From Towcar Awards 2008

List price: £23,195 (when tested)
Kerbweight: 1955kg
85% Match: 1662kg
Max towing weight: 3500kg
Towball limit: 170kg

THE WRANGLER is an old-school 4×4, and proud of it. It will go further off-road than almost any other car here, and if you’re a fan of the original Willys Jeep, you’ll love the looks.

Unfortunately, the retro style extends to the driving experience. The 2.8-litre engine will drag car and caravan from 30-60mph in a reasonable 21.4 seconds.

Noisy on the road

The noise increases more quickly than the speed, however. The suspension bumps and jiggles over poor road surfaces, and the steering feels vague.

Interior space isn’t as good as you’d expect from such a large car, and carbon emissions of 263g/km put it in the top road-tax band for 2009, with a bill of £440.

On the other hand, the boot is huge, and it’s good to see an easy-to-access full-size spare wheel.

We say

Towing: 2/5
Solo: 3/5
Practicality: 5/5
Buying & owning: 3/5

Verdict: 3/5. A noisy and ponderous towcar. Strong practicality score, though.