Putting the Serious Sport in a Sport Utility
Vehicle
The 2019 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4X4 is about
as throwback and old school as you can get. Remove the roof and side panels,
lay the windshield flat, and you almost get whooshed back to 1945 when the
earliest ancestor of this creature was patrolling the battlefields of Europe.
While it is far more civilized in its current
iteration, the Wrangler Rubicon 4X4 is both iconic and venerable. If it is
serious off-roading you seek, while having a unique vehicle that can be used in
the city, then look no further. But don’t think the Wrangler Rubicon 4X4 is
something it is not, as in a first-choice for your everyday driver or a family
vehicle. This 4X4 is all 4X4, so if you consider buying one, make sure you will
be doing it justice by getting the underside muddy on a regular basis.
Iconic Design
The 2019 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4X4 does just
fine getting admiring looks. But get one painted in Hella Yella with a black
interior like Clean Fleet Report did, and all bets are off for how fast
someone wants to get a little closer and check it out.
With a striking yellow exterior and black
roof, side panels, and fender flares, the raised stance alone of the Wrangler
makes a statement—Don’t get in my way! The Rubicon trim included large steel
bumpers and multiple skid plates along with the seven-slot grille and the
round, LED reflector headlights. Jeep says it is “the most recognized vehicle
in the world,” a claim we will not dispute.
Drivetrain Options
With two engine and two
transmission choices, the 2019 Wrangler offers a range of performance that even
includes a green element. The base engine is the 3.6-liter V6 delivering 285
horsepower (hp) and 260 pounds-feet (lb.-ft.) of torque, and comes with a six-speed
manual transmission. Clean Fleet Report’s Wrangler had the optional 2.0L
turbocharged four-cylinder eTorque engine, with 270 hp and 295 lb.-ft. of
torque. The eTorque engine is a mild hybrid, where the alternator has been
replaced with a motor generator that works with a 48-volt battery pack. The
benefits of this is a seamless stop/start, a short duration torque addition and
brake energy regeneration to increase efficiency and responsiveness. If you
have ever driven a 4X4 in serious off-road conditions, these eTorque benefits
are greatly appreciated and make the 2.0L a better choice when kicking up dust
and rock crawling.
Clean Fleet Report’s
Wrangler had an eight-speed automatic. Performance with the 2.0L turbo was
seamless; it responded well and was in the right gear at the right time. Since
most of our time in the Wrangler was spent on paved roads, we were interested
in how the engine/transmission performed entering freeways and climbing
mountain passes. Without hesitation this combination was smooth and provided
the desired power when and where needed. The EPA fuel economy estimates of 23
city/25 highway/24 combined were pretty much what Clean Fleet Report got
over the 415 miles we drove throughout Southern California.
Driving Experience: On the Road
Clean Fleet Report’s
two-door Wrangler Rubicon 4X4 had a short wheelbase, so there was a bit of a
driving learning curve. We had to come to grips with a high center of gravity, large
tires and a stiff suspension that required paying attention at all times when
driving at freeway speeds. Luckily, the aforementioned learning curve was
short, so cruising at 65+ mph was not a challenge. It is important to note that
quick, emergency maneuvers at speeds over 50 mph should be done only in the
most dire of situations. Early on we had to make peace with the fact the
Wrangler Rubicon 4X4 does not have the agility to avoid that cute bunny in the
road when going at higher speeds. Fortunately, no furry friends were injured
during our time in the Wrangler.
The electro-hydraulic steering
was nicely neutral, delivering good road feel through the standard 33-inch BF
Goodrich Baja Champion off-road all-terrain tires. Mounted on 17-inch painted
and polished aluminum wheels, they were slightly louder on the freeway than a
normal street tire, and handled quite well on sweeping mountain curves.
Cornering was predictable once the learning curve taught us where the center
point was, which resulted in little body roll or drifting through turns. So
even though the Wrangler is not meant to be a road car, it actually handled far
better than a first-glance would assume. One of the best aspects of the
Wrangler was its very tight turning radius, which rivaled the smallest cars we
have tested.
The Wrangler Rubicon 4X4, with
10.9-inches of ground clearance, is engineered to be the most capable off-road
vehicle in its price range. Utilizing lightweight, high-strength aluminum
doors, hinges, hood, fenders and windshield frame, as well as a magnesium swing
gate, the Wrangler
weighs-in at a reasonable 4,175 pounds. The Rubicon has the shift-on-the-fly
Rock-Trac NV241 two-speed transfer case, electric front and rear locking
differentials, and a disconnecting front sway bar. For a more detailed
explanation of the Wrangler’s off-road capabilities, it is best to let Jeep do
it here.
Driving Experience:
Interior
The
2019 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon interior is nicely appointed, considering at some
point it will be exposed to the elements. The seating position is high, giving
a commanding feel on the road. With the soft top and sides in place, the
interior noise level is high, but not oppressive. Remove those pieces and you
won’t care about the noise because the fun level just pegged the meter.
Clean
Fleet Report’s
Wrangler Rubicon had the optional leather trimmed seats with the fronts
manually adjustable. The fold-and-tumble rear seat was also removable, offering
additional storage space. The leather-wrapped steering wheel has audio,
telephone, and cruise control buttons or toggles. A nice feature on the rear of
the steering wheel is where the volume (right side) and channel selection
(left) buttons are located. It is such a natural place for them that it is a
wonder all other manufacturers don’t go to this placement.
Everything
for the driver is laid-out in logical, easy-to-read locations. The
optional 8.4-inch color touch screen (with pinch-and-zoom capability) is the
command center for the easy-to-use Uconnect operating system
that includes navigation. The all-weather subwoofer and a 552-watt amplifier
powered an Alpine audio system that includes AM/FM/CD/MP3 HD radio, SiriusXM
satellite radio, Apple CarPlay and Google Android Auto. Voice command, with
Bluetooth, for handsfree phone and streaming audio are operated by the steering
wheel controls. A very nice feature is the 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot. The more cars
we see this in, the more we like it.
The highly optioned Wrangler Rubicon
had convenience features such as a tilt and telescopic steering column,
all-weather floor mats, trailer towing package, LED fog lamps and tail lights,
power door locks, heated power exterior mirrors, automatic dual zone climate
control, remote keyless entry, push button start, 12V power outlets (front and
rear), AUX ports and multiple cup holders. Plus, a whole lot more!
Safety
and Convenience
The 2019 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon was
equipped with the Jeep Advanced Active Safety
package. Additional safety features include adaptive cruise control, a rear
backup camera with rear park assist, full-speed forward collision warning,
blind spot and cross path detection, electronic stability control and roll
mitigation, four-wheel ABS, a tire pressure monitoring system, anti-theft
engine immobilizer and a full-size spare.
Pricing and Warranties
The 2019 Jeep Wrangler comes in four models—Sport,
Sport S, Sahara and Rubicon, with base prices ranging from $28,045 to $38,045.Clean
Fleet Report’s 2019
Wrangler Rubicon 4X4, with optional packages adding $11,585, came to $49,630.
All prices exclude the $1,495 destination charge.
All 2019 Wranglers comes with these
warranties:
- Basic
– 36 months/36,000 miles - Powertrain
– 60 months/60,000 miles - Corrosion
Perforation – 60 months/Unlimited miles
Observations: 2019 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4X4
Clean Fleet Report reviews cars,
crossovers, SUVs, trucks and minivans of all types. With maybe the exception of
sports cars, no vehicle made us smile more than our time in the 2019 Jeep
Wrangler Rubicon 4X4. The attention and waves from passersby was only amplified
when the top and sides were off and we were free-styling in the open air and
sunshine. Living at the beach in Southern California, Wranglers are a common
sight cruising Pacific Coast Highway from Malibu to San Clemente. We made sure
to log some time in this iconic vehicle on this equally iconic road.
The Wrangler we drove was highly
equipped, and its $51,125 price tag was evidence that it was going to be a nice
ride. But with the base Wrangler priced at around $28,000, you don’t need to
spend a lot to get a lot of fun and versatility from a Wrangler. Just make sure
you have a need for this rugged vehicle; it’s far more at home crunching rocks
and slogging through mud than rolling through the nicely paved parking lot at
your local mall.
Make
sure to opt-in to the Clean Fleet Report newsletter (top right of
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Whatever you end up buying, Happy Driving!
[See image gallery at cleanfleetreport.com]
Photos
by Lex Adams
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Disclosure:
Clean Fleet Report is loaned free test vehicles
from automakers to evaluate, typically for a week at a time. Our road tests are
based on this one-week drive of a new vehicle. Because of this we don’t address
issues such as long-term reliability or total cost of ownership. In addition,
we are often invited to manufacturer events highlighting new vehicles or
technology. As part of these events we may be offered free transportation,
lodging or meals. We do our best to present our unvarnished evaluations of
vehicles and news irrespective of these inducements.
Our focus is on vehicles that offer the best fuel economy in
their class, which leads us to emphasize electric cars, plug-in hybrids,
hybrids and diesels. We also feature those efficient gas-powered vehicles that
are among the top mpg vehicles in their class. In addition, we aim to offer
reviews and news on advanced technology and the alternative fuel vehicle
market. We welcome any feedback from vehicle owners and are dedicated to
providing a forum for alternative viewpoints. Please let us know your views at publisher@cleanfleetreport.com.
Source: Electric, Hybrid, Clean Diesel & High-MPG Vehicles
