Jeep Wrangler review, test drive

First introduced in times of WWII, the iconic Jeep Wrangler has come a long way. We put the latest avatar through the paces.

Published on May 06, 2013 03:26:00 PM

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As most of you are aware, it was this very car’s great, great granddaddy that inadvertently started the off-roader craze. Designed to traverse country roads turned to mush by battle tanks and an assortment of ‘tracked’ vehicles during World War II, this uniquely capable vehicle soon won the hearts of the men in khaki. We Indians got access to Jeeps early, being an integral part of WWII (we kept the Japanese from our border, remember), with almost every early model assembled here by Mahindra.

The current Wrangler, however, has evolved quite a bit. Sure, as with any icon, Jeep has kept some of the best bits, but there’s plenty of fresh stuff here as well. And, like all cars these days, Jeep’s basic off-roader has grown in size. So just like the early, low-bonnet CJ2s (with their ‘sunken’ headlights) gave way to Jeeps like the larger CJ5 (Mahindra Thar to you and me), this new Wrangler is larger too. Both wider and longer, what also immediately strikes you is just how much higher off the ground it rides. Massive tyres, a rude 285bhp V6 motor and a six-speed manual transmission are all part of the jaw-dropping spec. The traditional bits remain too. The Wrangler still retains a super-tough body-on-frame construction, suspension, front and rear, is still by non-independent live axle (important for articulation) and in case you need extreme articulation, you can even uncouple the front anti-roll bar.