Are you on the hunt for the perfect off-road adventure vehicle that can also be used as a family car to get you to and from work? A Jeep dealership will have a large selection of automobiles that fit that description. The real question is, which Jeep is going to be the best one to fill your needs? A look at some of the many features of the Jeep Wrangler may help you to discover the answer to that question.
Don’t Fix What Ain’t Broken.
The Jeep Wrangler is easy to recognize and identify. The look and style of these vehicles have been used in every war film and documentary produced. Why? Because the vehicle that the Wrangler was designed after was the original WWII-era Willys MB. You have likely been seeing this Jeep style all of your life, and when you consider a rugged vehicle with the ability to drive across almost any terrain, then you most likely have a vision of the Willys Jeep or Wrangler in your mind.
A Badge of Honor
Every Jeep Wrangler wears a badge of honor. The badge is called Trail Rated because it represents the vehicles’ ability to cross rough terrain while withstanding the worst inclement weather conditions. Every Wrangler has this badge because no Wrangler can be presented to the public unless it can pass the trail rating tests. The tests that help the automobile be considered trail-ready includes:
Traction
In this area, the vehicle’s ability to transfer the engine’s power to the ground so you can travel across loose sand, up steep inclines, and through wet and slippery mud is verified. A trail-ready vehicle must maintain the utmost traction no matter what the road condition is like. One of the main reasons the Wrangler can retain maximum traction no matter the road conditions is the generous articulation allowed by the solid front and rear axles. Jeep has been perfecting this suspension design for more than eighty years. They have traction down to a fine art.
Water Fording Ability
If you drive in off-road conditions, you know that at some point in the excursion, you will encounter some water over the path. A trail-ready Wrangler must be able to cross water. To ensure the vehicle is capable of fording rivers, the electrical connections must be sealed, and moisture-resistant body openings must be established. When you climb into a Wrangler, you have the confidence that driving through puddles, across some creeks and streams, and along the beach will be no problem.
Maneuverability
When the terrain you are crossing demands that you avoid obstacles in the path like rocks, fallen logs, and other impediments, the ability to maneuver is crucial to adventure-seeking drivers. They want to be assured that they will be able to navigate the most treacherous trails with minimum risk to themselves or their Jeep. To make sure that this is possible, the vehicle has a short wheelbase and tight turning radius that let you confidently drive along narrow paths.
Ground Clearance
Whether you are driving across rocks or fording water at depths greater than nineteen inches, the Jeep Wrangler is ready. To pass the trial of these off-road conditions, the vehicle’s ground clearance has to be exceptional. The manufacturer has also included skid plates and rock rails along the undercarriage to reduce the possibility of damages while you are enjoying your adventure.
Extreme Performance at the Touch of a Finger
Jeep has taken advantage of every new technological advancement to make the Wrangler better than ever. They have implemented technology into their rugged little off-road machine and devised a better machine with greater power and stability.
Selec-Speed Control
When you are climbing up steep inclines, or coming down slopes, or traveling around corners and obstacles, the ability to control your speed makes the difference between an exciting ride and a terrifying experience. To make sure your ride is exhilarating and safe, Selec-Speed Control automatically adjusts brake pressure and engine torque to make the vehicle maintain a constant speed over any terrain. The significant part of this is that the driver does not have to remember to do anything to get this assistance. The vehicle has sensors that determine the aggression of an incline, and those sensors initiate the adjustments.
Selectable Tire Fill Alert System
The touchscreen on your dash panel allows you to select the absolute perfect tire pressure for the driving you are doing and let you know when the desired pressure is reached. If you are driving across a normal highway situation, the tires’ pressure can be higher than when you are trying to cross loose sand at the beach. You choose the high-pressure setting you prefer and the low-pressure setting you prefer. When you fill your tires or air down, an alert will let you know when you reach your pre-chosen settings. The alert takes all the guesswork out of getting the perfect tire pressure for each situation.
Off-Road Selection Button
If you use a Jeep Wrangler for adventure excursions, you need the off-road selection button. It is simple to use. The driver pushes a button that gives them the ability to adjust their throttle, take control of the transmission’s shift points, and increase the traction they have.
The Right Engine Creates the Right Power
The engine housed under your Jeep’s hood will determine how much power and exactly what that vehicle can do off-road or when cruising down city streets. Jeep understands this, and they offer engine upgrades to meet their customers’ specific needs and desires.
2.0 Liter Turbocharged Engine
The 2.0L is a great all-around Wrangler engine. It has 270 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. You can expect to get about 22 miles per gallon when driving in the city, which increases to about 24 miles per gallon when you are doing highway driving with fewer stops and starts.
3.0 Liter Ecodiesel Engine
If you like to drive across rough terrain and you want the ability to do so with a strong powerhouse under your hood, then select an engine upgrade to the 3.0 Ecodiesel. This engine is going to have 260 hp and 442 lb-ft torque. It will provide you a towing ability of up to about 3,500 pounds. It gets even better fuel mileage than the 2.0L. You can expect 22 miles per gallon for city driving and 29 miles per gallon while on the open highway.
3.6 Liter Pentastar V6 with eTorque
This engine has 285 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque. If you do rock crawling, you will be impressed by the added low-end torque from the eTorque mild-hybrid system. You can still tow about 3,500 pounds, and the fuel efficiency is not too bad for a V6. Expected fuel usage is 20 miles per gallon in the city and 24 miles per gallon on the highway.
Final Thoughts
The Jeep Wrangler is an adventure to drive, and its array of features and engines lets you build the perfect off-road machine. Every component of the vehicle has been honed to perfection to create the best options for adventure and excitement when you leave the beaten path. From the highly capable 4×4 systems to the powerful engines, the Wrangler is built for excitement. There is a reason that Jeep has been the king of off-roading for 80 years.
