johnnyp26
Well-Known Member
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- #1
I thought I'd give my thoughts on a test drive I took yesterday on the JL. It was a pretty fully loaded rubi, aside from color matched stuff the only option I didn't see was the tow package. I currently drive a 2015 JK hard rock rubicon.
Exterior:
This is the area that to me isn't a dramatic departure from the JK. The windshield angle is noticble if you are looking for it. The hood latches are improved for sure but still not great. The cowl area where the wipers are is plastic, I really don't understand why it looks really tacky IMO. The vent behind the fenders looks good, I'm curious to see what the aftermarket does with it if anything. The fenders themselves look better in person but I'm still not a huge fan of the incorporated light. I thought the LED headlights looked great, I probably won't order them and go custom because I think there will be some cool aftermarket options.
The doors feel good, lighter for sure but still a decent feel and weight to them. The grill is growing on me, I still don't love it but I think it looks much better in person. It clearly sits a good deal higher than a JK rubi, I'd guess 1.5" or so. The engine bay is a bit more busy I guess the word would be, it will be a tight fit to get a SPod and air compressor in there but doable. The tailgate is light, I'm not sure that's a good thing for those of us that go to much bigger tires, so getting that weight off the gate and onto the body will be important.
The steel bumpers are basically the same as the JK version which means I'll be skipping them. They look great, but when you add in the required $300 plate if you want to mount a winch and another $250 or so to add a stinger or bull bar, you are pushing $2k for bumpers that don't even have decent recovery points. I love the look of them but there will be much more functional options that not everyone and their brother will have.
Interior:
To me this is where the JL really shines. The seats felt pretty much the same as my JK seats. The steering wheel has a more sporty feel. The shifter looks and feels great. The gauge cluster and screen in there look great. The red stitching was a nice touch on the seats and wheel. I like the red along the dash, but it's a weird red, not even close to the same as the stitching and other red accents which is odd to me. I've added a lot of matching red to my JK which you can see in the attached pic, so not having the dash match will be something I will work on via wrap most likely.
The 8.4 screen looks really good. The screen seems to be bright enough that you'll still be able to see it well with the top down, which is a big plus for me. The screen is very responsive and is a decent resolution, though it does appear to be a bit older. I do think since it comes with the Alpine Speaker upgrade it's worth the cost, those speakers were great in my JK. I was able to add a small amp to my current Alpine sub and it does well, and the new sub is bigger so I think it will be great as well. I didn't get to really crank the sound but it did sound good.
The rear seats seem to have a bit more leg room, though I never sit back there in the JK so it's tough to say for sure. I like the cup holder in the arm rest and am kinda bummed I won't get it since I don't want leather. The leather is nice, but living in FL and running topless as much as I can I'd prefer cloth since I get a lot of unannounced rain. The rear vents are great, my kids will really appreciate it.
Drive:
The transmission, oh man what a step up. It felt almost quick, though I've been driving a JK on 40's with low gearing so just about everything feels fast. The shifts were so smooth and crisp, I'm a big fan. The steering feels different though I'm not sure I can put my finger on why specifically and again I'm coming from driving on 40's and my steering wheel has a lot of play. I did notice it was easier to turn the wheel when not moving so I'd assume some steeering pump upgrades have been made. The ride was smooth and quiet, though this jeep had a hard top and I've only ever run a soft top with noisy mud terrains.
That's about all that comes to mind. If I can figure out a way not to completely take a bath on my modded JK I'll be buying a JL for sure, the interior and transmission make it an easy choice for me if the numbers can work. If you have any questions fire away!
Exterior:
This is the area that to me isn't a dramatic departure from the JK. The windshield angle is noticble if you are looking for it. The hood latches are improved for sure but still not great. The cowl area where the wipers are is plastic, I really don't understand why it looks really tacky IMO. The vent behind the fenders looks good, I'm curious to see what the aftermarket does with it if anything. The fenders themselves look better in person but I'm still not a huge fan of the incorporated light. I thought the LED headlights looked great, I probably won't order them and go custom because I think there will be some cool aftermarket options.
The doors feel good, lighter for sure but still a decent feel and weight to them. The grill is growing on me, I still don't love it but I think it looks much better in person. It clearly sits a good deal higher than a JK rubi, I'd guess 1.5" or so. The engine bay is a bit more busy I guess the word would be, it will be a tight fit to get a SPod and air compressor in there but doable. The tailgate is light, I'm not sure that's a good thing for those of us that go to much bigger tires, so getting that weight off the gate and onto the body will be important.
The steel bumpers are basically the same as the JK version which means I'll be skipping them. They look great, but when you add in the required $300 plate if you want to mount a winch and another $250 or so to add a stinger or bull bar, you are pushing $2k for bumpers that don't even have decent recovery points. I love the look of them but there will be much more functional options that not everyone and their brother will have.
Interior:
To me this is where the JL really shines. The seats felt pretty much the same as my JK seats. The steering wheel has a more sporty feel. The shifter looks and feels great. The gauge cluster and screen in there look great. The red stitching was a nice touch on the seats and wheel. I like the red along the dash, but it's a weird red, not even close to the same as the stitching and other red accents which is odd to me. I've added a lot of matching red to my JK which you can see in the attached pic, so not having the dash match will be something I will work on via wrap most likely.
The 8.4 screen looks really good. The screen seems to be bright enough that you'll still be able to see it well with the top down, which is a big plus for me. The screen is very responsive and is a decent resolution, though it does appear to be a bit older. I do think since it comes with the Alpine Speaker upgrade it's worth the cost, those speakers were great in my JK. I was able to add a small amp to my current Alpine sub and it does well, and the new sub is bigger so I think it will be great as well. I didn't get to really crank the sound but it did sound good.
The rear seats seem to have a bit more leg room, though I never sit back there in the JK so it's tough to say for sure. I like the cup holder in the arm rest and am kinda bummed I won't get it since I don't want leather. The leather is nice, but living in FL and running topless as much as I can I'd prefer cloth since I get a lot of unannounced rain. The rear vents are great, my kids will really appreciate it.
Drive:
The transmission, oh man what a step up. It felt almost quick, though I've been driving a JK on 40's with low gearing so just about everything feels fast. The shifts were so smooth and crisp, I'm a big fan. The steering feels different though I'm not sure I can put my finger on why specifically and again I'm coming from driving on 40's and my steering wheel has a lot of play. I did notice it was easier to turn the wheel when not moving so I'd assume some steeering pump upgrades have been made. The ride was smooth and quiet, though this jeep had a hard top and I've only ever run a soft top with noisy mud terrains.
That's about all that comes to mind. If I can figure out a way not to completely take a bath on my modded JK I'll be buying a JL for sure, the interior and transmission make it an easy choice for me if the numbers can work. If you have any questions fire away!
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