The all-new 2018 Jeep Wrangler: you’re gonna love it
It’s improved on the already legendary off-road capability, but has taken its on-road performance up a notch, too: Jim Kenzie
MARANA, ARIZ.— Two of the best-known brand names in the world are Coca-Cola and Jeep.
I don’t road-test soft drinks, so you know which one I’m talking about here.
The 2018 Jeep Wrangler is the eighth generation of the vehicle that helped win the Second World War. It goes on sale in January 2018, starting at $33,945.
Jeep is an anomaly in the car business for a number of reasons. First, its intended market is rugged men who want to go off-roading in their spare time, yet one of its biggest market subsets is young women.
And the small Jeep has historically ranked very low on various reliability and durability surveys, yet it enjoys one of the highest value retention scores in the industry.
This Wrangler and its predecessors have always been nearly unbeatable in any off-road evaluation. The objective for the design team this time around was to retain that off-road capability, while making it a much easier vehicle to live with on a day-to-day, drive-to-the-office basis. Executive summary: bases-loaded home run.
The 2018 Wrangler is about as all-new as a vehicle gets these days, yet its looks say JEEP in all caps.
The windshield and front end are slightly raked for better aero, hence improved fuel consumption. Trainspotters will have fun finding detail changes, such as the rear licence plate holder bolted beneath the left tail light where it is less likely to get torn off when you’re going upcountry.
The windshield can be folded flat, a feature that dates back to the very first Jeeps, which had this so they would be easier to ship to Europe during the Second World War.
Two paths diverged in a Lexus dealership, and if you’re sorry that you cannot travel both, that means it’s decision time: Do you want to drive home in the stunningly styled Lexus LC 500 coupe or its equally eyecatching LC 500h hybrid sibling?
It’s not the easiest question to answer, but after having spent time behind the wheel of each model, I’ve managed to come to a better understanding of who each of these similar-but-different luxury rides is aimed at. Which Lexus LC model might be the best fit for you? Style clinic It’s hard to find fault with the bodywork wrapped around either version of the Lexus LC, which comes across as a stunning testament to the bravery of the brand’s designers. A car this extroverted is going to have a somewhat polarizing effect on potential customers, especially at the top end of the premium coupe market, but that’s not to say that the vehicle’s graceful lines court controversy on purpose. You will be noticed regardless of which version of the LC you choose to drive, so once you’re comfortable with that, it’s largely a question of details. You’d be hardpressed to tell the two cars apart until you got close enough to read the Hybrid badge on the rear quarter panel of the battery-assisted model (you could easily remove it), which means that there’s little reason to make this choice based on looks alone. V8 rumble Of course, the similarities between the Lexus LC 500 and LC 500h evaporate into a whirlwind of sonic fury as soon as you hit the push-button start to fire up the former’s 5.0-litre V8. It’s an engine that will be familiar to anyone who has sampled Lexus’s high-performance F lineup, but it has never sounded better than it does in the LC 500, where it sings 471 horsepower at 7,100 r.p.m. out of its twin tailpipes. Also featuring 398 pound-feet of torque, it scoots the coupe’s 1,982 kilograms to 100 km/h in just 4.6 seconds and makes use of an unusual 10-speed automatic transmission. It might surprise you to learn that much of that optional go-fast gear can also be added to the LC 500h. This is because the hybrid car is no slouch itself: its 3.5-L V6 combines with a pair of electric motors to produce a total of 354 hp, and off the line, the car is only barely slower than the V8 in a straight shoot to 100 km/h. The driving experience that the 500h offers, however, is dramatically different. Personality goes a long way Neither the Lexus LC 500 nor the LC 500h can be considered a true sports car, with their heft and performance figures leaning more toward the grand touring side of the spectrum (as was intended by Lexus). Despite each vehicle’s tendency toward a smooth ride under normal driving conditions, a chasm opens between the two when you start to seek out a few thrills from the driver’s seat.
With its drive mode set to Sport+, the LC 500 executes loud, throttle-blipping downshifts with a pull of its steering wheel-mounted paddle, while stiffening the suspension system to keep the car more composed through the corners. It’s a fun car to drive, with tail-sliding antics available should you desire, and the engine feels like a willing co-conspirator when you drop the hammer on a less-than-straight road.
The LC 500h, on the other hand, might be right there in the numbers game when it comes to handling and overall performance, but it comes across as less engaging with your right foot on the go-pedal. There’s also more than a tinge of the artificial from the V6 when driven in Sport+, and the car seems distinctly more comfortable eating highway kilo- metres than it does getting frisky on a two-lane stretch of tarmac.
Both coupes are comfortable tourers, but only the 500’s V8 manages to transcend the overall competence of the LC platform and make the car feel like something truly special when you roll up to the valet station Bargain-priced power You’ll be pleased to know that the more powerful of the two cars also happens to be the least expensive: You’ll pay $101,600 for the Lexus LC 500 versus $118,100 for the Lexus LC 500h. There’s a significant fuel efficiency difference between the two, of course, with the hybrid offering 8.0 L/100 km in combined driving versus the less-stellar 12.2 L/100 km of the eight-cylinder, but when shopping at this price point, efficiency rarely plays a significant role in the buying process — and it’s unlikely that those who choose the 500h for its green cred are concerned about making up the sticker shock at the pump. The verdict It’s clear the LC 500’s V8 heartbeat makes the best match for the coupe’s otherworldly design and provocative personality. You wouldn’t carry a sword if you didn’t know how to parry-parry-thrust, and for most people, when piloting a conversation-starter like the Lexus LC, it’s better to lead with an eight-cylinder rumble than meekly float away from the stoplight surrounded by a cloud of green vibes.
There will no doubt be a small contingent of the Lexus hybrid faithful willing to pay more for a less visceral experience, but the percentage seems likely to remain a sales footnote. The LC 500h is an excellent car that’s destined to play Salieri to the 500’s motor-revving Mozart for the duration of its existence, and much like that musical pairing, we can definitely tell which one will still be remembered in a few hundred years.