From Beach to Bush: 4 Reasons Why the Jeep Wrangler is an Unstoppable Adventure Vehicle

With origins dating back to the Jeep Willys used in World War II, the Wrangler has been a symbol of 4WD excellence ever since it hit the roads in the mid-1980s.

Renowned for its off-road capabilities, iconic rugged design, and reliability, the Jeep Wrangler has earned its spot as a staple in the 4WD community for its performance on and off the bitumen.

Jeep Wrangler Adventures

Having never owned a 4WD before, I was buzzing when Jeep sent out the new Wrangler Rubicon to me to take on some off-road adventures around Western Australia.

I tested it on tricky terrain across a variety of beaches and dunes up and down the West Coast and it also became my vehicle of choice for more mundane tasks, like the morning work commute.

I put Jeep’s ‘Go Anywhere. Do Anything’ slogan to the test

Over the last month, I’ve clocked in plenty of hours behind the wheel, both on and off the pavement, and here are four reasons why the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon was the perfect adventure-ready vehicle.

It Out-Performs Other 4WDs Straight Out the Gate

While I had the Wrangler, I planned to hit some classic sandy spots in WA’s South West corner, including the challenging track at Yeagarup Dunes.

My mate Tommy had conveniently taken his 4WD to the same spot the week before, so I had a chat to see how he went and get intel about the current condition of the track.

Pretty fun testing grounds!

Though Tommy and his convoy didn’t run into many problems, he mentioned we should get off the beach well before high tide rolled in, and that one of the longer and steeper hills on the return from the beach gave him some problems.

After a few attempts, the climb eventually required him to air down the tyres further to 8 PSI, before his rig made it to the top of the dune. That made me anxious, because unlike Tommy, we didn’t have another car coming that could pull us out if something went wrong.

Still, my mate and I headed south, and after airing down and paying for our Parks fee, it was time to tackle the first tricky section up and onto the dunes.

We were prepared for it to take a few runs while we figured out how to get the most out of the Wrangler, and even discussed not driving down to the beach if we didn’t like the conditions of the track. To our surprise, we made it up onto the dunes on the first go.

From here our confidence in the Jeep Wrangler’s ability to handle the track grew with every minute we spent in the car.

Powered by the new 2.0L 4-cylinder turbo petrol engine, the performance-focused suspension, coupled with the 32” all-terrain rubber chewed-up bumps as we cruised over the dunes.

The driving experience was so much smoother than we’d had in other 4WDs on similar terrain that it felt like a hovercraft gliding over the sand. The Wrangler was also equipped with steel bash plates and bumper, so we felt comfortable that we could drive over and through just about any obstacle on our path.

As for that hill Tommy had struggled on while coming back from the beach, after shifting into 4L and into the manual gearbox for full control at the base, we chugged up and over it with no issues at all.

Simply Driving It Inspires Adventure

Though widely loved for its 4WD capability and performance, the Wrangler has also become somewhat of a lifestyle statement piece. Its signature seven-bar grill can be spotted a mile away and I found that pulling up almost anywhere seemed to spark conversation about the outdoors.

Iconic design

Having never owned a 4WD before, it was a new experience to have extensive chats about off-roading and hear about all of the challenging tracks on the West Coast. I learnt a tonne about 4WDing through these exchanges that I never would have had without the Wrangler as a catalyst for conversation.

As a lover of the outdoors, I know all too well that finding the motivation to plan the next adventure is sometimes tricky. For me, hopping into the Wrangler daily and sharing stories from my last 4WDing escape was a constant reminder to hit up that group chat and start organising the next road trip!

Airing Up/Down Was a Breeze

Driving off-road and changing your tyre pressure go hand in hand, and the Wrangler made this easy with an add-on air compressor accessory integrated into the tailgate.

After parking up in a suitable spot to air down at the start of the 4WD track, I began by toggling the dashboard display to show the tyre pressure, allowing me to track the air pressure in individual tyres.

Then, by using the air hose tucked away in a small compartment under the base of the boot, I let out air until the pressure was suitable for the upcoming terrain.

Airing up before hitting the bitumen again was also hassle-free. With the air compressor installed into the tailgate, it’s easily accessible just by opening the boot. Once again, by using the air hose, all I had to do was rotate the notch on the pressure gauge to the desired pressure, hit the ‘on’ button, and let the compressor handle the rest.

Having a compartment for the hose and with the compressor built into the boot door is handy for keeping the boot space tidy for other adventure gear.

I wasn’t able to grab a portable air compressor before my road trip, so having this ready to go saved us plenty of time as we didn’t have to pitstop at the nearest servo to air up the tyres. This extra time helped us get to Hamelin Bay and set up camp just in time to catch sunset down by the beach!

It Handles the City Just as Well as the Bush

Though designed primarily for those who want to go off-road, the modern Wrangler transitions well to roads and car parks in a city like Perth.

The four-door Wrangler Rubicon has enough boot space to pack in gear for day adventures, and with the back seats folded down, more than enough room to pack for a longer road trip.

Though you can fit five adults into the car, the back seats can be a little cramped, so taller people will have less leg room than in the back of larger 4WDs.

Open up the freedom panels to experience open air freedom

Although the off-road tyres make a bit more noise than your standard road tyres, I didn’t find that much of an issue with some tunes playing in the background. One practical feature I loved was the inclusion of the beeping sound to notify me of any upcoming speed cameras on route.

Although I didn’t have many issues navigating it on the city streets, I did have to get a feel for the border of the car, especially in the front as it can be hard to see the corners over the bonnet.

Standing at 1.9 metres tall, there was never an issue fitting into underground car parks, and the Parking Assist System and rearview camera helped with slotting it into smaller parking spots in the metro area.

Final Thoughts on the Jeep Wrangler

While the four-door Wrangler Rubicon’s starting price might seem steep for a 4WD, an argument can easily be made that it’s well worth the investment given its exceptional off-road capabilities and renowned reliability.

It let me get to some pretty impressive places

As this was the longest time I’ve had a 4WD to whip around in, I was expecting a steep learning curve as I accustomed to all of the extra features, but the design and technology included were practical and intuitive.

The Wrangler’s versatility meant that whether I was on a multi-day road trip or a drive to the beach and back, I was guaranteed a high level of performance, on and off-road, along with all the bells and whistles I expect in a modern 4WD.

If you’re looking for a tough adventure vehicle that’s almost unstoppable on all types of terrain, look no further!

See Jeep’s Other Models Go on Adventures Around the Country

Beep Beep! I Was Loaned a Jeep and This is My Take on the New Electric Avenger

I Took the Jeep Gladiator on Adventures for a Month – Here’s What I Loved About It

Far North Queensland Road Trip – 10 Days From Port Douglas to Elim Beach

6 Best Photography Spots on a Flinders Ranges Road Trip

Escape the City for a Weekend 4WDing in the Grampians

I Conquered(?) My Fear of Heights Climbing in the Blue Mountains