There's no question that the Jeep that most exemplifies the brand, is the Wrangler. There are, however, multiple versions of the Wrangler, from bare-bones to fairly plush. If you had to point to one trim as being the most emblematic of what a Wrangler should be (as well as its cousin, the Gladiator), it would be the Rubicon. That's because it adds the features to ensure that you and your Jeep can go anywhere. Apparently plenty of people like it, because the Rubicon has reached its own impressive milestone: 1,000,000 sales.Jeep From One Trail To A Global Phenomenon Those sales represent sales for both Wrangler and Gladiator Rubicon models, as well as sales globally, not just in the U.S. Still, that's a mighty impressive number. The first Wrangler Rubicon launched for the 2003 model year in the U.S. That means the model has been on sale for 23 years, and that comes to an average of 43,478 Rubicons sold per year.JeepHowever, sales probably started out lower, increasing dramatically over the years, since Rubicon availability expanded over the years across multiple Wrangler body styles as well as the Gladiator pickup. Even if we assumed that Jeep only sold about 43,000 Rubicons in 2025 (which is almost certainly low), that would actually exceed the number of Gladiators sold in America in 2024 (42,123). The point is, people can't get enough Rubicons.Jeep Where It Started And Where It Is The first Wrangler Rubicon, which took its name from a notorious northern California off-road trail, really set the template for all Rubicons of the future, even if it was a little basic and subtle by modern standards. The big attraction was the inclusion of factory locking front and rear differentials, which at the time were air lockers dependent on a small on-board air compressor. The rear differential also had a limited-slip functionality when not fully locked. The axles themselves were also upgraded from Dana 30 to Dana 44 units, and the final drive ratio was the shortest available 4.10:1. The transfer case also got a low range ratio of 4:1, giving the Rubicon an impressively low crawling speeds and wheel torque.JeepThe Rubicon also came standard with the 4.0-liter inline-six, rather than the base four-cylinder. It made 190 horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque. Jeep also included four-wheel disc brakes as standard, along with a five-speed manual transmission, though an automatic was available. The Rubicon also got 16-inch alloy wheels with 31-inch all-terrain tires, rather than 30-inch ones. Besides the wheels and tires, the only visual hints that the Rubicon was something special were diamond-plate steel panels on the rockers for protectin, and the now iconic decals down each side of the hood.JeepA lot of the modern Rubicon is very similar to that original. It still has a six-cylinder engine and manual transmission as standard, though the engine has a "V" layout and the transmission has a sixth gear. The V6 is quite a bit more potent, though, with 285 hp and 260 lb-ft, and now you can have the Rubicon with a turbocharged four-cylinder and an eight-speed automatic. It also has upgraded wheels and tires, though now it uses tires that are nearly 33 inches in diameter on 17-inch wheels.Interestingly, the Rubicon still has Dana 44 axles, and they still have a 4.10:1 final drive ratio, and the transfer case's low range is still 4:1. It is possible though to get an even shorter 4.88:1 final drive ratio on the V6 Rubicon. The differentials are still locking, though they're now locked electronically, rather than with air. The modern Rubicon does have a number of features that aren't just evolutions of the original. Among the functional ones are the electonic anti-roll bar disconnects, which allow for reasonable on-road handling and much more axle articulation off-road. It also has extra built-in switches for running auxiliary gear like off-road lights, and fancy traction control settings. On the styling front, the Rubicon still has the signature hood decals, as well as some side sill protection, but it also picks up a unique hood with an air scoop. Also, since the Rubicon was introduced, Jeep's factory accessory catalog is now fit to burst to make the Rubicon even more capable and unique looking.It's pretty surprising that the same basic recipe for the Rubicon has survived to today, even if it has gained a little extra sauce. We also suspect the Rubicon won't be going anywhere anytime soon, since on top of the 1,000,000 global sales, the Wrangler and Gladiator on their own had solid sales increases in America for 2025. We can't wait to see what happens with the models in the future.