For the Off-Road Utility Vehicle of Texas, Jeep took honors with their ever widening Wrangler lineup.
Competing with very few other vehicles, the 2015 Jeep Wrangler Willys Wheeler and Rubicon Hard Rock Edition wowed us with their off-road prowess from both ends of the Wrangler price range.
The Rubicon Hard Rock Edition’s had the top-deck four-wheel drive system with locking front and rear 4:10 Dana 44 axles. With a crawl ratio as low as 73.1, it made child’s play of our off-road course as you would expect.
Offering up a higher level trim stature on top of Rubicon is what Hard Rock was all about. Black leather heated seats and the new premium Alpine stereo system were nice additions as were the many unique trim and appearance adds.
The “Power Dome” hood has functional heat extractors and really looks good behind the wheel. It has the expected red tow hooks at the front and rear as well as off-road rock rails for added protection out here.
On the more affordable end of the line the Wrangler Sport based Willys Wheeler Edition gives you up-graded off-road gear without having to go all the way up to the Rubicon trim level.
It gets a Trac-Lok Dana 44 rear axle with 3.73 gears and a larger wheel and tire package. Visuals include some historic themed touches like the “4 Wheel Drive” and “Willys” graphics.
I admit I love them both and wanted to take one home with me in the worst way. Like all of these vehicles you’ll see today we’ll have a complete drive review coming soon!
