“When are you going to wash that thing,” yelled our neighbor as we drove the 2008 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon test vehicle up onto our driveway. It had been several days after we test drove the Jeep on some trails and the dirt on the tires and sides of the vehicle were now caked on. While most would have hosed it off as soon as they got  home, we never thought of washing it, as the dirt was an indication that we had driven this vehicle where it had been intended to be used.

The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited was designed to be taken outdoors, where the pavement usually ends and the fun begins. On the outside, the Unlimited may seem like it was intended to attract soccer moms who wanted a rugged looking SUV with the ease of four doors and five passenger comfort. In actuality, the Unlimited is a very off road capable vehicle and as we’ve always known, is much more suited for a rough environment.

The 2008 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon proved itself to be an off-road vehicle that can live on the street.	The dash is clean, simple and incorporates the MyGig Multimedia entertainment system.

We took our test vehicle up to Lake Arrowhead, California where an abundance of Jeep trails make it the perfect place to test its capabilities. Unfortunately, recent fires led to the closure of our favorite roads, so we only managed to test our Jeep in some more sedate areas.

Nevertheless, getting to our destination gave us a good feel as to how the Unlimited performs both on and off road. The Jeep with its 3.8 liter V6 is little sluggish on the highway. Despite its 205 horsepower and 240 lbs.-ft of torque, the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited lacks acceleration power. Since we weren’t planning on racing any Mustang GT’s, however, its performance was enough to get us where we wanted to go. The highway ride was pleasant, but we were a little disappointed with the vehicle’s overall fuel economy. Even though it was equipped with a four-speed automatic transmission, the Unlimited averaged only 14 MPG in the city and 17 MPG on the highway.  

The entertainment system includes navigation as well as the ability to connect to other media to listen to your favorite music.	Rubicon models come equipped with front and rear Dana 44 axles. The factory suspension also offers great articulation and traction when you need it.

Our test model was equipped with the Freedom Top. It is a three-piece modular hard top that makes driving the Unlimited much quieter than with the Sunrider soft top. With a new chassis, that is 100 percent stiffer than last year’s model, the ride is very smooth and comfortable. Aiding the new smoother ride is the fact that the Unlimited also uses new body and powertrain mounts that further isolate the cab from road vibrations.

When you need it you can unlock the factory anti-sway bar and lock the axles with a push of a button.

The factory five-link suspension system works well on the highway but was at a slight disadvantage around tight corners. Despite this, once you get the Unlimited on the trail, the vehicle acts like a different animal. The longer wheelbase of the Unlimited makes driving over rocks and ruts much more comfortable. Since our test vehicle was equipped with heavy duty Dana 44 front and rear axles and an Active Sway Bar System, we found that the Rubicon model only limited by its factory ride height in the dirt.

The Unlimited does have an impressive approach angle of 44.4 degrees and a departure angle of 40.5 degrees, making it very capable with its 17-inch aluminum wheels mounted on 32-inch BFGoodrich off road tires. This combination worked well on the street with low noise and vibration, yet also seemed to grip well over the trails and steep inclines we managed to come across.

Despite the Jeep Unlimited’s poor fuel economy and sluggish street performance, there’s no doubt that the vehicle’s home is off road. There’s nothing this vehicle can’t do and if you look into an aftermarket suspension system, it can downright be almost unstoppable AND comfortable. While a majority of enthusiasts want a street vehicle that they can take off road, the Jeep Unlimited Wrangler Rubicon is for those people who want an off-road vehicle that they can also drive on the street.