JEEP has done some interesting things with the all-new Wrangler, not the least of which is extending the wheelbase to slot in a couple of extra doors. Apart from widening the customer base for this bare-bones 4WD, it also adds a bit of extra comfort, while retaining or expanding its off-road capabilities. The new model offers a much better deal for five passengers, as well as a greatly expanded load area yet, Jeep claims, its off-road credentials have also improved. The new Jeep also picks up two new engines: a 3.8-litre petrol cast-iron V6 replacing the old inline 4.0-litre six and, new to Wrangler, Jeep’s 2.8-litre four-cylinder CRD turbo-diesel. Add electronic stability control with electronic roll mitigation, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS, EBD and brake assist and you have a Jeep that seems to successfully mix tradition with new technology. If you want the most rugged looking 4WD this side of a Hummer, there’s no place else to go.

Jeep Wrangler
Released: October 1996
Ended: March 2007
Family Tree: WranglerThe fifth-generation Wrangler was only offered in two-door wagon guise in Australia (the two-door long-wheelbase Unlimited wagon released in America in late 2004 did not make it here). With its off-road focus, the TJ proved popular in the skyrocketing SUV segment, but that does not mean it competed with its rivals as far as comfort and refinement were concerned. The only engine on offer was a 4.0-litre in-line six-cylinder, tied to a three-speed automatic or five-speed manual gearbox, producing 130kW and 290Nm. An early 2005 upgrade saw the torque figure rise to 305Nm, while a four-speed auto and six-speed manual were also implemented.
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