JEEP WRANGLER RUBICON
YOU’LL LOVE THE RUBICON ONCE YOU HIT THE TRAILS. HERE THE LONG-TRAVEL LIVE-AXLE SUSPENSION WORKS A TREAT KEEPING THE WHEELS ON THE GROUND, AND PROVIDING A SOFT AND COMFORTING RIDE
BACKGROUND
The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon is the latest and ultimate embodiment of the go-anywhere spirit and core mechanical design of the original and iconic World War II Jeep. The Toyota Landcruiser, the Nissan Patrol and Land Rover all owe their existence in one way or another to the original WW2 Jeep.
The latest iteration of the Rubicon – the JL – brings a new 2.2litre diesel and a new ZF eight-speed automatic.
The Rubicon is only available as a four-door and is distinguished from ‘lesser’ Wranglers by its impressive off-road arsenal that runs to front and rear lockers, deeper low-range gearing, a front swaybar disconnect and mud-terrain tyres.
TOURING
The Rubicon’s diesel engine offers strong off-idle response with decent power at high engine speeds. On the road it provides fussfree and relatively spritely performance despite the Rubicon’s garden-shed aerodynamics and reasonably hefty (over 2200kg unladen) weight. This new engine is also notably quiet and smooth and is backed by a world’s best-practice eight-speed ZF automatic.
The chassis is only so-so in terms of on-road dynamic sharpness, especially on bumpy roads, but this comes as no surprise given it has live axles at both ends and the steering is no doubt deliberately made vague on centre to mask the bump steer.
Still, all is not lost. The full-time 4x4 mode gives security of power delivery on slippery roads plus the convenience of a set-andforget drive mode when road conditions alternate back and forth between sealed and gravel and/or wet and dry. And while bumpyroad dynamics aren’t all that flash, the Rubicon still settles and corners well enough on smooth roads, even on its stock muddies.
TRAIL DRIVING
You’ll love the Rubicon once you hit the trails. Here the longtravel live-axle suspension works a treat keeping the wheels on the ground, and providing a soft and comforting ride. And if you want it softer and more comfortable again you can decouple the front sway bar via a dashboard switch. There’s no need to use the lockers unless it gets very gnarly as the off-road tuned electronic traction control does such a good job. In low range, leave the ZF auto in Drive for perfectly timed auto backshifts on descent without resorting to the paddle-shift manual mode.
It’s comforting too knowing that the BF Goodrich Mud-terrains not only provide grip but their light-truck construction and low speed-rating means they are less likely to be damaged off-road.
SET-PIECE HILL CLIMB
The Rubicon scaled the set-piece hill climb without lockers engaged or front swaybar decoupled thanks to the generous wheel travel and the electronic traction control. With lockers in and front swaybar decoupled, it proved totally effortless. Engine braking in descents is superb but ramp-over clearance could be better, due in part to the long wheelbase.
CABIN, EQUIPMENT AND SAFETY
The Rubicon’s cabin has a premium feel even if all the leather, as well as the heated seats and steering wheel, are part of an options pack that adds $4325. We nicknamed the Rubicon the “Reverse Tardis” as it feels small on the inside, and is, but more noticeably in the rear seat and luggage area rather than up front where the driver’s cramped footwell is the only annoyance.
Tilt and reach steering adjustment and comfortable front seats are positives, as is the radar cruise control that can be readily switched to manual mode, the big touchscreen, and embedded satnav with its notably good off-road mapping.
The Rubicon also comes with plenty of high-end safety kit including automatic emergency braking, blindspot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert, but rates three out of five stars under the new and tougher ANCAP safety test protocols.
PRACTICALITIES
The Rubicon can’t tow or carry big loads like other 4x4 wagons but it does have a unique side of its personality that other 4x4s can’t match.you can take the roof off and the Rubicon becomes an instant ‘beach buggy’, or even an on-road convertible, if you wish to think of it in that way. And while removing the whole roof takes a bit of effort and a couple of people, the two large roof panels above the driver and passenger can be easily removed to create a part open-air driving experience.
It should also be noted that Australian Rubicons come with smaller tyres than Us-model Rubicons (255/75R17 versus 285/70R17) due to the full-time 4x4 drive system using lighter duty axles than the US model’s part-time 4x4 system, which may compromise fitting a larger wheel/tyre package.
You would expect nothing less but the Rubicon comes with solid front and rear recoveries while the air-intake is mounted high, up against the underside of the bonnet.
SUMMARY
The Jeep Wrangler Rubicon is still the ultimate showroom stock 4x4 when it comes to getting seriously dirty, but it’s now more endearing and liveable thanks to its new diesel engine and fulltime 4x4 system.