Jeep Wrangler 2012 Review

MY12 Jeep Wrangler

Not so much
>> Petrol remains thirsty
>> Diesel remains pricey
>> Hardtop should be standard

Together with Land Rover’s Defender and Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen, the Jeep Wrangler is among a small band of genuine off-roaders cashing in on their esteemed military heritage and reputation for offroad invincibility.

Unlike most modern SUVs though, the Wrangler and ilk perform as well as they look, with designs that make them serious bush bashers, rather than jacked up, four-wheel drive wagons largely confined to city limits.

And the proof is in the pudding, with 60 per cent of Wrangler owners taking their vehicles off-road, compared to 15 per cent of SUVs overall, according to Jeep.

But there are a growing number of Wrangler owners who enjoy their creature comforts as much as the retro looks and off-road bragging rights. To better cater to the needs of these modern, pampered buyers, Jeep has been steadily upgrading its boxy mud-slinger, beginning with the introduction of a family-friendly, four-door, long wheelbase version in 2007.

Improvements in 2011 included a classier cabin with better ergonomics, VW-smooth leather steering wheel and Bluetooth audio (although the handbrake is still in the left-hand drive position).

Now the Wrangler receives more enhancements to make it even more appealing to bitumen huggers and dirt dwellers alike, with the biggest change the availability of Chrysler’s sophisticated new Pentastar 3.6-litre petrol engine. Also fitted to the Grand Cherokee, it replaces the ageing, 3.8-litre petrol V6 which was widely criticised for being both thirsty and lacking of torque.

Our test drive of the 2012 Wrangler range on King Island was restricted to a two-door Wrangler Sport 3.6-litre auto. The new V6 endows the Wrangler with strong, rapid acceleration, and is a big step up from the old mill. Three seconds faster to 100km/h, the smooth and quiet 3.6-litre V6 doesn’t need to be revved much over 2000rpm to move the 1741kg wagon briskly to 100km/h and above.

It also works well with the smooth Mercedes-Benz-sourced five-speed auto, which is now built by Jeep in the US and is the same unit previously available with the diesel. There’s a manual mode operated via the gearshift lever, so first or second gear can be locked if required. We didn’t get a chance to try the six-speed manual with the new petrol engine, but on previous experience our pick would be the auto.

Engine noise in the cabin is well suppressed, unless revved hard, and our only complaint is excessive wind noise at highway speeds, thanks to the upright windscreen.

The Wrangler is relatively comfortable behind the wheel, and importantly has excellent over-bonnet visibility for off-road situations. Rear passenger room in the two-door Wrangler remain cosy, while boot space is limited with all seats in use.

Given its tall stance, short-wheelbase and live axles front and rear, the Wrangler corners surprisingly flat with decent grip from its Goodyear Wrangler tyres. The fidgety ride, vague steering and mushy brakes are accentuated on broken bitumen, but overall it’s a reasonably well-controlled ride with adequate safety back-up including two front airbags and electronic stability control fitted as standard.

It’s fair to say the Wrangler’s onroad dynamics are well behind most of the current crop of compact SUVs, but that’s the price you pay for a vehicle that can go further into the bush than most.

And it’s off the beaten track where the Wrangler particularly in short wheelbase form remains a formidable force. Punted over an off-road loop near Surprise Bay on King Island -- that ranged from rough, wildly undulating pastures to sandy beach runs -- the Wrangler Sport took it all in its considerable stride.

Helping the cause were trademark Wrangler traits that include dual-range 4x4 gearing, excellent clearance and angles, impressive axle articulation, and electronic traction aids that include hill start assist, hill descent control and brake lock differentials.

The extra grunt of the 3.6-litre petrol engine, which produces 90 per cent of its maximum 347Nm from 1800rpm, was useful getting up some slippery inclines (in low range 4WD), although it required plenty of revs. Low-range ‘crawling’ was sufficient on the steepest declines, though hill descent control was at hand if required.

The only question mark remains over the petrol engine’s improved fuel efficiency. Officially, the auto Wrangler consumes 11.3L/100km, but our vehicle recorded closer to 22.0L/100km for combined on- and offroad driving.

While more refined and punchier onroad, the V6 petrol can’t match the grunty 2.8-litre turbodiesel for serious off-road work. The oiler puts out considerably more torque (460Nm with the auto) and should be less thirsty.

Unfortunately, the hefty premium for the diesel engine has been carried over for 2012. At $39,000, the three-door diesel Wrangler auto costs $5000 more than the petrol equivalent (or $6000 more with the six-speed manual).

You also need to add $2500 for the desirable Renegade pack fitted to our test vehicle, which includes the hardtop as well as softtop, side steps and six-speaker Infinity audio system.

Another worthwhile (and no-cost) addition to the latest Wrangler is climate control air-conditioning. There are also five new colours, including vibrant yellow and orange hues.

The hardcore Rubicon pack, which includes a nifty swaybar disconnect feature and locking front and rear diffs, adds $10,000 to two- or four-door models.

In its latest guise the Wrangler is more comfortable and refined than the Defender, and a lot cheaper than the luxury G-Wagen. And although Toyota’s born-again FJ Cruiser is a better drive on bitumen, it won’t go as far into the bush as the Wrangler.

The toy car looks and novelty of a removable roof and doors -- not to mention fold-down windscreen -- also continue to make the Wrangler a relatively affordable option for those seeking some top-down motoring fun.

Given that most of the 2874 Wranglers sold in Australia in 2011 were petrol-powered, the slick new V6 engine should serve to make the Wrangler even more appealing to those who spend the bulk of their time in the ‘burbs rather than on the Rubicon Trail.

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