‘LET’S HAVE SOME FUN’
It’s no wonder why all Jeep Wrangler owners wave to each other on the road
It makes no sense. It’s not all that sophisticated. It’s loud. It’s about as aerodynamic as a doghouse, and it drives only a little better than a John Deere. And yet the Jeep Wrangler is adorable.
Modelled after the Jeep CJ (and before that, the Willys Jeep), the 2017 Wrangler might be a little long in the tooth, but it offers a refreshingly simple antidote to today’s politically correct and overly sensitive culture by laying bare its essential philosophy: “Drive me, I’m a Jeep. Let’s go have some fun.” And so we did. Over ice and through snow — some of it up to the skid plates — the Wrangler Unlimited Sahara 4x4 let it be known that it still rides with solid front axles in front and back, that its body is still bolted to the frame, and that its mission is not to pamper, but to bring back the unique feeling of driving a large piece of mechanical equipment.
Sure, there’s plenty of bouncing around in the driver’s seat — good luck not spilling coffee in a cup without a lid — and steering that can get heavy when overworked. But there’s a pureness to this rawness, a plain truth that driving is still an awesome activity meant to be enjoyed, not a chore meant to be hurried through. Even better, the roof and doors come off. While the freezing cold and snow during our week meant the roof and doors remained shut, the procedure to remove them doesn’t appear all that difficult for anyone who has ever assembled Ikea furniture. The front overhead panels are even easier to take off, giving up their purchase with mere twists of a few levers.
But what other vehicle offers either two or four doors, great looks, a relatively quiet cabin, good power and the ability to tackle tough terrain while being able to transform itself into something that embraces every inch of the outdoors? Exactly. Until Ford’s new Bronco comes along, the Wrangler is the only open-top trail boss around.
This is why the Wrangler, which starts at $28,445 but can go well north of $50,000 (our Unlimited Sahara cost $52,335 with freight and delivery), continues to be so popular. It has sold more than 18,000 units in Canada every year for the past five, and roughly 10 times more in the U.S.
But, let’s be honest. Even though the Wrangler is designed to chew up the back 40, few owners spend much time there, so it’s worth measuring the Wrangler as a city dweller, which is where some of its shortcomings show up. Many of the interior plastics feel cheap, the wind noise is substantial, and the stopping distance from 100 km/h is about 45 metres.
A Hyundai Tucson, by comparison, requires about 39 m. Driving.ca Overview: Four-door mid-size SUV for off-road and urban driving Pros: Good looks, durability, , ground clearance, offroad mechanicals Cons: Loud, some parts feel cheap, needs an update Value for money: Good What I would change: Make the front suspension independent, coil-over adjustable with kinetic dynamics to improve ride without sacrificing off-road ability and modernize interior How I would spec it: Unlimited Sport S