If there is one rule that car companies almost always respect, it’s that you just don’t mess with success. The 2010 Jeep^® Wrangler is one of the purest interpretations of the original spirit that has made Jeep the preferred off-road chariot for over 60 years. In celebration of Wrangler’s continued ability to conquer even the toughest trails, the brand has come up with the 2010 Jeep Wrangler Islander, a special edition of the already fantastic Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited Packages.

The 2010 Jeep Wrangler Islander (two-door MSRP $25,220) immediately sets itself apart from the standard edition of the Wrangler thanks to its special paint choices. With colors like ‘Surf Blue,’ this tropical color brings to mind the endless expanses of blue ocean that serve to center the Islander Package from a stylistic perspective. The Islander is also available in black, Stone White and Bright Silver finishes. Beefy 32-inch off-road tires mounted on 17-inch wheels give the Wrangler Islander an attitude adjustment suitable for tearing across ocean dunes.

Further setting the Islander apart from other Jeeps is the Islander decal emblazoned on its hood. Preceding the word ‘Islander’ is a ‘Tiki Bob’ island statue sticker, and underneath is a small globe decal with the following coordinates listed: 21 degrees North, 157 degrees West. Give up? If you dig out your atlas, you’ll find that those numbers will lead you directly to Oahu, Hawaii, firmly tying together the Wrangler Islander’s beach theme.

The Islander’s unique looks continue inside where each seat receives an attractive Surf Blue-colored insert, complete with special stitching. The rest of the seat is framed in black fabric with Tiki Bob logos embroidered proudly in orange. The Wrangler’s steering wheel features leather wrapping with Surf Blue stitching along the inside, and Mopar accessory rubber slush mats help to keep the sand and surf off the Jeep’s floorboards. Special sidesteps also make it easier to get up off the beach and into the Islander’s cockpit at the end of the day. The Islander is capped off with a standard soft top or an available three-piece hardtop, both of which can be removed to let in the tropical sunshine. Features such as air conditioning, speed control and a full-length floor console add to the comfort factor inside the passenger compartment.

Mechanically, the 2010 Jeep Wrangler Islander shares the same stout drivetrain found in other editions of the popular off-road warrior. Under the hood, the Wrangler Islander makes use of a 3.8-liter V6 engine that generates 202 hp and 237 lb/ft of torque. A standard six-speed manual transmission routes this power to all four wheels through the Command-Trac^® Shift-on-the-Fly four-wheel drive system. This system includes a low-range gear ratio that can make short work of the toughest of obstacles that might be encountered when motoring along the water’s edge. A four-speed automatic transmission is also available.

Furthering the Wrangler Islander’s off-road credentials is a host of under-body armor that is meant to protect components, which are most likely to be in harm’s way when driving over rough terrain. This armor includes three-millimeter-thick steel skid plates to cover the transmission oil pan, the transfer case and the fuel tank and there are solid axles both front and rear in order to withstand even the hardest impacts and specially strengthened driveshafts that can handle the abuse doled out by a day on the trail. 

The Jeep Wrangler Islander also benefits from Electronic Stability Control and All-Speed Traction Control, both of which seek to minimize wheel spin and keep the Islander pointed in the direction you intended, whether on the road or off. Electronic Roll Mitigation, which keeps the Wrangler from tipping during hard corners, and Hill Start Assist, which stops the vehicle from rolling backward when starting on a steep incline, are also included as standard equipment. In effect, the Wrangler Islander marries the tried and true toughness of traditional Jeep construction with modern computer controls to give the vehicle an extra performance edge.

The 2010 Jeep Wrangler Islander is a unique and fun special edition of a sport utility vehicle that has become an American icon.