Review: Icon CJ3B more than the sum of its impressive parts

Icon CJ3B – Click above for high-res image gallery

“We’re not going to challenge the traditional big players with our volume,” says Icon’s owner and head designer Jonathan Ward as we’re admiring one of his company’s Toyota FJ recreations. “But we hope to challenge what they put into their products.” Depending on how highly you value quality, Mr. Ward might have just made the understatement of the year. In part, Icon’s mission is to “Revisit vehicles from our collective past in a modern context.” But as we discovered, going along with old-meets-new is a firm, unwavering, near-perplexing and possibly suicidal refusal to compromise any aspect of their vehicles in any way.

Take Icon’s latest model, the all new CJ3B. Based off the 1953 Willys CJ3B (Icon amazingly holds the rights to the name), Ward explains that the design ethos of the old Willys Jeeps was longevity, simplicity and utility. Not only does Ward appreciate these qualities, but he finds them “Sorely lacking from the current automotive industry.” You’ll get little argument here. However, doesn’t a modern Jeep Wrangler embody those three priorities, as well as providing near-goofy levels of straight off the showroom floor off-roadability? Not only that, but a Wrangler costs $21,460 with the (much) more capable Rubicon edition raising the Wrangler’s price to $29,565. Not cheap, but the Icon CJ3B will set you back a cool $79,000, prix fixe.

At this point we normally pose a question – something like, “Is the Icon CJ3B worth $50,000 more than a Jeep Wrangler Rubicon?” But here’s the thing, after a few hours of exposure to the CJ3B, it’s unquestionably worth the money. That’s right, we’re just going to start the review with the conclusion, then explain exactly why this little Icon is so darn special. And believe us, the CJ3B is exceptionally special.

Gallery: Review: ICON CJ3B