangler is the inheritor of many designs features present in the brand’s World War II Jeep, called the Willy’s-Jeep. These have become the iconic image of the brand’s lineage and a touchstone for the design reference of some of the Wrangler’s most popular years. 

The Wrangler features many of the rugged design features present in the Willys-Jeeps, like a removable hard/soft top, the ability to remove the doors, and various others like the tapered nose design and iconic grill (which has gone through its own series of iterations through the years!) 

Over the years, the Jeep Wrangler has also become more and more adept at tackling off-road tasks, so if motorsports are your thing, the Wrangler may also help to scratch that itch. 

But one thing that set the Wrangler apart was the focus on being a commuter-friendly vehicle. This means that Wranglers are also intentionally designed to provide plenty of comforts, and multiple seats to carry your passengers. Safety features have also often been the focus, as is the case for most modern vehicles.

What To Look For In A Family-Friendly Car

Now that we have some kind of idea of what sort of car the Jeep Wrangler is, let’s run through things that we think may be worth considering before purchasing any car intended for family use. While these rules go for any type of car, they should be helpful to keep in mind when considering the Jeep Wrangler as a family car. 

Some things to look out for are: 

• Vehicle size – Is the vehicle large enough to bring everyone along? Is there enough space for future family members? 
• Number of seats – Seat capacity may be the number 1 concern while searching for a family car, and the biggest deciding factor. 
• Interior – Do you need a child-friendly interior? Cloth seats are nice and plush, but hard to clean. Easy-to-clean designs and leather interiors may be beneficial. 
• Trunk space – Sometimes you won’t just need to bring your family along. Consider that there will be times when you may need extra space for hauling. 
• Safety features – It’s a no-brainer why this one is so essential for a family vehicle. Keeping the family safe is a top priority.  
• Convenience – Ease of loading and unloading passengers and their belongings is important when you’re trying to run errands with the family. 

Now that we have our bearings on some things to prioritize, let’s check out how the Jeep Wrangler fulfills some of these considerations and others. 

Is The Jeep Wrangler A Family-Friendly SUV?

Jeep is a well-loved brand, and once you’ve had one, it can be hard to change to a different brand. Jeeps are very fun vehicles with a rugged appeal and plenty of power, but this might not translate into being the best family vehicle. 

While plenty of families may still choose to purchase a Jeep Wrangler as the family SUV, there are some aspects of their design that just make them less convenient than some other, more family-friendly options. 

Jeep Wranglers still perform fairly well on safety tests, they have a number of seats that can be suitable for most families, and usually come with a fairly easy-to-clean interior, so why isn’t the Jeep Wrangler a good family-friendly vehicle? 

Jeep Wrangler Convenience

While some four-door options exist, it’s still hard to argue the Jeep Wrangler as being the most convenient vehicle for families. While Wranglers are often described as comfortable, the back seats are relatively cramped compared to some larger-sized SUVs, and more importantly, the back seats are not designed for fitting car seats. 

Once you start trying to picture packing all of the kids into the back of a wrangler, with the week’s groceries, or the night’s sports equipment, you can begin to see where you might wish for a more convenient setup. 

Jeep Wrangler Safety

The Jeep Wrangler was designed to be friendlier to commuters, and a part of that comes down to the included safety features. The Wrangler was designed to reduce the likelihood of flipping over, but generally, it performs fairly well in safety tests. 

Unfortunately, though, there are reports of poor performance when hit from the side. According to tests conducted by IIHS the Jeep Wrangler has poor rear passenger head protection in the event of an accident, which is not good news for driving kids around. Not to mention that the overall safety evaluation for side impacts is marginal. 

The Jeep Wrangler may have received some upgrades from the original Jeep in regards to safety, but a close inspection shows that these specialized vehicles are capable, but maybe not good enough for some. 

Conclusion

The Jeep Wrangler surely is an appealing car, and we can’t necessarily blame you if you still want to choose one as your family vehicle. However, we do feel that it is important to understand the positive aspects of this popular Jeep, without undermining some of its potential shortcomings as a family vehicle. 

The Wrangler may have the right amount of room for some and comes with an awesome design that will set your family apart from the pack. But you may want to consider some other options if you want the best safety options, and possibly a more convenient form factor for your lifestyle. We hope that you find this information useful in your search for a family-friendly car!