Jeep Wrangler Sahara tests the limits
Iconic vehicle with road presence is reasonably priced and reliable
The Jeep Wrangler is a rather unique beast, as the popular sport utility vehicle offers consumers a capable allterrain vehicle as well as the ability to remove the top and enjoy the wind-in-your-hair experience. As a result of this versatility, Wrangler models have proven a huge success for parent Chrysler.
There are two wheelbases and seven models of Wrangler available for 2015, but our tester, the Wrangler Unlimited Sahara, is smack in the middle of the lineup, and one of the most popular models on the salesroom floor.
The Sahara is well equipped to fulfil daily duty as the family vehicle, but it isn’t as rugged and hard-edged as more aggressive models, such as the rock-crawling Rubicon. Sure, it is rugged enough to tackle what’s there when the pavement comes to an end, but the Sahara has been designed to ride a little softer and display improved handling on city streets and the highway.
The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara, like most of the Trail Rated Jeep models, has been designed to perform in hostile environments. The product planning team at Jeep hopes the image of driving such a capable vehicle will appeal to those who have a sense of adventure or like to test their limits.
The Jeep Wrangler Sahara is available in either short wheelbase or four-door form. The latter is referred to as the Unlimited, and since its debut almost a decade ago, consumers have taken to the stretched model because of its greater versatility in transporting both passengers and cargo.
The Wrangler Sahara features a long list of standard equipment, but Jeep offers a long list of options as well, allowing customers to equip their rig to suit their needs. One of the most popular options is to replace the standard black roof with a bodycoloured Freedom Top with deep tint windows. Fitting one of these to the Wrangler gives the vehicle huge visual impact and makes the Jeep look more refined overall.
Stepping up into the Wrangler can be a chore, so I appreciated the side-mounted tube steps. Once behind the wheel, you immediately notice that the seating position is more of a perch, but this enhances visibility. The broad plateau of a hood is still somewhat difficult to see over, but your driving style will soon adapt to this.
The Wrangler Sahara’s interior design is quite utilitarian overall, but supportive, heated bucket seats wrapped in durable leather and a similarly finished leather-wrapped steering wheel help dress it up a bit. There is plenty of room to stretch out and all seating positions offer enough space for adult heads, hips, and limbs.
The compact gauge cluster has traditional instrument dials, and most switchgear and controls are within easy reach of the driver. Heavyduty tread-pattern slush mats will prove popular during the dreary winter months.
The Wrangler gets its motivation from Chrysler’s award-winning Pentastar 3.6-litre V-6 engine. This smooth power plant produces a healthy 285 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque across a relatively broad power band. The vehicle comes fitted with a six-speed manual transmission, but a five-speed automatic transmission is a lowcost option.
Hill-descent control is thrown in as a bonus for buyers choosing the automatic upgrade.
The Jeep Wrangler is versatile, reasonably priced, quite reliable and great for your image. Overview: Iconic four-wheeldrive off-roader is a unique beast with a lot to offer Pros: Unique styling cues, all-weather traction, four- season convertible Cons: Poor tire selection for off-road use. Value for money: Good What I would change: Swap tires.