JEEP WRANGLER RUBICON

What is it?

The latest JL model Wrangler has been with us for a few years now, and by retaining its live beam axles and coil suspension it remains a purposely built off-road icon. It doesn’t pretend to be anything else other than a vehicle designed to be modified by its owners and made for adventure, especially in the Rubicon guise.

On the road

Although the Wrangler Rubicon is designed and built for off-road use, that doesn’t mean it hasn’t got any on-road manners, far from it. The 2.0 litre petrol engine produces 272bhp and certainly puts a smile on your face when you plant your right foot, it’s surprisingly quick off the mark.

Considering it’s size, you’ll be surprised at how little it rolls around corners, of course it isn’t a sports car, but it does well, especially when you consider that it’s shod with proper sized mud terrains boots, none of those silly low profile tyres here. Once you get used to it, throwing the Rubicon around corners becomes predictable to the point of it being ruddy good fun. Okay, there’s a certain vagueness in the steering, and it’s quite heavy, but like most of the Wrangler’s foibles, you soon get used to it.

At low speeds I found that the acceleration isn’t as smooth as I’d wish for, those 272 horses are quite eager, and the auto ‘box can be a bit snatchy at times.

Fuel wise, I have no idea what it was doing the gallon, official Jeep figures say 24mpg, but I suspect much less as I wasn’t driving like I had Miss Daisy in the back.

Off road

Apart from the old style Defender (do we call it the ‘classic’ now?), I don’t think I’ve ever had a press car that I’ve taken green-laning as much as I have the Rubicon. With front and rear electric lockers, a detachable sway bar and electrics, and of course the formidable 32” BF Goodrich KM3 Mud Terrains, I took it up, down and along some of the roughest lanes I know, and it didn’t hesitate once. Is there anything that can stop the Rubicon? If there is I couldn’t find it during our week together.

When I was on the original UK launch of the JL, the Jeep team took us up Parkamoor in Cumbria before it was graded, and it was amazing to watch them flex their way up as if they were negotiating an ASDA car park, even the road biased Sahara made it look easy.

Sliding the transfer lever into low box I would normally use third gear as first is simply too low for our network of green lanes, unless you’re doing some serious rock crawling, and there aren’t many of those in the UK.

Interior

I really like it, the new facia and layout works well and a huge improvement on the outgoing model, it feels clean and uncluttered, though manages to maintain all the important switches.

As I’ve written before, the only major problem I have is that the transmission tunnel encroaches the footwell where your left foot normally rests, so you have to adjust yourself for that, and after a good few hours in the drivers seat it can become a bit uncomfortable.

Being a 3-door, getting in the back is fun, but once there you do have a some decent leg room.

Want the fresh air experience? Well that’s easy enough, simply undo 4 clips from each Freedom Panel above the front seats and there you have it. Then there’s a few more screws to undo and two people can easily remove the rear section of the roof within minutes. The doors can be removed and the windscreen lowered, too.

Engine ’n’ transmissions

Currently you have one engine and automatic gearbox available, that’s the 2.0ltr 272bhp petrol. There’s an electric version on the cards, but we’re not sure when it’s due in the UK.

Conclusion

Is it faultless? Of course not. You have to remember that the Rubicon isn’t supposed to be a car you buy for the commute, you buy a Rubicon because you want its off-road ability, and subsequently this comes with certain compromises, as long as you remember that, you and your Rubicon will get along just fine.

At some point in the future I will own a Rubicon, it isn’t just an icon in the 4x4 world, it’s also an enjoyable, capable and functional 4x4 that’s guaranteed to make you happy, but prices will have to drop significantly for that to happen!

Price from - £52,450 more at » www.jeep.co.uk/wrangler-jl