5
AN ESSENTIAL JEEP
THE WRANGLER IS THE MOST OFF-ROAD-CAPABLE JEEP, AND THE
RUBICON IS THE MOST OFF-ROAD-CAPABLE WRANGLER.W
ALK into a Jeep showroom
and you’ll see a wide variety of
different vehicles all sporting a
Jeep badge. Trouble is: appearances
are deceptive. Of all the vehicles
currently sold as Jeeps, only the Wrangler can
be considered a ‘proper’ Jeep.
What’s important here is that the current-
generation Wrangler dates back nearly 10 years
and is nearing the end of its production cycle.
What the next generation Wrangler will bring to
the party is yet to be confirmed. Could this be
the last ‘proper’ Jeep? Only time will tell.
For the off-road enthusiast the standout in
the Wrangler range is the Rubicon, which has
always been petrol-only. But unlike times past
it’s now only available as a four-door and with
an automatic gearbox.
The Rubicon is mechanically different from
the ‘bread and butter’ Wranglers thanks to lower
diff and transfer case ratios, so even with the
five-speed automatic you have an impressively
low 53.5:1 crawl ratio. Unlike other Wranglers
the Rubicon also comes with front and rear
driver-switched diff locks and a front sway bar
that can be disconnected (via a dashboard
switch) to maximise the front wheel travel.
The Rubicon’s front and rear coil-sprung live
axles underpin its impressive off-road ability.
They provide generous travel at both ends and,combined with the electronic traction control
and extra-low gearing, will get you most places.
If things get tough then disconnecting the front
sway bar gives you even more front-wheel travel,
and if you still need more help you have the
front and rear lockers to call upon. Off-road kit
in a stock 4x4 simply doesn’t come any better.
What eventually stops the Rubicon is its
ground clearance, but this is easily addressed
via a bigger wheel/tyre package or a lift kit,
given the live-axle design.
On the road the 3.6-litre V6 is smooth, willing
and flexible; rapid even at high engine speeds.
It’s all helped by a slick five-speed automatic
with ‘manual’ shifting.
The Rubicon does its best work off-road, but
it isn’t too shabby on-road provided the tarmac
is reasonably smooth. At higher speeds on
bumpy roads it tends to bump steer, but this is
something you learn to live with.
The Rubicon’s interior is nicely finished and
generally comfortable, but shorter drivers will
find the vision over the dash isn’t as good as it
could be. Bonus points for the removable panels
in the hardtop and the fact the hardtop can be
removed altogether and replaced with a fold-
down soft-top. And if you really want the open-
air feel, you can always remove the doors. This
alone makes the Rubicon (and any Wrangler for
that matter) unique in today’s 4x4 market.JEEP WRANGLER RUBICON PRICE $53,500 ENGINE 3.6-litre V6 petrol
ENGINE: 3.6-litre V6 petrol
POWER: 209kW
TORQUE: 347Nm
GEARBOX: five-speed automatic
4X4 SYSTEM: dual-range part-time
FRONT SUSPENSION: live axle/coil springs
REAR SUSPENSION: live axle/coil springs
KERB WEIGHT: 2073kg
GVM: 2540kg
TOWING CAPACITY: 2000kg
FUEL TANK CAPACITY: 85.2 litres
ADR FUEL CLAIM: 11.9L/100km
50 http://www.4X4australia.com.auDRIVEN BEST BUYS