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TOY SOLDIER

With our foreign diplomatic skills really having taken a plummet of late, it’s far more advisable to play-act being G-I Joe. Well then here’s an accessory you just can’t do without.

It may be a crawler, have a childish colour scheme and take on the shape of a tin box but we love it for all of these reasons. The new Jeep Wrangler with its much more attentive handling, trendier cabin and oodles of space is exactly the kind of successor Jeep needed. With so many flashy German models sulking their way through pretty village lanes to pick up little Johnny from school and every other model-wife of a footballer putting one at the top of their birthday list it seemed the soul had been taken out of 4×4’s. Yes these plus-size German machines always had the technology to savage a bit of mud and romp across rocky wildernesses but then who would see these starlets and their recently pampered claws and matching handbags in the back and beyonds of Dartmoor? The new Jeep though is iconic enough to make a statement on the road but where it really flourishes is off the beaten track.

Jeep knew that in order to sell to the masses it not only needed to be practical enough for farmers and savvy enough for Glastonbury folk, it also needed to be comfortable and to a certain extent, pretty. Now while the new Wrangler model isn’t conventionally either of the latter, its shuffle over rough surfaces is bearable and it’s fresh looking cabin is certainly female friendly. Having mountain hugging capabilities puts the ruggedness back in to off-road motoring and the four door Unlimited model also out-spaces the Land Rover Defender 110 in terms of stretching and luggage room.
Fording streams, rambling through dirt tracks and clambering near-vertical ascents are all accomplished confidently. Given its new torquier common-rail 2.8-litre diesel engine and low-ratio gearing it can also conquer precarious terrain even in tick-over mode. At its most potent its torque levels reach 410 Nm between a rev range of 2000 and 2600 which is more than adequate. The only real obstacle for the new Wrangler though is humps which could cause a few issues for novices; it’s pretty tricky to get the angle right due to the extended wheelbase and therefore its long overhangs. Never the less Jeep is very keen to enable their owners to make the most of Britain’s intrepid highlands and so plenty of driving days are offered throughout the year with instructors on hand to fine-tune your skills.

Choosing the right ESP setting will also depend on experience; you can choose from On, partially On or Off. Once you get to grips with how much power is needed for each task, the angle of the approach, how the weight shifts and the steering inputs you need you may want to experience the extreme version of Off-roading. However for the first few escapades you’ll probably be glad of electronic stability and roll mitigation, there’s also brake lock differentials to avoid any unnecessary wheel spinning.
On tarmac its softer suspension is noticeable as is the humming engine noise and while it’s lower gearing makes it very capable Off-road, push it to top end on the motorway and its fifth gear is a little premature. It’s got a reasonable pull from 0-62mph which it reaches in 11.7 seconds and a top speed of 112mph but for all its 2800cc’s it could have utilised this power a little more illiberally. Never the less the price of the Jeep Wrangler goes some way to winning over your affection for it. The Wrangler Sport Unlimited is priced at £19,995 which is £5,000 cheaper than its Land Rover equivalent. The equipment list is not as extensive as Land Rover’s but it does get electric windows, a radio and MP3 player. Fork out £22,090 for the Sahara model and you also get air-con, speed control, 18” alloys and washable seat covers.

When it comes to authenticity though, the Jeep is the real McCoy. It can trace its roots back to the original 1941 Bantam Jeep and still exhibits its coin-slot grille, button size headlights and removable parts along with lots of black plastic and its rear mounted spare wheel. While air-con is part of the package, removing the doors is quite a novel way to keep cool. Saying that the westerly wind could easily take a fancy to those bra-strap-like door fastners so just don’t start undoing them at high altitudes.

Inside the cabin, its retro originality continues; it may not be chic but it suits the hard-wearing image of the new Wrangler. Its ride height gives you an advantageous view of the road ahead and the extra lumbar support offered in the new Wrangler is certainly worthwhile when you’re pillaging through rutted farm tracks.

So does it help you re-enact your boyish heroism? Most definitely. It’s also likely to get you out and about at the weekend, exploring the UK and seeing geography from a real perspective rather than just through the Discovery channel.

Verdict

FOR: It’s authentic and striking to look at, driving it Off-road is lots of fun and the Unlimited version is also very practical in terms of towing and carrying equipment.
AGAINST: Its strong points aren’t power and dynamism but it is so much better than its predecessor.
CONCLUSION: If you want something flash for those short trips to the Golf club or Waitrose then the Jeep Wrangler isn’t it. On the other hand if you are going to use it for what it’s designed for and you’re looking for something original it’s well worth your consideration.

Spec

ENGINE: 2777cc 4 cylinders in-line
Co2 (g/km)/tax: 255
POWER: 174 bhp @ 3800 rpm
TORQUE (lb/ft): 295 lb ft @ 2000-2600 rpm
0-62mph (sec): 11.7
TOP SPEED: 112
MPG: 23.3 / 34.4/ 29.1 (urban/extra-urban/combined)
TRANSMISSION: 5 speed Automatic
SUSPENSION: Front: Live axle, leading arms, coil springs, stabiliser bar, track bar. Rear: Live axle, trailing arms, coil springs, stabiliser bar, track bar
BRAKES: Front: Vented discs Rear: Solid discs
LOADING CAPACITY: 666
WEIGHT: 1835
PRICE: £22,090
RIVALS: Land Rover Defender 110