THIS year marks a very important milestone for Jeep as it celebrates its 75th birthday and there are some special Anniversary editions to the brand's line-up to help celebrate the occasion.

The Cherokee, Grand Cherokee and Renegade models all have special Anniversary editions and so too does the iconic Wrangler which has always remained faithful to its classic roots.

The Wrangler is a direct descendant of the original Willys-Overland (1941) model and was introduced to rival the Land Rover vehicles.

The latest Anniversary edition is a true roughtie-toughtie 4x4 that is based on the Wrangler Sahara but with added appeal and extra kit.

This one was finished in a stunning Sarge Green colour that totally suited the Wrangler's character and style.

Other eye-catching features include body-coloured wheels arches, 18-inch bronze wheels, tubular side steps, front and rear fog lights, tinted windows, a spare wheel attached to the back door plus automatic headlamps.

The interior features plenty of '75th Anniversary' branding along with special grab handles and lots of techno treats such as full connectivity and sat nav via a colour touchscreen, heated front seats, leather-trimmed upholstery and circular air vents proudly displaying the Jeep name.

In fact, everywhere you look there are reminders that this is no ordinary Wrangler model - even the grab handle on the glovebox features a model Jeep with the words "1942 Seventy Five Years" on it.

Despite being a true back-to-basics car, the Wrangler has plenty of appeal and certainly puts the fun factor back into driving. Admittedly, it's pretty loud and the ride is a tad uncomfortable at times, but those are factors that are really positives rather than negatives on this vehicle.

Powered by a 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine mated to a five-speed automatic gearbox, the Wrangler can reach from 0-62mph in 8.9 seconds and maxes out at 112mph.

According to official figures it can deliver combined fuel economy of 24.1mpg with carbon emissions of 273g/km.

In traffic, the Wrangler ambled along with ease and was actually quite agile and easy to manoeuvre. On quicker roads it was great fun and easily kept pace with fast-moving motorway traffic.

The noise levels within the cabin became quite amplified when the vehicle was pushed hard, but the great sound system was more than capable of drowning out the engine's roar.

There is a little body roll if bends are attacked a little eagerly, but once again that is a plus point in the Wrangler's character and handling. It has a truly retro feel and that's exactly what Jeep intended.

However, on the downside, the near-vertical windscreen attracts all sorts of insect life at speed and is almost impossible to clean as the tiny wipers only clear a fraction of the area. This does mean stopping every few hundred miles and manually cleaning the screen.