2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport 4x4 Chicagoland Review By Larry Nutson
2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sport 4x4 For over seven decades
by Larry Nutson
Senior Editor, Chicago Bureau
The Auto Channel
Jeep is one of the world’s true icons and is now in its 72nd year. Jeep just keeps on keepin’ on. Last year the Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited got an all-new powertrain. For 2013 the concentration is on interior improvements of this legend.
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Now if you’re inclined to be a Jeep driver, whether it be in the 2-door Wrangler that is priced starting around $22K going up to $30K, or the 4-door Wrangler Unlimited with pricing from $25K to $34K, the range of offerings will fit most any budget.
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Another highlight is the addition of a premium soft top. Available on all models, the new, premium soft top is easier to clean and a more upscale material. Consisting of three layers, the new top also helps reduce interior noise and is easier to fasten. The Haartz Corporation, a leading global manufacturer of soft top convertible material, is the supplier. The new, premium soft top uses Haartz’s Twillfast RPC which is an acoustically enhanced three-ply composite made of acrylic twill weave outer fabric, a rubber inner layer and polyester lining fabric. The rubber inner layer provides enhanced acoustics.
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To kick off the 2013 model year, Jeep Wrangler debuted a limited-edition model named after one of the most popular off-road destinations in the world – Moab, Utah. The Jeep Wrangler Moab is based on the Wrangler Sahara model and is equipped with hardware popular with off-roading enthusiasts.
The editors of Petersen’s 4-Wheel & Off-Road magazine have given their top honor – “4x4 of the Year” – to the new 2013 Jeep® Wrangler Moab edition. And, the Wrangler Moab edition also received the “Four Wheeler of the Year” award from the editors of Four Wheeler magazine. For the third consecutive year, Jeep® Wrangler has been named Best Resale Value in its class by Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com. Wrangler also landed on KBB.com’s Top 10 list for the second year in a row.
Automotive journalists and elite athletes from a variety of sports gave the Jeep Wrangler the “Best Value Off-Road” award among Active Lifestyle Vehicle (ALV) winners for 2013.
The 285HP 3.6-liter V6 coupled to the 5-speed automatic do a nice job of moving the Wrangler. EPA fuel economy is nothing to brag about at 18 combined mpg, with 16 city mpg and 20 highway mpg. The Wrangler Unlimited Sport’s 22.5 gallon fuel tank does help make fuel stops less frequent.
I don’t love the Wrangler for Chicagoland city driving nor on the open highway. But…give me some wide-open spaces and the Jeep Wrangler is THE vehicle to be driving.
© Larry Nutson