Islander trim returns to Jeep lineup after an 11-year vacation
The Jeep Wrangler continues to be a favorite of off-road enthusiasts because of its rock-ready suspension, top-down versatility, and classic styling. The fact that it’s offered in more than a dozen highly customizable trims across both two and four-door guises doesn’t hurt. Jeep is once again offering the Islander trim package for 2021, a trim that debuted on the YJ Wrangler in 1988 and returned in 2010 on the JK Wrangler. For the first time, the trim will also be available on the Jeep Renegade.
Each 2021 Wrangler Islander is based on the Wrangler Sport S and is available in two- and four-door flavors. The Islander package adds 17-inch aluminum wheels and rock rails from the Wrangler Rubicon with dual-zone climate control and the mid-level Uconnect 7-inch touchscreen audio system that incorporates Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Visually setting the Islander apart are “Tiki Bob” hood graphics and black upholstery highlighted by Surf Blue stitching and an embroidered Islander logo.
The optional $670 Islander Plus Package adds a Sun Bonnet top, grab handles, a cargo liner, and a spare tire cover with another Tiki Bob graphic. A soft top is standard, but a white top is available. Sorry, no other paint-matched flares or tops are available.
Jeep’s release notes that the Islander is available in most Wrangler colors: Billet Silver, Black, Chief, Granite Crystal, Bright White, Firecracker Red, Hellayella, Sarge Green, Snazzberry, and Sting-Gray. However, the Jeep website also allows you to configure an Islander in all of those colors plus Hydro Blue and Nacho. That’s a big change from the last two times the Islander trim was offered, when it was only available in a handful of colors. With destination, the two-door Islander starts at $36,360; the four-door will set you back at least $39,860.
Strangely enough, the Jeep Renegade, itself named after a former Wrangler trim, is the first non-Wrangler to wear the Islander trim. The Renegade Islander is based on the Renegade Latitude and adds a dual-pane panoramic sunroof, 7-inch Uconnect with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, along with keyless entry, remote start, 17-inch wheels, and, of course, Tiki Bob graphics. It’s only available in four colors: the highly appropriate Bikini plus Jetset Blue, Glacier, and Omaha Orange. It starts at $30,425.
Like many of Wrangler’s trim packages, the Islander is still highly customizable and simply bundles some popular options with a few unique touches to set itself apart from the basic models. For a top-down beach cruiser, it doesn’t get much better than this—other than a Fiat Jolly, perhaps.
