In this business it’s easy to get mud on your face. For instance, sometimes, after driving a vehicle for a single

Cool? For sure. Off-roading Jeeps always rate highly on my list. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

day at a new model introduction program and then later on, when the vehicle goes on sale, getting it for a week-long test, I notice things that weren’t as obvious during the shorter drive. It only makes sense, especially factoring the spouse and kids into the latter scenario. Fortunately for the new Jeep Wrangler Unlimited that I previously tested at its introduction at the Rubicon Trail camp and later, after pounding down the trail itself, in and around Lake Tahoe, California, it proved a capable family hauler and quite acceptable in the city when I had it again last week, all things that I had figured previously. Even the rear seat headrests that automatically and conveniently pop forward and out of the way when folding the seatback forward, so that you don’t have to remove them, worked better with my almost-three-year-old’s child safety seat than I had initially thought they would. But, as much as I like it in almost every way, not was all rosy the second time around.

I

There's nowhere to go off-road in the city, but that doesn't mean the new Wrangler isn't fun... (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

was all smiles when I picked it up. It looks great, in a rough, tough utilitarian way. It’s not overly muscular like the Hummer H3 and isn’t overtly retro like the FJ Cruiser, but rather the Wrangler Unlimited presents a confident, purposeful image that’s inherently retro due to minimal upgrades over its sixty plus year existence. More importantly it’s more functional that most in this class, with greater interior volume than the FJ, as well as real rear doors, and it’s about as capable off road as anything on four wheels. The sweetest thing on top of it all is its base price of only $24,495 in X trim, or $28,190 in Sahara trim! OK, the base model doesn’t include a hardtop roof, but I tested the Sahara and therefore I’ll keep my comments to this model.

The hardtop that I pulled apart at the launch program and lifted over my head for my TV viewers to see, appeared well put together and, being made of modern composites, the latest weather-sealing materials and, no doubt, better epoxies than the T-tops of my youth, who would have thought that it would leak like a sieve. After all, it was sunny and warm in California, not the continual torrential downpours that we’ve once again become reacclimatized to on the West Coast. The rain poured, and poured, and poured, and after pouring some more, and despite being stored in my nice, dry carport when not in use, enough water started streaming in between the seams of the Freedom Top Modular Hardtop that we renamed it the Free-Flow Top instead. It began up front, with the water pooling up on top of the lower console, particularly drenching

OK, well, it isn't fun when the car decides to do an impromptu Chinese water torture. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

the auto shifter, and then the wet stuff started pouring in from the rearmost edge of the passenger-side removable roof panel, landing on the passenger seat headrest. Could it just be a problem with my particular test vehicle? No, unfortunately not. I phoned someone I know in the service department of a local Jeep dealer and was told that they had been getting a lot of calls about the same thing from irate customers. Yes Auburn Hills, we have a problem. While the service technician said they were replacing seals to cure the mishap, he wasn’t confident that it would be a long-term problem solver, and felt that the situation would only get worse as the vehicles increased in age and the composite roof experienced wear. Do you want to hear my guess as to what will inevitably happen? If Jeep can’t fix it permanently, i.e. there was something done wrong in the manufacturing process and there isn’t anything wrong with the roof design itself, then model year 2007 will be the only year the modular roof design is offered. That would be a shame, as it’s very cool and would be extremely handy come summer.

The

Or when it locks your keys in your car by itself... with the engine running. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

next problem happened on the way home from Christmas shopping, and it took me by complete shock. You’ve got to appreciate that I test more than a hundred cars per year, probably closer to two-hundred, and I haven’t yet experienced a modern vehicle that has the ability to lock its keys inside while still running! Actually, most new cars, trucks, SUVs, crossovers and vans won’t allow you to lock your keys inside at all, let alone while at idle, but I learned something that night. I had pulled over behind Jennifer who was with my son Kaden in a new Saturn Sky Red Line (tons of fun by the way), as we were going to switch vehicles so that I could head off to a church quorum meeting. I jumped out of the car to help Jennifer with Kaden’s booster seat, hoping to hurry up the process because I was running late, and when returning to the Wrangler it was locked, Anika, my almost-three-year-old I mentioned earlier was inside her car seat, and the engine was happily idling away, the only compensation being that the heater kept her warm. In a panic Jennifer phoned 911 and within a few minutes two cruisers showed up and began assessing the situation. The second officer on the scene recognized me as someone he’d given a ticket to previously while driving a new Porsche 911 (isn’t that just a happy scenario) and shortly after we all started talking cars while Jennifer made smiley faces at Anika to keep her calm; believe me, Anika was a great deal calmer than Jennifer as it was. The tow truck driver came, and with great skill (that I’d rather not find out how he gained), popped the door open without even scratching the paint. We were in, Anika was now safely in her mother’s arms and, other than missing my meeting, all was well. I had even made a few new friends that would hopefully be more lenient if and when we met again in less favourable circumstances. So, this story isn’t told to gripe on the Jeep for allowing the doors to be locked shut while the engine is running, but more to warn would-be owners that it’s possible to do so, and to pay attention before the same happens to you. I suppose the electronics that normally safe-check this process can’t be included with doors designed to be removed, as is the case with the Wrangler. Whatever the reason, beware!

Oh, and that rear cargo door that I beefed about after first driving the new Wrangler?

...or when you've got to walk around the dangerous side of the street to load your cargo... (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

I’ve confirmed the obvious after a week of family duty. Its right-hinged configuration is ideal for Japan and Britain, plus a number of other jurisdictions, but is unnecessarily awkward for the countries where it will sell strongest, namely the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Heck, throw in all of continental Europe and China while we’re at it, as they drive in the right-hand lane just like we do. Why the concern? Well, when you open the side-swinging cargo door up it blocks access to the sidewalk, making loading and unloading more difficult if parallel parked, especially if handling a heavy or otherwise awkward item. I can understand Jeep’s desire to stay with convention, being that Jeeps have long fitted their hinges on the right side of the vehicle, but I seriously believe no one would have complained if they’d taken the opportunity of an entirely new model to correct a longstanding mistake. This faux pas makes the Wrangler the only domestic vehicle to inconvenience its owners in this fashion, joining the ranks of Suzuki’s Grand Vitara and Toyota’s RAV4, among others. Ironically, after years of telling me that its RAV4 and Lexus GX 470 fitted their rear door handles on the left side because it’s easier for a driver to get out, walk around and open up the door with their right hand, when Toyota chose to make a North American-only SUV, the FJ Cruiser, it conveniently changed its mind and switched door handle and hinge placement, making the SUV much easier to live with in this part of the world. Its clamshell side doors, however, are a royal pain in the derriere to endure when front and rear occupants are trying to enter or exit at the same time when parked in a regular parking lot… you play around with the logistics to figure out why it doesn’t work. Truly, I don’t understand why automakers can’t get such obviously simple things right. Toyota for its clamshell doors and Jeep for its right-side cargo door hinges.

And

But you have to admit, when they've got the roof's seals fixed, the snap-on panels are a great idea. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

adding insult to injury is a rear glass half-liftgate that requires the cargo door to be opened in order to operate. This is no doubt the result of the removable roof, but couldn’t there be a better way? I kept on closing the door first, and then trying to lower the window. It wouldn’t work, which caused me to have to open the door back up each time, close the window and then shut the cargo door once again. Ugh! Hey, I’ve got an idea Jeep. Why don’t you redesign the hapless rear window and awkward cargo door while you redo the leaky roof, killing three birds with one proverbial stone?

Now that I’m ranting on doors, I’d also like to mention that the front passenger door almost never closed properly with the first slam. I don’t know why, as there was never anything blocking its path during the great many times it had to be forcefully slammed a second or third time. This was more of an annoyance than a problem, and probably comes down to the fit of anything designed to be removed by its owner. Certainly the rest of the new Wrangler Unlimited’s body panels butted up against each other evenly, with small panel gaps for this class and especially this particular model. The same goes for the interior, which is so much better now that it almost feels luxurious… almost.

I’m a big fan of this type of vehicle, having been raised on weekend and summer off-road adventures in everything from our old ‘66 Volkswagen Beetle to our mid-‘70s Toyota Land Cruiser (we never had a Jeep but my Dad and I went for a ride in a Willys once). No doubt we wouldn’t have thought twice about being rained on while inside any of these cars, but ironically, as antiquated as they are compared to the new Wrangler, none of them ever did. Sure, we had a ’61 Pontiac Strato Chief wagon that rained upwards through the floorboards, but that was an entirely different problem.

During my most recent weeklong test I didn’t have time to go off-roading, but my Rubicon Trail experience is

The Wrangler's new cabin is like a Rolls Royce in comparison to previous generations. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

still fresh enough in my mind to relate the Wrangler’s capabilities, even in stretched Unlimited guise. It’s good, very good. In fact, I’d go so far to say that, thanks to an extra inch of ground clearance, more power and torque, plus the addition of electronic stability control and ABS, it’s a much better 4x4 than the TJ Unlimited it replaces. Its so much more refined, which may not matter much when you’re the kid riding in back or the young adult jacking up the suspension and stuffing a small-block V8 under the hood, but for young families that might consider this for a regular ride, its quieter and more accommodating cabin, not to mention its more comfortable ride, will go a long way to keeping everyone happy 365 days per year.

It’s actually a vehicle that I’d consider getting full-time, leaks aside. What I like best about it, other that the way it looks and its ability off-road, is that it slows me down – I’ve been known to be a bit energetic behind the wheel of a sports car. The Wrangler isn’t the kind of vehicle I drive fast, and I wouldn’t recommend doing so to anyone who owns one, or anything like it. It’s tall and rather narrow by today’s standards, two character traits that don’t translate well when it comes to top-level cornering. Still, it’s more stable than any previous Jeep and less top-heavy than some of its competitors, and if driven within reason should stay right-side up more often than not – the anti-skid control should help with that. And if you happen to turtle (that’s flip over if you hadn’t heard the term before), it not only comes equipped with the expected airbags, but also features a robust roll cage as standard equipment.

Integrated into the roll cage, which Jeep refers to as a Sports Bar (where’s the big screen showing non-stop TSN?), are big stereo speakers that pound out the tunes if the Infinity audio system is traded up for the optional Harmon-Kardon head-unit featuring an integrated 20-gig hard drive, Boston Acoustics speakers, plus all of the other goodies the current system offers such as satellite radio (U.S. only until next year) and an input for an auxiliary MP3 player, as well as touch screen functionality that additionally will include a state of the art navigation system. State of the art maybe, but I doubt the nav system will get you out of the woods when you’re bushed. Of course, nothing OEM could do that either, from any manufacturer.

So,

New console is better organized and my goodness, it actually has equipment! (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press)

by the end of the week I’d given up being frustrated by the passenger-side door never closing properly, had locked my child inside while it was running, and had been leaked on from various spots around the modular roof. You know, that’s more problems than I’ve had with any other vehicle to date, other than maybe a smart fortwo that would only start when you slammed the door just right, and only after repeated slams plus hardly ever when already warm. That was a royal pain, as was the audio system that didn’t work. But the Jeep is up there for mishaps, and oddly enough I still wanted to keep it longer after my time was up. Am I crazy? Don’t answer that, please. I suppose I’m a sucker for punishment, but even after the challenges it forced on me I want to own one. I want one in day-glo, nuclear waste green (actually called Rescue Green Metallic as first seen on the awesome Jeep Rescue concept), although the regular Green Metallic looked nice too. I’ll take mine with the six-speed manual, not the four-speed auto that I tested (although the auto is quite good and might be easier to negotiate off-road, plus it gets better fuel economy than the manual, do maybe I should reconsider), the audio upgrade along with Sirius satellite radio (I’ve become a big fan of both Sirius and XM), seat-mounted side airbags, the dual soft top and hardtop combination (the soft top for winter, when it rains more), the Locker (or Trac-Lok Differential) rear axle, not quite sure yet. In Sahara trim this truck would cost me $32,860 including the $100 air conditioning tax and $1,200 destination fee, which isn’t too bad. I might even opt for the Rubicon upgrade, but would probably go for the Sahara and do the off-road upgrades with aftermarket parts once the warranty ran out. Oh, and if money allowed I might even upgrade it to the Grand Cherokee’s 3.0-litre turbodiesel. I saw one of these at the LA auto show recently, and along with some additional styling goodies and undercarriage enhancements, plus new wheels of course, it was my favourite vehicle of the show.

Leak? What leak. How could I let a little thing like water get in the way of owning one of the coolest vehicles on the road? After all, when you’re out in the woods it’s always good to have a reliable source of fresh running water. Jeep thinks of everything!

Specifications (Wrangler Unlimited Sahara 4x4):

• Price Range (base MSRP): $24,495 - $32,860
• Body Type: 4-door convertible SUV
• Layout: front engine, part-time 4WD
• Engine: 202-hp, 237 lb-ft of torque, 3.8L, 12-valve, OHV V6
• Transmission: 6-spd manual (optional 4-spd auto)
• Brakes (front/rear): disc/disc, ABS, EBD
• Curb Weight (min – max): 1,848 – 1,969 kg (4,075 – 4,340 lbs)
• External Dimensions (L/W/H/WB): 4,404 / 1,877 (without mirrors) / 1,801 (w/ hardtop) / 2,946 mm (173.4 / 73.9 (without mirrors) / 70.9 (w/ hardtop) / 116.0 in)
• Track (frt/rr): 1,572 / 1,572 mm (61.9 / 61.9 in)
• Overhang (frt/rr): 679 / 778 mm (26.7 / 30.6 in)
• Seating Capacity: 5
• Cargo Volume (behind 2nd row/2nd row folded): 1.3 / 2.5 cu-m (46.4 / 86.8 cu-ft)
• Ground Clearance (front min – max): 229 – 267 mm (9.0 – 10.5 in)
• Ground Clearance (rear min – max): 221 – 257 mm (8.7 – 10.1 in)
• Towing Capacity (estimated): 1,588 kg (3,500 lbs)
• Payload (max): 454 kg (1,000 lbs)
• Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 16.1 / 12.2 L/100 km (14.6 / 11.2 L/100 km w/ auto)
• Warranty (mo/km): 36/60,000 comprehensive - 60/100,000 powertrain
• Direct Competitors: Hummer H3, Kia Sorento, Nissan Xterra, Suzuki Grand Vitara, Toyota FJ Cruiser
• Web Site: www.jeep.ca