Jeep India chose just the right location for us to experience the new Wrangler Rubicon and here is how that went.
Story: Joshua Varghese
Photography: Apurva Ambep
Saying something about Jeep being synonymous with off-roading is like stating sugar is sweet. It is obvious, old news. What I should say is that instead of making us drive up and down on a curated course, Jeep let us experience the new Wrangler in the untamed wild. The Wrangler is available in both Unlimited and Rubicon variants and we drove the latter.
Our first important decision of the day was to choose the right SUV because Jeep had both the standard Rubicon and a fully-open model equipped with accessories. Given that we had to go through a forest and cross a river, we opted for the former. Within a few minutes of driving, our convoy turned off the well-worn trail and straight into the denser parts of the forest. The overgrowth on the sides had been flattened to prevent scratches on the paintwork, apart from that, nothing was done to make things easier for us. Not that it made any difference to the Rubicon.
In four-wheel-drive low, there was nothing that stood in this SUV’s way. For the most notorious of boulders, we just disconnected the sway bar and the Rubicon simply climbed over it like it was an unruly speed-breaker. To make off-roading easier for everyone, Jeep have equipped the new Wrangler with cameras at the front and rear. Although it may sound like a gimmick, it was extremely useful. In fact, there were times when I tried driving by just looking at the screen and it worked flawlessly without any lag whatsoever. The sightlines of the Wrangler’s bonnet make it easy to place the front wheels but it is reassuring to know that one can rely on a camera feed to be doubly sure. It is a fairly expensive SUV after all.
The drive in the forest alone was a testament to this car’s off-road abilities but it was followed by fording the river Sutlej. At times, the water level rose to well above half of the slightly redesigned grille but the Jeep just kept moving, unfazed and undeterred. Meanwhile, the river occasionally flowed through the cabin of the fully-open Rubicon. The addition of powered seats in the front is one of the updates in the new Wrangler and as advertised, it held up well against the water in the cabin. There is also a new 12.3-inch touchscreen and Jeep are confident that one can hose down the interior without any damage to the electronics whatsoever and after the river crossing, I am ready to take their word for it.
This year’s model continues to be powered by the same 2.0-litre, in-line, four-cylinder, turbo-petrol engine as before and it continues to develop the same 272 hp and 400 Nm. Transmission duties are managed by an eight-speed automatic plus there is a two-speed transfer case with a 4:1 crawl ratio. Off the road, the engine was a gem and it never felt underpowered. What impressed me most was how much low-end grunt it had. Just about 2,000 rpm was all it needed to pull us through all the off-road sections with almost no contribution from the turbocharger. On the road, the Wrangler pulls away from as low as 40 km/h in fifth gear. It is also worth noting that this behemoth is capable of going from 0-100 km/h in 8.1 seconds (claimed) and on to a top speed of 174 km/h (also claimed). Personally, I feel smoother down-shifts and a more linear throttle response could easily improve the Wrangler’s road manners.
On the road, the Rubicon’s performance is adequate but there are a few things one has to live with. It gets a new Gorilla glass windscreen with an integrated antenna along with a few other improvements, the cabin is expected to be quieter by about 5dB. That may be an improvement over the outgoing model but there is a noticeable level of road and wind noise when driving along on the blacktop at triple-digit speeds. Having spent a considerable amount of time as a passenger, I can confidently say that the car rides well over unruly surfaces and I was barely inconvenienced. However, better under-thigh support at the rear seats will go a long way in improving the Rubicon’s capabilities as a long-distance cruiser too. There is a noticeable amount of body roll around curves too but I feel that is something one has to live with because any tweaking there could come at the cost of its off-roading prowess.
For the first time ever in a Jeep, we see a Dana 44 HD full float rear axle. Although its effects were not evident during our drive, we have been told that it significantly increases the Wrangler’s towing capacity and even allows upgrading to larger tyres with negligible load on the axle shaft. For reference, the car we drove was in stock form and featured 17-inch wheels shod with 255/75 tyres. Other big changes include the addition of side airbags as standard. They are integrated into the roll cage, so the functionality is intact even if one takes the doors off. The last significant change is the addition of ADAS features including adaptive cruise control and forward collision warning.
At this time, we do not have the price of the Wrangler but if it is priced anywhere below Rs 80 lakh, it seems like a reasonable amount of money for an SUV that is so capable. The Wrangler is not the ideal all-rounder and it should never try to be one either because it comes from a stellar lineage of proper SUVs. That being said, we are extremely pleased with how the latest iteration is carrying the legacy forward while also offering the creature comforts and conveniences that allow it to execute the duties of an everyday car. Some of you may be interested to know that we saw up to 10 km/litre on the console during our drive.
Run it on the streets all you want, this Wrangler’s true calling begins when the road ends. On that note, make some noise in Jeep India’s inbox if you would like to see the 3.6-litre V6 or the 6.4-litre V8 engines in India.
Edit: The new Wrangler range has been launched at Rs 67.65 lakh for the Unlimited and at Rs 71.65 lakh for the Rubicon. Prices are ex-showroom.
Watch the review video here:
Also Read: Jeep Meridian First Drive Review
