Overview Iconic four-wheel-drive off-roader a unique beast with a lot to offer
Pros Unique styling cues, all-weather traction, four-season convertible.
Cons Poor tire selection for off-road use.
Value for money Good
What would I change? Swap tires.
The Jeep Wrangler is a rather unique beast, as the popular sport utility vehicle offers consumers a capable all-terrain vehicle as well as the ability to remove the top and enjoy the wind in your hair experience that comes with riding in a convertible. As a result of the versatility, Wrangler models have proven a huge success for parent company Chrysler.
There are two wheelbases and seven models of Wrangler available for 2015, but our tester, the Wrangler Unlimited Sahara, lays smack in the middle of the Wrangler lineup, and is one of the most popular models on the sales room floor.
The Wrangler Unlimited model has a stretched wheelbase and four doors.
Russell Purcell, Driving
The Sahara is well-equipped to fulfill daily duty as the family vehicle, but it isn’t as rugged and hard-edged as more aggressive models like the rock-crawling Rubicon. Sure, it is rugged enough to tackle whatever you may throw its way when the pavement comes to an end, but the Sahara has been designed to ride a little softer and display improved handling on city streets and the highway.
The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara, like most of the Trail Rated Jeep models, has been designed to perform in hostile environments. The product planning team at Jeep hope that the image of driving such a capable vehicle will appeal to those individuals who have a sense of adventure or like to test their limits. This is the main allure for putting a Wrangler in your garage for members of the company’s loyal customer base who embrace the fact that driving a Wrangler is good for their image.
The Wrangler still sports the seven slat grille and round headlights that have been a design cue for generations of Jeeps.
Russell Purcell, Driving
The Jeep Wrangler Sahara is available in either short wheelbase or four door form. The latter is referred to as the Unlimited, and since its debut almost a decade ago, consumers have taken to the stretched model due to its greater versatility with regards to transporting both passengers and cargo.
The Wrangler Sahara features a long list of standard equipment, but Jeep offers a long list of options allowing customers to equip their rig to best suit their individual needs. One of the most popular options is to replace the standard black roof with a body-colored Freedom Top with deep tint windows. Fitting one of these to the Wrangler gives the vehicle has a huge visual impact and makes the Jeep look more refined overall.
The optional body-coloured Freedom Top is removable.
Russell Purcell, Driving
Stepping up into the Wrangler can be a chore, so I appreciated that the test unit was equipped with side mounted tube steps. Once behind the wheel you immediately notice that the seating position is more of a perch than that in a traditional automobile, but this enhances visibility. The broad plateau of a hood is still somewhat difficult to see over, but your driving style will soon adapt to compensate for this.
The Wrangler Sahara’s interior design is quite utilitarian overall, but supportive, heated bucket seats wrapped in durable leather and a similarly finished leather-wrapped steering wheel help dress it up a bit. There is plenty of room to stretch out and all seating positions offer enough space for adult heads, hips, and limbs.
The instrument cluster is a traditional design, and proved very easy to read.
Russell Purcell, Driving
The compact gauge cluster is comprised of traditional instrument dials, and most switchgear and controls are within easy reach of the driver. Heavy-duty tread-pattern slush mats will prove popular during the dreary winter months, while also keeping water and grime away from your pant legs.
Standard equipment includes air conditioning, heated power side mirrors, leather-wrapped steering wheel with integrated controls, height-adjustable driver seat, cruise control, and a full suite of safety nannies to keep you out of trouble (including Electronic Stability Control with Hill Start Assist, Traction Control, Electronic Roll Mitigation and Trailer Sway Control).
The Wrangler gets its motivation from Chrysler’s award-winning, Pentastar 3.6-litre V6 engine. This smooth power plant produces a healthy 285 horsepower and 260 foot-pounds of torque across a relatively broad power band. The vehicle comes fitted with a six-speed manual transmission as standard equipment, but a five-speed automatic transmission is available as a low-cost option. Hill Descent Control is thrown in as a bonus for buyers choosing the automatic upgrade.
Motivation comes from the Pentastar 3.6-litre VVT V6 engine that produces 285 horspower and 260 foot-pounds of torque.
Russell Purcell, Driving
While not a rocket ship, I found acceleration to be quite impressive for a vehicle of this type and size. Handling is also respectable, as the Wrangler tracks straight and true with very little body roll. The ride is comfortable under most driving conditions, but the presence of heavy duty springs and gas charged shock absorbers can promote a bit of bounce when the brakes are applied in short order, or you encounter large potholes or speed bumps.
In an effort to keep their customers satiated, Jeep has continued to refine the Wrangler. As a result, the passenger cabin is much quieter and the level of fit and finish has definitely been bumped upwards. There is very little intrusion of engine or road noise, but at highway speeds you will notice a hint of wind noise around the edges of the removable roof panel.
Rear seating for three adults make the Jeep Wrangled Unlimited a family friendly vehicle.
Russell Purcell, Driving
The Wrangler Sahara is equipped with Jeep’s Command-Trac four-wheel drive system. Command-Trac features a part-time, two-speed transfer case with a 2.72:1 low-range gear ratio. During my testing I managed to get bogged down on a stretch of sand. The wheels began to spin and I was going nowhere fast. A quick pull on the Command-Trac shift lever activated the four-wheel-drive system and I extracted the Jeep with minimal effort. This proven system will boost your confidence when the weather or road conditions become hazardous.
Jeep seems to like the Bridgestone Dueler A/T tire, and for good reason. This popular tire has been designed to deliver excellent handling on both pavement and gravel strewn roads. The Duelers performed more than admirably during daily driving around town, and I was impressed by how quiet they were even when running at triple digit speeds. However, should more extreme off-road activities be on your agenda, it would be wise to swap them for a more aggressive design.
The Jeep Wrangler is perfectly suited to the Canadian marketplace and will no doubt continue to appeal to Canadian buyers as this very versatile vehicle is reasonably priced, quite reliable, and great for your image.
The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara has plenty of curb appeal.
Russell Purcell, Driving
The Specs
Type of vehicle Four-wheel-drive, front-engine, utility vehicle
Engine 3.6-litre Pentastar DOHC V6, 24-valves
Power 285 hp @ 6,400 rpm; 260 lb.-ft. @ 4,800 rpm
Transmission 6-speed manual or 5-speed automatic
Brakes Four-wheel disc with ABS
Tires P255/70R18
Price: base/as tested $35,395 / $45,250
Destination charge $1,695
Natural Resources Canada fuel economy (L/100 km) 14.8 city, 11.7 highway
Standard features Six-speed manual transmission, Command-Trac 4WD, 160-Amp alternator, four-wheel disc brakes, Hill Start Assist, Hydraulic Assist Brake Booster, Electronic Stability Control, Electronic Roll Mitigation, tilt steering, traction control, remote keyless entry, trailer tow package, alarm, tire pressure monitor, engine oil cooler, 3.73 axle ratio, heavy duty suspension, transfer case skid plate, fuel tank skid plate, Dana axles, Cruise Control, air conditioning, automatic headlights, steering-wheel mounted audio controls, black 3-piece hard top, leather wrapped steering wheel, chrome and leather shifter, Uconnect 430N AM/FM/CD/MP3, premium audio system, power heated mirrors, auxiliary power outlet, tubular side steps.
Options Customer Preferred Package 24G – $525; Connectivity Group: Includes tire pressure monitoring display, hands-free communications with Bluetooth, Vehicle Information Centre; Trailer Tow Group – $475: Includes 3.73 Axle, Trailer Tow 4-pin wiring, Class II Receiver Hitch; Supplemental Front Seat Side Air Bags – $400; Mopar slush mats – $50; Automatic transmission -$1,495: Includes Hill Descent Control; Anti-Spin Differential Rear Axle – $525; Air conditioning with auto temperature control – $225; Heated front seats -$400; Body-coloured Freedom top – $800; Alpine Premium Audio – $695; Uconnect 730N multimedia centre – $1,725: Includes integrated voice command, with Bluetooth, 40-gigabyte hard drive, Remote USB port; SIRIUS Satellite Radio- $350; Remote Start System- $395.
