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Jeep Wrangler 2011 2dr Sahara CRD Auto road test report

2011 2dr Sahara CRD Auto

As brands go, and despite its recent Daimler and more recent Fiat connections, Jeep remains as quintessentially American as Levi’s, Zippo, Harley-Davidson and Coca Cola. The first civilian Jeep, the CJ-2A, appeared in 1945, but can its latest direct descendent – the recently updated Wrangler – still cut it in the modern world?

Road Test Reports Says 3.5 star rating
A front-facing image of the Jeep Wrangler 2011 2dr Sahara CRD Auto

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TOM STEWART SAYS

Performance Performance - 3 stars

Under the Wrangler’s traditionally-shaped bonnet sits a Mercedes-derived 2.8-litre 4-cyl turbodiesel that makes a robust 197bhp. This doesn’t bestow the Wrangler with breakneck speed – 0-62 in 11.8secs, 109mph max – but its 339lb/ft of torque gives it sufficient oomph to go with the flow on a motorway or climb an almost vertical cliff face, should the need arise. Available with either a 6-speed manual (Sport) or, in this case, a 5-speed auto (Sahara), the Wrangler operates in either RWD, or high and low 4WD modes and has other off-roading features such as electronically-locking front and rear differentials, hill descent control and hill start assist.

Ride & Handling Ride & Handling - 3 stars

If you’re looking for the ride of a Rolls or the handling of a Ferrari then you’re on the wrong page. The Wrangler is, by modern standards, a little agricultural. On road it doesn’t take kindly to being hustled aggressively through corners as, by normal standards, its steering is slow, there’s body roll and ultimately not a huge amount of grip. It is though an improvement on previous Wranglers and, at the speeds most of us drive at, or the speeds we’re allowed to drive at, the Wrangler is fine for bumbling from A to B, or A to Z if needs be. The ride is relatively unrefined, but it’s far from horrid and you’ll forgive the Wrangler for all of this when you leave the tarmac as it’s arguably still the most capable off-roader money can buy.

Build Quality & Reliability Build Quality & Reliability - 4 stars

Jeep has had some 66 years to iron out teething problems, or 70 years if you include the early military-only models, and so the fundamentals are pretty much sorted. With an under-stressed engine and unusually rugged underpinnings, the Wrangler is in theory one of the most durable cars on the road. Of course, theory and practice are two different things, but in more recent years, as perceived quality has become a top priority for so many buyers, Jeep has acted to meet that demand and the overall impression given by this latest model is better than ever before.

Safety & Security Safety & Security - 4 stars

As you’d expect, things have progressed significantly since World War II, but the progression continues unabated in this 2011 version. In addition to crumple zones and an energy absorbing steering column, all Wranglers now come as standard with: multi-stage airbags, seat-mounted side airbags, 3-mode ESC, ABS (with off-road calibration), brake assist, brake traction control, electronic-roll mitigation, all-speed traction control, tyre-pressure monitoring and ISOFIX child seat anchoring. Security is handled by an alarm and Jeep’s Sentry Key immobiliser system that has an ignition key with an embedded transponder and pre-programmed security code.

Space & Practicality Space & Practicality - 4 stars

As before, those who need as much space as possible will opt for the longer wheelbase 4-door Wrangler with its 935-litre maximum loadspace, but the 2-door’s 430-litres (with rear seats flat) should prove adequate for two, although, with those two rear seats in use, 142 litres isn’t much at all. Owners of previous Wranglers will immediately notice this 2011 model’s greatly improved interior, with new, multifunction wheel, more comfortable body-hugging, leather seats and a much more contemporary dash and centre fascia. There’s also tecchy gear like a multi-media/satnav 6.5inch touchscreen, voice-command and a 30GB hard drive if you so choose.

Ownership & Value Ownership & Value - 4 stars

The bottom line for this Wrangler 2dr Sahara is £25,995 OTR. This would be dear if the Wrangler were as basic as it once was, but with its greatly improved interior and equipment levels, not to mention its extreme off-roading capabilities, that’s a pretty competitive price when compared with many soft-roader SUVs. Furthermore, the previous 2.8-litre Wrangler diesel managed a little over 28mpg combined, whereas the similarly-powerful 2011 auto model achieves 34.9mpg. CO2 is rated at 213g/km (VED band K, £260 pa after the first year) with insurance group 24 on the 1-50 scale. Oh, and if you’re no fan of aircon, then as before, you can remove the roof altogether. How cool is that? In short, the iconic Wrangler will never be mainstream, but it can definitely still cut it.

Submitted: 01/06/2011 09:13:21

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