38 | AUGUST 2019 4x4
The Rubicon model tested here is the focused off-roader in the Wrangler range. It’s equipped with locking front and
rear diffs and a detachable front anti-roll bar, and comes as standard on 255/75R17 BFGoodrich Mud-Terrains (opposite
page, top). The multimedia screen is mounted in a rubberised shroud like the ones you get to make your iPad child-
proof, which isn’t really necessary on a dashboard but is a very easy image to roll with
wants you to press on and the rest
of the vehicle doesn’t.
Having said that, even on the
BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain tyres that
come as standard on the Rubicon,
the ;rangler has an almost baf¾ing
amount of grip. You can select four-
wheel drive for the road if you want
it, the way you used to be able to
on the (very) old Cherokee, and it’ll
become remarkably composed, but
even in two-wheel drive and on wet
roads it’s not easy to make the back
end break away. The engine might
be a bit of a culture shock if you
don’t like revs, but the drivetrain is
extraordinarily forgiving.
It’s not geared for a ¾exible mid-
range, however. There’s loads of pull
around town (though the gearbox
can get jerkily confused by hard
acceleration from near-standstill),
and a lot less noise than we were
expecting at motorway speeds, butplanting your right foot in the 40-60
zone doesn’t have a lot of effect.
This is where, if you hadn’t already,
you need to accept the Wrangler’s
road manners and settle down to
take it easy – whereupon, unless of
course you’re reviewing it for one
of the adolescent car mags, you
might finally figure out what it is
you’re driving.
All the same, a less racy
performance around town andmore ¾exibility on A and B-roads
would be far preferable. If only they
did a diesel. Oh, they do...
There’s another reason for
investing a few extra quid on the
diesel Wrangler, too. In a week of
varied driving, including school runs
around town, motorway work, A
and B-road sessions and a good bit
of green laning, we got 22.9mpg out
of it. That translates into two things- big fuel bills and, by Wrangler