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I wouldn't touch one with a barge pole. They all suffer from Galvanic corrosion on the doors, bonnet, and windshield around the hinges. Jeep refuses to acknowledge this, so you are left with a ruined vehicle, a warranty fight, and a US class action. Buyer beware...............
@@Redgrave-v2pThey are german, the toledo ohio plant builds the wrangler, the transmission, 8 speed zf is built in Germany, the v6 that can be either Michigan or Mexico. The 2.0 is from italy. The only ""reliable"" combo is the v6 and ZF automatic. The manual is an Aisin, but the clutch uses a dual mass flywheel and is crap, as a result the manuals have had a no fix clutch issue since 2018.
@ They make three different applications the 8HP45, 8HP70 and the 8HP90 the 45 is built in Indiana, but the 75 and 90 are built in Germany. The Jeep in this video uses the 2.0 turbo which is the 8HP70 not made in Indian. The ZF with the 3.6 (reliable) is made in Indiana.. to be fair, the 2.0 is the issue, not the transmission.
@rustbeltrobclassic2512 no, they're not. If you paid attention, you would have seen the part where i said they are built in the US because they are. The audacity of correcting someone based on nothing other than an assumption is mind-blowing.
@@JayEmmOnCars All Terrain tyres help lessen fuel/energy consumption and the narrow body and plastic fenders are to lessen body damage/repair costs(sacrificial)/aftermarket options(tubular)/tyres clearance modifications. Sorry about the previous commenter decorum; when the fun stops, stop✍. The 2024 US spec Wrangler Rubicon has a full floating rear axle for the first time, so you can run 40×13.50r17's if you are easy on the throttle/low grip situations like snow wheeling, otherwise a fully built Dana 60/80 for the front/rear🤗
I had Wranglers when I lived in the USA. I cannot justify paying the UK prices, but I miss my Jeeps so much. By all logical criteria they are not the best cars, but they have so much character, are so fun to drive, generally practical, and feel like faithful friends. I am glad you hold similar opinions - it means I am not crazy.
My guilty pleasure is base model V8 Chargers and Challengers. Not even the Hellcats 😂 Theres something about having a nice sounding V8 without *too much* power that is appealing to me. Comfy, laid back, and decent sounding for a decent price, especially used.
Don’t feel guilty, a lot of us feel the same way. Social media tends to perpetuate the hype of needing the one that sits on the top of the model range.
Just did my 3rd long distance road trip (3500 miles) in my Jeep Wrangler Rubicon with the manual tranny. Smooth on road,even tows a small trailer. Excellent off road. Climbs steep rocky trails like it’s a mountain goat. It Fords 3 ft of water. The 3.6 L is torquey down in the revs. Has lots of character, top comes off, doors come off, windshield lays flat. These are endlessly customizable. Buy one and soon you’ll be looking to personalize it. So no two look alike. Sure She Guzzles fuel & has Chrysler build quality issues; bubbling paint, & a clutch recall straight from the factory. I’ll never trade it. This car goes with me to cross the River Styx.
I have been in America for the last 5 weeks with work and I have been driving a jeep gladiator. Clocked over 3k miles. I have fallen in love with it. Everything you’ve said is true. I’m buying a wrangler when I’m back in the UK.
I considered myself a Toyota guy, I've had an FJ, Tundra (1st gen) and 3 4Runner s I recently acquired a 21' jeep wrangler Unlimited Sahara, V6, 6-speed I've been driving it for 3 years, and it's a clearly capable, no-nonsense vehicle. Visceral and happy moments thus far. Good luck 👍🏽
I have a 2022 4DR with the diesel. 30+MPG when traveling 23-25 MPG when doing short trips in town with lots of stop and go. The torque on the diesels makes it move nicely. I test drove the 4 cylinder and wouldn't have purchased the vehicle if that had been my only option. I've wanted one since I was in high school, but passed them up as impractical for a family. Now, with my kids moving out and not having to commute for work daily, I have the perfect vehicle to do whatever I want. It can tow a small trailer, get through the rough Minnesota winters, and run down the road well enough when I commute to the office. I don't have issues with parking or judging the width, I think I'm just used to larger vehicles. It is a more active driving experience than my old Mazda CX5 (which I still love), but it's fun and does what I want and goes anywhere. I plan to equip it for camping and get out into the wilder parts of the country. Something that I could not have done in my other vehicles. I just love the versatility.
I love my Wrangler here in the US; note for not a ton of money you can buy a soft top that’s easy to fold or deploy in the summer months. No need to rely only on the hard top.
I've had the previous-generation one for eight years now, the one with the six-speed manual transmission and the 3.6L V-6, and I love it. I do actually use it as-intended sometimes and live in an area that frequently gets deep snow. I've driven it through snow that was between two and three feet deep with little issue and off-road as well. What's unusual is it's not hard to place in most situation if you raise the seat height as high as you can stand. Parking is probably the hardest thing but not because it's too wide; the angled and narrowed hood creates an optical illusion where it makes it hard to park straight. I often go to get out and find myself in between the lines, but very crooked, and have to reposition myself. I've learned to use the bottom of the window as a guide for final parking instead. I was very surprised by your poor gas mileage. I have the larger engine, and I tend to average 19 miles per gallon in mixed driving in the summer, 17 in the winter, and have seen 22-24 on the highway on road trips, and that's with the smaller US gallons. I like it so much, I actually went back to Jeep when it was less than a year old and purchase the unlimited warranty when it was still offered because I want to drive it as long as possible, and the warranty covers the powertrain for the life of the vehicle as long as it's in my name. The only thing I would've changed from when I first got it would be to have purchased the soft top and half doors instead of the hard top and full doors since it's easier to put the soft top down and the half doors weigh a lot less. However, I do like the added security of the hard top, so someone with a pocketknife can't just break in and ruin a $700 top, and the t-tops can be popped off and put in the back, so it's a mixed feeling.
I have a 2011 Sahara. Here in the USA. All the amenities, everything my D90 could never be. I have no problem with vehicle placement. I have been off-road on OE spec tires, we went everywhere the modified Jeeps went. Fit for purpose.
You’ve got a rare and very useful option for slippery roads in that rig. A selec trac transfer case (aka 4Hi auto, aka Full Time 4wd). Putting the transfer case in 4hi auto will effectively be like an awd system. Very little effect on fuel economy, but the Jeep will transfer power to the wheels that have traction automagically. Part time 4wd (hi or low) should only be used on loose traction surfaces.
I don't intend to pretend I do a lot off roading. For the hour away from the family, once a month when the weather allows, I just about manage a drive around a nice road, never mind getting out into the woods. But, this is how I believe a true offroader should be: light, cheap panels and parts, easy to repair, and naff inside so I don't care about mud, leaves, and scratches. Visibility should be good too, so I would stick cameras all over.
I have 2019 JL Rubicon, and you soon get used to the size. Driving on narrow roads around Devon is no issue once you get used to it, just like most other cars. I also use mine off road a reasonable amount and it's awesome. But it's not for everyone, like the old Land Rovers, you have to want one to enjoy it. Finally, mines the 2.2 diesel, and I get low thirties mpg, so completely ok with me.
I’ve daily driven mine for 25 year (2 door Sahara). No major annoyances. I knew beforehand that I’ll be sacrificing in things like comfort and fuel efficiency. Is what it is & zero plans to let it go.
I've had a few Jeeps. (In 61 years of driving, that's hardly surprising). I'm not a fan of the modern Wrangler series, but I do like a pre 2007 Grand Cherokee, they're brilliant! However, put me in a Golden Eagle from 1978 with the 360 cu-in V8 and I'm in Jeep heaven
I'm on my third Wrangler and love it. They're not that common here in the UK and that's what I like about it. Having had a four door, the two door is way more manoeuvrable but at the cost of load space. My very first car was a VW Beetle so I'm used to not being able to see the corners. You do get used to it!
My non-existing desire to own one of these, would die off the second i was told "boring four cylinder turbo, take it or leave it". These HAVE to come with either a six or eight cylinder engine thank you very much.
Agreed....2,0 4 cyl does not allow the car full rein to do what it was initially designed to do. It's a cop-out I'm afraid. (Still, under this Gov, you'll save a TON OF TAX)
I've got a 2023 Jeep Wrangler Willys 4 dr and I don't know what this guy is talking about regarding those protruding fenders? This Jeep overall is probably a foot narrower than most vehicles. So hitting those fenders on objects shouldn't be a problem. You are right about getting a special feeling when driving a Wrangler--you feel large and in charge!
Don’t forget that besides the roof, the doors can be removed and the front windshield can be tilted down… once you have tried to drive it like that, you are sold forever to the wrangler !
I had 4 (Manual,V6) Wranglers (2007/2010/2013/2018) in Canada, loved them all, and in a way more than the Range Rover/Porsche etc that I drove for work ..like any car you get used to knowing /feeling where the corners of the truck are over time, always found the ride quality to be perfectly fine,for what it is. They are much more expensive now than they were 5/6 years ago, and that makes the choice a bit less straight forward. I'm now living in Australia where they are even more expensive!......the most important factor to me is that the Wrangler has character, something that's very hard to find in modern cars.....:-)
Nice timing Jay. Just hired one for 2 weeks in Colorado and NMexico next year. I’m now too old and paranoid to hit the trails in the usual Mustang Convertible. I was set on a Challenger but had a look at some of the trails and they appear to be fairly proper 4x4 stuff.
I have a heavily modified JK. It can crawl through the Rubicon Trail barely touching a rocker. With use, you will learn where the corners are but most people who seriously offroad these things replace the plastic fender flares with narrower items (so the tire hits things first) or flares that are made of a material that you can hit and not damage (i.e. steel or aluminum). A couple years ago I drove a rental JL with the 2.0 turbo motor from northern California to Colorado and back. Triple digit cruise on I-80 between Reno and Salt Lake City, a stop in Moab for some (moderate) slickrock, did all the passes around Telluride, then drove it home across Hwy 50 (the "loneliest road in America"). For the trip, average MPG was in the low 20s, which I found amazing. (My trail JK never does better than about 13mpg). Each new generation the Wrangler becomes more car-like while still trying to stay true to the Jeep's utilitarian roots. I think they strike a pretty good balance. That said, if you have no interest in using your vehicle offroad, the Grand Cherokee is much better as a "regular vehicle".
We have a 2022 Wrangler Rubicon 4xe (plug in hybrid). It runs electric for up to 26 miles, but swaps to the 2L after that. Combined it makes 375hp and 470 lb ft of torque. It's pretty comfortable for trips up to around 500 miles. We usually take our full size pickup for longer trips (450 to 1,000 miles per day), so long distance comfort isn't a big deal.
Good job summarizing the culture of the wrangler from all the way over there. It is a proper machine that has become massively trendy, for better or worse. People are going to go mental for you saying "gm", proper Chrysler boys will forgive you. TorqueFlight is chrysler nomenclature that goes back to the 60's. And its not a "ZF" as many will be shouting, they are 8HP based, BUT they are built by Chrysler at a facility they setup just for the purpose. Cheers James
We have just bought a Wrangler Rubicon and we absolutely love it. Pretty much most of what you said was great. The car is large and for me the assisted lane driving mode on the screen helps when getting used to the car to see its tyre placement on the road, not sure you mentioned about that. You were spot on about it being hard to see the full width of the bonnet, I sit slightly further forward and being tall in helps. We chose it over Land Rover as we do not like the way they look anymore, they are overpriced and hear many go wrong. The sound system is awesome with 7 speakers especially if into music with base. Off road this car will go anywhere. We previously had a Jimny which was great but very basic and small. When you said the cabin and boot were small, really they are not. Doors being flimsy I don't agree and they are designed to come off if needed. The Sahara is the more road version which I don't like as much as the Rubicon looks and feels so much better. It is the best 4x4 available in the UK presently and at a way better price than its rivals. It is beefy and stands out and is a car that will go anywhere ❤
One of the first things I did to my Jeep is to change the mud terrain tires like the one you have to all terrain BF Goodrich KO 3’s and it is almost as smooth as other SUV’s.
Someone by me has one in orange. A friend of mine has one in the same colour as the one you tested. I think it's the diesel version. He really likes it, especially as he lives in the country & it was really good in the snow over winter.
I can’t do without mine. I only use it occasionally, but love it… always had jeeps here in Cork, Ireland. Guilty pleasure from my early youth in Detroit. Mine is a SWB Sahara, a 2.8 TD., AUTO. Really rare here… “gas” l/100km terrible, just like your petrol. Hey! We all have our own addictions 😊
I have watched lots of video's on rock crawling. And even relatively standard they are quite good. I have done off reading myself but very little rock crawling. I would say these vehicles could frighten the relatively new off reader. They are very capable.
Similar tastes, as I have a Scud and my daily is a manual '21 Wrangler. Both full of character. I don't off-road mine much but in LA the roads are so bad, I might as well be on a trail. Jeeps have their issues (mine had a death wobble I had to sort), but the pentastar is pretty reliable, and they're easy to DIY with tons of aftermarket. Seats 4, decent cargo, carries my dirt bike, and drops the top in summer. I've slept in it twice for kicks. Pretty versatile. Plan to keep mine long term.
My dream sports car is an AWD convertible with a stick that has heritage and has been in continuous production for decades. Since I can't afford a Porsche 911 Cabrio it has to be a Wrangler! Seriously though, I am not a truck guy at all but a two door soft top with just looks so good...
The + - location on automatic manual shifting is just that so many people are used to PND321 type automatics, where you move the shifter down to get lower gears.
I had a JL Wrangler Rubicon (4door) for 5 years. Only sold because after mods etc it couldn't fit into my new complex/parking lots etc (too tall). Fantastic vehicle. Everything it is meant to be, is done well. Even road driving is fun - it's a convertible! Basically the sports car of off roaders. It walks up off-road obstacles like they're nothing - spots that are included in TH-cam highlight reels on 4wd shows (noting they typically drive dual cab Utes which are popular but honestly crap on actual tough tracks)
I happened to buy my first Wrangler very recently, a Rubicon with the V6 and a manual transmission. It’s overkill for my intended purpose (light & easy trails near where I live in southern California) but it was the only remaining manual transmission 2024 I could find which had the color & options I wanted. And (as is sometimes the case) I got a really good discount on it as the unsold inventory is piling up & the 2025s are coming soon. I actually took it off-road for the first time yesterday and it felt more at home there than on the road (though so far it’s not terrible on-road). I think I would have preferred a Range Rover but couldn’t imagine actually taking something so luxurious & expensive off-road.
@8:30 same story with the kj cherokee/liberty, you have a gorgeous 911esque bonnet with very defined extremes and then you have some invisible fender flares that you have no idea where they are, add stupid US mirrors that seam to magnify your surroundings and poor turning circle and you get a car that's very hard to park and place, still, it has a great feelgood factor and outdoorsy nature especially with a v6 that's quite charming
I wonder how the Jeep culture translates over into Britain because, here in the US, people go absolutely feral for them. Rubber ducks and all. Would love to see an Ineos product on the channel now.
I had just found out about the rubber duck thing, visited my brother in town last week and just about every wrangler I saw had a zillion rubber ducks lined up across the dash 😂
I owned a 2015 Wrangler Sport 2-door and it was still very capable offroad. On the road it was tolerable. I now have a Bronco 2-door First Edition and it is great on road and equally awesome offroad. I would say the JL Jeeps have a higher quality interior than my Bronco (the plastics do scratch easily). Front end placement in my Bronco is easy with the tie down/markers on the front fender. Overall, the Jeep Wrangler is immensely popular here in Arkansas.
Old American Boomer here. Jeeps have a cult like following but especially for the last few years have some "quality issues". Kinda like those newer Range Rovers. Both rely on their reputation from years ago when they were still rugged utility vehicles.
I own a 20 year old 5.7 hemi V8 grand Cherokee---150,000 miles+. We have other hybrid luxury cars. When I to want to have some fun? And as it is also "trail rated" its not bad off road.
Never really enjoyed the Wrangler. For me, the best offering in the Jeep line-up was the often overlooked Commander. All the prowess of the Grand Cherokee, but with a usefully larger boot and more Tonka style charm.
Son has a '19 JLU Sahara, some minor differences including no cigarette lighter, pieces between the ends of the front bumper and fenders (wings), and no lock for the hood (bonnet). He loves it. Also, I believe the current JL started production in late 2017 but as a 2018 model, there was no 2017 JL Wrangler.
@4:29 honestly do not understand how car makers with a "racing heritage" get this wrong(I am looking at you Porsche). This is why I personally prefer the Stelvio Veloce over the Macan. Alfa gets this right.
I have a 20 plate. I would have bought an up to date defender if LR kept producing them with live axles, frame chassis etc. A Grenadier looked awesome but weren't available on time and the price went up by about 20 something percent beyond justifiable for me. 2.2 diesel, 33ish mpg day to day. Two trips to the South of France from Scotland. An involved drive compared to an average suv but not tiring or sore after a long haul. Most noticeable neg for most I would say is the wind noise. I have the roof panels off more than i ever expected up here. Overland spec was available when i bought so get all the top end interior, better road manners than the Rubicon, driver aids etc. You lose the front and rear lockers and the sway bar disconnect but honestly i dont need them, the centre dif ( equivalent of the defender set up) does all i require. Great fun car, even better topless on the French beaches but clearly never goint to be a daily commuter in the UK. Love mine, sorry Landrover, I've gone over to the dark side.
There is one thing you missed and I don't think it's different on the UK model, versus the American although I wouldn't imagine it to be different. But that's the interior is designed to be waterproof, or very water resistant anyway. There are ones I see in Florida all the time where people leave the tops off and it's literally pouring down rain outside, obviously this doesn't bode well for anything you might have in the vehicle, but the dash and all the electronics and everything as far as I understand are meant to be waterproof. Plus I believe on the new ones and maybe the old ones too they have floor drains built in that enable you to open up and let out any water that's pooled inside the vehicle
@10:50 if you can't see the fenders off road you stick your head out of the window and go as tight as you can on the drivers side and hope that there is enough space for the other side, I mean what are the chances you are the widest vehicle on the trail after all....
The Rubicon is the best serious off-roader available. It will get you where any other 4x4 will not be able to go thanks to the solid axles, swaybar disconnect and front and rear lockers. Jeep have stuck to their heritage, and the Wrangler is designed for capability first and comfort second.
To know where you're corners are, imagine a line parallel to vehicle on the outside edge of the mirror as vector x, then a line parallel to what you can see of the hood, then add 50cm to get y. At imagined intersect, that's your corner.
My mum loves Wrangler and Defender. Though I'm not with her if it's Wrangler, if I can afford one I'd buy her the new Defender OCTA. My guilty pleasure, however, is a car our family used to run. The Beetle.
I got the Wrangler Rubicon 4xe (The Netherlands) and it has a trailcam camera form factory in front to see whats happening there. BTW it's awesome off-road ;-)
We (Maryland) have a Wrangler Rubicon 4xe. It's our third vehicle and does a lot of things well. My daughter and I took it on a winter road trip to Quebec City (via Maine) and then to her grandparent's place in Ontario. It handled some less than perfect weather without a problem.
4:20 GM? As someone who lives in North America, these are Stellantis junk, steer clear folks. Lot rot, no one in their right minds would pay north of 100k for one of these things.
From someone driving a Wrangler for over a decade looks like you were hugging the center line & had tons of room on the passenger side. I’ve never had those issues of placing the vehicle or feeling it was too wide. Then again our roads aren’t as narrow as the UK
You do get use to its size… ask Ford for a Bronco Raptor…. Makes the Jeep seem small, really small… Pretty significant differences between the Sahara & Rubicon, pavement pounder/mall crawler vs off-road machine.. I have an older 2016 Wrangler Rubicon with the freedom top thats never been removed! Said it once and I will say it again, you are a BIG reason why I have a Lotus Evora GT!
Unfortunately you don't get what to me is the best configuration for a Wrangler, the 2 door Willys model with the V6, a manual trans and a soft top. That's the fun affordable spec.
The Rubican is unstoppable off road. I'm in a little group of mates who green Lane. One has a US import lhd with the 3litre v6. It's a 2022 model with bigger tyres and wheels and a suspension lift. There's nowhere it can't go! Probably the most capable modern 4x4
When I ordered my 23 Rubicon you could actually order it with the "smokers" group that had the cig lighter and an ashtray that fit in one of the cup holders, I think it was an extra $30. I passed on the option 🤣🤣
Ha ha... very interesting to see you driving one of these on those tight/narrow UK roads. I have one here in the U.S... and having driven in Ireland a handful of times... I'd never want to drive a Wrangler there. So good for you! The big, wide tires on the Rubicon make the steering wander a bit more than the lower trims... it's better if you don't fully inflate the tires. It's amazing in the snow and off-road... especially the Rubicon with 3 lockers. And half the fun for me is driving for 1/3 of the year with the premium soft top down (and occasionally the doors off). In the UK I'd think you'd be much better served by a Sahara trim with a hard top... yawn. And... dude... it's a truck! We know you Brits aren't used to driving trucks... just racy little death-traps. It's 2 tons with solid axles. It's not a car. Gas mileage is appropriate for a truck. Thanks for the fun video.
I live in the states at the moment. the problem with the wrangler is it's really just too expensive for what you get and jeep nickles and dimes you on every option. A decently optioned one if going on for $50k. Nothing special in it. Just not absolute base spec. For that much at least have give me a basic V8. The only V8 you can get is the 392 and those are around $80k
Jeep Wranglers make no sense. But they are great. Fun to drive, safe, go anywhere. I find it relatively easy to place, I like the hood latches that mark the corners, as opposed to a gently sloped hood that provides little feedback. An overhead view would be welcome on any vehicle though. I would not like to give mine back either.
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We have a thing here where Jeep owners leave little rubber ducks on the windshield as a sign of comeraderie. Or sometimes they wave.
I wouldn't touch one with a barge pole. They all suffer from Galvanic corrosion on the doors, bonnet, and windshield around the hinges.
Jeep refuses to acknowledge this, so you are left with a ruined vehicle, a warranty fight, and a US class action.
Buyer beware...............
These are all over the place in Southern California. Note - the 8-speed transmission is a ZF, not a GM.
They ar built by Chrysler in the US in a facility they built for the purpose, and have been reworded for the application
@@Redgrave-v2pThey are german, the toledo ohio plant builds the wrangler, the transmission, 8 speed zf is built in Germany, the v6 that can be either Michigan or Mexico. The 2.0 is from italy. The only ""reliable"" combo is the v6 and ZF automatic. The manual is an Aisin, but the clutch uses a dual mass flywheel and is crap, as a result the manuals have had a no fix clutch issue since 2018.
@@rustbeltrobclassic2512 Actually, it’s made under license in the Kokomo, Indiana transmission plant owned by Stellantis.
@ They make three different applications the 8HP45, 8HP70 and the 8HP90 the 45 is built in Indiana, but the 75 and 90 are built in Germany. The Jeep in this video uses the 2.0 turbo which is the 8HP70 not made in Indian. The ZF with the 3.6 (reliable) is made in Indiana.. to be fair, the 2.0 is the issue, not the transmission.
@rustbeltrobclassic2512 no, they're not. If you paid attention, you would have seen the part where i said they are built in the US because they are. The audacity of correcting someone based on nothing other than an assumption is mind-blowing.
The gearbox is actually a ZF 8-speed. Torqueflite is just the Stellantis name for it. It's quite good.
@@kris18shadow ah, hence the confusion. Thanks for that
@@JayEmmOnCars did you vote brexit
No
@@JayEmmOnCars All Terrain tyres help lessen fuel/energy consumption and the narrow body and plastic fenders are to lessen body damage/repair costs(sacrificial)/aftermarket options(tubular)/tyres clearance modifications. Sorry about the previous commenter decorum; when the fun stops, stop✍. The 2024 US spec Wrangler Rubicon has a full floating rear axle for the first time, so you can run 40×13.50r17's if you are easy on the throttle/low grip situations like snow wheeling, otherwise a fully built Dana 60/80 for the front/rear🤗
I had Wranglers when I lived in the USA. I cannot justify paying the UK prices, but I miss my Jeeps so much. By all logical criteria they are not the best cars, but they have so much character, are so fun to drive, generally practical, and feel like faithful friends. I am glad you hold similar opinions - it means I am not crazy.
My guilty pleasure is base model V8 Chargers and Challengers. Not even the Hellcats 😂 Theres something about having a nice sounding V8 without *too much* power that is appealing to me. Comfy, laid back, and decent sounding for a decent price, especially used.
Don’t feel guilty, a lot of us feel the same way. Social media tends to perpetuate the hype of needing the one that sits on the top of the model range.
Just did my 3rd long distance road trip (3500 miles) in my Jeep Wrangler Rubicon with the manual tranny.
Smooth on road,even tows a small trailer.
Excellent off road. Climbs steep rocky trails like it’s a mountain goat. It Fords 3 ft of water.
The 3.6 L is torquey down in the revs.
Has lots of character, top comes off, doors come off, windshield lays flat.
These are endlessly customizable. Buy one and soon you’ll be looking to personalize it. So no two look alike.
Sure She Guzzles fuel & has Chrysler build quality issues; bubbling paint, & a clutch recall straight from the factory.
I’ll never trade it.
This car goes with me to cross the River Styx.
I have been in America for the last 5 weeks with work and I have been driving a jeep gladiator. Clocked over 3k miles. I have fallen in love with it. Everything you’ve said is true. I’m buying a wrangler when I’m back in the UK.
I considered myself a Toyota guy, I've had an FJ, Tundra (1st gen) and 3 4Runner s
I recently acquired a 21' jeep wrangler Unlimited Sahara, V6, 6-speed
I've been driving it for 3 years, and it's a clearly capable, no-nonsense vehicle. Visceral and happy moments thus far.
Good luck 👍🏽
I have a 2022 4DR with the diesel. 30+MPG when traveling 23-25 MPG when doing short trips in town with lots of stop and go. The torque on the diesels makes it move nicely. I test drove the 4 cylinder and wouldn't have purchased the vehicle if that had been my only option. I've wanted one since I was in high school, but passed them up as impractical for a family. Now, with my kids moving out and not having to commute for work daily, I have the perfect vehicle to do whatever I want. It can tow a small trailer, get through the rough Minnesota winters, and run down the road well enough when I commute to the office. I don't have issues with parking or judging the width, I think I'm just used to larger vehicles. It is a more active driving experience than my old Mazda CX5 (which I still love), but it's fun and does what I want and goes anywhere. I plan to equip it for camping and get out into the wilder parts of the country. Something that I could not have done in my other vehicles. I just love the versatility.
I love my Wrangler here in the US; note for not a ton of money you can buy a soft top that’s easy to fold or deploy in the summer months. No need to rely only on the hard top.
I've had the previous-generation one for eight years now, the one with the six-speed manual transmission and the 3.6L V-6, and I love it. I do actually use it as-intended sometimes and live in an area that frequently gets deep snow. I've driven it through snow that was between two and three feet deep with little issue and off-road as well. What's unusual is it's not hard to place in most situation if you raise the seat height as high as you can stand. Parking is probably the hardest thing but not because it's too wide; the angled and narrowed hood creates an optical illusion where it makes it hard to park straight. I often go to get out and find myself in between the lines, but very crooked, and have to reposition myself. I've learned to use the bottom of the window as a guide for final parking instead.
I was very surprised by your poor gas mileage. I have the larger engine, and I tend to average 19 miles per gallon in mixed driving in the summer, 17 in the winter, and have seen 22-24 on the highway on road trips, and that's with the smaller US gallons.
I like it so much, I actually went back to Jeep when it was less than a year old and purchase the unlimited warranty when it was still offered because I want to drive it as long as possible, and the warranty covers the powertrain for the life of the vehicle as long as it's in my name. The only thing I would've changed from when I first got it would be to have purchased the soft top and half doors instead of the hard top and full doors since it's easier to put the soft top down and the half doors weigh a lot less. However, I do like the added security of the hard top, so someone with a pocketknife can't just break in and ruin a $700 top, and the t-tops can be popped off and put in the back, so it's a mixed feeling.
I have a 2011 Sahara. Here in the USA. All the amenities, everything my D90 could never be. I have no problem with vehicle placement. I have been off-road on OE spec tires, we went everywhere the modified Jeeps went. Fit for purpose.
You’ve got a rare and very useful option for slippery roads in that rig. A selec trac transfer case (aka 4Hi auto, aka Full Time 4wd).
Putting the transfer case in 4hi auto will effectively be like an awd system. Very little effect on fuel economy, but the Jeep will transfer power to the wheels that have traction automagically.
Part time 4wd (hi or low) should only be used on loose traction surfaces.
I don't intend to pretend I do a lot off roading. For the hour away from the family, once a month when the weather allows, I just about manage a drive around a nice road, never mind getting out into the woods. But, this is how I believe a true offroader should be: light, cheap panels and parts, easy to repair, and naff inside so I don't care about mud, leaves, and scratches. Visibility should be good too, so I would stick cameras all over.
@@Spenny909 Yes, Fiat Panda 4x4 is a perfect offroader
I have 2019 JL Rubicon, and you soon get used to the size. Driving on narrow roads around Devon is no issue once you get used to it, just like most other cars. I also use mine off road a reasonable amount and it's awesome. But it's not for everyone, like the old Land Rovers, you have to want one to enjoy it. Finally, mines the 2.2 diesel, and I get low thirties mpg, so completely ok with me.
I’ve daily driven mine for 25 year (2 door Sahara). No major annoyances. I knew beforehand that I’ll be sacrificing in things like comfort and fuel efficiency. Is what it is & zero plans to let it go.
I've had a few Jeeps. (In 61 years of driving, that's hardly surprising). I'm not a fan of the modern Wrangler series, but I do like a pre 2007 Grand Cherokee, they're brilliant! However, put me in a Golden Eagle from 1978 with the 360 cu-in V8 and I'm in Jeep heaven
FYI, Wrangler fuel economy is measured in Smiles Per Gallon not MPG or KM/L and there appeared to be quite a bit of smiling in the video.
I'm on my third Wrangler and love it. They're not that common here in the UK and that's what I like about it. Having had a four door, the two door is way more manoeuvrable but at the cost of load space. My very first car was a VW Beetle so I'm used to not being able to see the corners. You do get used to it!
My non-existing desire to own one of these, would die off the second i was told "boring four cylinder turbo, take it or leave it". These HAVE to come with either a six or eight cylinder engine thank you very much.
Agreed....2,0 4 cyl does not allow the car full rein to do what it was initially designed to do. It's a cop-out I'm afraid. (Still, under this Gov, you'll save a TON OF TAX)
Wranglers are great off roaders. Here in the USA, it's 2-3+ Jeeps for every Yota I see on the offroad trails (and I'm a Toyota guy).
Haven’t watched this yet, but as a big Jeep fan in the U.K. excited!
I've got a 2023 Jeep Wrangler Willys 4 dr and I don't know what this guy is talking about regarding those protruding fenders? This Jeep overall is probably a foot narrower than most vehicles. So hitting those fenders on objects shouldn't be a problem. You are right about getting a special feeling when driving a Wrangler--you feel large and in charge!
Don’t forget that besides the roof, the doors can be removed and the front windshield can be tilted down… once you have tried to drive it like that, you are sold forever to the wrangler !
I learned to drive 'stick' in the USA in a 1994 Jeep Wrangler. Lol.
I had 4 (Manual,V6) Wranglers (2007/2010/2013/2018) in Canada, loved them all, and in a way more than the Range Rover/Porsche etc that I drove for work ..like any car you get used to knowing /feeling where the corners of the truck are over time, always found the ride quality to be perfectly fine,for what it is. They are much more expensive now than they were 5/6 years ago, and that makes the choice a bit less straight forward. I'm now living in Australia where they are even more expensive!......the most important factor to me is that the Wrangler has character, something that's very hard to find in modern cars.....:-)
Airbourne Runnin' wild - nice!
You never know when you’ll bump into a wild roaming metal head! 🤘🏼🤘🏼
Nice timing Jay. Just hired one for 2 weeks in Colorado and NMexico next year. I’m now too old and paranoid to hit the trails in the usual Mustang Convertible. I was set on a Challenger but had a look at some of the trails and they appear to be fairly proper 4x4 stuff.
I have a heavily modified JK. It can crawl through the Rubicon Trail barely touching a rocker. With use, you will learn where the corners are but most people who seriously offroad these things replace the plastic fender flares with narrower items (so the tire hits things first) or flares that are made of a material that you can hit and not damage (i.e. steel or aluminum). A couple years ago I drove a rental JL with the 2.0 turbo motor from northern California to Colorado and back. Triple digit cruise on I-80 between Reno and Salt Lake City, a stop in Moab for some (moderate) slickrock, did all the passes around Telluride, then drove it home across Hwy 50 (the "loneliest road in America"). For the trip, average MPG was in the low 20s, which I found amazing. (My trail JK never does better than about 13mpg). Each new generation the Wrangler becomes more car-like while still trying to stay true to the Jeep's utilitarian roots. I think they strike a pretty good balance. That said, if you have no interest in using your vehicle offroad, the Grand Cherokee is much better as a "regular vehicle".
We have a 2022 Wrangler Rubicon 4xe (plug in hybrid). It runs electric for up to 26 miles, but swaps to the 2L after that. Combined it makes 375hp and 470 lb ft of torque. It's pretty comfortable for trips up to around 500 miles. We usually take our full size pickup for longer trips (450 to 1,000 miles per day), so long distance comfort isn't a big deal.
Just wait until you take the top and doors off! So much fun!
Good job summarizing the culture of the wrangler from all the way over there. It is a proper machine that has become massively trendy, for better or worse. People are going to go mental for you saying "gm", proper Chrysler boys will forgive you. TorqueFlight is chrysler nomenclature that goes back to the 60's. And its not a "ZF" as many will be shouting, they are 8HP based, BUT they are built by Chrysler at a facility they setup just for the purpose. Cheers James
@@Redgrave-v2p thanks - that explains why it was so hard to identify the box
We have just bought a Wrangler Rubicon and we absolutely love it. Pretty much most of what you said was great. The car is large and for me the assisted lane driving mode on the screen helps when getting used to the car to see its tyre placement on the road, not sure you mentioned about that. You were spot on about it being hard to see the full width of the bonnet, I sit slightly further forward and being tall in helps. We chose it over Land Rover as we do not like the way they look anymore, they are overpriced and hear many go wrong. The sound system is awesome with 7 speakers especially if into music with base. Off road this car will go anywhere. We previously had a Jimny which was great but very basic and small. When you said the cabin and boot were small, really they are not. Doors being flimsy I don't agree and they are designed to come off if needed. The Sahara is the more road version which I don't like as much as the Rubicon looks and feels so much better. It is the best 4x4 available in the UK presently and at a way better price than its rivals. It is beefy and stands out and is a car that will go anywhere ❤
One of the first things I did to my Jeep is to change the mud terrain tires like the one you have to all terrain BF Goodrich KO 3’s and it is almost as smooth as other SUV’s.
Someone by me has one in orange. A friend of mine has one in the same colour as the one you tested. I think it's the diesel version. He really likes it, especially as he lives in the country & it was really good in the snow over winter.
I can’t do without mine. I only use it occasionally, but love it… always had jeeps here in Cork, Ireland. Guilty pleasure from my early youth in Detroit. Mine is a SWB Sahara, a 2.8 TD., AUTO. Really rare here… “gas” l/100km terrible, just like your petrol. Hey! We all have our own addictions 😊
Jay chuckling about Freedom Top was the best bit of this video
Colorado and Massachusetts has a lot of Jeeps and Subarus. I catch the Jeeps doing awesome things and going everywhere in any condition, all seasons
I have watched lots of video's on rock crawling. And even relatively standard they are quite good. I have done off reading myself but very little rock crawling. I would say these vehicles could frighten the relatively new off reader. They are very capable.
An excellent video James and a proper body on frame SUV!
Similar tastes, as I have a Scud and my daily is a manual '21 Wrangler. Both full of character. I don't off-road mine much but in LA the roads are so bad, I might as well be on a trail. Jeeps have their issues (mine had a death wobble I had to sort), but the pentastar is pretty reliable, and they're easy to DIY with tons of aftermarket. Seats 4, decent cargo, carries my dirt bike, and drops the top in summer. I've slept in it twice for kicks. Pretty versatile. Plan to keep mine long term.
Look at you, all Daisy Duke😂🤪
My dream sports car is an AWD convertible with a stick that has heritage and has been in continuous production for decades. Since I can't afford a Porsche 911 Cabrio it has to be a Wrangler! Seriously though, I am not a truck guy at all but a two door soft top with just looks so good...
Brilliant makeover they did on these.
I’m in Wiltshire UK and yes I do see these around.
The + - location on automatic manual shifting is just that so many people are used to PND321 type automatics, where you move the shifter down to get lower gears.
I'm looking for a Jeep TJ with the 4.0 litre straight 6 at the moment. I'm looking forward to some fun adventures with my young Daughter.
I had a JL Wrangler Rubicon (4door) for 5 years. Only sold because after mods etc it couldn't fit into my new complex/parking lots etc (too tall).
Fantastic vehicle. Everything it is meant to be, is done well. Even road driving is fun - it's a convertible! Basically the sports car of off roaders.
It walks up off-road obstacles like they're nothing - spots that are included in TH-cam highlight reels on 4wd shows (noting they typically drive dual cab Utes which are popular but honestly crap on actual tough tracks)
I happened to buy my first Wrangler very recently, a Rubicon with the V6 and a manual transmission. It’s overkill for my intended purpose (light & easy trails near where I live in southern California) but it was the only remaining manual transmission 2024 I could find which had the color & options I wanted. And (as is sometimes the case) I got a really good discount on it as the unsold inventory is piling up & the 2025s are coming soon. I actually took it off-road for the first time yesterday and it felt more at home there than on the road (though so far it’s not terrible on-road). I think I would have preferred a Range Rover but couldn’t imagine actually taking something so luxurious & expensive off-road.
@8:30 same story with the kj cherokee/liberty, you have a gorgeous 911esque bonnet with very defined extremes and then you have some invisible fender flares that you have no idea where they are, add stupid US mirrors that seam to magnify your surroundings and poor turning circle and you get a car that's very hard to park and place, still, it has a great feelgood factor and outdoorsy nature especially with a v6 that's quite charming
I wonder how the Jeep culture translates over into Britain because, here in the US, people go absolutely feral for them. Rubber ducks and all.
Would love to see an Ineos product on the channel now.
I had just found out about the rubber duck thing, visited my brother in town last week and just about every wrangler I saw had a zillion rubber ducks lined up across the dash 😂
I owned a 2015 Wrangler Sport 2-door and it was still very capable offroad. On the road it was tolerable. I now have a Bronco 2-door First Edition and it is great on road and equally awesome offroad. I would say the JL Jeeps have a higher quality interior than my Bronco (the plastics do scratch easily). Front end placement in my Bronco is easy with the tie down/markers on the front fender. Overall, the Jeep Wrangler is immensely popular here in Arkansas.
I have my second wrangler, a plug in hybrid with an electric fabric roof and it is fabulous
Old American Boomer here. Jeeps have a cult like following but especially for the last few years have some "quality issues". Kinda like those newer Range Rovers. Both rely on their reputation from years ago when they were still rugged utility vehicles.
I own a 20 year old 5.7 hemi V8 grand Cherokee---150,000 miles+. We have other hybrid luxury cars. When I to want to have some fun? And as it is also "trail rated" its not bad off road.
Never really enjoyed the Wrangler. For me, the best offering in the Jeep line-up was the often overlooked Commander. All the prowess of the Grand Cherokee, but with a usefully larger boot and more Tonka style charm.
Son has a '19 JLU Sahara, some minor differences including no cigarette lighter, pieces between the ends of the front bumper and fenders (wings), and no lock for the hood (bonnet). He loves it. Also, I believe the current JL started production in late 2017 but as a 2018 model, there was no 2017 JL Wrangler.
you should consider doing a jimnny review
I love them - fell in love in the early 90's with the 4.0 2 door - yes technically really rubbish unless in the dirt - but so much love
@4:29 honestly do not understand how car makers with a "racing heritage" get this wrong(I am looking at you Porsche). This is why I personally prefer the Stelvio Veloce over the Macan. Alfa gets this right.
I have a 20 plate. I would have bought an up to date defender if LR kept producing them with live axles, frame chassis etc. A Grenadier looked awesome but weren't available on time and the price went up by about 20 something percent beyond justifiable for me. 2.2 diesel, 33ish mpg day to day. Two trips to the South of France from Scotland. An involved drive compared to an average suv but not tiring or sore after a long haul. Most noticeable neg for most I would say is the wind noise. I have the roof panels off more than i ever expected up here. Overland spec was available when i bought so get all the top end interior, better road manners than the Rubicon, driver aids etc. You lose the front and rear lockers and the sway bar disconnect but honestly i dont need them, the centre dif ( equivalent of the defender set up) does all i require. Great fun car, even better topless on the French beaches but clearly never goint to be a daily commuter in the UK. Love mine, sorry Landrover, I've gone over to the dark side.
There is one thing you missed and I don't think it's different on the UK model, versus the American although I wouldn't imagine it to be different. But that's the interior is designed to be waterproof, or very water resistant anyway.
There are ones I see in Florida all the time where people leave the tops off and it's literally pouring down rain outside, obviously this doesn't bode well for anything you might have in the vehicle, but the dash and all the electronics and everything as far as I understand are meant to be waterproof. Plus I believe on the new ones and maybe the old ones too they have floor drains built in that enable you to open up and let out any water that's pooled inside the vehicle
@10:50 if you can't see the fenders off road you stick your head out of the window and go as tight as you can on the drivers side and hope that there is enough space for the other side, I mean what are the chances you are the widest vehicle on the trail after all....
Try the 392 edition, INSANE vehicle 🔥
Love these jeeps and I’d much prefer one over the landrover equivalent
the extended fenders do take getting use to, but anyone driving these gets it. just as you would any new car
Brits usually forget to convert US cars to imperial gallons, which are about 20% bigger. Glad Jay did the math.
Why would a uk spec vehicle use US gallons? That makes no sense. I would love to know if it’s calibrated for US gallons or UK.
I had a '42 and a '79. Jeeps are not for posing like a modern Land Rover. The Rubicon is for technical off-road adventuring to be truly appreciated.
The Rubicon is the best serious off-roader available. It will get you where any other 4x4 will not be able to go thanks to the solid axles, swaybar disconnect and front and rear lockers. Jeep have stuck to their heritage, and the Wrangler is designed for capability first and comfort second.
To know where you're corners are, imagine a line parallel to vehicle on the outside edge of the mirror as vector x, then a line parallel to what you can see of the hood, then add 50cm to get y. At imagined intersect, that's your corner.
We have a 4 door Wrangler and I have never had an issue with knowing where the corners are. It's not like it is very big.
My mum loves Wrangler and Defender. Though I'm not with her if it's Wrangler, if I can afford one I'd buy her the new Defender OCTA. My guilty pleasure, however, is a car our family used to run.
The Beetle.
Mine are the V6 diesel wagons of all sort. I'd love an older, V6TDI, remapped A4 Avant, or a E61 530d
12:32 *bald eagle screech*
Seriously considering either the 392…or a Merc C63S…a bigger gap would be hard to imagine, but that’s where I’m leaning…maybe a coin toss.
I got the Wrangler Rubicon 4xe (The Netherlands) and it has a trailcam camera form factory in front to see whats happening there. BTW it's awesome off-road ;-)
We (Maryland) have a Wrangler Rubicon 4xe. It's our third vehicle and does a lot of things well. My daughter and I took it on a winter road trip to Quebec City (via Maine) and then to her grandparent's place in Ontario. It handled some less than perfect weather without a problem.
I’m importing my 2024 2 door JL next summer. Can’t wait to get it on the UK roads! Totally impractical for the UK but good fun.
good luck with the Galvanic Corrosion - I love Jeeps, but this is a major issue with Jeeps (US class action) and reason enough to steer well clear.
I love my two door here in Australia!
4:20 GM?
As someone who lives in North America, these are Stellantis junk, steer clear folks. Lot rot, no one in their right minds would pay north of 100k for one of these things.
There is also Overland spec
From someone driving a Wrangler for over a decade looks like you were hugging the center line & had tons of room on the passenger side. I’ve never had those issues of placing the vehicle or feeling it was too wide. Then again our roads aren’t as narrow as the UK
You do get use to its size… ask Ford for a Bronco Raptor…. Makes the Jeep seem small, really small… Pretty significant differences between the Sahara & Rubicon, pavement pounder/mall crawler vs off-road machine.. I have an older 2016 Wrangler Rubicon with the freedom top thats never been removed! Said it once and I will say it again, you are a BIG reason why I have a Lotus Evora GT!
Unfortunately you don't get what to me is the best configuration for a Wrangler, the 2 door Willys model with the V6, a manual trans and a soft top. That's the fun affordable spec.
4xe was a better choice to be their sole model in UK.
Agreed. The weight of the batteries changes the whole balance and improves on road manners.
The Rubican is unstoppable off road. I'm in a little group of mates who green Lane. One has a US import lhd with the 3litre v6. It's a 2022 model with bigger tyres and wheels and a suspension lift. There's nowhere it can't go! Probably the most capable modern 4x4
Did he say that he's got quite a few fiat multiplas?! I missed that fleet update 😮
Jeep Bros in the UK… who knew!
You get a cigarette lighter.. in the states we dont.. do you get an ashtray?
When I ordered my 23 Rubicon you could actually order it with the "smokers" group that had the cig lighter and an ashtray that fit in one of the cup holders, I think it was an extra $30. I passed on the option 🤣🤣
Would this car benefit from having those lorry door windows similar to that on the McLaren Senna so that you can see where the about the wheels are?
Mounjaro working good brother, keep it up - this isn't a troll
It would be so awesome if you also had an offroad test during your reviews of SUVs 😀
If you love the unreliability and low build quality of Land Rovers, you will then love what the Wrangler has to offer!
Unfortunately true on both counts.
I like the Rubicon, just to much $$$...Good Content
0:21 oh god the fizz
I have a Prius that’s lifted 1.6 inches all round, and I’ll be putting larger profile tyres on it soon. Does that count as an off-roader?
The Wranglers are the American answer to Land Rover's Defender.
Both unreliable and awful to drive
16:19 jeep has a friend
I'm into my french cars and have an unreasonable hatred towards all things Nissan, but the Nissan 100NX is my guilty pleasure.
Ha ha... very interesting to see you driving one of these on those tight/narrow UK roads. I have one here in the U.S... and having driven in Ireland a handful of times... I'd never want to drive a Wrangler there. So good for you! The big, wide tires on the Rubicon make the steering wander a bit more than the lower trims... it's better if you don't fully inflate the tires. It's amazing in the snow and off-road... especially the Rubicon with 3 lockers. And half the fun for me is driving for 1/3 of the year with the premium soft top down (and occasionally the doors off). In the UK I'd think you'd be much better served by a Sahara trim with a hard top... yawn. And... dude... it's a truck! We know you Brits aren't used to driving trucks... just racy little death-traps. It's 2 tons with solid axles. It's not a car. Gas mileage is appropriate for a truck. Thanks for the fun video.
I live in the states at the moment. the problem with the wrangler is it's really just too expensive for what you get and jeep nickles and dimes you on every option. A decently optioned one if going on for $50k. Nothing special in it. Just not absolute base spec. For that much at least have give me a basic V8. The only V8 you can get is the 392 and those are around $80k
The rubicon is the offroader,the Sahara is for road driving and family etc
The shot at 2:50 is pure early 00s British television
Of the suspension?
@that_camo_bronco_guy yes, the way it's tilted and it rotates
Jeep Wranglers make no sense. But they are great. Fun to drive, safe, go anywhere. I find it relatively easy to place, I like the hood latches that mark the corners, as opposed to a gently sloped hood that provides little feedback. An overhead view would be welcome on any vehicle though. I would not like to give mine back either.