- suv 155,932
- 2,597 below average
- 9,495 great
- Manassas, VA
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- autoshopper.com
- 2,597 below average suv 155,932 green
2004 jeep wrangler review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. The original, and still champion, off-road vehicle. introductionjeep wrangler remains an icon, a symbol of 'go anywhere' adventure. It's been that way for a long time. All but the most basic model now come with a six-cylinder engine. The interior is spartan. And it doesn't handle very well, so care should be excercised, particularly in the rain. the wrangler is designed primarily for performance off the road. Built along jeep's 'go anywhere, do anything' design philosophy, the rubicon is a 4x4 gem. We found it performed admirably on hell's revenge, cliff hanger, and other challenging trails around moab, utah. The se is a basic machine. It comes with a padded roll bar, steel half-doors with side curtains, tilt steering column, a mini-console with cupholders, skid plates for the fuel tank and transfer case, gas-charged shock absorbers and p215/75r15 goodyear wrangler all-terrain tires. But cloth upholstery, the rear seat, rear carpeting, any radio, and even wind-up windows, are extra-cost options. Options include air conditioning, cruise control, and a hard top. the other wrangler models (the x, sport, sahara, and rubicon) come with a much more powerful 4. 0-liter six-cylinder engine. Options expand at the sport level, also, and include fog lamps, side steps, a seven-speaker stereo, and an auto-dimming rear-view mirror. Also standard are 31-inch tall lt245/75 tires on 16-inch aluminum wheels. Despite its higher price, the rubicon is not as luxuriously outfitted as the sahara. Air conditioning and cruise control are optional, for example. So are roll-up windows. For the most part, rubicon is comparable to the sport for comfort and convenience equipment. all models in the lineup include a fold-down windshield, removable doors and top, and a weatherproof interior. Drivers may choose the standard soft top, the extra-cost steel hard top, or a package that includes both, in matching colors. The hard top comes with roll-up windows, a rear wiper-washer and rear defroster. walkaroundjeep wrangler is an icon, one of the most widely recognized vehicles in the world. Its round headlights, jailhouse grille, and square-edged fenders all hark back to the 1940 original. bumpers are black on all models. Fender flares are black also, except on sahara, where they are body color. For 2004, sahara sports a new spare tire cover with the sahara logo. rubicon features premium black fender flares and other special features to distinguish it from its fellow wranglers. A 22-inch rubicon nameplate is emblazoned on either side of the hood. Heavy-gauge diamond-plate sill guards are bolted to the body sides to protect the rocker panels from damage and dings from rocks and stumps in the backcountry. Goodyear wrangler 31-inch tires are mounted on 16-inch, five-spoke aluminum wheels with a dished face to protect them from debris and obstacles. Generous ground clearance helps the rubicon traverse the trail. one of the biggest decisions when buying a wrangler is selecting the top. Purists prefer the soft top, a high-quality piece of equipment that can be configured according to the weather. Folding the top down takes only a third of the time it took before the top was redesigned for 2001. The hard top comes with full-height doors and roll-up windows. Rearward visibility is better, and further aided by the rear-window defroster, wiper and washer. Wind noise is greatly reduced also. Either top is far easier to remove or install than those of pre-2001 models and provides much better sealing from the elements. the exterior mirrors are made of plastic, which jeep engineers say holds up better than metal when going off-road. interiorgetting into a jeep wrangler requires a tall step up. (running are not available as they'd be vulnerable on rough trails.) once inside, the cabin is spartan but highly functional. the new seats and fabrics that appeared last year make it more comfortable. Also new last year, a more easily removable fold-and-tumble rear seat is equipped with the latch (lower anchors and upper tethers for children) system for mounting child safety seats directly to the structure of the seat. Also, the seatbacks are higher, which improve safety for taller people. On all models, the interior is weatherproofed, and can be cleaned with a hose, thanks to drain plugs in the floor. the wrangler remains miles away from luxurious. Recent improvements, however, make the interior more comfortable than it used to be. Softer trim pieces inside offer improved head protection. The mirror automatically dims when headlights shine on it; this bit of luxury technology may sound out of place in a wrangler, but it's an important feature when the top is off. Radio controls are located in the center stack. Corner pods located just behind both b-pillars house interior lamps, providing theater lighting. research firm j. Power and associates gave the wrangler high scores for the quality of its interior features (such as the seats, windshield wipers, door locks, heater, air conditioner, and stereo system), and those features have only gotten better in the three years since then. driving impressionfew vehicles can match the jeep wrangler off road and certainly none in this price range. Driving a wrangler every day on the road, however, requires some concessions. the tall tires and off-road suspension, which add capability in the backcountry, become a liability around town. This is particularly true of the rubicon. The ride is harsh and choppy. It's rated at 190 horsepower and 235 pounds-feet. AM/FM✔ Cruise Control✔ Air Conditioning✔ Aluminum Wheels
9,495 Manassas, VAManassas, VA at autoshopper.com