Cars
JEEP WRANGLER
The 2011 Jeep Wrangler - a vehicle many consider a handful of compromises too many - is more of an all-in-one vehicle than anything else on the market today. Listen to this list of demands and try and think of any other vehicle capable of even coming close to matching the requirements. First off, the vehicle needs to be priced low. Hundreds of models are crossed off the list. Next up, the vehicle needs to be a convertible. Now the choices are very limited. Torque would be nice. So would seating for four. The image needs to be right, too: nothing girly or cheesy or trendy.
Oh, and off-road capability is a must.
There is one such vehicle meeting these requirements on the market in North America. It happens to be priced very low. The convertible top, or should we say tops, are easy to manhandle. Wranglers aren't road racers, but power is plentiful. Rear passengers don't have acres of space, but your friends will feel so cool when you're driving down Rodeo Drive and their hair is blowing in the wind. The Jeep's image, of course, is set in stone. And yeah, Wranglers do alright when the pavement ends.
Engines: 202 horsepower; 237 lb-ft of torque from a 3.8L V6
Base USD/CAD Price: $22,045 / $21,595
City Fuel Economy: 15 miles per gallon
4x4: Wrangler ground clearance can be as high as 10.3 inches. Approach angles range from 40.8 degrees to 44.6; departure angles from 37.4 to 40.6. Wranglers are less than 13 feet long and barely more than six feet wide, capable of squeaking through the narrowest portions of most any trail. Every 2011 Jeep Wrangler is fitted with a Dana 30 front axle and a heavy-duty Dana 44 rear axle.
Sales Stats: In 2010, the Jeep Wrangler has routinely been on the Best Sellers lists both in Canada and the United States. Canadian year-to-date sales of the Wrangler were up 61% at the end of October. In America, 2010 sales will top 90,000 by New Year's Eve.
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Cars
The Good 12 v4.0 Part 8 - Jeep Wrangler
JEEP WRANGLER
The 2011 Jeep Wrangler - a vehicle many consider a handful of compromises too many - is more of an all-in-one vehicle than anything else on the market today. Listen to this list of demands and try and think of any other vehicle capable of even coming close to matching the requirements. First off, the vehicle needs to be priced low. Hundreds of models are crossed off the list. Next up, the vehicle needs to be a convertible. Now the choices are very limited. Torque would be nice. So would seating for four. The image needs to be right, too: nothing girly or cheesy or trendy.
Oh, and off-road capability is a must.
-----
Engines: 202 horsepower; 237 lb-ft of torque from a 3.8L V6
Base USD/CAD Price: $22,045 / $21,595
City Fuel Economy: 15 miles per gallon
4x4: Wrangler ground clearance can be as high as 10.3 inches. Approach angles range from 40.8 degrees to 44.6; departure angles from 37.4 to 40.6. Wranglers are less than 13 feet long and barely more than six feet wide, capable of squeaking through the narrowest portions of most any trail. Every 2011 Jeep Wrangler is fitted with a Dana 30 front axle and a heavy-duty Dana 44 rear axle.
Sales Stats: In 2010, the Jeep Wrangler has routinely been on the Best Sellers lists both in Canada and the United States. Canadian year-to-date sales of the Wrangler were up 61% at the end of October. In America, 2010 sales will top 90,000 by New Year's Eve.
The Good 12
Audi Q5 - Buick Enclave - Cadillac CTS Sport Wagon
Fiat 500 - Ford F-150 - Ford Mustang V6 - Infiniti G25
Nissan Juke - Porsche Boxster Spyder
Fiat 500 - Ford F-150 - Ford Mustang V6 - Infiniti G25
Nissan Juke - Porsche Boxster Spyder
Porsche Cayenne - Toyota Venza
The Bad 8
The Bad 8
Acura ZDX - BMW 5-Series GT- BMW X6
Honda Accord Crosstour - Lexus HS250h
Lincoln MKT - Nissan Leaf - Nissan Versa Sedan
Honda Accord Crosstour - Lexus HS250h
Lincoln MKT - Nissan Leaf - Nissan Versa Sedan
Rules & Nominees
- 2013's The Good 12 - Jeep Wrangler Unlimited - $25,000-$30,000
JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED Strange as it may sound, Jeep's stretched Wrangler is a pleasant place in which to spend time. A decent sound system, ample room, and moderate equipment levels are just the beginning. Visibility, paired with the Wrangler's...
- The Good 12 V4.0 Part 9 - Nissan Juke
NISSAN JUKE Fun to drive, funky to look at, and functional to live with, the 2011 Nissan Juke is by no means everyone's cup of tea. The Juke is downright dazzling from some angles, and the acquired taste that is its front end will immediately send...
- The Good 12 V4.0 Part 5 - Ford F-150
FORD F-150 Before Ford decided to completely revamp the F-150's engine lineup, GoodCarBadCar.net placed the 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor in The Good 12. This year, however, Ford has developed a new range of engines for the F-150: delightfully...
- The Good 12 V4.0 Part 3 - Cadillac Cts Sport Wagon
CADILLAC CTS SPORT WAGON There are people who buy cars based purely on the vehicle's capacity to haul. If Vehicle Exhibit A can secure five people and 40 cubic feet of cargo, then Vehicle Exhibit B's 35 cubic feet of luggage space won't...
- The Good 12 V4.0 Part 2 - Buick Enclave
BUICK ENCLAVE Repeating for a third consecutive installment, the 2011 Buick Enclave is a resounding success for one of the fastest growing automotive brands in North America. It doesn't hurt that the Enclave is supremely quiet, eminently comfortable,...