Jeep Wrangler

For some reason we can’t shake off the thought of the Jeep Wrangler’s starring role in the TV series ‘Queer As Folk’. Fifty years of history wiped out in the collective consciousness thanks to one telly show about the Mancunian gay scene and a black Wrangler.

• Comfort

  The Wrangler might have been improved beyond all recognition from the old car, but that's like saying that this version is going to snap your spine more gently than the last. It bounces, it shimmies, it can go off-road. And stay there.

  

• Performance

  The 146kW that the 3.8 petrol provides is enough to get the Wrangler from 0-100km/h in 9.6 seconds and on to a 196km/h top end. The more realistic 130kW 2.8-litre diesel manages the sprint in 11.2 seconds (11.7 for the four-door) and on to the same top speed as the petrol.

  

• Cool

  If you live in Sydney, and happen to be gay, then yes.

  

• Quality

  The Wrangler is basic but tough. Probably more designed to be hosed down than swamp you in luxury, but you get the idea; chunky but cheap.

  

• Handling

  The Wrangler is still pretty spectacular off-road. That, unfortunately, makes it pretty rough on it. The new car is better than it ever was, but don't expect to make effortless trans-continental trips in this car, whether you're in the two or four-door version. You'll die of boredom.

  

• Practicality

  The new Wrangler is longer and wider than it predecessors (and the four-door option opens up a whole new market for it), so there's a decent amount of space. The soft top probably isn't worth it, though you can now buy a clip-on roof system that disposes of the need for all those pop-studs of yore. You still need a big garage to put the roof in though; there's nowhere to store it in-car.

  

• Running costs

  Relatively poor economy (even the diesel does only 9.9L/100km, the petrol up to 12.8L/100km), means that the Wrangler, despite not being very fast, isn't that cheap to run.