Only the most capable off-road vehicle could carry the name Rubicon. That is the name of the demanding trail on which most of Jeep's development research is conducted.
It's built just a little bit tougher and equipped a tad more specifically for taking on rocks and ruts and standing water and trees no longer standing. And half the fun for its owner is removing or adding parts to customize it to his needs and preferences.
No matter where a happy tuner has taken his '06 Rubicon, he started out with the same standard equipment as every other buyer. A 4.0-liter, 190-horsepower engine provides the power, and Dana 44 front and rear axles, low-ratio gearing, skid plates, monotube shocks, Tru-Lok locking differential, and a Rock-Trac 4WD transfer case leave it ready for the rocks. (Note that a Wrangler's four-wheel drive mode is meant only for use on wet or loose surfaces, not dry pavement.)
Energy-absorbing foam in the sport bar, windshield trim, and hard top back await a roll, and air bags will protect driver and front passenger in a frontal impact. The 2006 Wrangler earned 4 out of 5 stars in NHTSA rollover and frontal-crash tests.
Air conditioning, alloy wheels and fog lamps were included in standard equipment. Half-steel doors with non-glass windows and full-steel doors with tinted-glass windows were both made available as an option, as was a dual-top package with both soft and hard top.
User reviews reflect a high rate of reliability along with plenty of bragging about the Rubicon's off-pavement prowess. Evidently anyone who plans on doing a lot of off-roading and don't require a plush on-road ride will be thrilled with a Wrangler - as long as they don't mind frequent visits to the gas station.