Unconfirmed Rumor: 2017 Jeep Wrangler Will Have Diesel Option

There have been many rumors swirling about the forthcoming 2017 Jeep Wrangler JK. While few things have been confirmed (we don’t even have any pictures), the latest unconfirmed announcement is that there could be a diesel option. 

According to Motor Trend’s TruckTrend.com, one of the powertrain options for Jeep’s next-gen flagship will be the 3.0L VM Motori V6 EcoDiesel mated to the ZF eight-speed automatic. What does this mean? Developed by Fiat-owned supplier VM Motori in Italy, the EcoDiesel engine will give the Wrangler some excellent fuel economy – in the neighborhood of high 20s to 30s on the freeway – while still providing plenty of that signature Jeep torque. 

In 2014, the U.S. saw a grand influx of diesel-powered vehicles, including the Grand Cherokee. The EcoDiesel engine gave the Cherokee up to 30 mpg on the highway, up to 730 miles on one tank of fuel, and towing capacity of up to 7,400 pounds. The EcoDiesel also earned the No. 3 spot in Forbes 10 Best New-Car Engines for 2014, powering Chrysler’s Ram 1500 and giving it 24 mpg or better in combined city/highway driving. 

Other confirmed features of the 2017 Wrangler include front and rear solid axles, and body-on-frame construction.