Jeep, jeep

I have always loved rough rides.  The ones we take in cars, that is.

Even as a child I was fascinated with big jeeps. You know the kind, the ones that were built like trucks and looked that they could last a lifetime.

That’s why when I got the chance to test-drive a Wrangler Jeep recently I was at CATS Motors on EDSA faster than a speeding bullet.

I was not to be disappointed. The Jeep was everything I had imagined it to be. Big, sturdy, built like a tank, but surprisingly easy to maneuver and drive. Even for a small person like me. 

For starters, I must say that the 2009 Jeep Wrangler can’t be beat for heritage, and image. And, when taken off-road it performs so well, if you like rough-riding, that is.

No More Roads, Please

I took the Jeep to Pampanga, were I was able to get it off road a lot.  I drove it through the farm of a friend, who only uses tractors on the turf.

What can I say? The Jeep was super off-road and fun to drive around the bumps and bends.

I never once lost control of the Jeep even as I made my way through the roughest part of the farm land.  Sure, the ride was not smooth like one of the never SUVs, but I felt safe inside the Jeep because of its really sturdy exteriors.

Inside the Jeep was really sparse. It made me feel like  going back to the basics, as they say. None of those fancy power knobs for fancy stereo systems. Just all the basic stuff — no power windows, just steel bars that run through the roof and seats that were built for the real outdoor drivers.

“So, why do you like it?” asked my farmer friend. “It hasn’t got a lot of the comforts that we look for in cool cars these days.”

“Because,” I said, “by all conventional measures, the Jeep Wrangler is a hit in areas where other SUVs fear to tread. An outdoorsy person like me likes nothing less than the most capable off-road vehicle available.”

And that is what the Jeep Wrangler is really all about.

When we feel so trapped in the city, driving the Jeep Wrangler is a welcome break. It is for those trips where the destination doesn’t matter, just so long as it’s as far from the city as possible.

I got to the most rough roads with a roof over my head and four wheels — and dust-free. What more could I ask for?

Tear It Apart

As I sat  in the Jeep, I read some of the instructions which were displayed along certain areas of the vehicle. I found out that there are a number of unique features like the top goes down, the doors come off and the windshield can fold down onto the hood. And, no, I did not try to do any of these things. Although, I was very tempted to. 

The gas, the gas. With the price of gas going higher and higher with our every step on the gas pedal I was just a little wary about how quickly the gas tank would empty. After all, the Wrangler is equipped with a 3.8-liter V6 engine.   

I was also a bit careful each time I accelerated because the Jeep is so heavy that it took around 10 seconds to reach 70 kms. Okay, so the vehicle was not built with speed in mind. 

Back To The City

The trip back to Manila was rough. But, what was I to expect? Nonetheless, driving on the NLEX was fun since most cars didn’t dare to come too close.

It was one of those drives where I was in no hurry to get back to the city so speed was not something that I was too concerned about.

 I liken the Wrangler Jeep to one of my handy gadgets — the Blackberry. The look has not changed a lot, but that’s because it is perfect as it is. 

As I was driving home I got to thinking about car awards. And, it crossed my mind that this Jeep would not win too many awards for beauty and luxury, but as far as off-road performance and practicality goes, the Jeep is an icon.

It is for folks like me, the kind of folks that love the outdoors and ruggedness. The Jeep delivers all the performance expected, and for those who don’t quite get it — don’t worry, it’s what I like to call a Jeep thing. And, truly there are those who will never understand.