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Overall: Despite its recent redesign it still not a
good on-road vehicle. But it shouldn't be.
Overall Rating: 4/10
Recommended: No
Before all else, it must be
noted that this review discusses only on-road characteristics of the Wrangler,
and is thus only aimed at people who would consider it for primarily on-road
use. (People who would buy it as an off-road toy already know that it has no
real competition, and their only decision will be choosing the options and
color of their new Wrangler.) And
the Wrangler is simply a bad on-road car.
The Wrangler is an image car for those who don't
go off-road, like the automatic V6 Mustang is an image car for people who
don't really care about sportiness. Be it the styling or the idea that appeals
to you, be well aware of its shortcomings in on-road ride, handling,
refinement, interior comfort, manual shift quality, and fuel economy, and its
high price.
The Wrangler's on-road usability has been
improved in the recent redesign. The new four-door version offers improved
rear-seat comfort and access and more cargo space, and it is improved in most
other areas as well. The convertible roof makes it unique among SUVs in the US
market. And prices have dropped compared to 2006 versions.
But this improvement isn't enough. To achieve
comfort levels that would be competitive with on-road biased car-based SUVs,
Jeep would have had to sacrifice the Wrangler's indisputable off-road prowess,
which would alienate the large section of this vehicle's customer base that
actually does take Jeeps off pavement. There are enough other cars on the
market that have abandoned the Wrangler's stiff, bouncy ride, its clumsy
handling, its long-throw clunky manual transmission, its small and
uncomfortable interior, its combination of a weak engine and mediocre fuel
economy, and its off-road ability to appeal to consumers who want an SUV but
not a truck. The Wrangler is fine the way it is, but on-road use customers
should look at the car-based competition. You can get a much nicer car for the
money than the Wrangler if all you really need is a car.
See Vehicle Overview
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