2005 Jeep Wrangler X: More Capable Than Ever

Sandy B
Mar 8, 2021

2005 Jeep Wrangler X

The 2005 Jeep Wrangler is known for its pretty rough-and-tough, no-nonsense design. It’s a solid ride and easily recognizable as the type of vehicle that lasts. If you’re thinking about buying the Jeep Wrangler X from this year, you’ll find some pretty sweet features on board.

What does the 2005 Jeep Wrangler X have to offer?

As the second trim option from the base model, the X is a two-door 4×4 with a starting price of $20,280 when new. With the Wrangler X, drivers get upgrades to the cloth upholstery within the vehicle, as well as a leather-wrapped steering wheel (at an extra charge) and a nicer stereo. This vehicle also offers cruise control and a hardtop option. The vehicle comes with a 4.0-L I-6 engine that produces 190 horsepower and 235 lb-ft of torque.

Is it right for you? To find out, we’ll take a closer look at what makes the Jeep Wrangler X for this year stand out so you can determine if it’s the best choice. Take a closer look at the vehicle you’re considering at Vehicle History.

Ready to See What a Drive is Like?

Quite the typical Jeep from the exterior, the Wrangler X offers just a few upgraded features and options that make it a solid buy. Keep in mind, this is a 2005 (driver-assist features don’t exist yet), but this vehicle did a good job of bringing fun to everyday use.

Here’s a look at the car’s exterior and some features. This video easily shows the quality make of these vehicles. They were designed to take the heat, and that comes through in good body protection and overall solid performance under the hood.

Now after checking out the basics in that vehicle, let’s take a more in-depth look at the 2005 Jeep Wrangler X in this vehicle. Keep in mind these vehicles were popular, and that meant plenty of X options are out there with various configurations.

This vehicle offers a six-speed manual transmission. As noted, the base engine for this trim was a 4.0-L capable of producing 190 horsepower and 235 lb-ft of torque. This vehicle did have some towing ability at about 2000 pounds and an 800-pound payload. As a four-wheel-drive car, it was easy to maneuver and offered a pretty smooth ride. While it doesn’t offer a lot of power, it wasn’t meant to be the sporty off-roader, but rather the everyday vehicle drivers needed.

When it comes to performance, the fuel economy isn’t a big selling point. The 4.0-L engine gets just 13 city and 16 highway or a combined 14 miles per gallon according to EPA estimates. Overall, the powertrain isn’t close to being one of a performance vehicle, nor is it a typical passenger sedan. Of course, you could say the Jeep is in its own class.

The Wrangler X did not offer an anti-lock braking system at this level, and it was a four-wheel drive with a manual setup. It offered gas-pressurized shocks, coil rear springs, and an optional locking/limited-slip differential.

The vehicle also offered good cargo capacity at 48 cubic feet of space while also offering room for four people. You could use this for that long trip with ample room. The front seats are buckets with four-way control with a back bench seat.

On the interior, you’ll find the standard dashboard. As the second of several trim options for the 2005 model year, there were not a lot of upgrades on this vehicle from the base trim. It did offer an optional rear window defogger.

The interior offers cloth trim throughout. It also features manual windows (in the stripped-down version) along with all of your basic dashboard features. The vehicle has ample legroom even for someone that’s a bit taller. As for the equipment for entertainment, there wasn’t much here. You could count on a decent radio, in-dash mounted single CD player and four speakers. There was an option on the X to upgrade with an amplifier.

Check Out the Exterior

The 2005 Jeep Wrangler X was a good-looking vehicle. It offered a two-door style exterior with a monotone colored pain. It had deeply tinted windows as the standard feature. There was a manual convertible soft top, but many drivers opted to turn the X up a notch with the optional convertible hardtop or convertible roof glass rear window.

The vehicle features 15-inch silver styled steel wheels and fender flares that give it that extra bit of a fun look. You’ll also find it had a conventional rear cargo door (not a trunk).

It’s a good looking vehicle but did have a few drops in points by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration when it comes to the vehicle’s safety rating (it was not rated overall). The vehicle is solid though. Since 2005, there have only been two recalls on it (as of October of 2020). Those were on the brakes and the automatic transmission.

Is This the Vehicle to Impress?

One of the cool things about the 2005 Jeep Wrangler X is that it is an unassuming, reliable vehicle that has an impressive body and a solid engine. It’s maintained its condition for years and offers a solid look. The X was one of the base models – with a total of seven trim options available for the year. That makes it a solid vehicle, but if you want bigger, bolder features, check out the 2005 Rubicon or Wrangler Sport.

Thinking of Buying the 2005 Jeep Wrangler X?

Are you ready to find out more? Want to see how the value has held up? Check out the 2005 Jeep Wrangler X’s Vehicle History and get some insight from the people that have owned this vehicle.

avatar Sandy B
Sandy B. has written for The New York Times, Cleveland Magazine, and many online publications. She long-ago ditched the minivan life for the off-roading Ford Explorer (and hoping to restore a Shelby Mustang!)
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