I’ve never been so glad to have a cell phone in my life. A good friend and Moto123.com scooter tester Amyot came down and bailed us out. As we got out of the trail, which ended on the side of the highway, I floored the throttle and merged onto it, only to be showered by mud that was clinging free of the knobby tires. A complete hose-down was next, and the Jeep got one too. The porous plastic fenders are hard to clean.
On the road, the Wrangler doesn’t shine as brightly. It’s noisy. You feel as though you’re fighting against a strong wind all the time. It wanders in its lane, the steering needs endless corrections, but it’s not as bad I’m describing it. In fact, you do get used to it after a while, and it’s way better than in the last Rubicon I tested, which was a previous-gen 2005 model.
The 3.8-litre pushrod V6 is old-school perfect for the Wrangler, delivering 202 horsepower and 237 pound-feet of torque. Zero to 100 km/h takes 11.4 seconds, which is a little slow, but that’s not the Jeep’s forte and, frankly, it’s sufficiently quick for the everyday commute.
The Jeep’s braking could be improved, though, as an emergency stop takes more real estate than any other truck we’ve tested. By the way, our fuel economy average is 13.5 L/100 km.
The Unlimited’s longer wheelbase not only provides more room for back-seat passengers, but gives the Jeep a better ride on the open road and around town. For me, four doors would be the only way to go.
Inside, the Wrangler has an old-fashioned feel, with a thin-spoked wheel as well as heavy-duty plastic dash and door panels. The sound system is mounted high up for easy consulting, and our Rubicon test truck also sported a navigation system as well as non-heated leather seats that we wouldn’t choose if we were buying; they should be easier to clean than cloth upholstery, however.
Base price for a stripper two-door Wrangler is $20,595, while the price of admission for an Unlimited Sport is $25,995. Our Rubicon, including the Trailer Tow Group ($475), the Dual Top Group ($2,075), the leather seats ($695) and the navigation system ($2,175), costs $37,915.
The closest rival to the Wrangler is the Toyota FJ Cruiser, whose price ranges from $31,900 to $38,510. It’s very capable in the trails, it offers a better on-road experience, but it’s not as practical and you can’t rip the top off when it’s nice outside like the Jeep.
You shouldn’t normally buy a Wrangler if you’re not planning to take it in the woods every second weekend, because it’s rough around the edges for daily use. However, this latest version is more civilized than ever and still as talented in the trails, so the sacrifice for a little fun in the mud isn’t all that bad. For those who aren’t off-roaders but badly want a Wrangler anyway, we say skip the two-door and go for an Unlimited.
On the road, the Wrangler doesn’t shine as brightly. It’s noisy. You feel as though you’re fighting against a strong wind all the time. It wanders in its lane, the steering needs endless corrections, but it’s not as bad I’m describing it. In fact, you do get used to it after a while, and it’s way better than in the last Rubicon I tested, which was a previous-gen 2005 model.
The 3.8-litre pushrod V6 is old-school perfect for the Wrangler, delivering 202 horsepower and 237 pound-feet of torque. Zero to 100 km/h takes 11.4 seconds, which is a little slow, but that’s not the Jeep’s forte and, frankly, it’s sufficiently quick for the everyday commute.
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| The 3.8-litre pushrod V6 develops 202 horsepower and 237 pound-feet of torque. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |
The Jeep’s braking could be improved, though, as an emergency stop takes more real estate than any other truck we’ve tested. By the way, our fuel economy average is 13.5 L/100 km.
The Unlimited’s longer wheelbase not only provides more room for back-seat passengers, but gives the Jeep a better ride on the open road and around town. For me, four doors would be the only way to go.
Inside, the Wrangler has an old-fashioned feel, with a thin-spoked wheel as well as heavy-duty plastic dash and door panels. The sound system is mounted high up for easy consulting, and our Rubicon test truck also sported a navigation system as well as non-heated leather seats that we wouldn’t choose if we were buying; they should be easier to clean than cloth upholstery, however.
Base price for a stripper two-door Wrangler is $20,595, while the price of admission for an Unlimited Sport is $25,995. Our Rubicon, including the Trailer Tow Group ($475), the Dual Top Group ($2,075), the leather seats ($695) and the navigation system ($2,175), costs $37,915.
The closest rival to the Wrangler is the Toyota FJ Cruiser, whose price ranges from $31,900 to $38,510. It’s very capable in the trails, it offers a better on-road experience, but it’s not as practical and you can’t rip the top off when it’s nice outside like the Jeep.
You shouldn’t normally buy a Wrangler if you’re not planning to take it in the woods every second weekend, because it’s rough around the edges for daily use. However, this latest version is more civilized than ever and still as talented in the trails, so the sacrifice for a little fun in the mud isn’t all that bad. For those who aren’t off-roaders but badly want a Wrangler anyway, we say skip the two-door and go for an Unlimited.
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