When those experts are the team at Car and Driver and they tell you a vehicle is among the 25 models that are worth waiting for you sit up and pay close attention to what’s being offered. One of the models on this list is now the cash cow and the hero of the FCA company, especially since they have sold off Ferrari and now rest their success not only on the Jeep brand but also on the fact that the Wrangler has been one of the most sought after and well-loved vehicles on the road.

The Jeep Wrangler is a cultish vehicle the same way the Catholic Church is. With roots that are seated deep in history as a vehicle that came out of World War II this do it all model that went from carrying the troops around and being called a seriously boring name (General Purpose) to being the model that has been sold and resold so many times the Wrangler is where FCA has bet its money. It’s hard to find anyone who hasn’t owned, driven or admired a Jeep Wrangler in the past and that’s certainly a good thing since the team at FCA has gone all in on the Jeep brand and the Wrangler model.

For the 2018 model year release the Jeep Wrangler will enter its 11^th generation and this new model will see some changes that are expected while it keeps a traditional look and feel. Including classic and loved features on this new model are important because the Wrangler continues to be one of the most popular models on the road and is certainly the vehicle that butters the bread for FCA. With more than 200,000 models sold just last year this is the cash cow that FCA needs to continue to ride into the future.

Thankfully the new model will continue to be the rugged body on frame construction that we’ve come to enjoy for off roading and for giving us the right way to enjoy the driving wherever we need to go. This new edition is expected to use more lightweight materials and improve the mileage from the engine under the hood. We also expect to see a new four-door pickup truck version that will be the attention grabber as the typical two and four-door hard and soft top models continue to be offered as well.

The powertrains we expect to see in this SUV include the lauded 3.6-liter V6 Pentastar engine that has been a staple for several years. The FCA plan is to include a turbocharged diesel engine, a hybrid powertrain after 2020, and possibly a turbocharged four-cylinder gas engine which will be called the Hurricane engine and give us nearly 300 horsepower. It’s important that Jeep continues to capitalize on the success the Wrangler has enjoyed so far and offering more powertrains can help continue the road to success that FCA needs from the Jeep Wrangler.

With announcements coming out of Ford that a Bronco will return in the future it’s imperative that FCA capitalize on the success it can achieve right now. This new Bronco will represent the only real completion for the Jeep Wrangler, but it may take a couple years for Ford to regain the foothold it once had. Other than that, the Jeep Wrangler is in a class by itself and it can make tons of money for FCA for years to come as the proverbial basked that FCA has put all its eggs in. Thankfully, the experts are certain this SUV will be a continued success since its one of the 25 models that we can’t wait to see and experience in the near future.