These days the Jeep Wrangler wouldn't look out of place in a museum rather than a new-car showroom. The ride and handling, the design, space and materials of the cabin, the versatility of the interior - all are woeful when compared to the new breed of compact SUVs. Their practicality makes the Wrangler seem obsolete.

But it's amazingly that doesn't stop it from selling. People love the car for its heritage, simplicity, ease of modification, and legendary go-anywhere ability. And those attributes seemed to hold true again as we drove the new Wrangler through the bush and veldt of the African nation of Zambia.

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The car performed admirably on what the engineers confessed was the toughest off-roading they'd ever done with journalists. But it's not without its irritations; all the off-roading switches are very low down on the center console and don't fall immediately to hand. Jeep engineers admitted their position was a question of compromise, with priority given to the audio and climate controls - sited higher up - because more owners will use them more often.