By: Lawrence Ulrich
New York Times
WHAT IS IT? A four-door all-terrain conquistador.
HOW MUCH? Base price, $32,800; as tested, $35,975.
WHAT MAKES IT RUN? A 3.8-liter V-6 (202 horsepower, 237 pound-feet of torque); 6-speed manual or 4-speed automatic.
IS IT THIRSTY? Does a Jeep drink in the woods? The economy rating is just 15 m.p.g. in town and 19 on the highway.
ALTERNATIVES Land Rover LR2, Toyota FJ Cruiser.
REUNIONS are often a letdown, as anyone who’s been reintroduced to a high-school flame can tell you. (Who is this psycho and why does she want to dance to “Lady in Red?”)
So when a Jeep Wrangler appeared on my doorstep, I kept my expectations low. I had a serious crush on a Wrangler Sahara I owned in the ’90s, but I was single and carefree then. The Jeep’s kidney-shaking ride, intermittent heat and nearly useless back seat were all part of its charm.
I knew that the Wrangler was still around, doing its woodsy, back-road, ski- and beach-bum thing. But as with a Facebook “friend” from the old neighborhood, being aware of the Jeep’s existence didn’t mean I wanted to rekindle a relationship. But then it happened. After a 10-minute reintroduction to the Wrangler, I was ready to hightail it to the nearest mountain hideaway or find some muddy ruts to wallow in.
The Wrangler is as fun to drive as ever, even in unlikely places — like my cobbled Brooklyn street. And while “icon” is used loosely in the auto business, the Wrangler — like the VW Beetle or Mini Cooper — certainly is one.
The Jeep, of course, is a direct descendant of World War II military vehicles, and the Wrangler name can be carbon-dated to 1987. And from its school-bus-style manual shifter to its painted-metal interior and fold-down windshield, the Jeep’s authenticity and stout, old-school feel could melt the hardest automotive heart. Read the rest of this entry »
