INTRO In Sept. 2002 I packed up my
2000 Jeep Wrangler Sport and drove from Ohio to Colorado to visit my friend, who owns a
2002 Wrangler Sport. After spending a full week in his Jeep, covering hundreds of miles, I thought I'd do a review on what's changed in the last couple years of Wrangler development.
OPTIONS For 2002, there are four models of Wrangler available. SE (base model), X (base model with I6 engine and good stereo), Sport, and the Sahara. The Jeep in review here was a medium steel blue colored Sport, heavily optioned.
The first thing I noticed when walking up to it was the 30" tire/wheel package (30"x 9.5"x R15"). These are noticeably bigger/beefier than the standard Sport tire package. The wheels themselves have a steel thickness about twice what my standard wheels have, making for a much more durable setup, ideal for off-roading. The tires are much more aggressive and thicker looking as well. In addition to the wheel package, it has the Trac-Lok limited slip differential. This simply offers additional traction over the standard Jeep 4x4 setup, again being ideal for off-road use. ABS is available on the Wrangler, but cannot be ordered with the Trac-Lok differential.
Other exterior options I noticed were the black molded side-steps, and the Jeep Fog Lights. The Fog lights look great, and can be a helpful addition as well. The side steps aren't my taste, but they certainly aren't tacky looking, and shorter people may find them very useful for entry/egress. Seeing that all Wrangler Sports now only include the I6 engine, they no longer include the 4.0L decals on the side. I have them on my 2000, and think they look cool. As another minor decal note, I have nifty little 4x4 decals on my side windows, which again dress things up a bit, but they are not on the 2002 model. In addition to the fog lights, there are two Tow Hooks mounted on the front bumper, and one on the rear, again another necessity for those who off-road.
My friend installed a trailer hitch for a bike rack, he had to remove his rear tow hook to do this. We used the bike rack and it worked great, I believe his is an official Jeep accessory. One of the benefits to the Wrangler is both bumpers (and the side rails under the doors) come pre-drilled to accept most of the Jeep accessories, so its not a problem adding things at a later date (which means NO DRILLING!)
As I said earlier, all Sports now come exclusively with the I6 (inline 6 cylinder) engine, pumping out 190hp and 235 ft.lbs. of torque. My 2000 is rated at 181hp, but the increase of nine ponies doesn't make itself apparent in daily driving, both engines feeling identical. In addition to the I6, my buddy opted for the 5 spd manual transmission. Living in Colorado, this is ideal for the long steep climbs associated with mountain driving, it also offers benefits off-road.
Inside the 2002 everything looks/feels identical to my 2000. The gauge/dash layout is identical, though the digital odometer now displays all the time (mine only displays when the Jeep is on), this will be a welcome addition for those hunting for a used 2002. The seats are very supportive and comfortable, even on long drives. The support really makes itself known in off-road situations, when you're being jostled about. This 2002 had the factory cd player, which performed great, even in rough terrain. The four speaker setup is identical to mine, and sounded just as adequate. If you put a premium on high fidelity, look into Jeeps speaker upgrades, or expect to go aftermarket (as I'm about to do). In addition, he opted for A/C and Cruise Control. Having drove my 2000 1400 miles to get to CO, I can say that Cruise Control would be a welcome (and recommended) addition, my right leg would get sore and go numb from the slightly odd position for the throttle operation.
I believe all Sports come standard with the full-frame doors (with roll-up glass), as this Jeep has (and my 2000 as well). I highly recommend this, as it makes the Jeep a bit quieter, and the glass windows are much more pleasurable to deal with at drive-thrus, etc. He also opted for the dual tops. We had the soft-top on during my stay, but the hard-top is better for the winter, more secure, and definitely quieter. Of course one of the big selling points is the ability to drop the soft top in the nice weather, and the top operates identical to my 2000. The soft top really is amazing, as it performs flawlessly in protection from the elements, and can be dropped or raised in just a few minutes. This 2002 had the tinted side/rear windows on the soft top, and they look great!
IMPRESSIONS Basically the 2002 feels and performs identical to my 2000. The highway manners are impressive, the suspension absorbs smaller road imperfections flawlessly, though larger potholes will get your attention, I think the short wheelbase has something to do with this. The performance of the engine is strong, but it's certainly not designed for 0-60 jaunts or the quarter mile. Even in the altitude the engine pulled up steep hills without bogging significantly, although an occasional downshift was in order. The Wranglers 4x4 prowess is well documented, however I was amused to see the 4x4 trails in CO are generically called "Jeep Trails". I also found that Jeeps really are the ideal 4x4 vehicle, not only due to the suspension and 4x4 setup, but the short overhangs and narrow width make it ideal for climbing over rocks, ditches, and other obstacles. The short wheelbase also is a plus, as the Jeep handles rough terrain without a squeak or hint of body flex. My buddy said his fuel economy averages out to the 16mpg range, which is about in line with the 16/19 rating. In my 2000, I have experienced better than advertised economy, at about 19.5mpg. I suspect the heavier wheels/tires, along with the altitude in CO knock down his economy, even with the 5 spd.
SAFETY Driver's side and passenger side airbags are standard equipment. The NHTSA gives the Wrangler 4/5 stars for front crash ratings, which is quite good. With the often open nature of the Wrangler, wearing your seat belt is essential. Its something I've always done anyways, but its even more critical in this vehicle. It is rated as Average to insure, which puts it right in the middle. This is based on vehicles in similar price ranges.
OVERALL Though little has changed in the past couple years, the 2002 Jeep Wrangler continues to push the envelope as an awesome lifestyle vehicle, with an ownership base as dedicated as any. I imagine some great deals can be found on 2002 Wranglers right now seeing as dealers are moving in the 2003 models. Another benefit is the resale value, which is incredible. In fact, I recently read that the Wrangler has the highest resale value of any vehicle under $25K (I haven't verified this, and don't know if it includes imports). Keep that in mind when shopping. The huge variety of options and aftermarket items mean you can literally customize your Jeep to your liking/needs, be they tame daily driver, or off-road monstrosity. The link to my review of my 2000 Wrangler is below, if interested.
http://www.epinions.com/content_71444172420
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