Instrumented Test
From the July 2014 Issue of Car and Driver
Ford and Willys (say “will-is” not “will-eez”) built the original jeeps with which the Greatest Generation liberated Europe and the Pacific. Since 1950, when Willys finally won the right to turn the generic jeep nickname into the trademarked Jeep brand, there have been countless variations on the classic. And make no mistake, this is the classic: The current body-on-frame design is a glimpse into auto production of the past, and the twin live axles remain. Those of the new Willys edition, a Dana 30 in the front and a Dana 44 in the rear, put torque from the 3.6-liter V-6 to the road with the haste of a freight train. Recirculating-ball steering returns the feel and consistency of rice pudding, and big mud tires don’t do it any favors on concrete, either.
So why is it great? As in the war, the current Jeep has an improvisational quality—pitching in wherever needed, filling many roles besides the one for which it was designed. The Wrangler is a great off-roader, sure, but despite its antiquated dynamics, it proffers its own kind of sportiness. Unzip the rear windows, peel back the top, and unhook the doors, and you’ve just converted the Wrangler from a winter safety cell to a carefree summer cruiser, ready to bomb down either a beach or a two-track with the same messy kind of joy.
The Willys, starting at $26,990 (A/C adds $2100), doesn’t come with the fanciest four-wheel-drive system of the pricier Rubicon models. It does, however, come with lots of black trim and the look of a real off-roader. Granddad just wishes that olive drab were an optional color.
