Jeep Wrangler reviews

1995 Jeep Wrangler Walkaround

The base engine on the least expensive Wrangler - the S model - is a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder rated at 123 hp at 5250 rpm, and 139 pound-feet of torque at 3250 rpm. It?s adequate for low-speed crawling, the kind of low-rpm motoring that goes with picking your way through rock piles or bogs. But unfortunately it runs out of wind very quickly in urban or freeway driving.

The more powerful - and highly recommended - engine is a 4.0-liter, in-line 6-cyliner rated at 180 hp at 4750 rpm, and 220 lb.-ft. at 4000 rpm.

That 4.0 is a slightly less powerful version of what?s available in Jeep?s Cherokee and Grand Cherokee lineups. It?s strong and durable, with lots of development time behind it, as well as a very good service record.

Both engines can be matched to a 3-speed automatic transmission and regardless of which one you choose, the towing limit is 2000 lb. The 4-wheel drive system is Jeep?s part-time Command-Trac, and you do have the option of 4-wheel anti-lock braking.

Wranglers come in three flavors for 1995 - the basic S model, SE and Sahara. There?s also a new Rio Grande Edition, which is essentially a graphics package complemented by Pueblo Cloth seats.

The standard top is a plastic-and-canvas affair. During a particularly violent rainstorm the model we tried worked well, although without air conditioning the Wrangler?s interior tends to get sauna-like on a warm day.

Did we say the plastic/canvas top worked well? Let?s qualify that. It worked well in the strict sense of keeping the occupants dry. But there are other measurements to apply here.

One of the attractions of the Wrangler is open-air motoring, but getting the top on and off is a bit of a project. Not quite like building a bridge, but close. A small bridge, maybe. It?s certainly not like flipping the top up and down on something like a Mazda Miata. Remember, the Wrangler is not a sports car.

I once watched two Jeep engineers struggle for 10 minutes to erect the top, an experience that seemed to entail a lesson: Even if you could carry two Jeep engineers around with you everywhere, you would still be likely to get wet during a sudden downpour.

So when you?re enjoying wind-in-the-hair in your Wrangler, it?s also a good idea to take a quick peek at the skies from time to time. Be prepared. Or better yet, avail yourself of the removable hardtop option.