2022 Jeep Wrangler

The Wrangler does have handling, but it's best described as something that you endure on journeys between off-road trails. We wouldn't call it dangerous, as it has a few electronic nannies that look after you, but still, you need to be aware that you're driving an old-school off-roader with a ladder-frame chassis with solid-axle suspension. Add a short wheelbase to the mix, and you have the recipe for a car that can become quite gnarly in the wrong conditions. Just know that if you want to buy a Wrangler as a fashion statement, it will annoy you.

But if you want to do some hardcore off-roading, you came to the right place. Not all Wranglers are created equal. The standard 4WD has a transfer case that offers 2H, 4H, and 4L. On-road, you have to use the rear-wheel-drive 2H, unless you want some serious repair bills resulting from axle bind. Full-time 4WD is available on the Sport and Rubicon.

The Rubicon is the most capable Wrangler there is. It has lockable diffs front and rear, shorter axle gearing, and all sorts of body protection to ensure you don't damage it while off-roading. It also has a front stabilizer bar that you can electronically disconnect for better wheel articulation. Jeep is also blessing the Rubicon with Off-Road Plus as standard. It's essentially a driving mode for extreme off-roading and adjusts the throttle, transmission shift points, and traction control. You can enhance it even further by adding the heavy-duty Rock-Trac full-time 4WD system with a 4:1 crawl ratio. A 4.88 axle ratio with a true 100:1 crawl ratio is available from this year on this trim with the V6 engine only.

Other models in the line-up borrow parts of the Rubicon, but none are as extreme. The Willys Edition, for example, gets the Rubicon's rock sliders, shocks, and 32-inch tires, but it only has a limited-slip differential on the rear axle.

The difference in capability between the Rubicon and the Sport is vast, but that doesn't make the Sport a terrible off-roader. It can still handle tough obstacles with ease. We attended the Wrangler launch in Austria in 2018, and the Sport handled the 4x4 track in the Alps with ease. There was only one section entirely dedicated to specifically showcase how the locking differentials work. A Sport should be enough for most people, but if you're into the kind of off-roading where you don't know whether you'll return home with all your limbs intact, the Rubicon is the way to go.

If we had a penny for all the times we've been asked this question, we'd have enough for a Jeep Gladiator and not the standard Wrangler SUV. The Wrangler has a bit of an image problem. It has become a fashion statement, a lifestyle accessory in front of which people pose because they want their Instagram followers to believe that they're adventurous. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on where you stand, Jeep hasn't changed the Wrangler recipe to suit these people. That's what makes the Bronco Sport such an appealing car. You get to own a vehicle that screams adventure but without any of the drawbacks. If you want to buy a Wrangler to make a statement, buy something else. It's noisy, cramped, uncomfortable in the city, and the handling can be tricky. It's almost certainly guaranteed to annoy you, as you can't live with it day to day.

But if you want a genuine off-roader, the Wrangler is outstanding. If you're the kind of person who likes to get down and dirty, the Wrangler is a blank canvas to add your unique personality.

For everyone else, stay clear. There are much better on-road biased SUVs out there. But off-road? Few do it this well.

Both these vehicles have a well-deserved reputation for being nearly unstoppable when the going gets tough, with the 4Runner also boasting a rugged body-on-frame design.

The 4Runner is a more versatile vehicle. It has four doors and a lot larger a trunk, but you can also opt for a 4-door Wrangler Unlimited. Toyota's 4Runner is better built and much easier to live with daily, the main problem is its price. The entry-level model is over $37,000, and it's almost as spartan as the entry-level Wrangler. The materials in the 4Runner also aren't up to standard.

The 4.0-liter V6 in the Toyota is even thirstier than the V6 in the Wrangler. It's not more powerful and doesn't add much to the driving experience. The Wrangler has many faults, but the 4Runner is just a bit boring. Between the two, we'd have the Jeep, especially if used for their intended off-road purposes.

All of the criticisms we level against the Wrangler have to do with its utilitarian nature. It makes no excuses for what it is and what it's made for.

But there is a better balance from within Jeep's ranks. The brand-new Jeep Grand Cherokee has an entry-level price of $37,785, and for that, you get the same 3.6-liter V6 and eight-speed automatic gearbox. It comes with 17-inch alloys, a 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster, an 8.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system, keyless entry and go, as well as blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, rear park assist with stop, active lane management, forward-collision warning, and a rearview camera.

Sure, it's not as good off-road as the Wrangler, but few things are, and the GC is still what many would call a highly capable off-roader in its own right. The new Grand Cherokee offers more space, comfort, better fuel economy, and you can use it as a daily driver, which makes it an appealing proposition. Unless you do severe off-roading regularly or can afford a leisure vehicle in addition to a daily, the Grand Cherokee is the more sensible option, especially since the all-new model cuts a svelte figure and has been brought fully up to date in its new generation.