Rank: 2 out of 3
Base prices: $20,000 to $28,000
Fuel economy: 16/19 with AWD and automatic transmission
Photos and details

Visibility in the Wrangler is far better than in either the FJ Cruiser or Hummer H3.

With a cloth-covered roll cage running throughout, the Wrangler looks rough and functional because it actually is rough and functional.

Ordinarily, you might complain about hard plastic materials and rough-feeling carpeting, but the Wrangler is supposed to be driven over dusty trails with its top off. Fancy leather, crack-prone soft plastics and deep pile rugs won't do for that kind of life.

The Wrangler Unlimited's rear seats fold flat easily - headrests bend upward out of the way - allowing for plenty of cargo room. Cargo capacity is, by far, the best of the three.

The Wrangler's biggest failing is its lack of important safety equipment. The only available side airbags, and they're an option, are for front-seat occupants. And even those only protect the bodies of occupants in those seats, not their heads. (Crash data shows that head-protecting side airbags make a big difference, even in an SUV.)

It might be a challenge, given the vehicle's snap-together design, but Jeep has to find a way to make side airbags work in the Wrangler.