The 2016 Jeep Wrangler much like before can be had in a mind-boggling number of variations as there is an extensive amount of customization available for the consumers. To simplify it for the readers, the 2016 Wrangler is available in the following body styles: the two-door and the four-door Wrangler Unlimited. Both can be had in three core trim levels, namely the Sport, Sahara and Rubicon with additional special models that are based on those trims. Some of these special editions are Black Bear, Freedom, Back Country, 75th Anniversary amongst the notable. All these trims can also be had either with a vinyl soft-top or a company fitted hardtop.

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Choosing a Wrangler for yourself can prove to be a daunting task, but when simplifying the choosing process, it becomes clear that the Sahara trim appears to be the most value for money of the bunch. Yes, if you are looking to use your Wrangler for extreme off-road, the Rubicon might serve to be a better starting point, but we do believe that the Sahara should satisfy most buyers especially when they option it out pretty well.

With a 3.6-liter V6 at heart, the 2016 Jeep Wrangler generates 285 bhp and 260 lb-ft of torque which is more than enough to put a spring in it’s step. All Wranglers come as standard with four-wheel drive and the Rubicon trim gets a special transfer case and shorter gear ratios to give it better crawling abilities. The Wrangler can be had either with a six-speed manual gearbox or a five-speed slushbox automatic transmission which are both up for the task both on and off the road.

No matter if you are out on the highway or overlanding on a trail, the Wrangler’s V6 is more than capable enough to catapult you out of a ditch or perform an instant overtake without feeling stressed. The 0-60 mph sprint in under 7.5 seconds of the small 2-door variant justifies that and the heavier and larger 4-door Wrangler Unlimited takes under 9 seconds to accelerate to 60 mph from standstill. 

Although we don’t expect a consumer to choose their off-road vehicle based on it’s drag times, both the Outback and the Rubicon are quicker off the line when compared to the Wrangler. The Outback gains a clear edge when top speed is concerned since the Outback has a distinct advantage on road, while the Toyota 4Runner has a much higher towing prowess in this comparison. But none of them can match the Wrangler’s capabilities off the tarmac. 

Being a dedicated off-road-focused lifestyle vehicle directly implies that fuel economy has never been one of the top priorities of the Jeep Wrangler. Even in its 2016 avatar, the Wrangler fails to be economical in the larger sense even though it is marginally more fuel-efficient than before. With an EPA estimate of 18 mpg of combined city and highway driving, the 22.5 gallon fuel tank offers only around 400 miles of range on a single tank of gas. The smaller Wrangler does not see any radical hike in efficiency but features a smaller 18.6 gallon tank, which further reduces the driving range. 

When talking about the range amongst the present vehicles, they have only a marginal differences amongst each other, Although the 4Runner has the largest gas tank, it has the fuel economy ratings pretty similar to the Jeep Wrangler. It is the Subaru Outback which aces the test when it comes to efficiency but employs a smaller fuel tank. Although the Outback is superior in terms of EPA estimates, the higher off-road capability on the Wrangler more than makes up for it.

If it wasn’t clear enough up until now, the Jeep Wrangler has one purpose and one purpose only-Off Road, this is even more apparent when you step inside the Wrangler’s cabin. For a vehicle to sport removable doors and roof panels alongside washable interiors, it is evident that function has been placed higher than form. Even with this approach though, we are pleased with what the cabin of the Wrangler has to offer for the most part. Yes, the hard plastic used throughout the interior is typical FCA treatment and the amount of comfort that the seats offer is a little questionable, the general layout of the dashboard and ergonomics are more than acceptable. 

The rugged ethos of the Wrangler echoes all throughout it’s cabin with chunky knobs and dials that are surrounded by acres of plastic and metal trim. We are genuinely fond of what the Wrangler has to offer but if you are looking for more luxury on the inside, maybe a Wrangler is not something you should put down on your shopping list. In terms of space, there is enough room to seat average Americans in decent comfort both at the front and rear while the cargo capacity is also pretty usable at over 31 cu-ft which can be extended to over 70 cu-ft by folding down the rear seat. 

The Wrangler is at a major disadvantage when it comes to cargo capacity as both the rivals in question have more space on offer. Although when we do look at the interior space on offer, the Wrangler isn’t too far behind even offering superior head room in certain cases which does earn it some extra brownie points. The Toyota 4Runner in fact offers a cramped rear seat which is only good for kids, but in exchange offers the largest boot at the back. Some notable interior features include:

• 6-Way adjustable Driver Seat and 4-Way adjustable Passenger Seat
• 60-40 Folding Split-Bench Front Facing Fold Forward Rear Seat
• Leather Wrapped Steering Wheel
• Deluxe Sound Insulation
• Locking Cargo Area Concealed Storage
• MOPAR Slush Mats

How intuitive is the 2016 Jeep Wrangler’s infotainment unit?

The 2016 Jeep Wrangler comes equipped with a 6.5 inch touch screen infotainment system that is powered by the UConnect system which is prevalent in many other FCA products. The U Connect system just about does justice with the provided hardware and overall operation is decent enough to not prompt any complaints. That being said, there is not much technology on offer and everything is mostly bare bones in this regard.

Yes, a sleeker user interface and better response times would make the experience better by ten folds but for such a purpose-built vehicle, the infotainment is pretty good.The optional Alpine audio system is something we encourage you to splurge some cash on as it livens up your entire Adventure trip with some great sound quality, much more than what we would expect from a Wrangler-based system. 

Some other salient infotainment features include:

• AM/FM Stereo w/CD Player/MP3 Player
• Bluetooth Audio
• SiriusXM Satellite Radio
• 9-speaker Alpine Premium Sound System w/all-weather subwoofer (Optional)
• Hard Disk Drive (Optional)
• Voice commands

The humble beginnings of the Jeep Wrangler from the Willys Jeep are still apparent especially from the front as the Wrangler still features the iconic multi-slat grille. The overall design of the Wrangler is pure testosterone in sheet metal and the muscular arches and skeletal construction make it look every bit as tough as it is, especially with its iconic 7-slat vertical body colored grille flanked by round headlights and fog lights on either side of it. 

No matter if you go for the two-door or the four-door variant of the Wrangler, it manages to look handsome and proportionate from every angle. One of our favourite looks of the Wrangler has got to be its stripped-down form wherein the doors and roof panels go for a toss, the open-top aesthetic befits the stature of the Wrangler and is something that sets it apart from any other product in the market right now.

With a longer wheelbase on offer on the four-door variant, it is very likely that tight trails could prove to be a little problematic for the Wrangler but if that is the case one can always opt for the two-door variant, but you do lose out on some significant space. Having been designed in the jungle rather than in the city, the Wrangler has the highest ground clearance to offer while the Outback rides much lower than the Jeep. 

Some of the more iconic exterior features of the Wrangler are as follows:

• Removable Doors and Roof Panels
• Convertible Top w/Fixed Roll-Over Protection 
• Premium Black Sunrider Soft Top
• Black Power Heated Side Mirrors
• Iconic 7-Slat Jeep Grille
• Black Fender Flares, Door Handles and Side Windows Trim
• 17-inch Polished Semi-Gloss Black Alloy Wheels

When it comes to safety, unfortunately the Jeep Wrangler ranks dishearteningly low. The Wrangler sits at the bottom of the barrel regardless of the segment as it features a low 3-star rollover crash test score from the NHTSA. Even the IIHS awards second-tier ratings in most domains to the Wrangler which is disappointing to come to terms with. For a vehicle that is so adventure focused, we would have expected top tier safety on board as we believe that the Wrangler is capable of summiting some pretty high risk trails and a back-up of good safety tech would serve to be a confidence booster behind the wheel. 

Some Notable Safety Features are as follows:

• Advanced Multistage Airbags
• Electronic Stability Control and Roll Stability Control
• Energy Absorbing Front Rail
• Hill Start Assist and Hill Descent Control
• Trailer Sway Control
• Enhanced Accident Response System

The Wrangler is the poster boy for the Jeep brand that has managed to survive decades of iterations. The Wrangler currently sits at the top of the hill as the most competent off-roader out of a manufacturer factory and we can’t recall any competitors that can perform to the same degree or even invoke the same emotions. The 2016 Jeep Wrangler, therefore, is not just a vehicle, it is a lifestyle, the JEEP lifestyle!