2009 Jeep Wrangler Review
Summary
Few vehicles are better off-road than a Jeep Wrangler.
Traceable to the original Jeep, the Wrangler is the very symbol of
off-road capability.
The Wrangler was redesigned for the 2007 model year. At the same time,
the four-door Wrangler Unlimited was added to the lineup. It's much more
comfortable and convenient, offering more cargo and rear-seat passenger
space.
Still, the traditional two-door Wrangler has its
charms. All Wranglers have a 3.8-liter V6 engine; there is no
four-cylinder engine available. The standard six-speed manual fits the
Wrangler's personality, but the optional four-speed automatic is more
convenient. We can't imagine getting a Wrangler without the highly
capable four-wheel-drive, a part-time system that includes low-range
gearing, but there are two-wheel-drive Unlimited models available.
Full Review 2009
The 2009 Jeep Wrangler and four-door Wrangler
Unlimited are offered in Wrangler X, Sahara and Rubicon trim. In all
versions, the 3.8-liter V6 engine develops 202 horsepower and 237
pound-feet of torque. Four-wheel disc brakes with ABS are standard. A
four-speed automatic transmission is optional ($825).
All two-door models come with four-wheel drive (4WD).
The Unlimited X and Unlimited Sahara are available with rear-wheel drive
(2WD) or 4WD. Rubicon models come standard with four-wheel drive.
The Wrangler X ($20,460) comes with the basic soft
top, vinyl upholstery, center console, theft deterrent system, folding
rear seat, locking glove box, 12-volt auxiliary power outlet, tilt
steering wheel, six-speaker AM/FM/CD stereo, skid plates to protect the
transfer case and fuel tank, and P225/75R16 all-terrain tires on steel
wheels. Options for the Wrangler X include air conditioning ($895), a
Black Appearance Group ($620), a Chrome Edition Group ($920), and a
3.73:1 axle ratio ($50) instead of the standard ratio of 3.21.1.
The Wrangler X S trim level ($23,445) adds P255/75R17
tires on alloy wheels, and its options include a limited-slip
differential ($295), the Dual Top Group ($1,695), Sirius Satellite Radio
( $195), tubular side steps ($395), Infinity sound system ($395), front
seat-mounted side airbags ($490), tinted windows ($300), the Power
Convenience Group (power windows, power door locks, and remote keyless
entry; $585), an AM/FM six-disc in-dash DVD/MP3 player ($350), and
trailer towing ($320).
Wrangler Sahara ($26,045) adds a height-adjustable
driver's seat, front-seat map pockets, monotube shock absorbers,
stain-repellant fabric, air conditioning, Infinity sound system, and
P255/70 R18 tires on machined alloy rims. Wrangler Rubicon ($28,565) is
the model for serious off-roading. To the Sahara, it adds an
electronic-disconnecting front anti-roll bar, the Rock-Trac heavy-duty
transfer case, a heavy-duty front axle, Tru-Lok electronic locking front
and rear differentials, a 4:10 axle ratio, rock rails and other
equipment intended for the serious off-roader.
The four-door Unlimited X has either 2WD ($22,815) or
4WD ($23,990). Standard equipment includes all that the two-door X
offers, plus cloth upholstery, height-adjustable driver's seat,
split-folding rear seat, Sunrider soft top, heavier-duty Dana 44 rear
axle, 21.6-gallon fuel tank, and air conditioning. It offers all the
options as the two-door X and two-door Sahara.
The Unlimited Sahara 2WD ($27,520) and 4WD ($28,695)
are equipped like the two-door Sahara, except power door locks, power
windows and remote keyless entry are standard.
Safety features that come standard include dual front
airbags, tire-pressure monitor, anti-lock brakes, traction control,
electronic stability control with rollover mitigation. Seat-mounted
front side airbags for torso protection are optional.
The Jeep Wrangler is one of the most widely
recognizable vehicles in the world. Most important, Wranglers have
always had a distinct family resemblance to the original Jeep of World
War II fame.
The standard soft top is relatively easy to remove and
install. The optional three-piece modular hardtop (Freedom Top) has two
front panels that easily pop on and off like a T-top, and can be stored
behind the rear seat. The third panel over the rear seat can be removed
separately and stored in the garage. Wide-spaced frame rails cradle the
fuel tank between the wheels.
Features and Interior Styling
Wranglers have traditionally been known as cramped
inside. The current Jeep Wrangler two-door is a lot roomier inside than
pre-2007 models, thanks to its increased width. The comfortable
high-back front seats offer more shoulder and hip room than
previous-generation models, and the removable rear seat provides more
shoulder, hip and leg room for each of the two passengers. The larger
Unlimited offers more than 80 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear
seat folded flat. In the rear seat, the Unlimited offers 1.6 more inches
of leg room and a whopping 12 inches more hip room than two-door models.
That also greatly improves the ride for rear-seat riders in the
Unlimited.
The materials are made of sturdy plastic that works
well in the utilitarian Wrangler.
Located under the sound system controls are big
climate-control knobs, with buttons for available power windows above
that.
Between the seats are the shift lever, a short
four-wheel-drive lever, two cupholders, emergency brake handle, and a
console that's wide and deep, if not long. The modular Freedom Top for
the Unlimited features sections that easily lift off and can be stored
behind the rear seat. Cargo space is not unlimited in the Unlimited. We
couldn't fit four carry-on-sized bags behind the rear seat.
First Drive 2009
If you've never owned or driven a Wrangler, you might
think it's twitchy and choppy. Compared to the last-generation Wrangler,
the wheelbase is longer and the front and rear tracks are wider, the
chassis has been stiffened and the suspension redesigned. The Wrangler X
uses 16-inch tires, also on/off-road, but the shocks are low-pressure,
so that combination might offer a slightly smoother ride.
The Wrangler Unlimited would have been a different
animal on this road. When we drove the Unlimited around Lake Tahoe,
there were a lot of other Jeeps on the road, and our four-door never
failed to turn heads. The two-door Wrangler should be even more capable.
The only limitation with the Unlimited was its turning
radius of 41.2 feet versus 34.9 feet with the two-door.
2009 Conclusions
The Jeep Wrangler is one of the most capable off-road
vehicles available today. Its four-wheel drive system also offers
all-weather capability and its convertible body style offers open-air
fun. "In short, if you are an aspiring outdoors-person a Wrangler
Unlimited will get you and three or four companions almost anywhere, any
time, under any conditions. It will do so with an easy grace that is as
home at climbing a mountain as the gravel road to that cottage 'up
North.'" says
The Auto Channel "Whether you spend your time in the African jungle or
the asphalt jungle, if you're a Wrangler fan, you'll like the new
machine." adds
Car and Driver The Unlimited body style has greater cargo capacity, making the
Wrangler more practical. You'll give up a lot of ride and handling
prowess, as well as fuel mileage, but the Wrangler is fun.