If you like to sit tall when you're driving and want to feel like you are in total command of your surroundings than there is nothing quite like being behind the wheel of a Jeep.

You feel like GI Joe leading the cavalry charge against enemy positions ... just like motoring along the Sitra causeway first thing in the morning!

It's nice to feel safe on Bahrain's roads and it was probably the main reason why my good lady wife Kathryn chose a Jeep shortly after arriving on the island.

And, this particular brand, often imitated but never bettered, is in a class of its own, both on and off road.

No more so than the dashing Jeep Wrangler Sahara Unlimited I test drove last week. Jet black in colour and covered in chrome, this beautiful four-door beast simply dazzled in the sunlight outside the Behbehani Brothers showroom.

The handy side-step sparkled as I climbed into the vehicle and with matching mirrors, grill, light covers and a chunky petrol cap that looks like an oversized piece of Tiffany jewellery this was one magnificent magnet of sighs that certainly stands out in a crowd.

The swirly, twisting aerial even appeared like an expensive work of art. And, that probably explains why this vehicle is admired equally by men and women, the young and the old.

It's like your favourite pair of Wrangler jeans - it doesn't matter whether you're a boy or a girl or how long you've had them, they simply ooze 'cool' from the moment you step into them. And, keeping in the same vein, they both boast meaty rivets adding to the feel and comparison.

I like checking the worldwide web for driver reactions when writing test reviews and this particular model receives plenty of praise to back up my comments above.

One read: "The Jeep saved my life, got in a head on collision going about 90km/hr and did very little damage to the front end, airbags deployed. The car that collided with me was absolutely totalled. I'm very, very impressed."

Another stated: "I actually am a 61-year-old gramma who asked for this hot little number for my 60th birthday. I love the way it looks and love to drive it."

A younger driver added: "It drives over EVERYTHING. I have not met a curb or rock yet this Jeep can't tackle. I have tackled off road areas and parking lots. Nothing in any of them so far has stopped this Jeep."

The Jeep Wrangler is one of the most popular 4x4's ever produced by any company. This Wrangler Unlimited Sahara comes with a 3.8L V6 engine which provides adequate power for passing on the highway, in the middle of Manama, or cruising down a dusty trail in the middle of nowhere.

It also features a modular hardtop unit which means the driver and passengers can choose to take pieces off rather than the whole thing at once.

The dashboard offers clear displays of all the important information and the sat nav system.

As one driver suggested, the bottom line is, if you love FUN, this is the vehicle to own. It favours an outdoor spirit but even without that spirit it can be a lot of fun. And, it is also as safe as houses! An essential combination when you are driving in the Gulf.

The Jeep Wrangler Sahara Unlimited is priced between BD8,600 and BD12,500. Call 17459955 for more details.