Business Insider India has updated its Privacy and Cookie policy. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the better experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we\'ll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies on the Business Insider India website. However, you can change your cookie setting at any time by clicking on our Cookie Policy at any time. You can also see our Privacy Policy.
We drove a $48,000 Jeep Wrangler to see if the ultimate off-road SUV could live up to its legendary reputation
We drove a $48,000 Jeep Wrangler to see if the ultimate off-road SUV could live up to its legendary reputation
Mar 28, 2019, 20:25 IST
My $48,000 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon arrived with a snazzy paint job. It's called "Punk'n Metallic." Get it?
Advertisement
The little Jeep that defeated Hitler wasn't available in "Punk'n" metallic, but its battlefield history sets the standard by which all modern Jeeps are judged.
Advertisement
The first civilian Jeeps appeared in the late 1940s.
I tested a cheaper version of the Wrangler in 2017, from the previous iteration of the vehicle.
Advertisement
Believe it or not, the basic mechanical design hasn't changed much in the intervening decades since the vehicle first appeared. The Wrangler Rubicon is body-on-frame, with two solid poles of metal serving as its front and rear axles.
The now-legendary grille and headlights have been tweaked, but never truly revamped.
Advertisement
Let's face it — nothing else on the road looks like a Jeep. It stands out in the same was as a Corvette or a Lamborghini. It's an iconic design.
The branding and nameplating is more extensive than it was on our previous test Wrangler.
Advertisement
Notably, the Rubicon call-out. That's not for the river in Italy, by the way. It's the name of a famous off-road trail in California. Jeeps have been tackling it since the 1950s.
If you need proof, the Wrangler Rubicon is obviously trail-rated. In fact, the Rubicon trim level features a combination of staggering offroad capability and — for Jeep — somewhat impressive interior comfort.
Advertisement
The Wrangler is unmistakable from every angle. The shell over the rear seats and cargo area is removable, revealing the roll-bars. As this was a winter test, I didn't go there.
Yep, you have five tires.
Advertisement
The BF Goodrich all-terrains can take you from road to trail — but they're going to happier with the latter.
Note the mega-serious locking hubs — as well as the subtle reference to the original Willys Jeep.
Advertisement
That bumper ain't foolin' around.
Neither is this gas cap.
Advertisement
Or these functional hood scoops.
The Wrangler provides four convenient exterior cupholders.
Advertisement
What's new? These lights in the fender, for one thing. Might actually be the only thing, actually.
Cargo capacity with the rear seats up is pretty bad.
Advertisement
This schematic details four-wheel-drive operation, tells you what depth of water you can drive through, and reminds that the Jeep is built in Toledo, Ohio.
Let's check out the engine!
Advertisement
Dang! The prop-rod couldn't be unstowed! Lacking a nearby fallen limb, old axe handle, or dinosaur bone to hold the unlatched hood open, I had to use my arm.
The venerable 3.6-liter V6 makes 285 horsepower with 260 pound-feet of torque, which is unimpressive on paper. On a rock-strewn trail with the 4WD system active, you see the logic, however. The Wrangler isn't built for speed or comfort — it's built to extract you from severe jams.
Advertisement
Let's hike a leg way up and step inside.
The black interior featured leather-trimmed and topstitched seats.
Advertisement
That's fancy, but this is a Rubicon.
The rear seats are ... something of afterthought. There's a four-door Jeep if you need to use them. My eight-year-old could make his way back there only by crawling between the front seats.
Advertisement
You can overcome this challenge by throwing a few latches ...
... to remove the three-piece roof. Then you just climb in over the side!
Advertisement
That's a useful grab rod for the passenger.
There are grab points on the pillars as well. You'll need them if you rock-crawl and switch from level angles to ones that make you worry about tipping.
Advertisement
The driver gets a well-appointed steering wheel and the better-than-basic instrument panel.
There's a pushbutton stop start, a concession to modernity. But is also means a key chain isn't constantly banging around.
Advertisement
So we don't get to test the offroad cred of Wranglers. Suffice it say, however, that the eight-speed-automaker is well-mated to the motor, and that if you do you homework ...
... you'll be able to take full advantage of the best offroader that America has to offer, which can be configured to switch the 4WD on the fly.
Advertisement
The seven-inch infotainment screen is rinkydink by 2019 standards, but FCA's Uconnect system is quite good — and you aren't going to accessing your playlists when you're fleeing brain-eating zombies, anyway.
We've always been impressed with Uconnect. It handles everything from GPS navigation to device connectivity with aplomb.
Advertisement
There are USB/AUX ports, recharging options, and an audio system that sounds completely awful in the Wrangler Rubicon. Can't have everything!