jeep wranglers whats the go?

hi all, ive been looking into purchasing a 4wd.. i have done some 4wding over the past 2 years in a GQ, but now that i have finished school and my parents are selling the nissan, i am looking at getting my own car. so i am looking for a swb 4wd that is a good compromise on and off the road. ive looked at the swb pajero, but front independent suspension gave pretty poor travel and i have heard varying stories about the poor performance of the 3.0ltr engine. the jeep wrangler has really caught my interest, live axel front and rear and the larger engine in a lighter car sounds like a good combo. i dont expect it to be anywhere near as capable offroad as the GQ, but overall it sounds like a solid 4wd. So if anyone out there has had or knows someone with a wrangler any feedback on what sort of a 4wd it is would be really appreciated, im making a lot of compromises to save for this car and id really hate to make a poor choice. Thanks for ur help.