Jeep has a talent for naming things people remember. The Laredo nameplate is proof: it first appeared in the early 1980s as a dressed-up, leather-trimmed CJ, carried forward when the Wrangler replaced the CJ in 1987, and spent decades as the trim level that convinced buyers they could have capable and comfortable in the same vehicle. Now it returns as the ninth entry in the brand’s Twelve 4 Twelve Wrangler series, a yearlong run of limited special editions, and the 2027 Wrangler Laredo is a harder sell to dismiss than most badge-edition vehicles.
The reason is substance. Rather than bolting a special nameplate onto a base Wrangler and calling it a day, Jeep built the Laredo on the Wrangler Willys foundation and bundled the Xtreme 35 Package as standard equipment. That package brings 35-inch BFGoodrich KO2 tires and a 1-inch suspension lift, hardware that adds real off-road capability and would cost extra on most other configurations. The price premium over a Wrangler Willys with the Xtreme 35 Tire Package is $1,995, which is modest for everything piled on top.
That pile starts outside, where the Laredo makes a deliberate statement. The exterior leans into a rodeo-era aesthetic: a Gobi-accented grille gives the front end a warm, earthy tone; Laredo hood decals pull from archival designs; bodyside graphics reinterpret classic striping with cleaner proportions; and a rear lasso-style 4WD decal closes out the graphic package. Bronze beadlock-capable wheels and bronze tow hooks carry the warm-metal theme through the body, and bronze-accented Jeep and Trail Rated badges reinforce it. The big news for enthusiasts who remember when tan soft-tops were everywhere: the tan soft-top is back, offered here in modern execution as the standard open-air option. The Sky One-Touch powertop is available on the four-door; a black hardtop is available on both body styles. Both two-door and four-door configurations are offered.
Inside, the Laredo might be the most distinctive Wrangler interior in recent memory. Bison Brown Nappa leather covers the seats, with heating and power adjustment standard up front. Mayan Gold accent stitching runs throughout the cabin, contrasting against instrument panel surrounds, grab handles, door armrests, and the center console finished in Global Black. The combination is warm without feeling fussy, and the material quality reads several rungs above what the Wrangler typically offers. Two details push the interior into genuine collector territory: a rear swing gate plaque engraved with the GPS coordinates of Laredo, Texas, and a cowboy hat motif stamped into the HVAC pad prints. Subtle enough that most passengers will miss it, specific enough that the people who notice it will appreciate it.
Jeep showed a Laredo concept at this year’s Easter Jeep Safari, and by the brand’s account the production version stays close to that concept. That kind of continuity between show floor and showroom is rarer than it should be in the industry, and the Laredo’s relatively straightforward formula, graphics, bronze trim, upgraded interior, proven off-road hardware, made it achievable.
The timing is reasonable. Wrangler sales through the first half of 2026 reached 86,254 units, up 1% from the same period in 2025, though Q2 softened 12% to 41,793 units as Ford moved 45,739 Broncos in the same quarter, a 15.9% year-over-year gain for the Blue Oval. The Wrangler still holds the segment’s highest residual value per the JD Power 2026 ALG Residual Value Awards, which matters to buyers financing or leasing, but the Bronco’s Q2 momentum is a real competitive signal. A series like Twelve 4 Twelve keeps the Wrangler in enthusiast conversation between major product cycles, and the Laredo is arguably the strongest entry in that series to date.
Orders open later this month. A nameplate this storied, on a truck this capable, for $1,995 over the Xtreme 35 Willys: the case writes itself.
Source: Jeep. Images courtesy of Jeep.
