2007 Jeep Wrangler
Do You Understand?
Test drove: 3/14/2007 to 3/26/2007
My fabulous coworker (whose name will be withheld to protect the integrity of her identity) gives me a ride to Mother Proof's Global Headquarters so I can pick up the 2007 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon for my test drive. She's got this thang (that's t-h-a-n-g pronounced with a t-w-a-n-g) for Jeeps. She says, "It's a Jeep thing, you wouldn't understand." Anyway, all the way to MPGH she's speculating on whether it's a two-door or a four-door (it's a four-door), she reminisces about her childhood Jeep trips and her brother's current Jeep fixation. She'll be test-driving something other than a Jeep, and for a while I actually feel guilty for snagging the Wrangler Rubicon out from under her — not guilty enough to offer it up to her, though. When I see the Wrangler parked in the driveway I get giddy, too. Visions of springtime in a Jeep with the top down woo me, and next thing I know, I'm sitting in the Jeep reading the manual on how to remove the hard top.
But really, there's no need to read the manual because Emily, er, my anonymous coworker, is already removing the nifty panels (Freedom Top, Jeep calls them) from over my head. There are two that come off to expose the front seats and a third large one that covers the back seat and cargo area. I love this feature, and love that Em has it figured out before I can get the manual out of its G.I. Joe Army green canvas satchel. All the while, she's talking faster and faster, getting all amped up and excited like some speed freak about how all the stuff in the Jeep works. Which is ironic really, because there's not a lot of stuff actually in the Jeep. More on that later.
I must give props to my coworker though, because I NEVER would have been able to get the child car seats to fit properly-ish without her. I say properly-ish because they never truly fit as they should. Here is the biggest warning I can give you, my friends: small kids and the 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon don't mix. Backless boosters are fine, but anything else forward-facing is a disaster. The seat backs of the Jeep don't angle back far enough for a good fit. And the head restraints of the Jeep's seats only adjust backward in order to fold the back seat down, so a car seat with a back on it won't sit flush against the Jeep's seats. So, Emily (OK, cover's blown) thankfully figures out that we can fold the seat down to get the headrest to tilt backwards, and she holds it like that while we put the seats back into position and fit the child car seat as good as we can. I actually go out and purchase a backless booster for my son during this test drive just so I can feel better about his safety in a proper-fitting booster seat.
One would think the car seat problem is enough of a red flag to let me know this Jeep is not good for small kids. Still, there's something else: The doors on the Jeep swing freely, there's no notch on the hinge to prop the door open. I have heart attacks every time my kids want to get in by themselves because (due to the lack of running boards or "Side Steps" as Jeep calls them) they want to grab the nylon strap to pull themselves up and into the car. If grabbed and pulled in the center, it accelerates the speed with which the door closes, inevitably on little fingers, or heads, or anything else in its path. I am constantly vigilant and quite honestly scared. Once the door is open, the Jeep is very high and hard even for my almost-5-year old to climb into. I know it's supposed to be that way so you can 4-wheel over boulders (or vehicles or small buildings in the event of the Apocalypse), but it sucks for trips to the grocery store punctuated by the dry cleaners, juice joint and post office.
But, oh, the romance! Top off, spring day, satellite radio delivering all my favorites while we are out and about. That's hard to beat. Hair back, sunglasses, great view of everything for the tots in the back is a great way to spend an afternoon. See, I appreciate when we're finally out on the road because it takes so much to get us there.
Getting back to my frustrations, the '07 Rubicon has no power locks. I know I sound totally spoiled, but life gets really jacked up without power locks, especially when the kids figure out how to lock you out and derive endless joy from it. Also, it's no fun to be sure EVERYTHING is out of the car when the top's down so nothing will get stolen. It is surely against some Tenet Of Motherhood to not store anything in the car. Lastly, there are no power windows. Forget that the kids don't even know what the weird crank handle is for, this Jeep costs over $31,000. No power windows? On the sticker, the lack of power windows is actually listed as a feature, "Full Metal Doors with Roll-Up Windows." What kind of freak sees that as a feature? Never mind, I just remembered that I work with her.
Did I mention the romance? Oh, it's sweet. I can honestly say that I understand Jeep's rugged, escapist fulfillment. I understand the passion for a Jeep. I also understand there are aspects of it that so completely rule me out as the target market, which almost negates my complaints (but not entirely). Jeep's not even trying to pretend the Wrangler is my ideal car. A Jeep as a mom-mobile? You're right, I just don't understand.
*For more information on the 2007 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 4x4 and its safety features visit Cars.com. For questions or comments regarding this review write to MotherProof@msn.com.
LET'S TALK NUMBERS
LATCH Connectors: 2
Seating Capacity (includes driver): 5
IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COUNT
Storage Compartments (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Fair
Cargo/Trunk Space (Puny, Fair, Ample, Galore): Fair — Ample
SENSE AND STYLE
Family Friendly (Not Really, Fair, Great, Excellent): Not Really (for families with small kids)
| Specs | |
|---|---|
| Base price: | $28,235 |
| Price as tested: | $31,800 |
| Engine: | V6 |
| Fuel: | 16/19 mpg |
| Length: | 173.4 |
| Width: | 73.9 |
| Step-in height: | 6 |
| Cargo space: | 46.43 - 86.75 cu ft |
| NHTSA Crash-Test Ratings | |
|---|---|
| Frontal Impact | |
| Driver's side: | 5 Stars |
| Passenger's side: | 5 Stars |
| Side Impact | |
| Front occupant: | 1 Star |
| Rear occupant: | 1 Star |
| Rollover resistance: | 3 Stars |
Comments
Great point Richard. Any rear-facing car seats would not have the same challenges that Sara writes about. The problem really occurs when the back of the car seat sits against the car's seat and has a high enough back to touch the vehicle's head rest.
Posted by: Emily Hansen | Jul 3, 2007 7:52:03 AM
Does anyone out there have a solution for installing car seats in a 1994 Wrangler? The problem is the back seat belts do not lock when pulled all the way out, so there is no way to truly lock the car seats in place. I called the Jeep dealership and they were clueless. I called one of the Jeep parts dealers on line, more of the same. Has anyone ever changed out the rear seat belts with the modern kind that "click" and lock once the belt is pulled all the way out? HELP!
Posted by: Jennifer | Jul 25, 2007 2:52:54 PM
Does anyone out there have a solution for installing car seats in a 1994 Wrangler? The problem is the back seat belts do not lock when pulled all the way out, so there is no way to truly lock the car seats in place. I called the Jeep dealership and they were clueless. I called one of the Jeep parts dealers on line, more of the same. Has anyone ever changed out the rear seat belts with the modern kind that "click" and lock once the belt is pulled all the way out? HELP!
Posted by: Jennifer | Jul 25, 2007 2:53:51 PM
Does anyone out there have a solution for installing car seats in a 1994 Wrangler? The problem is the back seat belts do not lock when pulled all the way out, so there is no way to truly lock the car seats in place. I called the Jeep dealership and they were clueless. I called one of the Jeep parts dealers on line, more of the same. Has anyone ever changed out the rear seat belts with the modern kind that "click" and lock once the belt is pulled all the way out? HELP!
Posted by: Jennifer | Jul 25, 2007 2:54:00 PM
Does anyone out there have a solution for installing car seats in a 1994 Wrangler? The problem is the back seat belts do not lock when pulled all the way out, so there is no way to truly lock the car seats in place. I called the Jeep dealership and they were clueless. I called one of the Jeep parts dealers on line, more of the same. Has anyone ever changed out the rear seat belts with the modern kind that "click" and lock once the belt is pulled all the way out? HELP!
Posted by: Jennifer | Jul 25, 2007 2:54:09 PM
I'm a MOM with a 2007 Jeep Wrangler Sahara 4 Door with a 7 and 11 year old. The entire family loves this vehicle - oh and by the way it has power windows and locks and did not cost $31,000. Our road trips are truly pleasant especially in good weather with no top. We took it on a long trip last spring and no one even suggested that it was uncomfortable. I will never part with my vehicle, it is a pleasure to drive. I don,t need all the foo foo things most mothers do as options, i guess it's a jeep thing that they TRULY do not understand!! I Do!!!!
Posted by: JoAnne Roof | Dec 11, 2007 5:37:50 PM
I'm a DAD (heaven forbid I post here, or anyone find out), and I'm thinking of the Wrangler Unlimited Sahara - the issue is, I have two kids and one on the way - does anyone have experience with three kids in the back seat?? One would be in a booster (she's five), one in a forward-facing car seat (she's two), and the newborn in a rear-facing seat - will all that fit?? We do have a more "family-friendly" crossover wagon, but I would want to be able to take the whole fam in the Jeep if desired.
Posted by: Michael Walker | Jan 23, 2008 2:46:56 PM
I'm a DAD (heaven forbid I post here, or anyone find out), and I'm thinking of the Wrangler Unlimited Sahara - the issue is, I have two kids and one on the way - does anyone have experience with three kids in the back seat?? One would be in a booster (she's five), one in a forward-facing car seat (she's two), and the newborn in a rear-facing seat - will all that fit?? We do have a more "family-friendly" crossover wagon, but I would want to be able to take the whole fam in the Jeep if desired.
Posted by: Michael Walker | Jan 23, 2008 2:47:49 PM
Hey I have a family of five riding in our 2007 unlimited Rubicon. It will work I have a newborn riding on the passenger side and the two year old in the forward facing car seat in the middle which is the only had part but it's worth it. And the seven year old in the booster seat rides on the drivers side and he feels a bit cramped. A little difficult to get in because of it's height but we love our JEEP!
Posted by: Radum | Jan 24, 2008 10:37:29 PM
I'd agree wranglers are not a family car.
They are great when ur a single though.
Posted by: | Feb 13, 2008 9:28:12 AM
My only major problem with kids in the back is making sure your car seats fit properly. Please, PLEASE have them checked by someone who's certified once you've put them in. 4 out of 5 people install their car seats incorrectly, have yours double-checked to make sure you're not one of them.
By the way, we love dads!
Posted by: Sara Lacey | Feb 15, 2008 8:11:25 AM
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Drop down a model. The 2007 Jeep Unlimiteds are available in 3 models: the X, Sahara, and Rubicon. The Sahara comes with side steps and power windows and locks standard.
I had the first Sahara in Iowa and have a 9-week old child. The car seat and base (Graco Safe Ride, I believe) fit perfectly.
Posted by: richard | Jun 28, 2007 8:05:05 AM