Test Drive: 2011 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited

Test Drive: 2011 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited

Design:

The look of Jeeps has always been a bit manly. It’s all hard lines, large features, and removable parts. The beauty of a Jeep is in its versatility and utilitarian abilities. It’s not out to win a sleek and sophisticated beauty contest, and it clearly never could. But it does look like it could take on any terrain in any weather at any time -- and that’s what it’s built to do.

With removable doors, roof and windscreen, the Jeep Wrangler is a true off-roader. While the interior did see some improvements for 2011, the inside stayed relatively familiar. Upgraded materials mean the Jeep seems a bit more luxurious, however, it’s still very much made to take a beating with mud and dirt and whatever you throw in there.

The middle console houses a touchscreen entertainment system that’s fairly simple, but that’s a good thing because where you’ll be taking your Wrangler, you’ll want to focus on the road and what’s coming up next and no fiddling with the radio for a good tune.

With a full back seat, the Wrangler can easily accommodate 5 adults, and with the doors and roof off, that accommodation is even more roomy.

Drive:

Driving the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon in the city seems a bit silly. It is not meant for urban living. It’s big, loud, overbearing and just a bit too much. Especially the 4-door version we had for the week. Those extra doors really stretch out the back and make the Wrangler even more cumbersome.

Simple things like getting in and out of the Wrangler are a bit uncomfortable thanks to the flimsy doors (which are that way because they’re removable) and the ill-placed handle (which isn’t ill-placed for hanging on once you’re in the vehicle, but is when you’re trying to get in). It just doesn’t fit the practical bill when it comes to city living.

But then, the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited wasn’t bred for that. With a 3.8-liter V6 (the same engine offered in all Wranglers), the Wrangler has 202 horsepower and 237 lb-ft of torque. However, it’s not the power you want to know about if you’re an off-road aficionado; you want to know that the Wrangler comes equipped with an Off-Road Rock-Trac NV241 and has a two-speed transfer case for low-range gear ratios; that it has a 5-link coil suspension set-up with DENALI axles and tuned shock absorbers; it features an electronic-disconnecting front stabilizer bar (aka an active sway bar) for challenging terrain; and features an approach angle of 44.3 degrees, a break-over angle of 25.4 degrees and a departure angle of 40.4 degrees. Off-roaders, eat your heart out.