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I watched the cars in front of me as each maneuvered into the next lane to avoid a sizable puddle. Then I drove right through it in my 2010 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. After all, what was that — maybe 6 inches of water? It could have been 30 inches and my Wrangler still could have handled it. It’s a good...

I watched the cars in front of me as each maneuvered into the next lane to avoid a sizable puddle. Then I drove right through it in my 2010 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. After all, what was that — maybe 6 inches of water? It could have been 30 inches and my Wrangler still could have handled it.

It’s a good feeling to be a New Orleanian in a Jeep.

That’s especially true when it’s a Wrangler Unlimited, the stretched-out, four-door version of the original SUV, introduced to much fanfare in 2007. Since it entered civilian life, the Wrangler has always been great for taking the top down and going off-road or even just tooling around town feeling the sun on your face and wind in your hair. When middle-aged life starts making you feel old, the Wrangler is an instant youth serum. However, under almost any other circumstances in which you may need a car — carting around kids, making big groceries, or even just wanting to get from point A to point B with your kidneys intact — the Wrangler’s diminutive size and rough ride can make it quickly lose its charm. The truth is, the original SUV was just not equipped to handle any more of life’s baggage than that which accompanies the average 20-year-old.

But all that’s changed with the new model, which Jeep likes to call “the only four-door convertible on the market.” First, the wheelbase was extended to 116 inches, allowing four full-size doors and seating for five (four, very comfortably) on two rows, with 46.4 cubic feet of storage space behind (83 cubic feet with the back seat down). And there’s an in-floor bin for the stuff you want to keep out of sight.

The Unlimited also provides a much more comfortable ride than anybody’s ever had in a two-door Wrangler, but still features enough Jeeplike bounce to make you feel as if you’re on an adventure no matter where you’re going.

And I’m not the only one who’s impressed. “The Wrangler continues to be the vehicle of choice for off-roading enthusiasts,” said Dennis Tauzin, general sales manager at Ray Brandt Jeep on the West Bank. “And the Unlimited model has opened it up to an even broader market.”

He’s right. With the four doors and extra space, a Wrangler lover can have a family and keep their Wrangler.

Excellent!

The top has always been an important part of the Wrangler and the design, here, continues to be innovative. There’s a choice of either a soft or hard top. The soft top (redesigned for 2010 to make it simpler to open and close) can be either partially or fully removed, as traditional. And the hard top is really cool. With a little work and some tools, the entire thing can be removed and replaced with an accompanying soft top. Or, for an outdoors feel without all the work, two individual panels (one over the driver, one over the front seat passenger) can be easily removed T-top-style. There’s also a third panel over the backseat.

And there are other clever design elements. For example, want to take a look at the engine on a dark night? No need to find the hanging lamp and the 50-foot extension cord. There’s a light attached to the underside of the hood that automatically turns on when the hood is raised. There’s also no more need to remove the second-row headrests (which is a huge pain) before folding down the split seat. The headrests automatically fold out of the way as the seats are lowered and pop back into place as the seats are raised.

Power windows and locks are available (Wrangler firsts). The new Unlimited also features best-in-class ground clearance and up to 30 inches of water fording ability, according to Jeep, as well as segment-leading approach and departure angles (44.6 and 40.6 degree

Tags: Jeep

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2010 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited: Four-door model still one of Jeep's best ideas was originally published by New Orleans Auto Reviews: Jeep. Read the full story by clicking here.