One of the biggest decisions to make when buying a Wrangler is selecting the top. Purists prefer the soft top, a high-quality piece of equipment that can be configured according to the weather. If a screwdriver is handy, the windshield can be flipped down for breezy, low-speed touring in the backcountry. Doors may be removed for the maximum open-air experience. The Unlimited models have a multi-functional soft top called Sunrider, that folds completely or only from above the front seats in a sunroof-like configuration.
The optional hard top is more practical and offers better protection from weather and thieves. The hard top comes with full-height doors and roll-up windows. Rearward visibility is better, and it's further aided by the rear-window defroster, wiper and washer. Wind noise is greatly reduced. The hard top can be removed, although we haven't tried this. Jeep claims that either top is far easier to remove or install than those of pre-2001 models and provides much better sealing from the elements.
The additional length of the Unlimited models is almost entirely between the door and the rear wheel. How this affects the Wranglers rugged-cute look will be a matter of taste. We like how the stretch in length, combined with the fractionally lower Sunrider top, gives the Wrangler more car-like proportions; but Jeep die-hards may hate it for precisely that reason. Next Page