2009 Jeep Wrangler Review

PROS  Unstoppable off-road, Open-top fun, Maneuverable

CONS  Bouncy ride, Too noisy, Slow

All sport-utilities can trace their lineage back to one vehicle, the Jeep Wrangler. The grandfather of all SUVs, Wrangler's roots rest in the World War II Army jeep, which gained notoriety for it's unstoppable nature and simplistic design.  Today's Wrangler is substantially more modern than the Army jeep, but stays true to its mission of providing basic transportation with unsurpassed off-road ability.

Wrangler was last redesigned in 2007, when is grew in size and gained a four-door sibling called Unlimited. All Wranglers are convertibles with removable doors and a windshield that folds down. The two-door seats four, rides a 95.4-inch wheelbase, and is 153-inches long overall. The four-door has room for five passengers, sits on a 116-inch wheelbase, and is 173-inches long.

While Wrangler has true off-road abilities, most of its competitors have gone the soft-road route, meaning they are not intended for heavy-duty trail slogging. Competitors like the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Nissan Rogue, Saturn VUE, and Toyota RAV4 don't even offer a four-wheel-drive system with a low range. Jeep's own Liberty, the Nissan Xterra, and Suzuki Grand Vitara are the sole remaining class competitors to offer a true four-wheel drive system.

Wrangler is offered in three trim levels: X, Sahara, and Rubicon, which is named for a notoriously difficult off-road trail in the Sierra Nevada of the western United States. All models are powered by a 3.8-liter V6 engine. Two-doors have 202 horsepower and four-doors have 205 horsepower. Transmission choices include a six-speed manual or a four-speed automatic.

All two-doors have four-wheel drive. Unlimiteds are available with rear- or four-wheel drive. Regardless of model, the four-wheel drive system should not be left engaged on dry pavement but does include a low range for serious off-road use. Maximum towing capacity on the two-door is 2000 pounds. Four-door models are rated at a maximum of 2500 pounds. New for 2009 are a hill-holder clutch on manual-transmission models and trailer-sway control that activates the stability control to correct unwanted trailer movement.

Two top options are available. Sunrider is a single-piece soft top that is removable via snaps and hooks. Also available is a hard top called Freedom top, which consists of three detachable top sections that allow for different open-top configurations.

Standard safety features on all models include antilock four-wheel disc brakes, stability control with rollover sensors, tire-pressure monitor, roll bar, and dual front airbags. Front-side airbags are optional.

X models start at $20,460 and include air conditioning (Unlimited), tilt steering wheel, vinyl upholstery (two-door) or cloth upholstery (Unlimited), front bucket seats, height-adjustable driver seat (Unlimited), center console, folding rear seat (two-door), split-folding rear seat (Unlimited), AM/FM/CD/MP3 player, full metal doors with roll-up windows, variable-intermittent wipers, carpeting, theft-deterrent system, skid plates, outside-mounted full-size spare tire, and P225/75R16 on/off-road tires.

The Sahara is intended to be the top of the line luxury model. It starts at $26,405 and adds to the X air conditioning (two-door), leather-wrapped steering wheel, cruise control, cloth upholstery, height-adjustable driver seat, power windows, power door locks, keyless entry, Infinity sound system, satellite radio, outside-temperature indicator, floormats, fog lights, side steps, rear privacy glass, front and rear tow hooks, heavy-duty suspension, P255/70R18 on/off-road white-letter tires, and alloy wheels.

Intended to be the most off-road capable Wrangler in the lineup, Rubicon prices start at $28,565. It adds to the X a 2-speed transfer case with 4:1 low range, six-speed manual transmission, front and rear heavy-duty locking differentials, air conditioning, leather-wrapped steering wheel (Unlimited), cruise control, cloth upholstery, height-adjustable driver seat, power windows (Unlimited), power door locks (Unlimited), keyless entry (Unlimited), Infinity sound system, satellite radio, compass, outside-temperature indicator, floormats, fog lights, front and rear tow hooks, front sway bar disconnect, off-road suspension, LT255/75R17 on/off-road tires, and alloy wheels.

As you might expect, Wrangler offers a number of unique options designed with off-road customers in mind. These options include a hard top, locking rear differential, and half metal doors. To please on-road drivers, Wrangler is also available with Chrysler Corporation's uconnect multimedia suite. It includes navigation system with real-time traffic information, six-disc CD changer, iPod adapter, and hard drive for storing pictures and music files.

All Wranglers are built in Chrysler's Toledo, Ohio, assembly plant and carry a $750 destination charge.

Get Up and Go  Wrangler's tidy dimensions hide a 4000-pound curb weight that blunts any hope of quick acceleration. The 3.8-liter engine and four-speed automatic team up to provide a zero-to-sixty mph time of about 12 seconds. That's slow by any standard today. Passing response isn't all that impressive either, as the automatic downshifts lazily.

Wrangler isn't intended to be an on-road rocket. It's engine and transmission are tuned to be both rugged and powerful when the going gets rough. Indeed, even the electronic throttle has two settings--one for on-road use and another that's significantly more forgiving for off-road slogging.

Compared to other compact SUVs, Wrangler isn't going to win any fuel economy competitions. The two-door automatic is EPA rated at 15 mpg city and 19 mpg highway. Those numbers fall well short of class leaders like the Hyundai Tucson, Nissan Rogue, and Toyota RAV4.

Still, Wrangler isn't as thirsty as you might expect, and it sips less-expensive regular-grade gasoline. In routine driving expect to average about 17 mpg. If your commute includes lots of easy highway driving, you might be able to crest 20 mpg.

Wrangler's off-road-ready four-wheel drive system is operated by a stiff-shifting, floor-mounted lever. It has three settings, two-wheel-drive, four-wheel-drive high, and four-wheel-drive low. Neither four-wheel setting is intended for dry-pavement use. Off road or in the snow, Wrangler's four-wheel drive system and tall ground clearance make it virtually unstoppable.

On the Road  As you might expect Wrangler isn't the most civilized on-road vehicle. Bumpy roads trigger lots of bouncing and bounding. Surprisingly, the suspension does an excellent job of softening sharp jolts. The longer wheelbase of the Unlimited reduces some of the unwanted bounding, but still doesn't compare to more on-road friendly competitors.

When the roads grow twisty, Wrangler drivers will want to slow down a bit. Though body lean is only modest, there's plenty of noseplow in even moderate-speed corners. In addition, the tall build/short wheelbase stature leads to a tippy feeling in fast corners.

The steering is light and very slow, requiring lots of hand-over-hand turning in parking lots. Brakes seem to have good stopping power but are hampered by mushy pedal action.

Off road, Wrangler shines. There the soft brake pedal, multi-step throttle, and slow steering combine with the soft springs and long-travel suspension to create a vehicle that will turn even novice off-road driver into a wilderness hero. This combo also helps Wrangler scoff at snow-covered roads.

Wrangler isn't as crude as you might expect, but it is still quite a bit more noisy than any competitor. The hard top helps quell wind noise, but it can't hide the coarse engine and rumbling tires.

Behind the Wheel  Utilitarian on the outside, Wrangler's fairly user-friendly on the inside. Gauges are small but unobstructed. Climate, audio, and navigation controls are easy to reach and use. Power window switches are mounted high on the center of the dashboard.

Materials are sturdy and serviceable. Most panels lack any sort of padding. The look gives the interior a rugged and tough appeal.

Even when fitted with the optional hard top, front-seat occupants have ample headroom. The same can't be said for leg room, though, as the front seats don't have much rearward travel. The seats are upright and offer decent comfort. Step in is quite high, but the tall build does give passengers a commanding view of the road ahead. Visibility to the rear is obstructed by rear-seat headrests, spare tire, and windshield-wiper motor.

The soft top can be difficult to raise and lower. The hard top has removable panels that offer an open-air feel without much fuss. The hard top also offers a good deal more security from the elements.

Two-door models treat rear-seat passengers like second-class citizens. The bench seat is hard and uncomfortable and the backrest is bolt upright. Leg room is tight and it's difficult to get past the front seats when climbing in. Four-doors offer both better comfort and more leg room, though the doors openings are quite small.

Two-door models don't offer a lot of cargo space behind the rear seat. In addition, you have to swing open the tailgate and then flip up the rear window to access the cargo area. Unlimited models have more space. Thankfully, both rear seats flip and fold to expand cargo area. Interior storage is fairly basic and the door-mounted map pockets are quite small.

Bottom Line  Despite it's rugged exterior and hard-nosed demeanor, Wrangler isn't as crude as you might expect. That's not to say it isn't without drawbacks. The ride is bouncy, the interior is basic, and the back seat isn't very roomy.

Wrangler does offer acceptable on-road performance and is unmatched off road. Prices are on the steep side, as a nicely equipped Sahara can easily cost more than $27,000.

Buyers should ponder why they are considering Wrangler. Are you looking for a cute and fun little summer commuter or are you serious about heading deep into the woods for four-wheel fun? Those considering the former, would be best suited with a softer compact SUV like the Honda CR-V or Nissan Rogue. If you are holding court in the later camp, then Wrangler is an excellent choice that's even more appealing now that there is a four-door model available.