The Jeep Wrangler is one of those cars that everyone agrees is really quite rubbish and yet really wants. On paper, it doesn’t look good: underpowered, dreadful fuel economy, steering that requires biceps, a body that rocks and rolls, a design that hasn’t changed for decades and a price tag that makes you blink. And yet, the joy factor is simply off the scale.
This is an authentic 4X4 SUV that makes a massive statement: you sit really high up, with a big square bonnet in front of you, exposed hinges and bolts everywhere and a roof that you can literally unclip, take off and leave at home when the sun shines. We had one in LA for a week, and it was bliss trundling up through the Hollywood Hills with the bright blue sky above us in a car that represents the best of Americana. The kids could hang off the back of the exposed roll cage, and you could blast out tunes via the ridiculous subwoofer that accentuates the bass.
The engine makes the car rattle and thrum when you start it; there’s an actual radio aerial; and it feels deliciously old-school. Jeep gave us a big, bright, Firecracker Red Wrangler to play with for the weekend – you’ve either got to embrace a bright colour or go black with black wheels. The weather promised good things, so we packed the boot (the tailgate splits into a glass window that lifts and a door that swings horizontally outwards with the bulky spare wheel on it) with things for sea, sand and hiking, and set off for Devon – specifically, Burgh.
