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Being a motoring journalist, I have been afforded numerous fantastic opportunities that would never have been available to me had I pursued a different career path. However, few, if any, surpassed my experiences with the new Jeep Wrangler in Oman recently.
The 2019 iteration of the famous off-road behemoth is now out on the roads, trails and dunes of the Middle East and I was invited by the FCA Group to put the high-end Rubicon trim to the test.
After catching a very early flight, my first reaction was to shield my eyes as the blazing sun bounced off the shiny, sleek bodywork and laser-beamed towards my tired eyes.
Looking at the exterior, it is instantly recognisable as a Wrangler. Outside, the American marque has added some elements from generations past, such as the headlight corners bulging into the radiator slits and the slight bend in the front grille. The windshield also has more of a slant to it for better aerodynamics. It is also slightly bigger, stronger and lighter overall.
With drivers paired up, I opted to take the passenger seat for the first stint so that I could enjoy the scenery of this beautiful country.
I have been to Oman before, but every time I visit the most scenic location in the Gulf it continues to surprise me. Glorious ocean on one side and mountains (for those who live in Bahrain, they’re tall, spiky things as tall as buildings and made from rock) on the other, Muscat is a special city.
However, this was not to be a city drive and we soon left the cultural hub behind for a long drive through the desert.
The stitched leather seating made for a perfect spot to daydream out the window and I was grateful for the ample leg room front-and-back since I was going to become very accustomed to this seat over the next few days!
Our first stop was at the beautiful Wadi Dayqah Dam, a magnificent man-made monument holding the turquoise tide at bay. After some much-needed refreshment, we took some pictures at the scenic spot before I prepared myself for my turn to drive … and it turns out I chose the best stint as I got to try the twisty, scenic mountain roads!
The Wrangler was perfect for these steep, rocky trails. The grip was incredible, as even with the vehicle on inclines as steep as 45 degrees, there was no rollback even with the handbrake off.
As we snaked our way through tiny villages, individual houses and remote communities with dangerous precipices on either side, having full faith in the handling of the car was essential and I never once had any worrisome moments.
After a long day of driving, we arrived at our final destination: the Arabian Oryx Camp. This was another brilliant experience, camping out literally in the middle of nowhere.
Press trip organisers love to put you in the swankiest hotels and indulge you in the lap of luxury to earn kudos, but as someone who doesn’t get to experience the rugged outdoors much in this part of the world, I loved the fact we were out in the desert.
No mobile phone signal, no laptops and no contact with the outside world. How refreshing indeed, plus it fit in perfectly with the off-the-beaten-track adventure style of Jeep. As their slogan says: ‘Come. Live’.
The second day was where we really got to have some fun. After a brief stop to have a foot race with some local boys who embarrassingly put me to shame and left me (quite literally) on my backside, we deflated our tyres and entered the Ras Al Ruwais desert.
The Wrangler barely ever struggled. Now with even better ground clearance and approach angles as well as the addition of extra gears, the car is capable of riding any dune (within reason). It just requires judicious use of the throttle, as leaving the gearbox in automatic is enough in most cases. Using a mechanical shifter, you can choose from 2-high, 4-auto, 4-high and 4-low.
The 4-auto mode, in particular, was fun on flatter trails as it allows for tail-swinging wheel spin fun without the risk of digging into the sand too much.
Hilariously, due to our guide being more Stevie Wonder than Bear Grylls, we emerged from the desert three hours south of our intended destination and it was a long, dark drive back to the hotel. Luckily, some inspired radio chatter and some questionable music choices kept us awake and our spirits high.
After a brief overnight stay, it was time for the final drive back to Muscat. After the rocky trails and sandy dunes, this was the first and only major chance to test out the car on the highway as we took the scenic coastal road through the quaint city of Sur and headed northwards.
However, there was one final test heading our way … torrential rain! Yes, gone was the blazing sun to be replaced with rain droplets the size of golf balls and high winds buffeting the car from all sides.
Little did this deter the Wrangler, though, which pushed on through the soaked tarmac until the sun broke through the clouds once again.
Powered by a 285bhp 3.6-litre Pentastar V6 with 352Nm of torque, the big revelation on the road is the eight-speed automatic. Adding three more gears has made the Wrangler noticeably quicker and its fuel economy is outstanding, as evidenced by all of the vehicles somehow getting through the desert expedition unscathed.
Handling is acceptable on-road, with decent grip, moderate body roll and good brakes. However, the steering is too light and lacks feedback, leading me to make constant corrections on the open highway.
The available tech is more than can be expected from a Wrangler, with the class-leading touchscreen, power windows, Bluetooth and USB ports, cruise control, front and side airbags, ESP and ABS, blind-spot monitoring, smart keyless entry and start, and even a rear camera nestled in the spare wheel. A few old-school oddities remain though, such as the unretractable flexi-antenna on the right front bumper and the power-window switches on the centre console.
As we had a luscious lunch in the ravishing Rozna restaurant before our flight home, I reflected on yet another outstanding trip with an even more impressive car. It’s refreshing to see an iconic model simply refuse to get by on its laurels and continue to push its limits and capabilities while providing class-leading comfort, responsiveness and safety even on the harshest of terrains.
Jeep has another gem in its portfolio.
Check out Kristian’s Oman adventure both in the dunes and on the rocky roads captured by GulfWeekly’s videographer and photographer Honey Sharma by visiting our YouTube page.
Also, don’t miss out on the Ramadan special deals on the Wrangler and its sister models by contacting Behbehani Brothers on 17459955 or calling into the Sitra showroom.
