Jeep Wrangler’s Sahara Takes You Off Road in Style
Our 2015 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara 4X4 SUV looked very chic in dazzling Baja yellow, guaranteed easy to find in a parking lot. Actually, I liked the color; on a drab winter’s day the bright yellow paint job just seemed right.
Also just right were the car’s many high tech and luxury amenities, givens we have come to expect in a modern SUV. The heated seats kept us warm on this brisk winter day, and the Jeep’s GPS system provided guidance and traffic alerts. All the while the SiriusXM satellite radio streamed news, sports, and entertainment that lessened the boredom of the long trip. Modern safety systems, including stability control, anti-rollover system, and traction control were also in the mix.
The Wrangler rode over potholed and icy roads smoothly, and the ride at highway speeds was quiet. This was a surprise, as the Wrangler is designed to be a rough, tough, get off the paved road vehicle. This Jeep was the Unlimited version, which denotes that it is a four-door model. It has a longer wheelbase than the two-door version, which helps in smoothing out the bumps. I have driven the two-door version and it rides well too, but the Unlimited is even better.
Several hours of interstate cruising with the Sahara proved it completely suitable on the highway. The smooth 3.6 liter V6 engine was rated at 285 hp and it never felt underpowered. Acceleration was brisk and merging into speeding traffic was a breeze. Our vehicle was equipped with optional 5-speed automatic transmission, but it also had a manual shift mode. This came in handy while enjoying a few miles of hilly, winding road. Amazingly, our Jeep Unlimited handled more like a sports sedan than a utility vehicle.
Stylistically, the new Wrangler had much in common with the World War II vehicle that started the Jeep clan. The narrow flat-sided body, fold-down windshield, rugged tube-axles, steel frame, and 4X4 system of the ancestral WWII Jeep are all included on this 2015 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara.
Of course, some things are different. The original WWII Jeep was a bare-bone military vehicle. Moreover, it needed to be a very simple design that could be built quickly and in prodigious numbers. It was designed as a small truck to haul soldiers and their gear on and off road. It didn’t have doors, a heater, or windows, and the windshield wipers were hand operated. Factory options were a shovel, axe, and length of rope. At times, you were expected to make your own road. As to colors, military olive drab was it. The paint was intended to be dull so the vehicle would blend in and not attract the enemy’s attention. Fortunately for our WWII veterans, Baja Yellow was not on the option list. Certainly, the original designers never envisioned the Jeep to be sitting in a civilian’s driveway. It was never intended to haul groceries, kids, and the family dog around town.
Nevertheless, the post WWII Jeep proved popular in civilian life. At first it was found mostly working in construction or on the farm. However, with added features like a heater, powered windshield wipers, and doors, it became more acceptable to mainstream motorists. Fortunately, the 2015 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited offers much more. Although olive drab is not an option, Copper Brown Pearl is. It offers the flavor of olive drab, but with a bucket load of shine. You can even have it decorated with faux WWII military insignias. Very neat stuff for a military vehicle buff like myself.
However, the DNA of the original WWII Jeep runs deeper than paint color. You need only shift the Wrangler into four-wheel-drive and head off the paved road. The only accessory necessary for our Wrangler Sahara 4X4 after a muddy off-road adventure was bucket of sudsy water and a hose. To get more in touch with nature, a Torx bolt driver set, provided with the vehicle, removes all doors for a big dose of fresh air. With more time and a few friends, you can even remove the hardtop and fold down the windshield. I would prefer to pop off the removable sunroof panels and store them in the rear. The best choice for open-air motoring is the available soft-top.
This Wrangler is not simply a retro vehicle that pays homage to the iconic WWII military Jeep. It’s a modern car that remains tough, but also fun to drive. I think the fun part is why the Jeep is still going strong after 74 years.
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