Topic: CD Article: 2007 Jeep Wrangler Sahara

[Autos_Editor]

Today's Test Drive:

While there's no disputing the new Wrangler's prowess off-road, it's not a very good daily driver, reports Contributing Editor, Chris Chase.  Still, "for those who like them, there's nothing else," he says. "It's a Jeep thing."
   
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Read the article | View the photos | All The Test Drives

[Ex-airbalancer]

Once again they give a Jeep to a car guy
Does not make sense to me, it would like asking me to review a sub compact car, I would be negtive before I even sat in one
after driving a pickup for over 20 years it is harder to drive a smaller car
You should have sent the Jeep to Sudbury
Did you make to Hooters in Syracuse

[Snowman]

Once again they give a Jeep to a car guy
Does not make sense to me, it would like asking me to review a sub compact car, I would be negtive before I even sat in one after drive a pickup for over 20 years it is harder to drive a smaller car
You should have sent the Jeep to Sudbury
Did you make to Hooters in Syracuse

  Yep, might as well read a report on a Toyota Yaris from Off-Road Magazine. "the Yaris is a POS becuse it got stuck on the road"

I know of two people (one in the office next to me) with this exact model which they use as their daily driver in the week and for off-road adventures on the weekend............... and they love them.

[Thinking Out Loud]

In Mr. Chase's defence, the bulk of any off road vehicle's use ultimately winds up on pavement.

Might as well be honest to the readers,  95% of whom looking at a truck/suv/crossover that will dodge the puddle at the end of the car wash (much less than mud-slinging in the rurals) as to how the vehicle will perform on road - where it will be used.

Personally, I was hoping to get the 4 door version, but the interest rates were ridiculous - a testament to the fact that regardless how it rides, or where it is ridden, Chrysler's got a winner when it doesn't have to pay people to take 'em!

Now taking bets on how long until Cerberus spins off Jeep from the fold......

[Snowman]

The majority of consumer off-road vehicles end up being driven on paved roads but that is no excuse not put to test some of those features that would interest a person in the market for one.

How about discussions on the ground clearance or the effectiveness of the tires on and off the road? What about the available gearing and how well it works on or off the road?  Or how the Jeep’s frame does not tear like the Toyota FJ.

[Mitlov]

The majority of sports cars spend the majority of their time in urban and suburban traffic, but that doesn't mean that you should review a Miata or 350Z without focusing on how it performs on either a twisty country road and a track.  Just my opinion.

[wing]

It is much easier to find a twisty road in downtown Ottawa than land that isn't preserved by the government and the only trespassers allowed are greenies.

[mrthompson]

Do you know any farmers or rural property owners?  If you do, perhaps you could ask if you could test the capabilities of any 4wd equipped vehicles on their property?  Surely there at least some unmaintained road allowances ('This Is Not A Thru Road') in the outskirts of Ottawa.

[jww]

It is much easier to find a twisty road in downtown Ottawa than land that isn't preserved by the government and the only trespassers allowed are greenies.

Yup - you got that one right. Every time you think you got yourself a great piece of land to cross - you find out it's owned by the NCC!

[Snowman]

I’m willing to bet there is an off-road vehicle club in the Ottawa area. Not all automobile enthusiast clubs require asphalt.

[Snowman]

here ya go:
http://www.ottawajeepclub.ca/main.html

[wing]

Yes of course, but you forget a few key aspects.

1) The off-road club has outtings but that would have to coincide with the same days in which we are testing a vehicle (could get lucky)

2) Weekend would have to be free to do "work" this is a job that is being done, Monday - Friday like any job what if say you went to a wedding every weekend like Chris does haha.

3) $$$  Who is going to pay for this outting?  Cost of doing business perhaps but journalists are not being paid by manufacturers and are not reimbursed for these things, as well they aren't making a killing.

Assuming the above 3 were not issues, you have last but not least the kicker!

4) The manufacturers do not want you to get stuck in the mud and break stuff, liability is an issue a very difficult one to work around.

[quadzilla]

Except for issue 4 I don't see 1 - 3 as problems.  Show me any car/truck club that doesn't want to see a brand new model out with them doing what ever they do? If it is about costs...I'm sure they would gladly overlook any day fee to have their name added into the article as a thanks.

[Snowman]

Yes of course, but you forget a few key aspects.

1) The off-road club has outtings but that would have to coincide with the same days in which we are testing a vehicle (could get lucky)

2) Weekend would have to be free to do "work" this is a job that is being done, Monday - Friday like any job what if say you went to a wedding every weekend like Chris does haha.

3) $$$  Who is going to pay for this outting?  Cost of doing business perhaps but journalists are not being paid by manufacturers and are not reimbursed for these things, as well they aren't making a killing.

Assuming the above 3 were not issues, you have last but not least the kicker!

4) The manufacturers do not want you to get stuck in the mud and break stuff, liability is an issue a very difficult one to work around.

You are making assumptions.

[wing]

I am?

When I had the Jeep I offered it to Chris to take off-roading as I know a member of the local off-roading club.  Chris was going to a wedding that weekend and could not attend.  I was doing auto-x that weekend.  Winter is the best time to test these things lots of snow about to run over.

But in the winter I will get a porsche and in the summer I get the big 4x4's.....

[Snowman]

Going by your responses unpopular vehicles with the review group do not get a high priority.

[wing]

They get tested like the others.  We don't take other Sedans off road

But seriously off-road excursions for trucks and tracking for sports cars is generally done at manufacturer sponsored events, this is were journalists get a feel for the off-road or sporty nature of the car/truck.

Then weekly reviews are for regular day to day driving that you can't do on those trips.

[davidm]

I once visited a now-retired DND tank/vehicle testing facility in Ottawa - that would be the place to arrange a quick test.

I think testing these things in day-to-day traffic is valid, lots of people by wranglers for the beach-cruising image (certainly in Vancouver).  Just like complaining about harsh brakes or clutch in a high-end sports car - sucks for stop-and-go commuting, great on the track.  Key is making it clear which scenarios are a compromise.

All that said, the Wrangler is light years ahead of the CJ, TJ, and all in between for road manners.

[Greg B.]

Seems to me that it is a valid review. You could argue that it may be incomplete because it fails to deal with any off-road testing, but that is largely a moot point given that this vehicle is essentially the standard for such things. In any event that information is easily obtained elsewhere. But regardless, the vast majority of these things sees nothing more in the way of an obstacle than a speed bump in a parking lot (for which all SUVs seem to slow down far more than cars, strangely enough) and so an on-road review seems perfectly logical. The conclusions drawn seem to be in line with the experience of owners I know, namely that they are not cars or even pickup trucks in on-road use but instead are rougher around the edges. I think a lot of people who buy these models underestimate how much of a chore they are in daily commuter use. This review hits that point dead-center.

[Mitlov]

Seems to me that it is a valid review. You could argue that it may be incomplete because it fails to deal with any off-road testing, but that is largely a moot point given that this vehicle is essentially the standard for such things. In any event that information is easily obtained elsewhere. But regardless, the vast majority of these things sees nothing more in the way of an obstacle than a speed bump in a parking lot (for which all SUVs seem to slow down far more than cars, strangely enough) and so an on-road review seems perfectly logical. The conclusions drawn seem to be in line with the experience of owners I know, namely that they are not cars or even pickup trucks in on-road use but instead are rougher around the edges. I think a lot of people who buy these models underestimate how much of a chore they are in daily commuter use. This review hits that point dead-center.

You raise valid points, but I think it's interesting that reviews often do "on-road-only" reviews of off-roaders (to tell people what real ownership is like") but never seem to do "congested-inner-city-only" reviews of sports cars, even though many sports cars never get used in the environment they were designed for.  I mean, can you imagine a review of an S2000 that only discussed how it drove during Manhattan rush hour?