2008 Jeep Wrangler Review

Specifications

Jeep’s Wrangler Rubicons, both the 2-door and 4-door, are amongst the most capable off-roaders available straight off the assembly line, and for under $30,000 no less. Heck, you could literally drive this 4×4 off the dealership lot straight into a Jeep Jamboree, take on a level 4 or 5 trail (or higher depending on your personal off-roading capabilities) and not even break a sweat. To the trails!

Introduced for the 2007 model year and mostly carried over for 2008, the Unlimited is Jeep’s first 4-door Wrangler. It’s also the only 4-door convertible on the automotive market today, thanks to its base cloth-top or optional removable 3-piece Freedom Top design. Having had the opportunity to drive the 2-door Rubicon and 4-door Unlimited Rubicon back-to-back for a week apiece gave me good opportunity to acquaint myself with the differences between these four-wheeling wonders.

In order to get to know the Rubicons a little better, it’s good to know what they’re made of, figuratively and literally. Both Rubicon’s share the same DNA when it comes to tackling the trails. There’s no difference between these and the regular short and long wheelbase Wranglers’ body-on-frame structure, plus both come with the same solid front and rear axles, a design that’s not only known for durability and strength but also capability when off tarmac. Each comes with the renowned fold-down windshield and removable doors that make Jeeps so Jeep-like! And while these items might seem like throwbacks to the past, some of the new Wrangler’s technology is quite sophisticated.

First off, the Rubicon’s Quadra-Coil suspension geometry is a great deal more compliant than any of the cattle wagons Jeep previously affixed the Wrangler name to, yet it’s also one of the most rugged setups out there. Its five-link solid front and rear axles and performance tuned (the Jeep type of ‘performance tuned!’ mind you, not the sports car performance tuned) undercarriage enable the Rubicon to be trail ready and Trail Rated 24/7. And like I said, this suspension is quite agreeable for city driving. I know this well, being that this is where I spent 90-percent of my behind-the-wheel time in each of these Jeeps. It’s tauter than the last generation TJ suspension, allowing more control at city and highway speeds, and has actually improved its abilities off-road. My friend Carrie, who owns a Grand Cherokee but has never ridden in a Wrangler, was also surprised at how stable it felt, even with its off-road infused technology. She had only heard second-hand that Wranglers drive like “cardboard boxes!” I’m not sure what driving a cardboard box would feel like, but that’s definitely not the feeling I got from being behind the wheel of these sport utility vehicles.

Like the suspension system, Jeep took the Wrangler’s four-wheel drive system to a new level as of the 2007 model year. Its Rock Trac high-performance transfer case was specifically developed for the Rubicon editions of both Wranglers, and provides a 4:1 low-gear ratio. Translation: this system is most abundantly felt when the stubby little shifter on the left is slotted into 4 LO, and then especially when descending steep trails, ascending mountain ridges, or even when crawling over a bed of rocks. It provides more control to its driver and increases torque availability through each of the SUV’s four wheels. Unless changed to 4 HIGH or 4 LO by the aforementioned shift-on-the-fly transfer case, the Rubicon remains in 2 HIGH (or rear-wheel-drive) for maximum fuel efficiency and driving comfort.

If Jeep just left the Rubicon with its intensified suspension setup and first-rate 4×4 system, life would’ve been good for most 4×4 enthusiasts, but the engineers just couldn’t stop there with the gadgets. This is a Rubicon after all, so why not throw in a few more top-tier 4×4 features to lure in the mud junkies? One such feature is the Tru-loc electronically-locking front and rear differential system that maintains the Rubicon’s forward momentum and aids traction in steep or slippery circumstances. I recall an experience I had while at the Jeep Jamboree putting this system to the test. We had just descended a very steep hill in 4 LO, and came to the foot of another steep hill that would take us up the other side of the ravine. There were only two ways up: one was to zig-zag via a not-so-steep trail just to the side of the hill (where’s the fun in that) while the other was to lock up the axles and just give ‘er straight up the hill. Of course, only those with the Tru-loc system were able to just ‘give ‘er, so I gave ‘er and went up without any trouble at all. Some other Jeeps, seeing how easy I made it look attempted to do likewise, but failed. Thank goodness for the Rubicon!


The electronic sway bar disconnect feature goes hand in hand with the Tru-loc system, so some might say that this feature had much to do with my success. Fair enough, as anything that allows greater suspension travel and therefore better tire contact to the rocks and dirt underneath benefits momentum in these kinds of situations. First seen on Dodge’s Ram Power Wagon, a special off-road version of the related brand’s half-ton pickup truck, this is a feature that benefits hard-core off-roaders as well as it does beginners. With the push of the “Sway Bar” button, located on the center instrument cluster, the sway bar essentially disengages, significantly increasing front axle articulation. It’s perfect for rock climbing/crawling, driving up steep embankments or traversing over very uneven surfaces.

But all of the goodies and gadgets would be null and void if the Rubicon didn’t have a ground clearance of 10.1 inches - 10.2 inches for the two-door - and a set of LT255/70R17 mud terrain BSW off-road tires mated to 17-inch Moab aluminum wheels. These tires grip the mud and dirt like few others, and are pretty decent on pavement as well. The standard 6-speed manual transmission works well too, while an optional 4-speed automatic is even easier for novice off-roaders to manage when things get treacherous, while the SUV’s 4-wheel disc brakes with standard ABS are as effective on smooth surfaces as they are on gravel, snow or whatever happens to be in your way (OK, they might offer a bit more capability on dry surfaces). Both Rubicons I had were mated with the 6-speed manual transmission, and while a bit heavy the clutch is pretty forgiving in a sense that you can let it up quite high without it stalling. Not to mention that the 3.8-liter V6 produces 202 horsepower and a very healthy 237 lb-ft of torque, so it didn’t even want to stall when I started out in second gear.

The go anywhere, tackle any trail exterior complements the ready to get down and dirty interior. Included in both Rubicons were two-tone, premium cloth seats with YES Essentials fabric. Saying “YES” to YES means stains and odors will say “NO” when they want to kick around after a day in the mud pit! This static resistant fabric is not only ideal for off-roading but also for on-road settings. Spill a drink, no problem. The fabric repels liquids and makes cleanups much easier. I decided to put this to the test and purposely spill water on the seats. I mean, wouldn’t you?! The water just beaded up into little liquid drops as if it was hovering over the fabric until I wiped it off. Not bad at all.

Where the Rubicon falls a little short is in regards to interior appearance. The Hummer H3, Toyota FJ Cruiser and Nissan Xterra, I would say, have ‘prettier’ interiors. The cabin of the Jeep is far less fancy. But keeping that in mind, this Jeep is much less expensive in base trim than any of these relative newcomers, starting off at $18,980 for the most basic of 2-door models and $20,900 for the same X trim in the 4-door. The 2-door Rubicon starts life at $27,540, still quite reasonable, while a Rubicon Unlimited can be bought for $29,855. And I actually didn’t mind the bare bones motif. There are few cubbyholes and storage compartments to stow my stuff, but a relatively large and lockable glove compartment certainly came in handy. It does, however, have features such as air conditioning, an optional AM/FM 6-disc in-dash DVD MP3 radio with Sirius satellite radio (an additional $350 for both), power windows, locks and keyless entry ($800), wrapped around a very blase center instrument cluster. Granted, it has some metallic accents to give it a little extra flare, but in general its cabin is about as stylish as a pair of camouflage cargo pants. Fortunately for me, I’m more concerned with what’s underneath than what’s inside.

Still, as great as the Rubicons were off-road and even on pavement, there were a few not-so-great things about them. First, the removable doors have a tendency to swing wide open. Ok, I know that’s what doors are supposed to do, but unlike conventional car doors which hold in certain positions unless controlled by whoever is opening the door, these will swing freely open only stopped by their cloth mesh tethers. This wasn’t such a big deal when not parked beside anyone, but when cars are close, as they so often are, I had to be a little more careful than I would in any other vehicle, having to physically hold the door while opening so it wouldn’t ding someone else’s door! Luckily, no doors were dinged while the Wranglers were in my possession. It’s just something to watch out for. Furthermore, the tailgate swings outward, not upward. It was almost impossible to load groceries in back when someone parked behind me unless I willing to do some serious damage. Making matters worse, it’s hinged on the passenger side, so using it while parallel parked, if there’s enough space to do so, can cause the need to step into the roadway if you’re carrying something large and awkward. I can’t for the life of me fathom why Jeep’s product planners allowed a vehicle that’s mostly sold in North America to go to market with a tailgate that’s best suited for Japan, Britain or some other RHD market. And lastly, it was also a little challenging to fold the rear seat down from the driver’s or passenger’s side, as the knobs were pretty snug. Eventually I got them to do what I needed as it just required a little coaxing and sweet-talking!

The only two significant differences between the 2-door and 4-door Rubicons, other than the overall dimensions and obvious inclusion of two extra doors, are the amount of power window buttons mounted on the center stack. Everything else was pretty much identical. Despite the Unlimited being heavier by 346 lbs, it uses about the same amount of fuel as its 2-door sibling, at 15 mpg in the city and 19 on the highway. I dreaded filling up these two because with gas at $4+/gallon, it was hardly cheap. On the positive, the longer Unlimited offers up a slightly nicer ride, making it the most amenable over rough inner-city alleys, not to mention off-road. Of course, the shorter of the two is just plain better off-road, being that it’s shorter wheelbase allows it to scale rocks and crags without hanging up the frame and undercarriage, while similarly its abbreviated length lets it maneuver around obstacles, like big boulders and trees, easier. Choosing between the two will come down to life priorities.

So, which one would I choose? That’s a tough one. If I were looking on the practical side, I would opt for the 4-door. It makes life so much easier. Plus the longer wheelbase gives it a trunk capacity of 46.4 cu ft with the rear seats up in comparison to the 2-door with only 17.2 cu ft. But if I were purely considering the off-roading aspect, the 2-door would win hands down. What’s great about Jeep’s new Wrangler lineup, Rubicon, X or its most popular Sahara model, is that there’s a trail-ready Jeep with the ability and agility to comfortably drive to the mountain and then climb that mountain with five people sitting comfortably inside. It’s a toss up, but if I would have to choose I’d go with the 2-door. It suits my lifestyle much more and I just love the Detonator Yellow exterior color that my test model came in. Two thumbs up for this new-for-2008 exterior coat.

Whether the 2008 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon comes with 2-doors or 4, you can expect nothing but a good time on and off the road. These machines were born ready to get down and dirty.