Some might scoff at our griping, claiming the rigors of dealing with the soft-top is part of the Wrangler's character, but in the real world it gets old quickly. Equipped with the bare essentials, the Wrangler is fun to drive. The four-banger is loud but gutsy at lower speeds, and on the Interstate we welcomed the challenge of maintaining forward momentum up slight inclines and against stiff headwinds. The four-speaker stereo offered adequate sound quality and volume to overcome interior noise and keep passengers entertained at 80 mph. The heater kept the Wrangler surprisingly warm inside.
Visibility is absolutely terrible to the rear.
Chalky windows, small side-view mirrors, and big blind spots along the rear edges of the doors require care when changing lanes. The front seats are filled with mushy foam that doesn't provide much support, and the high cowl provides an unpleasantly low feeling to the seating position. But we liked it anyway. Our staff members are suckers for cars and trucks with character, and the Jeep is loaded with it. The top comes off, the doors come off, and the windshield folds down.