Youtuber Explains Why the Rubicon Deserves to be the ‘Off-road King’

Integrated rock rails, 33-inch tires and a heavy-duty drivetrain make the Wrangler Rubicon the world’s best 4×4.

The video above comes to us from the YouTube channel of The Fast Lane with Joe Tunney and it features a walk-around review of the 2018 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon. Unlike many video reviews where we see the vehicle in action, host Joe Tunney focuses on the key features inside and out, explaining why the Wrangler is the best “truck” in the world when it comes to combining off-roading fun and on-road daily driving.

The video begins with Tunney talking about his childhood growing up in Utah. When he was 11 years old, he would get paid $32 per day to use an old Jeep to haul rock around a quarry. He liked making money, but more importantly, he enjoyed driving that old SUV in the harsh conditions. Today, Tunney lives in Hawaii, where he spends lots of time driving in rough terrain and as was the case back in the day, the Wrangler is practically unstoppable and of the modern Jeep models, the Rubicon package is the king of the off-roading hill while also being a great daily driver.

Rubicon Capabilities

The 2018 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon is built to be the best factory-built off-roader in the world and the exterior layout plays a big role in its capabilities. Tunney highlights features like the integrated rock rails, the 33-inch BFGoodrich KO2 tires wrapped around package-specific 17-inch wheels and the extreme amount of ground clearance, pointing out the fact that the Rubicon offers 11 inches of ground clearance at its lowest point while also being able to ford 30 inches of standing water.

Tunney also calls the Rubicon “one of the best looking 4x4s on the road today” while stressing the fact that “every single thing about this truck is extraordinarily heavy duty”. That includes the Rock-Trac transfer case, which he regards as one of the best four-wheel-drive systems in the world. That four-wheel-drive setup is mated to the 8-speed automatic transmission and the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6, delivering 285 horsepower and 260 lb-ft of torque.

Heading Inside

After talking about the features that help make the 2018 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon the best off-road vehicle in the world, Tunney talks about the interior features that make it so great to drive on the street. He prefaces the discussion on the cabin by pointing out that the Wrangler is not designed to be comfortable and quiet, but it is just that. Features like the leather seats, the UConnect system with an 8.4-inch screen, the 9-speaker Alpine sound system and the removable roof make the Rubicon a great daily driver, while some interior features, like the locking differential switch, further the off-road capabilities.

Really, the only negative thing that Joe Tunney has to say about the 2018 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon is that the rear door latch sticks out into the door opening, and that is valid, but at the end of the day, that minor complaint only goes to magnify the quality of the JL.

Crank up your speakers and enjoy this glowing review of the JL Jeep Wrangler.

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Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com

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