Drive with us: Test driving the Jeep Wrangler

Join us for a drive in the iconic Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

There are very few cars with as strong a road presence as the Jeep Wrangler. And only a few that can match its off-roading capabilities. There are several Wrangler variants available: Wrangler Sahara, Wrangler Night Eagle, Wrangler Overland and the most impressive of them all… the Wrangler Rubicon.

Jeep claim the Wrangler boasts ‘unmatched’ off-roading capabilities. But what do you think? Would you choose a Wrangler lease to tackle turf, mud climbs and water descents over a trusty Land Rover Defender or, if budget allowed, a Mercedes-Benz G-Class?

A bit of detail on the car we drove...

Jeep Wrangler

Doors: 4

Model year: MY20

Model: Rubicon

Engine: 2.0 Petrol 4X4

Power: 272HP

Transmission: 8-Speed Automatic

Colour: Bikini Clear Coat

Upholstery: Leather

Optional Extras: Technology Pack, Hardtop headliner

OTR from: £51,850

Model Lines

Sahara

• 7" Thin Film Transistor (TFT) Instrument Cluster with Speedometer
• Premium Audio (Alpine) System With Subwoofer
• Steering wheel mounted audio controls
• Uconnect 8.4" with Navigation
• 18" Polished Alloy Wheels With Grey Spokes
• Auto-dimming interior rear view mirror
• Daytime running lamp system
• Fog Lights: Front
• Halogen Headlight
• Incandescent tail lamps
• Keyless enter-n-go (Remote control Fob)
• Premium lighting group
• Black Fuel Filler Door
• Climate control
• Front and rear floor mats
• Illuminated front cupholders
• Tubular side steps
• Spare wheel cover
• Deep tint sunscreen glass
• Body-Colour Freedom Top 3-Piece Modular Hard Top

Night Eagle

• 18" Gloss black alloy wheels (18X8.0)
• Technology Pack
• Body-Colour Freedom Top 3-Piece Modular Hard Top
• Hardtop Headliner
• Black Fuel Filler Door

Overland 

• 18" Machine faced Aluminium Wheels with Black Centre
• Overland Pack
• Technology Pack
• Hardtop Headliner
• Heated front seats
• Illuminated front cupholders

Rubicon

• 17" Alloy wheels - Machine finish wheels with black pockets (17X7.5)
• Heavy Duty Electrical Pack
• Illuminated front cupholders
• Rock Rails
• Tru-Lok® differentials
• Spare wheel cover
• Body-coloured front grille with accent coloured grille throats & headlight rings
• Fender Flares - Black
• Rubicon hood decal

Engine Options

Be it the 2-door or the 4-door variant, unlike the Jeep Renegade, the Wrangler has a simple engine line-up. Two to be exact; one petrol and one diesel.

Your petrol option is a 2.0 litre, 272 horsepower 4-wheel drive with an 8-speed automatic gearbox. This is the car we drove… and ohhh did we like it. But we digress, we’ll get to the drive later on in the review.

The diesel option is a 2.2 litre MultiJet II with the same 8-speed automatic gearbox and 4-wheel drive capabilities. However, this one has slightly less horses, 200hp to be exact.

Design

Now, it’s pretty obvious that if you’re not leasing the Jeep Wrangler for its off-roading capabilities then you’re leasing it because of the way it looks. And doesn’t it look good.

Big, boxy, and domineering. The Wrangler has an undeniable road presence. This latest Wrangler pays homage to the original Willys Jeep but speaks to a palette that the 21st Century driver will love. Distinctive 7 slot grille, huge square frame and wide wheel arches that house gargantuan tyres. The Wrangler isn’t shy of making bold styling choices.

The Wrangler is also one of the few off-roaders you can have fun with colour-wise. Yes, there’s the standard black, grey and silver. But there are also some vibrant colours with even more vibrant names. For example, ‘Punk’n Metallic’ (orange), ‘Hellayella’ (yellow), ‘Firecracker Red’ and a this ‘Bikini’ teal on the car we’re driving. If you really wanted to, there is also the option to add graphics to the paintwork – one of the options being an American flag if that takes your fancy. Tie those bold colours in with the contrast of rear privacy glass and you’ve got a vehicle that looks mighty imposing on the road.

Chunky dials and bold dash make it feel like a toy car, but in the best way possible. It’s simplistic and fun and exciting, with this particular car featuring a red dash that fondly reminded me of a red iPod Nano of the early 2000’s. This red ties in perfectly with the red contrast stitching on the upholstery and the little red ‘Jeep’ icons dotted in and around the car. There’s something about the rarity of a jeep, the exclusivity of it, that makes it all the more thrilling to be in the cabin of, and because of that you’re slightly more forgiving of its little quirks.

Practicality

Form meets function with this car in a charming way. Exposed bars and bolts almost make you feel like you’re in a roll cage, or the shell of the car… and well I suppose you are. The definition of versatility, the Wrangler is crazily adaptable and customisable. With a bit of elbow grease this SUV suddenly can transform into an open air… open side convertible or buggy – just remove the panels!

There’s grab handles in the front and the rear which are a godsend for anyone who’s on the shorter side of the scale; especially if the car is parked on slant. These also make it a lot easier for passengers to get into the rear seats. And once in, there is ample room. There’s also isofix points should you wish to turn this fun car into a family car.

The boot opens in two parts; a door swings outwards for easy access but for larger uses you can then swing the window portion up to open up the full space. This is a blessing and a curse, for as soon as you confine this beast to a restricted parking space that boot may prove a bit tricky to open. However, it’s up to you as to whether or not this would be a deal breaker.

Technology

This car was fitted with an additional Technology Pack, which gives the Wrangler blind spot detection, rear cross-path detection, and passive entry. But what is nice with the Wrangler is you get a lot of the tech as standard. On top of the range models like this Rubicon, the extras predominantly come in the form of off-roading aids and aesthetic changes.

We gave a full breakdown of the main features above, but to summarise it gets tech such as a premium Alpine sound system with subwoofer, 8-inch touchscreen with sat nav, climate control, auto dimming rear-view mirror and connectivity for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Overland and Rubicon models get heated front seats, and the Rubicon also gets illuminated cup holders, a Tru-Lok® differential (which we’ll mention later) and a heavy-duty electrical pack.

In terms of connectivity, the dash features a USB and an AUX fitting, all protected by a plastic cover which flips down, making everything look a bit neater, but also presumably providing protection to those sockets should they be exposed to the weather when the roof or sides are off.

To note a few little nuances that take away from what would be a fully positive review… I have just a few discrepancies:

1. The screen is a bit distracting whilst your driving. There’s a lot of information displayed on quite a small screen, as well as a lot of physical buttons to get your head around. That being said, you do get your head around it.
2. The window controls are in the centre like in the older Mini models.
3. The volume dials are quite shallow, so are a bit fiddly to get your fingers around in a very satisfying way.

Drive

The driving position in the Wrangler is tall and upright. Very much reminiscent of driving something like an old Defender or Mitsubishi L200. That’s not to say it’s not comfortable though. The windscreen is almost completely vertical, which means that the vantage point is great.

The visibility is actually amazing because of the huge windows that populate the entirety of the car. Despite its sheer size, you also become accustomed to the width of the car quite easily. And manoeuvring is aided even further by the sensors and impressive reversing camera. The only thing that you must remember is that the grille doesn’t actually mark the front of the car, there’s several inches worth of plastic protruding beyond that.

Alongside it’s 8-Speed Automatic gearbox, the Wrangler comes with a proper off-roading gearbox as well, allowing you to switch between 2W, 4WH and 4WL depending on the terrain. And when it comes to taking this car off-road, the Rubicon really will excel. It’s also got a locking dif to further aid abilities. Though, much to our dismay, we didn’t get the chance to put it through it’s paces off-road (bar a very big puddle). That being said, the capabilities of the Rubicon are legend and no doubt will leave very little to be desired for drivers.

Final Verdict

This is the most fun I’ve had on a test drive in a long time. The Wrangler completely exceeds expectations in many ways. Most of all, how enjoyable it is to drive. Now, don’t get me wrong… You work to drive this car, and it’s loud… but that put to one side, the rewards are infinite. Driver, passenger and even onlooker will all enjoy this car in equal measure.

So, to conclude…

If you want total class and refinement, go for the G-Class.

If you want prestige and capability, go for the Defender.

If you want bags of character and a lot more money left in your pocket at the end of the month… I think you know the answer.

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