What is it?
2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
What's special about it?
How do you get your all-new Jeep Wrangler Unlimited covered with mud while it's sitting in the middle of a parking lot? Step 1, dump a huge mound of fresh soil on top of it. Step 2, call in the New York City fire department to blast the dirt away with water cannons. The result is instant slop and a press conference worthy of a vehicle designed to get dirty.
A follow-up to the Jeep Wrangler that debuted in Detroit, the Wrangler Unlimited shown at the New York auto show is an all-new four-door version designed to compete with more traditional SUVs like the Nissan Xterra and Toyota FJ Cruiser. To make room for the extra set of doors, Jeep added more than 20 inches to the wheelbase of the standard Wrangler.
Jeep claims there are 37.2 inches of rear-seat legroom, more than either of its Japanese competitors. And that doesn't come at the expense of cargo room, either. The 60/40-split seat can be folded flat to make way for an impressive 83 cubic feet of maximum cargo space. Keep the seats in place and there's still more than 46 cubic feet — again, more than any of its competitors.
All that extra length doesn't make the Unlimited any less convertible-friendly than before. The "Freedom Top" is a new hardtop consisting of three panels that can be removed individually. The Sunrider soft top is a traditional soft top that now includes a sunroof feature. It allows you to slide the front section back up to 30 inches.
To give the Wrangler a chance against its more refined rivals, the Wrangler Unlimited includes features like power windows, keyless entry and Sirius Satellite Radio. There's also an optional navigation system with a "breadcrumb" feature that will trace your steps so you won't get lost off-road.
The Unlimited maintains Jeep's off-road standing, as it uses solid axles front and rear just like the standard model. Even with the extra-long wheelbase, Jeep engineers kept the front and rear ends short, giving the Wrangler Unlimited best-in-class approach and departure angles. A 3.8-liter V6 is the only engine available. With only 205 horsepower the Wrangler Unlimited won't be fast, but 240 pound-feet of torque should be plenty of pull for trail running. A six-speed manual transmission is standard; a four-speed automatic is optional.
Three versions of the Wrangler Unlimited will be available: base X, midlevel Sahara and Rubicon. Base models use springs and shocks tuned for a more balanced ride, while the Sahara and Rubicon have high-pressure shocks for more serious off-road use. Rubicon models also offer detachable sway bars for increased wheel travel, along with heavy-duty Dana 44 axles front and rear. The Wrangler Unlimited goes on sale next fall.
What's Edmunds' take?
An extra set of doors will finally put the Wrangler on the map for SUV buyers who would have never considered the classic two-door version. We're surprised it took this long. — Ed Hellwig
2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
What's special about it?
How do you get your all-new Jeep Wrangler Unlimited covered with mud while it's sitting in the middle of a parking lot? Step 1, dump a huge mound of fresh soil on top of it. Step 2, call in the New York City fire department to blast the dirt away with water cannons. The result is instant slop and a press conference worthy of a vehicle designed to get dirty.
A follow-up to the Jeep Wrangler that debuted in Detroit, the Wrangler Unlimited shown at the New York auto show is an all-new four-door version designed to compete with more traditional SUVs like the Nissan Xterra and Toyota FJ Cruiser. To make room for the extra set of doors, Jeep added more than 20 inches to the wheelbase of the standard Wrangler.
Jeep claims there are 37.2 inches of rear-seat legroom, more than either of its Japanese competitors. And that doesn't come at the expense of cargo room, either. The 60/40-split seat can be folded flat to make way for an impressive 83 cubic feet of maximum cargo space. Keep the seats in place and there's still more than 46 cubic feet — again, more than any of its competitors.
All that extra length doesn't make the Unlimited any less convertible-friendly than before. The "Freedom Top" is a new hardtop consisting of three panels that can be removed individually. The Sunrider soft top is a traditional soft top that now includes a sunroof feature. It allows you to slide the front section back up to 30 inches.
To give the Wrangler a chance against its more refined rivals, the Wrangler Unlimited includes features like power windows, keyless entry and Sirius Satellite Radio. There's also an optional navigation system with a "breadcrumb" feature that will trace your steps so you won't get lost off-road.
The Unlimited maintains Jeep's off-road standing, as it uses solid axles front and rear just like the standard model. Even with the extra-long wheelbase, Jeep engineers kept the front and rear ends short, giving the Wrangler Unlimited best-in-class approach and departure angles. A 3.8-liter V6 is the only engine available. With only 205 horsepower the Wrangler Unlimited won't be fast, but 240 pound-feet of torque should be plenty of pull for trail running. A six-speed manual transmission is standard; a four-speed automatic is optional.
Three versions of the Wrangler Unlimited will be available: base X, midlevel Sahara and Rubicon. Base models use springs and shocks tuned for a more balanced ride, while the Sahara and Rubicon have high-pressure shocks for more serious off-road use. Rubicon models also offer detachable sway bars for increased wheel travel, along with heavy-duty Dana 44 axles front and rear. The Wrangler Unlimited goes on sale next fall.
What's Edmunds' take?
An extra set of doors will finally put the Wrangler on the map for SUV buyers who would have never considered the classic two-door version. We're surprised it took this long. — Ed Hellwig
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