Jeep Wrangler: a fun go-anywhere plaything

The classic Jeep Wrangler still looks great. Now it's great to drive on ordinary roads, too. Sarah Moore reports.

Jeep occupies a unique space in the off-road market, says Matt Prior in Autocar particularly now that Land Rover has "temporarily limped out of that arena and hasn't told us how it's going to stroll back in". Jeep has argued that it's the only "true off-road company in the world". While there might be a few companies that have something to say about that, for now, it looks like it's the one that knows how to look after its icon, says Prior.

There's no doubting the Wrangler's off-road ability, says Steve Sutcliffe in Auto Express. The truth is "it can do stuff and go places that most owners wouldn't even contemplate, let alone attempt". But it's the new Wrangler's on-road refinement that actually proves most surprising of all. "We drove the 2.2-litre diesel four-door, all 2,044kg of it, and found it to be remarkably competent on the roads around the Lake District, decently civilised and, overall, just a much better driving experience than we expected."

"It feels unflappable, unstoppable," says Prior. "Sure, there are compromises on the road. It would be impossible for there not to be. So, if you only want to drive around suburbia, for heaven's sake don't buy a Wrangler. If you want the real thing, don't buy anything else."

Model: Jeep Wrangler Overland 4dr 2.2 Multijet-II. Price: £48,365. Engine: 2.2-litre, 4cyl turbodiesel. Power/torque: 197bhp/450Nm.Transmission: Eight-speed automatic, four-wheel drive. 0-62mph: 9.6 seconds. Top speed: 112mph