“Incidentally, four other pieces of equipment that most senior officers came to regard as among the most vital to our success in Africa and Europe were the bulldozer, the jeep, the two-and-a-half-ton truck, and the C-47 airplane.”
In the ninth chapter of his book Crusade in Europe, former US president Dwight D. Eisenhower narrates the events of Operation Husky during WWII. After a successful campaign in Tunisia, the Allies set their sights on capturing the Italian island of Sicily in the hopes of gaining control over the Mediterranean.
And it is within this context that Eisenhower mentions “the jeep” (or the Willys MB, which was later on turned into the civilian Jeep CJ-2A) as one of the most vital pieces of machinery to the Allied forces’ success.
I bring this to your attention for two reasons: one, as proof of the Jeep Wrangler’s provenance as a motorized mountain goat, and two, because Jeep won’t ever let you forget it.
There’s a Willys Jeep on the shift knob. There’s one on the windshield. Another tiny one drives across the seven-inch gauge cluster screen on startup. Almost 80 years since the end of World War II, and Jeep still won’t live it down.
However, despite its fabled origin, the appeal of a Jeep or a Wrangler in particular has always eluded me. Like the bumper sticker says: “It must be a Jeep thing.” And perhaps I’m just one of those who, again as the bumper sticker so eloquently suggests, do not understand.
The Wrangler is almost Porsche 911-esque in its design philosophy. Both cars have never been fully redesigned since their inception, but rather refined to perfection year after year. It’s difficult to see, but this here is the midcycle refresh of the Jeep Wrangler (JL), particularly in Rubicon trim. For the uninitiated, the local Wrangler comes in two flavors: Sport and Rubicon.
The former stands as the base model, while the latter is the fully equipped off-roader. As such, it comes with bigger 33-inch BF Goodrich K02 tires along with outboard fenders mounted higher to accommodate even 35- or 37-inchers.
Sprinklings of its utilitarian roots come in the form of exposed door hinges, a pair of hood latches, and flat squared-off panels all around. Ground clearance is unhampered by a step board, so getting in and out is quite the reach. But you do get rocker guards in its place, plus some other panels of underbody protection to go along with it.
New to this model year is the revised grille. The seven vertical slats have been shortened to give the front fascia a broader, more imposing grin. The signature round headlights are now LEDs and sport halo DRLs as well.
Inside, the old infotainment unit has been upgraded to this large 12.3-inch center display, which boasts modern features such as smartphone connectivity for both Apple and Android devices, control over vehicle settings, and various other systems. Other than that, basic, high-touch functions are controlled by big buttons and chunky rubberized knobs easily within reach.
The cabin is surprisingly cramped for its size. It is slightly wider than the current Toyota Fortuner, but feels narrower from the inside. Legroom for both front and rear passengers is just about enough to be comfortable. Headroom is not particularly impressive either due to the roll bars—a necessity given the Wrangler’s ability to shed its roof.
As a five-seater, cargo capacity is a reasonable 897L, which goes up to 2,050L with the rear seats down. It’s important to note, however, that the second row does not fold flush with the cargo floor when folded down.
The removable roof panels have been designed to be light, and can be easily managed by one person through the omission of insulation, so quite a bit of ambient noise does get through to the interior.
Local Wranglers are powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder making 268hp and 400Nm. And before anyone complains about not having the Pentastar V6, the four-banger does match the six-cylinder’s output.
Off-boost, the engine is gentle enough to keep things in check during traction-limited situations. If you want to have fun, you can do that, too. Turn the traction control off, shift the transfer case to 2H, dump a bunch of power to the rear axle, and get the Wrangler sideways with the mechanical handbrake. Yeehaw.
The eight-speed automatic is smooth and decisive, perfect for puttering around town and having serious fun in the middle of nowhere. During testing, we managed 6.7km/L in mixed conditions.
Interestingly enough, despite what its brash looks might lead you to believe, the Wrangler is quite well-mannered. The suspension is superb, the steering is light, and the visibility is very good.
Dana M210 and M220 live axles front and rear with electronic diff lockers, a disconnecting sway bar, and performance suspension underpin what is most likely the most capable off-road SUV in the world.
Despite all this, I still managed to get it stuck with the Wrangler’s starboard side 2ft deep into a muddy trench—which, it must be said, is not an indictment of the car itself, but rather a reflection of my severe lack of skill as an off-road driver. And while it took three young men with a shovel and a willingness to jump into murky waters to get it unstuck, the Rubicon was unfazed throughout.
The big tires tucking into the fenders and damaging sheet metal were never a worry. The truck’s underbelly scraping wasn’t even a concern. With a wading depth of almost 3ft, water ingress was not an issue. The situation never felt impossible. And when it got out, the Rubicon was peachy.
I, on the other hand, had to endure a barrage of cheap jibes and derisive fleers from my colleague on the way home.
Once you’re in the Wrangler, you will get the sense that you are in a specialized tool—one made to explore the deep yonder and see how far it goes. Its imperfection and its uncanny ability to unlock the spirit of adventure within you are what makes the Jeep Wrangler so special.
Despite its shortcomings, it wins you over by getting the fundamentals right: good performance, great ride quality, and even better driving dynamics.
Get behind the wheel of a Wrangler, and I’m certain you will understand, too.
JEEP WRANGLER RUBICON
Engine | 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline |
Transmission | 8-speed automatic |
Power | 268hp @ 5,250rpm |
Torque | 400Nm @ 3,000rpm |
Dimensions | 4,785mm x 1,877mm x 1,870mm |
Drive layout | 4WD |
Seating | 5 |
Price | P5,780,000 |
Upside | Literally a do-anything, go-anywhere vehicle. |
Downside | Risk of addiction. Passenger comfort is compromised. |
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