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© JAMES TAYLOR
Editor: Land Rover Enthusiast Magazine
Background
Visually, the Jeep Wrangler is the latest incarnation of the war-time Willys Jeep which started it all, but the two vehicles are very different indeed under their similar styling. Whereas the war-time Jeep was uncomfortable, slow and utilitarian, the Wrangler is comfortable, quick (especially in 4-litre form) and (in some versions) positively luxurious. Like its ancestor, it is also ruggedly built.
One reason for the Wrangler's greater sophistication is that it is built around the same mechanical components as are used in the Cherokee sport-utility, a vehicle of very different pretensions. Previous open Jeeps in the range, right down to the CJ-7 model which gave way to the Wrangler in 1986, had shared their mechanical specification with contemporary military Jeeps.
The origina1 Jeep shape might in fact have been lost forever in the mid-Eighties, because the company had lost the military contract which underpinned its existence (the US Army had switched to the bigger Humvee all-terrain vehicle) and there was some doubt whether civilian sales were enough to justify production. However, a promotional tie-up with the Wrangler leans company helped the traditional Jeep to remain in production and gave its latest incarnation a new name.
Jeep deliberately retained the traditional separate-chassis construction and military styling for their new vehicle. However, their market research had shown that only some 5 per cent of US buyers actually used their vehicles regularly off-road, and that most Jeeps were used purely as road vehicles. As a result, the Wrangler was built with a greater bias towards road use and convenience features than earlier models of its type. Nevertheless, it retained its traditional off-road ability.
In the UK, the Wrangler is sold with a removable plastic hardtop as standard; a folding soft-top is an extra-cost option. No diesel-engined model is currently available, although the VM turbodiesel fitted to the Cherokee is expected to become available for the Wrangler in continental Europe and may also reach British showrooms.
Character summary
The Wrangler is a two-door vehicle with a removable hardtop, optional soft-top and a padded roll-cage. It was never intended as family transport and is unsuited to that role: it is at its best when used as a weekend fun machine. Its traditional (for which read 'old-fashioned') styling is designed to be noticed and to create an image for its owner, and although it can be bought with comfort and convenience features, it is an essentially impractical vehicle.
In base form, the Wrangler is surprisingly spartan for an American leisure product. Its interior is disappointingly utilitarian without the leather option available on Limited models. Nevertheless, it undeniably has a great deal of character - and that is what persuades most of its buyers to have one.
Performance summary
All versions of the Wrangler are easy to drive, with light power-assisted steering and either automatic transmission or a slick five-speed gearbox. The 2.5-litre is quick, while the 4-litre models are very fast - automatic transmission keeps the power under control rather better than the manual gearbox. The stiff springs make for stable cornering with little body roll, but they also make the ride rather rough, with plenty of pitch and bounce. At motorway speeds, the vehicle suffers quite badly from wind noise even when the hardtop is in place.
Off the road, the Wrangler is not actually as great a performer as its famous name would suggest. The old-fashioned leaf spring suspension is primarily to blame because it does not allow as much axle articulation as more modern coil-sprung designs. Nevertheless, the Wrangler does acquit itself well off the road - perhaps rather better with the 2.5-litre engine than with the more road-oriented 4-litre.
Reliability, weaknesses, spares
Build quality is rather variable on the Wrangler, but no consistent weaknesses have shown up since the model has been imported into the UK. It is unlikely that they will, as the design is now fairly old and any early difficulties must have been sorted out many years ago. However, it is worth checking used examples to see if the front safety-belt webbing has become damaged after getting caught in the door locks.
Spares are readily available through the Chrysler Jeep dealership network.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
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