2016 Jeep Wrangler Automatic

Broadly speaking, the past 75 years have been pretty good for humans. Diseases have been eradicated, food supplies have increased, distant planets have been explored, and—thanks largely to the integrated circuit and the resultant microchip—personal communication has become streamlined to the point of intrusion. Despite this enlightened existence, our lizard brains are still active, eagerly recognizing entities that have resisted change with reptilian resolve. Maybe that’s why everyone from toddlers to college coeds to grizzled ex-military types went all warm and fuzzy when our Jeep Wrangler Sahara 75th Anniversary Edition test vehicle came into view.

Universally recognized and instantly identifiable, the Jeep Wrangler remains the poster child for mass-produced automotive simplicity. (Note that the British Morgan can’t be considered “mass-produced” by any means, and other long-serving off-roaders such as the Mercedes-Benz G-class and the Toyota Land Cruiser have made acquiescing to the comfort and luxury demands of the public a competitive sport.) That said, the current Wrangler has evolved, and an all-new 2018 Wrangler is slated to debut in the not-too-distant future. Although we may have cursory knowledge of what luxuries and concessions to the demands of modern life the new Wrangler may bring, we figured now was the time to take a last look at the two-door Wrangler as we know it. (Go here for a look at the current four-door Wrangler Unlimited.)

The March of Progress, Jeep-Style

A late-2016 model, our 75th Anniversary Wrangler Sahara rolled off the line with standard front airbags (seat-mounted side airbags are an additional $495), disc brakes at all four corners, traction control, and electronic stability control. Not too shabby for a dinosaur. Looking a little deeper into the build sheet revealed further indulgences such as air conditioning, cruise control, remote keyless entry, a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, power windows, and power door locks.

Lest you begin to think the Wrangler is getting a little soft, let us remind you that despite the accoutrements, its basic formula remains the same: a ladder frame with solid front and rear axles (a Dana 30 in front and a Dana 44 in the rear) and a utilitarian part-time four-wheel-drive system. Torque from the corporate 285-hp 3.6-liter Pentastar V-6 is funneled to a five-speed automatic transmission, which passes the output to the wheels via a two-speed, shift-on-the-fly, four-wheel-drive transfer case. (A six-speed manual gearbox is standard; the automatic costs an additional $1350 and also brings hill-descent control.) Underneath, skid plates protect the transfer case and the fuel tank from sharp obstacles.

Just as the purpose-driven details of the Jeep’s hardware restored our faith in the Wrangler’s mission, we scanned down to find the Jeep 75th Anniversary package. While it does include a few items that at least allude to genuine off-road activity (reinforced Rock Rails side steps, 17-inch wheels with 245/75 tires, and a Trac-Lok locking rear differential), it’s primarily a $4680 cosmetic and convenience tour de force. Interior upgrades include Ombre Mesh leather-and-cloth seats (heated up front), a 75th Anniversary passenger grab handle, the ability to show more stuff in the cluster’s information screen, the Connectivity Group, and a fetching Moroccan Sun–colored instrument-panel bezel. Exterior enhancements include bronze-tone tow hooks (two front, one rear), a body-color grille, a Power Dome hood, painted front and rear bumpers, and bronze-colored badging.

Needless Frippery

Further confusing the Wrangler’s simplicity factor is the $1785 Dual Top Group, which includes a rear-window defroster and washer/wiper for the hardtop—which our vehicle did not have fitted during our test—while a headliner is an additional $495. Finally, the order sheet continued to test our enthusiasm with nickel-and-dime features that we’d probably never order on a Jeep: remote start ($495), a 6.5-inch touchscreen infotainment system with navigation ($600), Alpine premium nine-speaker audio ($945), and the foolish-for-a-Wrangler upgraded A/C with automatic climate control and a humidity sensor ($395). Pro tip: If you’re sticking to the seats, it’s hot and humid, so reach over and adjust the climate control accordingly. Better yet, remove the top and doors.

One expense that we can wholeheartedly endorse is the limited-slip rear differential. Not only does it add a Tru-Lok air-activated locking rear diff in place of the standard, limited-slip Trac-Lok, but it also swaps out the stock 3.21:1 gearset for a 3.73:1 ratio front and rear. At $1500, it’s a relative bargain for anyone interested in actually going off-road. All in, this Wrangler rang the register at $44,380. Considering that it’s possible to leave the dealership with a Wrangler Willys Wheeler with the 3.73 axles for a sticker price of just over $29K, buyers will want to think long and hard about their motives for wanting a Wrangler 75th.

Behind the Wheel

Climb behind the wheel and the lizard brain takes over again. The doors shut with the primitive resonance of form following function, the seating position is upright, and suddenly 75 years of progress are reduced to a footnote. Standard tests of straight-line performance reveal a zero-to-60-mph time of 7.5 seconds—not bad—with the quarter-mile taking a more languid 15.9 seconds at 85 mph; both measures better the numbers posted by the last 2016 Wrangler Unlimited by more than a second. If acceleration feels labored, braking and roadholding appear to push the Wrangler to the ragged edge of acceptable limits for a vehicle manufactured in the 21st century. Stopping from 70 mph consumed 205 feet, and our test driver reported “squirrely” behavior under braking. Grip maxed out at only 0.69 g, and the Wrangler felt tippy in cornering—the intervention of the non-defeatable stability control actually was welcome. Highway comfort also is in a class of its own, one that requires you to accept a choppy ride, massive amounts of tire and wind noise, and all the steering precision of a hot-air balloon in a hurricane.

But from the driver’s seat, all of that seems irrelevant. Everything from the tires to the foldable windshield are just tools that help to create a vibe, an experience, a state of mind, and the removable top and doors further enhance the feeling. Unfortunately, most adults can’t fritter away their days carelessly four-wheeling across an endless beach in search of cold brewskis and warm tacos. But, thanks to modern technology, they can drive a Wrangler in preparation for the one week a year when they ditch reality and let their lizard brains regain control. Let’s hope the next-generation Wrangler doesn’t overthink things.

Specifications >

VEHICLE TYPE: front-engine, rear-/4-wheel-drive, 4-passenger, 2-door convertible

PRICE AS TESTED: $44,830 (base price: $24,890)

ENGINE TYPE: DOHC 24-valve V-6, aluminum block and heads, port fuel injection

Displacement: 220 cu in, 3604 cc
Power: 285 hp @ 6400 rpm
Torque: 260 lb-ft @ 4800 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 5-speed automatic with manual shifting mode

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 95.4 in
Length: 164.3 in
Width: 73.7 in Height: 72.5 in
Passenger volume: 92 cu ft
Cargo volume: 13 cu ft
Curb weight: 4160 lb

C/D TEST RESULTS:
Zero to 60 mph: 7.5 sec
Zero to 100 mph: 24.9 sec
Rolling start, 5–60 mph: 7.9 sec
Top gear, 30–50 mph: 4.1 sec
Top gear, 50–70 mph: 5.5 sec
Standing ¼-mile: 15.9 sec @ 85 mph
Top speed (gear limited): 109 mph
Braking, 70–0 mph: 205 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft-dia skidpad*: 0.69 g

FUEL ECONOMY:
EPA city/highway driving: 17/21 mpg
C/D observed: 16 mpg
C/D observed highway driving: 19 mpg
C/D observed highway range: 350 mi

*Stability-control-inhibited