Jeep Wrangler Sahara 2008
By René Gervais
Driving Impression
As mentioned in the introduction, you are in your rights to ask for a full off-road test of this Jeep but it was just not possible this time around. In fact, I had to travel about a thousand kilometers. I had other choices that seemed more comfortable and offered better fuel economy. But I thought about it for a minute and still decided to go with the Wrangler. I said to myself that the autumnal scenery in the Parc de la Vérendrye was well suited for my pictures of the Wrangler.
From the start I was well impressed with the smoothness of the ride. Naturally, it’s not my first road test of a Jeep and I was expecting an harsh ride. Oh surprise! It wasn’t the case. Okay, a Jeep will always be a Jeep but if I would have to compare, I’d say it the ride is close to a small pickup like the Chevrolet Canyon. It may not be a Cadillac but it’s certainly more than respectable. As the kilometers add on, I realized the seat was very comfortable. At that point, my trip with the Wrangler was more than satisfactory. But slower cars ahead meant some passing opportunities. I was not expecting much but although the 202 horses need a bit of prepping, the slower cars just kept getting smaller in the rear view mirror. The only thing missing in order to make the trip really pleasant was some music. Jeep installed a really powerful sound system in order to compensate when you are driving without the hard top. The seven speakers Infiniti sound system is remarkable, you will not go unnoticed at the beach if you crank the volume.
I also took the Wrangler city driving for a few days. I was impressed by the 11,3 liters/ 100 km during my trip due to the weight and non existing aerodynamics. I knew it was not going to be that good once I was cruising on Main Street. I was a bit concerned since Ben told me he averaged 19 liters / 100 km in such conditions. Being a less sporty driver, I was able to stabilize the average consumption of my week to 13,2 liters./ 100km. But I will admit that as soon as you are less careful, fuel consumption can rise dramatically.
Conclusion
It was quite a fun week to be in that Jeep. On one note, I was able to view how this truck is not for the average driver but on the other hand, I would not hesitate to have this as my daily driver. The Wrangler kept its genetics even with the numerous improvements over the years. Whether you like it or not this off road craving truck is an icon, Kudos to Chrysler/Jeep for holding its ground in keeping the true essence of this vehicle. |
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