huskyflyer

It seems like a popular car on the aisle and its expensive to reserve it directly. I highly doubt it is because renters want to go off-roading (and violate the rental agreement). However, it doesn't look very comfortable either for highway cruising and it doesn't look like its fun to drive as I think there will be a lot of body roll in the corner given the height. Is it fun to drive? I might give it a try if it is fun to drive or comfortable etc

JayhawkCO

Well, I drive a 2019 Wrangler Rubicon, so I'm clearly biased. But, the first time I ever rented a Wrangler, it was a gorgeous Memorial Day weekend in Minnesota and I wanted to drive with the top off. Especially the newer models, they drive way less "trucky" than you'd think.

huskyflyer

I might try it then! I just think it drives like a truck with those large tire, high ride height etc. I think all the Wranglers I have seen at my local station are not the convertible type or else I may have rented one just to drive it as a "convertible". I know my local station seems to have recently gotten some of the pick up Wranglers.

Qwkynuf

Even on the hard top models they have two removable panels above the front seats, where you can create sort of a "targa top" situation. As I recall, you can remove just the driver's side or both sides.

It might be worth noting that different people have likes and dislikes that might differ from yours. As an example, you seem to *really* like Chrysler 300s and BMWs. I would walk past both of those to take literally *anything* else. Different strokes. I own a Mustang, so it's not a 'treat' for me to rent one. But sometimes I will take one for familiarity if there is nothing else that I would rather have.

AppleBoy97

I rented a Wrangler a few years ago because it was a loophole for my wife and I (when we were 24) to get a “convertible” for a week in Miami in the fall. I had 50/50 luck rolling off the aisle with a mustang or Camaro at the time, but never got questioned with a Jeep. It was a bit of a chore to drive on 95 with Miami traffic but this particular one had blind spot monitoring which helped a TON.

The other time I picked one because I had to drive from Pittsburgh to DC the second week of December right after a major snow storm. It was relatively new and had stubbier tires which was perfect for the 8-10” of snow on the Penna Turnpike.

I tend to stay away from them because many are bare bones models without CarPlay, blind spot monitoring, and they do suck down gas. There are the niches for them (like I mentioned above) however.

azepine00

Offroading is a very broad term. If i need to drive on a dirt roard with possible puddles washboard erc i d pick 4wd with good tires.

AppleBoy97

Yeah, and the enterprise office in the outer banks, NC has a dozen 2/4door wranglers at any given time that people take up to the “beach road” in Corolla to see the wild horses. It’s technically a state maintained highway that happens to be on the beach. I’d love to watch that legal battle play out in court.

SkyLich

Wranglers are blast to drive (especially 2 door models).

I once read an article in MotorTrend that said there were only a handful of, as in single digit, vehicles that offered drivers a truly unique driving experience. All were exotics costing a fortune...except the Wrangler.

I've owned 5 over the years and absolutely love them. Unique driver position, visibility, and so nimble at low speeds it seems like you could practically spin in a circle. Like driving a kids idea of what a vehicle should be like. Off road capability is another matter but you're not likely to do that in a rental.

All that said, a rental model will likely be thinly equipped and not the best representative of a Wrangler at its best, so try not to judge.

Fully loaded a 2 door is around $65,000, with all the tech and most of the creature comforts you'd find in a luxury vehicle, along with many upgraded components for better off road performance.

A rental is likely to be equipped closer to a $40,000 base model, but will still be a lot of fun to drive.

Rentals typically come with the hard top(vs soft canvas top), and you can remove the roof panels at the front. Don't be intimidated, it's not hard. Get some open sky if the weather allows!

zdcatc12

You can always set your side-view mirrors on any car to NOT have a blind spot. It is great once you get used to it.

JBKettle

Interesting that there are comparisons above between Wranglers and trucks.

While I've never driven a modern Wrangler, I have driven the Gladiator and I would say that it is nothing like a truck. I don't know how the Gladiator compares to the Wrangler, but I found the Gladiator drove just like the old CJ-5 I used to drive did. (i.e. B. A. D.) There's not a truck that drives like that. (Unless you start talking about modifications. I'm comparing 'off-the-rental-lot.')

Honestly, I was shocked that the Gladiator drove the way it did. Not necessarily that it had those characteristics, (Poor steering feel and tracking, excessive body roll, 'hobby horse' longitudinal rocking (which is a function of wheelbase, which means the Wrangler would be worse.)) but rather that FCA felt that was good enough for them. As mentioned above, these vehicles are relatively expensive, and I would expect more from them. I have a truck as a daily driver and have driven every brand of truck in the past 12 months (courtesy of EAN,) and there's no comparison. I'm not looking for an S-Class ride, I'm looking for a 'truck' ride, and they didn't even manage that.

SkyLich

To compare the ride quality of the 60 year old CJ-5 (WW2 era) antique on leaf springs to a Gladiator or Wrangler strains credulity. These are thoroughly modern designs, sharing nothing beyond 4 wheels.

Wranglers are very polarizing, and the people who dislike them seem to hate them, which is fine, but let's not exaggerate. They've been top sellers for decades with high rates of repeat buyers for good reason.

Read professional reviews of the current Wrangler to get a more objective view.

newfbc

The Wrangler is fun. I don't know if I'd want one for an extended rental, but for a day or two on the weekend, sure!

The models at YVR are mostly 4 door Sahara (I've seen a few 'pick up type Gladiator models). The top over the driver and passenger is easily removable, you can remove one or both sides. Takes a few minutes.

I do notice a lot of small rocks in the tire grooves on these though.. so I think they're getting a little use off paved roads.

Ron.

vestry

They're a pretty good short term driving experience unique from any other car usually available in a rental fleet.

JBKettle

Admittedly, I did use the term 'ride' in my post, but the ride wasn't bad. I thought it probably was what it should have been. The drive OTOH...

It's your choice whether or not you want to believe me, but that was indeed my exact thought about a mile after pulling out of the rental car lot. "This thing drives just like my old CJ." Is it likely to be an exact comparison? No, if for no other reason than the passage of time, but there was enough there that I thought it.
That it is a modern design is much of my confusion. That's all they can do in 60 years? On one hand, I get it. It is built to be an off road machine, and there are decisions made to further that goal, like a solid front axle. But I refuse to believe that they can't make a solid front axle steer good, and it's more likely that they just don't care to (read: care to spend the money.) Same thing on down the line... For way north of $50k, put some thicker sway bars on it.
You paint me as some sort of Jeep hater, and I get it. We see it all over the net. Somebody has a contrarian opinion, and the pitchforks come out. If anything, I'm a (or at least 'a was-and-could-be-again') Jeep enthusiast. I've had the aforementioned CJ, an XJ, and a ZJ. I loved 'em all, but they were what they were. And the Gladiator I drove was what it was. And I'm sure the modern Wranglers are what they are. And what they are is untouchable off-road compared to anything else that comes from a factory, and even more so with mods. But with that off-road ability comes on-road compromises. If I were to buy one, I wouldn't do it because it drove good or bad on the road. I would buy it because I would want something that I could take off-road. Another confusion is why these are even in the rental fleets. Sure, they add some variety, but they're not very good just to go around town. (As we all know, off-roading is against the contract, and nobody would ever do that.)

I'm not sure how reading someone else's opinions of it becomes objective, but that won't help me one bit. I felt what I felt. I don't need somebody else to either validate or attempt to negate my opinions.

huskyflyer

By fun, do you mean the novelty of driving a a wrangler for the experience or like fun to drive fun (think twisty roads like the Sea to Sky highway? Where do you like driving the wrangler out of YVR? Are the YvR wranglers ussually well equipped?

I was receptive to trying a Wrangler this weekend but for like the first time I didn’t see a Wrangler on the lot.