The Jeep Wrangler is impeccable, as is the off-road capability. The trouble is that the cost of buying and running is high, and there are more practical SUVs for sale.
It features a rugged, vintage trapezoidal chassis, a low-speed gearbox that crawls over boulders, locks the differential for better control of each wheel, and disconnects a portion of the suspension to help keep the wheels on the ground. You can also add various forms of winches, light bars and lifting tools to make you look like Mad Max and stay away from Tarmac as much as possible.
However, the Wrangler is also purchased for its iconic appearance. Therefore, its famous shape is not excessive, including the bold front end with seven bold vertical grid grilles and (now LED) round headlights, as well as a square body and huge chunky wheel arch. Outgoing buyers can also choose new colors, including bright orange, yellow and green.
The Jeep Wrangler has two or four-door forms, but both benefit from improved internal quality. Improved in a sense that it has added plastic and flashing switches, but still not a patch for Audi, BMW or Mercedes. The new 8-inch Uconnect infotainment system with Apple Car Play and Android Auto is standard, and the dashboard for the 7-inch color drive is standard. Both are a welcome upgrade to the front car, but the visually more impressive and easy to use the touch screen on the market.
And there are better SUVs for families to travel. The luggage of the two-door model is small and it is difficult to access the rear seats through the front seats. The luggage space of the four doors is much better, and the space in front and rear is also good, although the rear knee space of tall adults is still very common. Both cars also have clumsy side-hinge suitcases that can be annoying in a narrow parking lot or garage.
However, few SUVs offer open-top driving like the Wrangler. You can choose from an electric open top, a three-piece removable hardtop or a movable soft-top model to allow wind to flow through the hair.
On the engine side, there is a 200-horsepower 2.2-liter diesel engine or a turbocharged 272-horsepower 2.0-liter gasoline, and each Jeep Wrangler is equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission. Both are powerful engines, although gasoline is a smoother, quieter choice albeit more thirsty. Given that the purchase price of both is the same, we will choose (slightly) thrifty diesel.
There are three well-equipped Wrangler decorations, first the Sahara Desert, then the more luxurious Overland, and finally the off-road Rubicon. Compared with the previous Wrangler everyone is more comfortable on the road but still has some shortcomings compared to traditional SUVs. Choosing Rubicon with larger standard multi-section tires, you must also endure more road noise on the highway.
The width of the Wrangler may also make it daunting on narrow town roads. If you like to drive fast on winding country roads, forget it. It is not the natural habitat of the Wrangler. No, this is the most comfortable environment for off-road, and almost no car will catch it on its turf.
However, even if you are a tough guy in a buggy, or just like the appearance of a Wrangler, it is difficult to bear the costs involved. Both engines are not cheap, and the Wrangler starts at £45,000, making it unbeatable compared to German alternatives. The latter’s driving and riding performance are better. And the Wrangler’s Euro NCAP safety rating is worth considering – it only gets two-fifths of a star, which is very poor.
Therefore, if quality, quietness and comfort are the most important, please avoid using the sturdy Jeep Wrangler. However, if you are more interested in finding out where other cars can’t be reached or in the crowd, there are few better SUVs to enter.