The Jeep Wrangler looks so dated it could feasibly be haunting a jungle somewhere, waiting for World War 2 to end. However, enough people appreciate its heritage to ensure that this anachronistic design stays in production.
After literally carrying the Allied WW2 effort on its sinewy back and signing on again for the Korean conflict, the rudimentary Jeep still did not move quietly into retirement.
Having fostered a hunting/fishing/camping culture in its US homeland, the Jeep inspired off-road designs across the world and a multi-billion dollar 'SUV' industry.
While Jeep and other manufacturers have adapted most off-road designs to meet modern expectations, the Wrangler shape and philosophy remains firmly anchored in the 20th Century.
With the introduction of its JK version, Jeep made a serious attempt at updating and even civilising the Wrangler. However there was still no move towards relinquishing the separate mudguards and vertically-barred grille that remained symbolic of the brand.
Ambitiously entitled the Unlimited, this Jeep sat on a wheelbase half a metre longer than the stock Wrangler, with four doors, proper seats front and rear and a removable 'Sunliner' roof.
Late in 2007 the production version arrived in Australian showrooms, available with two or four doors in Sport and Rubicon versions with 3.8-litre petrol or 2.8-litre turbo-diesel engines. The vaunted 5.7-litre Hemi model remained 'under evaluation', however plenty of aftermarket modifiers will cram a V8 into the Wrangler engine bay.
The four-cylinder, Italian-sourced diesel engine developed 130kW and a solid 400Nm of torque, making it a better choice for committed off-roaders than the heavy and high-revving V6.
Cheapest of the local JK Jeeps was the two-door, soft-top Sport. With V6 power and six-speed manual transmission it listed at $30,990. Four-speed auto transmission added $2000 to base prices and a range of option 'packs' were available.
In Sport form, the Jeep had dual air-bags, ABS braking, traction control, cruise control, power windows and air-conditioning. The Unlimited Sport with four-doors and the V6 sold for $34,990 but adding a diesel engine would cost $4000 more.
Next on the list was the Unlimited Renegade V6 with Hardtop, followed by the Rubicon. This one wasn't named after a river in Italy but a tricky 4WD trail through the Sierra Nevada mountain range.
Rubicons were available here with the lift-off hardtop as standard equipment but there was no diesel option. The Rubicon Unlimited cost $43,990 in 2007 and consequently they aren't plentiful on the used market.
An upgraded JK Wrangler appeared in late 2009, bringing a 10 per cent torque increase for the diesel automatic, a leather-bound steering wheel , optional navigation via the in-dash touch-screen, an uprated sound system and 30Gb hard-drive.
To help Jeep drivers appear supremely competent in the toughest of terrain there's a collection of electronic gizmos including stability and body-roll controls, brake assist and a hill-holder.
Prices for second-series JKs increased by $600 but annual sales still leapt by almost 800 during 2010. They remained just below the 3000 annually during 2011-12, so finding a later-model won't be difficult.
The Wrangler thrives on being a throwback to an earlier age and off-road performance is without doubt its forte. Steep tracks and sand dunes slip beneath its high-set cabin with a minimum of protest. The old-style solid axles deflect through an amazingly supple arc that helps keep chunky tyres in touch with whatever ground is beneath them.
Problem is, most of us can't spend every day bouncing our Wrangler along a rocky track. We need to queue in work-day traffic, park the thing in tight spots and deal with uncommunicative steering that can scare you witless after hitting a big puddle on a pitch-black freeway.
It's this everyday stuff that magnifies the Jeep's deficiencies and make it impractical if you're the kind of person who can't justify keeping a car solely for weekend fun.
What many buyers in the process of rating the Jeep against Japanese, Korean or European alternatives will note is its amateurish interior. The dash is horribly crowded and confusing to use, while all around the cabin are jarring areas of painted metal.
Improved seats helped the JK series solve long-standing issues of occupant comfort. They aren't perfect but a lot better. Also thank the hefty 75 Series tyres for masking the jolts served up by big holes and corrugations on out-of-the way tracks. Racket on coarse bitumen is intrusive – audible even over the wind noise – but they come good on loose surfaces.
These Jeeps don't look to be an especially heavy vehicle, but a two-door Sport automatic with its lump of a V6 up front hits a hefty 1770kg. The four-door diesel auto scrapes just beneath the two-tonne barrier but, providing your trailer is braked, these Jeeps will tow 2.3 tonnes.
Not many local writers performance tested a V6-engined JK, however Road & Track magazine in the USA clocked an Unlimited manual at 9.5 seconds for the 0-100km/h sprint.
Fuel consumption with the diesel motor should average 9.5L/100km, however the V6 automatic in undulating terrain with a load aboard can get beyond 20L/100km. Unlimited versions have an 85 litre fuel tank which helps put at least 400 kilometres between stops.
The underside on all models is well protected by solid bash-plates. With an Off-Road Pack, the front anti-roll bar can be electronically loosened to liberate extra wheel articulation in difficult terrain. Individual diff-locks provide extra control when clambering over rocks or up steep slopes.
The Hardtop roof has slide-out 'Freedom' panels to let in a moderate amount of sun or the entire unit can be unclipped and lifted off. The long-wheelbase typically requires a person at each corner of the top, however internet videos show inventive owners using combinations of pullies and tie-downs to accomplish the job single-handed.
The two-door JK performed fairly well in ANCAP crash testing, including the offset impact test which can reveal deficiencies in off-roader design. Lower limb injuries were still a concern in all types of crash and kept the Jeep's rating to Four Stars.
>> Roof leaks shouldn't worry the serious Jeep owner but urban warriors might want to check for damp carpets, surface rust on painted parts and seat adjusters that have jammed solid
>> Be cautious before fording creeks without a high-mount 'snorkel' or even driving at pace through a deep puddle. A few owners report water entering the engine through the standard-height intake and causing serious damage
>> The viscous fan clutch can fail to engage, leading to overheating and engine damage. After getting the engine warm, allow it to idle and make sure the fan has kicked in
>> Trim quality isn’t up to Japanese standards so look for worn and broken interior plastics. Make sure
the seat belts extend and retract as they should and that the webbing hasn’t been damaged