First Glance at the 2006 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 4X4

The Wrangler is an iconic vehicle. Jeep has wisely preserved the Wrangler's looks over the years so that it retains the flavor, the lines and the presence of the original military vehicle that rolled off the line during World War II. The Unlimited model of the Wrangler has been around since 2004, and features a 103.4" wheelbase (10" longer than the standard model) and an overall length of 167" (12" longer than the standard model) -- the greater length makes the Unlimited look more balanced and slightly less aggressive. Fit and finish on my tester was quite good.

I know that tradition is important to the Jeep faithful, but for crying out loud! That soft top is absolutely awful! With the owner's manual in hand, I spent a good half hour taking down the top, and I know I didn't get it right. I enlisted our Cars Guide, Aaron Gold, to help me try and get the top sorted, and we spent another half hour wrestling the canvas beast into submission, much to the amusement of my neighbors. If I wanted to drive the Wrangler on a daily basis, I would opt for the removable hard top (a $795 option) and rig a hoist in my garage for quick storage and replacement. I never even tried to put the soft top back up -- luckily we had great weather this week.