Jeep Wrangler X—Built Tough, Go Rough

Jeep Wrangler X (Titus Hsu/The Epoch Times)

Everyone is familiar with the Jeep. “The Jeep” is the icon of military vehicles, dating back to the Second World War. Anyone who has watched a war movie should have seen one.

Over the years, the Jeep brand has brought out various consumer-oriented vehicles, such as the Compass, the Grand Cherokee, and the Liberty. They all carry some distinctive Jeep design cues such as the round headlamps flanking the seven-slot front grill, and the Wrangler carries most of the famous military Jeep form into the consumer domain.

The exterior appearance of the Wrangler has a strong resemblance to what you see in WWII movies. It is, however, a surprisingly big vehicle. Riding on intimidating P255R75R16 tires for the base Wrangler X model, the vehicle measures 72 inches tall. Pulling up behind a Lexus RX330 at a traffic light, I had a good view of its roof from the Jeep driver’s seat. The driver and front passenger would have to literally climb into the seats in the front, and on the 2-door models, getting into the back requires agility for the backseat passengers.

True to its military DNA, it can be easily seen that the car was built with durability in mind. The interior design is, in a word, spartan. The seats are basic but fairly comfortable. There are no fancy electronic gadgets—not even power locks or power windows. The stereo deck looks really old school, but it is equipped with modern features such as mp3 playback, AUX input, and satellite radio. The design certainly follows the school of thought that the simpler you make something, the less likely it’s going to break. The test vehicle is equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission and the gear stick reminded me of the ones used in older buses.

So what do you get in return for all this lack of interior civility? A rugged, tough, outdoor vehicle. This is not a vehicle to be driven politely. The 3.8-litre, 202bhp V6 engine, part-time 4-wheel drive transmission, and the 10.2-inch ground clearance are put together to go over some very tough trails. For the hardtop model, the roof can be taken down with some tools and a bit of effort for a totally open view.

The transmission can be switched to a low-rpm, high-torque, 4-wheel mode to get out of tough places such as mud or snow pits. The suspension is hard and makes every bump on the road be known. Driving on some bumpy roads in Toronto felt like I was on a roller-coaster car rocking left-and-right on the rails. Even on major highways, the car will shake a fair amount. Normally, one makes fine steering adjustments when the car shakes; but this is actually not necessary as the car keeps going straight despite the rattling.

The V6 provides adequate acceleration for normal city driving, but it is fairly loud as soon when it hits about 2,000 rpm. It runs on regular 87-octane gas, and the gas mileage is what you would expect from a 3.8-litre engine. For a vehicle of this size, it is surprisingly maneuverable, and the steering wheel is fairly light, but doesn’t feel totally disconnected from the wheels.

With the roaring engine and rocking suspension, just driving down city roads sometimes feels like traversing through an urban jungle. It makes for interesting driving in the city, but this vehicle is designed for very specific purposes and daily commuting is not one of them.

The need for this outdoor trail vehicle is more niche than pick-up trucks like the Dodge Ram or Ford F-150, but if you have those specific needs, it is an unparalleled solution starting at around $20,000 for the base Wrangler X. You can certainly drive it every day in the city, but its design and build truly shine when you take it over rough trails.