There have been a whole plethora of attempts to resurrect classic old models and tap into lingering nostalgia over the past decade - you could point to the Volkswagen Beetle as the car that started it all off, and BMW's new Mini as the car that really made it work, but Jeep's Wrangler is a worthy but forgotten member of the pantheon of retro.
Of course, the main difference with all of those other cars and the Wrangler is that they are modern reinterpretations of old classics, whereas the Jeep feels more like it has just been reskinned. A direct descendant of the iconic Willys Jeep of World War 2, the Wrangler doesn't feel like it has moved with the times.
That said, this generation of Wrangler brings a number of firsts for the car - a 2.8-litre diesel engine producing 174bhp and a decent 302lb ft of torque is the first ever diesel engine to be offered in the Wrangler, and the Wrangler Unlimited model offers an extended wheelbase and five-seat practicality for the first time too. Before you get too excited though, it should be said that the engine is an exhumed Mercedes unit that has not been seen in a German product for many a long year.
The Jeep is understandably good off-road - in short-wheelbase form it comes with a raft of kit that will get you as off-road as you could possibly want, but the payoff for that mud-plugging ability is terribly on-road manners. The steering isn't too bad, however - the Wrangler feels planted through a corner, although it will be upset by bumps you might encounter mid-bend.
The ride isn't as firm as you might fear, but you can immediately feel on the move that the car has been tuned for off-roading. Motorway driving is respectable - wind noise is minimal, and whilst the engine noise is gruff, that's manageable too.
The interior feels downmarket but hard-wearing - the dashboard is what would charitably be described as durable. It does feel like it will take abuse and, unless you're going to abuse your Wrangler, you might want to look at a car with a more stylish and pleasant interior. Space is limited, even if you go for the long wheelbase model. The rear seats in the standard short wheelbase car are borderline unusable, feeling extremely cramped for passengers.
The Wrangler is a car that will take everything you throw at it apart from urban daily life - it is heavily compromised for everyday use, and refuses to bow to the norms of modern SUVs. If that's what you want, you'll love it.