Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon is easier to live with, still a capable off-road go-anywhere SUV

By Mike Parris
August 26, 2019 | 1:17 AM

2019 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon. The go anywhere SUV. — The Wrangler Unlimited is a more family-friendly Jeep with four doors and seating for five. As much as I’m smitten by the two-door Wrangler, I admit the Unlimited makes sense for a family with small children. While the 2019 Wrangler Unlimited has undergone a very big makeover, outside the Jeep still looks mostly like a Jeep. The turn signals have moved to the fenders and not under the headlights. About 25% of Jeep owners I polled didn’t like it.

Leather seats and nicer interior materials. A big step up for the Wrangler. — The inside is also a nicer in 2019. Yes, much of that has to do with testing the Rubicon, one of the upper trim levels, with a price of $56,755 after nearly $15,000 in options. That extra cash buys you a nicer place to sit with leather seats, steering wheel, parking brake handle and shifter knob. Even the door panels are a higher quality. It would be a shame to get them muddy and dirty out on the trail.

Cargo space is a plus with the Unlimited.

Cargo space is a plus with the Unlimited. The off-road ability is legendary, controls can be daunting at first sight. — The Wrangler Unlimited has new tech inside like a large 8.4” touchscreen with the easy-to-use Uconnect system with NAV plus a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot. The premium sound system with 9 speakers is audible even when the top is down. The Jeep Wrangler Unlimited was never for everybody but for 2019 it is for more people than ever. It’s less sacrifice to own a Wrangler these days especially with a more up-to-date interior, improved on-road performance and new technology. Look for more Wranglers to hit the street.

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When you think of the Jeep Wrangler, you know you will have an SUV that can just about go anywhere. But it wasn’t always easy to live with as a daily driver. It was loud inside and there weren’t many creature comforts in the sparse interior.

The 2019 Wrangler Unlimited is looking to change the way you look at the rough-and-ready SUV.

Car Review: You can plug-in for better mpg with BMW’s new version of the X3

By Mike Parris
August 31, 2020 | 4:16 AM

Compact luxury crossovers are big business as buyer's trade in luxury sedans for the popular high riders. BMW redesigned its X3 a couple years ago to better compete in a more crowded marketplace. I drove the sporty X3 M40i in 2019 and was impressed with its potent performance. New for 2020 is a plug-in hybrid version that allows for 18-20 miles of electric-only driving. But when you combine the gas engine and that electric motor, the xDrive30e is transformed into a fun performance ride.

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