Every spring brings the Easter Jeep Safari (EJS), a week-long event in Moab, Utah, filled with off-road adventures and Jeep concept vehicles. The only catch is that many of the one-off builds will never make it into production because they’re based on old models, such as the 1984-2001 XJ Cherokee, or too extremely modified for public consumption. However, you can expect to see the 1980s/1990s-themed Wrangler Rewind from the 2025 EJS on a road or trail near you because Jeep turned it into its latest Twelve 4 Twelve release. Jeep is even going to make a Gladiator Rewind special edition.
Instead of drawing upon Jeep’s World War II past, the Rewind’s designers went back to the decades in which many of them were born, the 1980-90s, and incorporated the bright colors, bold graphics, and early gaming and digital design of the times.
Jeep based the Rewind on the Willys model, but gave it a totally rad visual overhaul. Color choices for the body and the matching fender flares include Bright White, Granite Crystal, Anvil, Gloss Black, Hydro Blue, Joose, Earl (Wrangler only), and Reign, which appear to pair extremely well with the colorful exterior graphics “inspired by the bold hues and patterns of the mixtape and roller skate era.”
Other touches include gold wheels and tow hooks; only the Wrangler gets a special plaque on the swing‑gate and a spare tire cover with the multicolor graphics. Of course, Jeep made sure to add useful hardware, which consists of off-road tires and steel rock rails.
Inside, you won’t find a chunky built-in car phone, but there is a seven-inch driver information screen, heated steering wheel, adaptive cruise control, heated front seats, and more. An Off-Road+ mode and a locking rear differential maximize the Rewind’s ability to fast-forward through rough terrain. It’s easy to see the influence of the 8-bit arcade era on the Nappa leather seats’ embossed inserts. The cap for the shift knob has an equally nostalgic dot-matrix design on it. In addition, Jeep outfitted the throwback Wrangler and Gladiator models with all-weather mats and special cupholder plaques.
Back in the day, $1,900 could buy you a lot of Starter jackets but, these days, that’s how much the Rewind treatment adds to the price of a comparably equipped 2026 Jeep Wrangler or Gladiator. Look for both models in Jeep dealerships starting in May. Did you really think it would miss the opportunity to launch these during beach-friendly weather? In the words of Cher Horowitz (who drove a YJ Wrangler in 1995’s “Clueless”): As if!
