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tech
2007
Wrangler Unlimited JK 4 Door Test Drive and Review
The dealer had 3
JK's. I had the opportunity to drive the black X.
It was equipped with the standard equipment plus an
automatic transmission, upgraded radio, power windows, and
power locks with keyless entry.
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rear seat |
rear door
open |
cargo area |
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looking back from the front seat |
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Interior
I liked the feel of the
interior. It still feels like a Jeep...cozy, but a bit
wider and deeper. The controls were easy to reach and
laid out in the right places. It was very unusual
looking rearward from the driver seat and seeing so much
space behind me. The new Jeep is long, not quite as
long as I though it would be from all the pictures I have
seen. The interior room is impressive. The
storage space behind the rear seat is plentiful. I'd
say it easily rivals the Liberty. It was cool to see
the power window and lock controls. I checked out the
whole removable sections from the new Freedom Top. A
few latches and some sliding locks and off the panels come!
This Sahara was equipped with a dual top and a 6 speed.
The X and the other Sahara were automatics.
Cargo
The cargo area
behind the rear seat is a milestone for the Wrangler.
There is plenty of room to spare and cargo capacity greater
than a Liberty. The rear 60/40 seat folds down easily
and extends the cargo area for storage of extra long items.
Chassis
Naturally I had to lay down
and check out the underside. I was happy to see all
the things that make a Jeep a Jeep in place. The
Dana 44 rear axle with disc brakes and heavy fuel tank skid
plate complete the Jeep's underside. An interesting
thing I noticed was the fuel filler was on the driver side
and the tank was on the passenger side. There is a
long tube that the fuel flows through to get to the tank.
Probably not an issue just strange. See picture below.
front
steering knuckle |
looking
rearward |
driver side control arm |
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gas tank skid - heavy! |
muffler - where gas tank used to be! |
looking forward |
Dana 44 rear, see the gas tank filler |
rear disk brakes |
rear tow hook |
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rear driveshaft |
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Driving,
stopping, and handling
As we hit the road I could
immediately tell the new suspension and longer wheelbase
made for a pleasant ride. The manners of the Jeep were
stable and predictable. There was a familiar feel to
past Jeeps but more refined. Braking was solid and
sure. I did find the engine capable but a bit under
powered. It seemed to need to shift gears often to
accelerate or pull a steeper hill. There was a
noticeable lack of torque that we enjoyed so much with the
old 4.0L. I think the new engine is a good balance for
the Jeep, after all, it is not a sports car. Low range
off road driving will not suffer with this new engine.
Conclusion
The new JK was a
pleasure to drive and will be both a capable off roader and
grocery getter. The 4 door is a little too long for
aggressive off road driving but in my opinion it will be a
perfect vehicle for a family or outdoor enthusiast that
requires 4 doors or increased cargo area. I think Jeep
did a great job with the Unlimited, I resent the comments
"It looks like a hummer" and "a real Jeep has 2 doors".
We all know most Jeeps see more pavement than the trail and
we cannot fault DCX for this revision. Personally I
can see one of these in my future.
Hey, where's
the 2 door?
Coming soon...
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