There is nothing quite like a Jeep. It’s rugged, boxy and iconic exterior, coupled with its size and true off-roading ability, creates a league of its own.
The 2016 Jeep Wrangler maintains its unique spot in the market by keeping many of the same aspects we know and love about the Jeep Wrangler but with improved features such as a more comfortable interior.
The exterior, which previously employed hard plastics and was not known for being particularly comfortable, has received a much-needed update. The Wrangler now has more cushioning and soft-touch materials in a few very important areas such as the arm rests.
Previously, the interior of the Wrangler left a lot to be desired — cheap plastics abound and a lack of personality. In 2016, however, the updates, which include a much more modern instrument panel with courtesy lighting underneath it as well as near the cupholders, give the 2016 Wrangler a much more sophisticated look than that of its predecessors.
Despite the upgrades, you still can hose down the interior completely after a day of off-roading and mudding (if you’re into that). After all, the Wrangler is not designed to be plush, but to be rugged and durable. The exterior, however, remains virtually the same with its beloved, no-fuss, tough, industrial look.
The Wrangler comes in a four-door (for the Wrangler Unlimited), which seats five passengers, and two-door option, which seats four passengers, with either hard or soft tops. For your cargo, the backseat can fold for more room.
There are three trims from which to choose: Sport, Sahara and Rubicon. The latter being the one I was able to test drive. The 2016 Wrangler comes with a rather limited number of standard features but, they are pretty much all you need. The features include a full-size spare tire, tow hooks, skid plates, cloth upholstery, crank windows, a fold-down windshield, an aux cord, eight-speaker sound system and CD player.
However, the Rubicon includes upgraded features such as auto-dimming mirrors, power locks and keyless entry.
As a highly capable off-roading vehicle, the Wrangler would surprise you with its on-road capabilities. It’s smooth when accelerating and is capable of reaching 60 mph in 8.4 seconds. While not particularly impressive, the improved on-road ride quality is a highly welcomed update. This is thanks to Chrysler’s newest 3.6 liter V-6 coupled with the 5-speed automatic that allows for faster acceleration and smoother transitions. Combined mileage for the Wrangler is 17 mpg. However, there are few, if any, other vehicles that can go off-road as the Wrangler can; it treks up inclines and takes on rocky terrain like no other.
The Jeep Wrangler is an entirely unique vehicle with which no other SUV, despite their off-roading capabilities, can compete.
For 2016, Jeep kept the Wrangler’s iconic looks and renowned off-roading capacity while improving upon its weak points, such as the interior and on-road ride. For those who want a truly off-road vehicle and/or love the Wrangler’s aesthetics, there is nothing quite like it on the market that can compare.
The MRSP for the 2016 Jeep Wrangler is $36,895.
Grant Miller is the publisher of Community Newspapers. He may be contacted by calling 305-662-2277 or by addressing email to Grant@CommunityNewspapers.com.
