2024 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Test Drive

Just before Christmas, I headed over to the Bedford Motorvogue Jeep dealership for a first test drive of a 2024 Jeep Wrangler, as I edge closer to my goal of purchasing and building out one of my own, for long-term living and travel.

First Taste of Freedom

It can be all too easy to build a perfect picture in your head of everything you want a moment or experience to be, and to be disheartened with the end result if you haven't done a little prior field testing! So, the logical first step for this new journey was a test drive of the vehicle I have been dreaming of, to ensure I wasn’t getting caught up in a bit of a fantasy. There were a few models available in the showroom (including one in the legendary Tuscadero Pink), but you bet I went with the Rubicon.

The Tuscadero Pink Rubicon in question

Crossing the Rubicon

What sets the Rubicon model apart from the other Wrangler models is that it is essentially the most trail-ready Jeep vehicle you can purchase straight out of the factory, with disconnecting sway bars, heavy-duty offroad shocks, locking differentials, off-roading bumpers and 4:1 specialised off-roading 4W. It especially packs a punch for those wanting the offroad package, without having to modify their Jeep quite so much from the get-go. We know the modding 'disease' always seems to weasel its way in either way, but it's an excellent starting point for sure!

With 17 inch alloys and 33 inch all-terrains, the hefty off-road tyres were only felt at very low speeds (with a fun bounce under 10mph) and heard at higher ones, but neither of those two features contributed to any level of discomfort or annoyance.

It was still excellent fun drive at 70mph, and the 2.0, 4 cylinder turbocharged automatic engine had a good kick to it for something of the Wrangler's size and weight, navigating and overtaking traffic with ease. The new Wranglers are updated to top spec with hill assist, making navigating town and the trail nice and easy.

Now, the Logistics

Let's talk about the elephant in the room: the £60,000 price tag. Ouch. The higher spec Rubicon is definitely pricier, and not generally the entry point for most Jeep fanatics (hence the boom of the Renegade and the newer, smaller EV Avenger here in the UK).

This is, for many in the Jeep world, more of an end goal buy. However, from a personal viewpoint, it’s still a significantly less painful thought than the idea of rent or mortgage at the age of 23: when you’re not just planning ahead for a ‘vehicle’ on top of said rent or mortgage payments, but for something that can house you year-round (roof top tent, coming right up) and get you just about anywhere with little thought.

Oh, the joys of overlanding and the urge to make a home out of anything that moves!

I am still deeply uninterested in renting a place or a permanent residence in general, hence the heavy investment into this journey, and although I am always told that "things may change as you get older", I know this would be one of those things that I would have serious regrets about not doing, down the line. It doesn't have to be brand spanking new models, of course, but it doesn't hurt to dream!

Back to the Regularly Scheduled Programming...

Back to the test drive. Having driven a Jeep Renegade for a year and a half, the interior of the Wrangler Rubicon was surprisingly similar to that fun little vehicle, with the addition of extra space and the infamous removable roof and doors, of course. It was all around a very comfortable drive, and the height of the vehicle certainly contributed to feeling comfortable early on with the added width of the vehicle, and its protruding bumper and fenders.

Externally, the Wranglers have kept up the solid, heavy and rugged appearance that they have such a following for, with the interior still having enough of a luxury touch to appeal to drivers and passengers alike. They may not end up being the most comfortable vehicle in the world to be a passenger in for 5 + hours at a time, but at the end of the day, what's the sacrifice of a bit of comfort for being able to get just about anywhere you're brave enough to try?

To Conclude

We were in great hands with Kyle from Motorvogue Bedford – it was hands down the most fun I’ve ever had during a test drive, and I had a blast getting to put the Wrangler through some of its paces!

Has it reinforced the dream? Absolutely. The Rubicon felt like a great vehicle to handle, and, although we didn’t spend longer than an hour in it, it felt perfectly comfortable (except maybe the brand new shiny seats in the back, that everything and everyone slid off - minor detail.). It didn't feel anything like the negative reviews I have come across during my time spent scouring the internet for information on them, thus being a much more enjoyable and manoeuvrable ride than initially expected.

I’m really pleased that I went out on a whim to try it for myself, and look forward to the future Jeep builds and adventures. Obviously, there will always be division over the makes of offroad vehicles, but at the end of the day, we’re all in a very similar boat (ehm, fuel economy), and at least the differences in opinion keep things interesting. We're all in this for the same reason, at the end of the day.

As we headed out of the dealership, we came across some fun, festive vehicles in the car park, as an added bonus.

Next Steps

With the Wrangler being the long-term goal, I am in the process of purchasing a 4x4 Jeep Renegade in the meantime to build out what I would eventually like to do with the Wrangler, just on a smaller scale. Complete with a TentBox and a Tailgate Gear EU set up in the back, it'll give me a taste of the overlanding life I've been building and get me on my way.

I hope you have had a great, safe week in this deep freeze that has spread across the UK this week, and here's to an excellent weekend for you!

 

P.S Although a Wrangler isn’t immediately on the cards – looking forward to that insurance plummet when I hit 25!- I am very much looking forward to getting started on a 4x4 version of the Jeep Renegade, to kick start the travels that the Wrangler will eventually inherit. A full blog on this will come shortly as Trail Maverick gets set to hit the road!