The Morning Call and Mcall.com's view

At one time a Jeep utility vehicle was just that, and its primary purpose was to provide traction through its four-wheel drive system. The comfort and convenience of driver and passengers was secondary. Over the years, as everyone who has ever owned or ridden in a utility vehicle knows, the need for creature comfort and interior appointments has increased tremendously.

Even with this in mind, however, I don’t think anyone could have foreseen a four-wheel utility vehicle such as the Jeep Wagoneer Limited. Talking about ambience and luxury, even the most spoiled and jaded person will be impressed by this interior and the price also is impressive.

The test vehicle (supplied by Shoemaker’s AMC-Jeep-Renault, 4131 Walbert Ave., South Whitehall) had a white exterior with gold pinstripe, a red interior and looked grand – 21 grand, to be almost exact. My first thoughts were that here’s a vehicle that will never wallow in the mud, run the course at Kempton or bounce off the timber trails. No hunter is going to throw a deer carcass in the rear storage area, nor is a fisherman going to toss a stringer of trout on the floor.

There really is no mechanical reason why all of these things can’t be done. After all the undercarriage is the same as the Cherokee, which was chosen as the ”4WD Vehicle of the Year” by all of the four-wheel drive enthusiasts when it was introduced in 1984. If someone plans to do all of these things, it would be much wiser to buy a cheaper base Cherokee than this top-of-the-line vehicle. But if you like the security of four-wheel drive and also like your luxury, the Wagoneer Limited is certainly worth checking out.

The Wagoneer, like other compact utility vehicles, is somewhat smaller than it looks. A quick look at exterior dimensions will point out that the wheelbase measures 101.4 inches; length, a very short 165 inches; height, a goodly 63.33 inches, and width,70.5 inches. The Wagoneer is somewhat boxy- looking. The side body lines are slightly rounded from top to bottom, the hood slopes forward and the grille is angled back. Also, there is curved glass on both front and rear side windows.

(Before going any further, it should be pointed out that the Wagoneer Limited should not be confused with the Grand Wagoneer, which is a larger vehicle with a big 360 cubic inch V-8 engine and is usually seen towing horse trailers.)

The Wagoneer is a five-passenger vehicle with plenty of storage area in the rear. Useable cargo volume measures 36 cubic feet and is increased to 72 cubic feet with the rear seat folded. The front seats are decently sized and drivers of all sizes and shapes should be comfortable. The standard seating upholstery is a combination of leather and cord cloth material. This along with the plush nylon carpeting certainly helps provide that luxury look.

The test car had an automatic transmission and was an absolute snap to drive. (Of some interest is the fact that when the Jeep Wagoneer was introduced in 1963, it was the first four-wheel drive vehicle to offer an automatic transmission.) The test vehicle also was equipped with the optional ”Selec-Trac” four-wheel drive system, which even makes life easier. This shift-on-the-fly system can be engaged in four-wheel drive and forgotten. In other words, it can be operated full time on dry pavements without doing any harm. A simple lever shifts the system from two- to four-wheel drive while another lever (equally as simple) changes the mode from four-wheel high to four-wheel low. No reason to tax one’s mechanical ability with this system.

A smooth ride adds to the overall feeling of luxury. Four-wheel drive vehicles generally aren’t noted for a boulevard ride. However, the Wagoneer Limited comes standard with a ”soft ride” suspension. And, if you have any doubts, this should confirm the purpose of this vehicle. The suspension system tself is the same as the Cherokee. Up front there is a co il spring live axle with leading links track bar; in the rear leaf springs are mounted above the axle, front and rear stabilizer bars and a steering damper. Nothing really complicated but very rugged.

Powering the test vehicle is the optional 2.8/173 cubic inch V-6. If this engine sounds familiar it could be because it is a General Motors product. This particular version features a two-barrel carburetor and is rated at 115 horsepower at 4,800 rpm and 150 foot pounds torque at 2,100 rpm. This is certainly adequate power for a vehicle weighing a shade over 3,000 pounds. Somewhat oddly, though, the standard engine – a 150 cubic inch four-cylinder produced by Jeep – is rated at higher horsepower. The figures for this throttle body fuel-injected engine are 117 horsepower at 5,000 rpm and 135- foot pounds torque at 3,500 rpm. So, why pay extra for the optional V-6? The only thing I can see is that the V-6 has more torque and torque (a twisting motion) is desirable in four-wheel drive vehicles. Also, the V-6 could be better suited for towing. Potential buyers could check out both engines and decide for themselves.

The test vehicle with its V-6 and automatic transmission averaged 15 miles per gallon for city driving and 20 mpg over Lehigh Valley highways.

Base price for the Wagoneer Limited is $18,994. Standard equipment includes air conditioning, automatic transmission, AM-FM stereo with four speakers, tilt steering wheel, cruise control, heavy duty battery, heavy duty alternator, heavy duty cooling, tinted glass, extra-quiet insulation, power door locks/windows/seats, power steering, power brakes, rear window washer, roof rack, leather wrapped steering wheel, remote control mirrors, 18-ounce cargo and area carpet, sentinel headlight switch, P205/75R15 white all-weather tires, aluminum wheels, the list goes on and on.

The test car had a full price of $20,954 – the base, options totaling $1,569 and a transportation charge of $391. Options included the V-6 engine, $437; Selec-Trac, $262; rear ”Trac-Lok” differential, $255; upgraded radio, $303, and halogen fog lamps, $102.