Rubicon as tough as rocks

Jeep Wrangler Rubicon offers new adventure in off-road travels.

Isolation, solitude, seclusion -- that describes my idea of a vacation. The perfect vacation destination? Moab, Utah. Or more precisely, the desert, canyons, arches and other bizarre geology surrounding Moab and accessible only by rugged mining trails. The perfect vacation vehicle? A Jeep. Or more precisely, a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon -- the classic symbol of off-road rambling.

If ever there was an American car icon, it is the Jeep Wrangler. A true world liberator, the Jeep brand began with the legendary Willys MB, "Nobel Liberator" of World War II, and continues to thrive today. With their "go-anywhere, do-anything" spirit, Jeep 4x4s dodge the limitations of ordinary vehicles.

There are actually three Jeeps produced today: the Wrangler, reviewed here; the Grand Cherokee, whose little brother, the Cherokee, started the whole SUV phenomenon; and the Liberty, reviewed in August. Rubicon is the macho Wrangler. It's a turnkey, bad-to-the-bones rock warrior and the only production vehicle ever to have front and rear mechanical lockers and a limited-slip rear differential. The rocker-switch-activated lockers offer tremendous traction off-road, while the limited-slip unit provides improved traction under all conditions. Quoting Edmunds.com, "Between the ultra-low gearing, heavy-duty driveline components and dual-locking differentials, there's not another vehicle on the road that can match the Rubicon when it comes to tackling hard-core off-road trails."

The walk around

When I walked up to my "stone white" Rubicon parked in the grass in front of Auffenberg Jeep I couldn't help but smile. This vehicle has fun written all over it. Talk about rugged good looks! Check out those huge tires -- they stand 31 inches tall! Their meaty tread pattern wraps around the sidewalls. I couldn't wait to get them muddy. And best of all, they are mounted on 16-inch "Moab" cast aluminum wheels! (Jeep couldn't have chosen a better name.) There's the easy fold soft top, featuring forward latches instead of snaps for easy operation. Folding the top down takes only a third of the time it took before it was redesigned in 2001. If a screwdriver is handy, the windshield can be flipped down for breezy, low-speed touring in the backcountry. Rubicons have diamond steel protective plates mounted on the doorsills. Not so obvious are the steel skid plates protecting the fuel tank and the transfer case. This beast is built to stand up to serious abuse.

Open the driver's door. It's still removable, just like the 1940s original, and it still leads to a spartan interior. Two levers protrude from the floor. One is attached to a heavy-duty five-speed manual transmission (an automatic is an option), the other is attached to Jeep's Rock-Trac transfer case sporting a 4:1 low gear ratio. There are two comfortable bucket seats up front, and a small bench seat in back, which is removable and also folds flat. It is surprisingly roomy in back, with plenty of headroom and enough legroom for a short trip for a couple of adults. To get back there, the front passenger seat slides forward and tilts out of the way to ease your climb into the back seat. Generous ground clearance of over 10 inches gives the Rubicon mastery of the trail, but also makes entry and exit physically challenging.

The interior is spartan out of necessity. Because the doors are removable for summertime cruising, the windows and door locks have to be manually operated. No electrical wires run to the doors, and there are no speakers, motors or solenoids mounted inside the doors. There's no fancy mechanism to hold the doors open -- just a simple strap to keep the door from opening too wide. Jeep did, however, provide several creature comforts that would have amazed our WW II ancestors: cruise control buttons on the leather-wrapped steering wheel; AM/FM/CD four-speaker stereo system; power steering and brakes and air conditioning. And carpeting is in the front and rear.

The test drive

I picked up two other fun seekers, and the three of us went looking for trouble. We cruised the highways and byways, and I rotated through both front seats and the rear, and was never uncomfortable. The Rubicon, out of necessity, rides on a short 93.4-inch wheelbase, and so the ride is somewhat choppy compared to longer vehicles. But a short wheelbase gives this vehicle off-road capabilities that others can't touch. Many SUVs have been stranded trying to follow a Wrangler into the boonies. So what the Wrangler gives up in highway ride, it more than makes up for in off-road performance.

The standard Wrangler engine is a 2.4-liter four cylinder, but Rubicons are equipped with a powerful in-line six-cylinder engine producing 190 horsepower and 235 foot-pounds of torque. It produced strong acceleration on the highway, and stump-pulling torque in the dirt. It started quickly hot or cold, idled smoothly, and emitted a satisfying growl from the exhaust. The heavy-duty manual transmission shifted smoothly, though the lever throws are long and notchy. But this is a utility vehicle, not a sports car. Making it even more interesting are Jeep's generous rebates and financing deals -- check with your salesman for details.

The Rubicon is the long-awaited answer to enthusiasts' prayers. Like it's namesake, the Rubicon Trail on the California-Nevada border, it is tough as rocks. There are no direct competitors. As Jeep says, there's only one.

Steve Robertson of Robertson's Creative Photography is a car enthusiast and former staff writer/photographer for the Southeast Missourian.