Few vehicles can match the Jeep Wrangler off road, and certainly none in this price range. Driving a Wrangler every day on the road, however, requires concessions.

The tall tires and off-road suspension, which add capability in the backcountry, become a liability around town. This is particularly true of the Rubicon. The ride is harsh and choppy. On the plus side, however, is a torque-sensing limited-slip feature on the rear axle for better traction everywhere.

The Unlimited offers a smoother ride, a benefit of its longer wheelbase. Directional stability is much improved, with less dartiness and more confident on-center feel in the steering. The Unlimited may be a good compromise for many people.

We sampled both the smooth-shifting four-speed automatic transmission and the astutely geared six-speed manual, and both match up well to the power curve of the inline six-cylinder engine.

Jeep's inline-6 produces ample power in all situations. It's rated at 190 horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque. The inline-6 gives up 2 mpg to the manual-shift four-cylinder around town but returns the same 20 mpg on the highway as the four, with either the six-speed manual or the four-speed automatic.

The Wrangler SE with the four-cylinder engine is an appealing vehicle, however. It does not offer much power and we wouldn't want to drive every day or on a long cross country trip, but we still like it. There's something poetic about its simplicity, right down to its skinny tires. The low-cut doors and soft top are cool. The low price is attractive, assuming you can resist the many attractive options.

The 2.4-liter, twin-overhead-cam four is rated 147 horsepower at 5200 rpm and 165 pound-feet of torque at 4000 rpm. It does not offer thrilling acceleration. If you like the easy-to-clean vinyl upholstery, and don't feel the need for speed, then the SE is a good vehicle for fishing, hunting, or exploring. Having one attached to the back of your motor home comes in handy when tooling around small towns in the American West. We drove one at Jeep's proving grounds in Michigan and it performed well.

The Rubicon model offers the ultimate in off-road capability. The Rubicon is designed to reflect the original go-anywhere vision realized in 1940. This specialty model was named for the Class 10 Rubicon Trail on the California-Nevada border, a location that has been part of Jeep's evaluation for all its vehicles. Jeep recreated sections of the famed Rubicon Trail at its proving grounds in Michigan to test the durability and capabilities of its newest offering.

We've found the Wrangler Rubicon to perform impressively in the rough and rugged. It boasts a cadre of 4WD technology that includes a transfer case equipped with a 4.0:1 low range (the low ratio in the standard transfer case is 2.72:1), which delivers more torque at the snail-like speeds often required for off-road driving. Locking differentials, actuated when the driver presses a switch on the dash, prevent power from being directed away from the tires with the best grip. Dana Model 44 axles, considered by enthusiasts to be the cream of the crop, come standard on the Rubicon and are strong enough to handle all manner of off-road conditions.

Boasting Big Foot stature in a mini footprint, the Rubicon wears aggressive Goodyear Wrangler 31-inch tires that help it achieve 10 inches of ground clearance on a short 93.4-inch wheelbase. That makes it a nimble vehicle in the backcountry. Added to that are laudable approach angles (42.2 degrees, 43.1 in the Unlimited), departure angles (31.5 degrees, 27.7 in the Unlimited), and ramp breakover angles (22.6 degrees, 21.4 in the Unlimited). This means you can drive up, down and over steep grades, tall boulders and fallen logs with ease.