DriveTech

Cars at a Glance
2009 Jeff Wrangler Sahara 4 x 4

You either like a Jeep or you don't! Why? Because of the ride, most people don't like the ride due to its quick response, Me, I like it but Jeep wasn't listening to me and came out with the four door version of the Wrangler. OK it rides better and after a off road excursion I 'm a believer myself the new long wheel based Wrangler is everything an off roader would want, power handling and versatility.
Dumping the traditional straight six cylinder and opting for a V6 that produces 202 horsepower at 5200 rpm and a torque reading of 237 pound-foot will be a plus on the freeway and ups the torque from 165 to 202, should be a bonus in the off road configuration.
I have driven the 2-wheel and now the 4-wheel model and if I had my choice I would go for the 4-wheel drive version. I liked the way it handled on and off road there is decent room inside even for a 6-foot 1-inch driver pushing 200 pounds. The back seat is a little tight but flip down the seats and you have tons of cargo space. My Sahara was very well equipped as you would imagine and I liked the way the rear door opens and the window flips up (Be careful the rear window is spring loaded). I would have liked the spare tire to open to the street instead of the curb a safety issue with me personally.
My tester was painted a beautiful Sunburst Orange Pearl with gray interior. There was a great center console with plenty of storage room, the seats were very comfortable with manual controls, and visibility was good thanks to the side door glass. Could have had a back up sensor system for those tough spots we get ourselves into.
You get al the safety bells and whistles like advanced multi-stage front airbags, electronic stability control, traction control, electronic roll mitigation system, 4-wheel disc brakes, hill start assist (Trust me this is a great feature!). The Jeep Sahara is still a true Jeep, Dana heavy duty rear axles, Command Trac Shift On The Fly 4-Wheel Drive, heavy duty suspension with gas shocks, skid plates all in the right places, and two tow hooks up front and one in the rear.
But this Sahara does not skimp on creature comforts, you get A/C, 368-watt AM/FM/CD/Sirius radio, power windows and door locks, reclining and height adjustable front seats, very informative instrument cluster, and best of all, even though it is an option, you get with the hard top a convertible soft top which may get in to way when loading items in the rear. Also the hard top has two removable panels above the driver and passenger for that sunroof look.
The down side to the Wrangler has always been fuel mileage and the v09 isn't any better, 15 in the city and 19 on the open road, but if off roading is your thing you won't find a better equipped vehicle for a base price of $28,320 to my tester price of $32,975.