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2-door vs. 4-door -- All the Things Discussion

Sand Flea

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#1. I was about to trade my 2013 4-door Unlimited for a 2018 2-door.
Wife asks me what the difference in price was, as obviously the 2-door was cheaper.
When I gave her the figures, she wrote me a check for the difference.
She wanted the 4-door Unlimited.

#2. The rear seat access in the 2013 JK Unlimited was tight.
Jeep fixed that in the JL and yes, it is a big deal.

Photos are from the day I traded the 2013 for the 2018.
You can see the difference between the JK and the JL.

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4xFUN

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1st time jeep owner here, but i vote for 2 door. I have always wanted a jeep and wasn't getting one until i could get a 2 door (no kids in car seats, one child has his own car, etc) because to me that is a real jeep (no offense to 4 dr people). Yes it has less space but if you are rarely going to have more than you and your wife in it, indulge yourself. I don't think you'll be sorry.

Jeep Wrangler JL 2-door vs. 4-door -- All the Things Discussion IMG_5982


Looks Great! I really like white, always looks clean and easier to repair for little off-road mishaps...Bikini and White were my two favorite colors for 2020.
 

HardSell

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For me, the Wrangler was only a 2 door and should have remained so. Jeep met the 4 door market long ago with the excellent Wagoneer in 1963. That chassis could have evolved to offer optional hard top convertibility and advanced off road features. Families need a good 4 door, but the Wrangler 4 door, despite capability, is a tight fit and somehow remains not-quite-right for overlanding to comfortably include four passengers and gear, much less for a reasonable price. It's difficult to visualize the development opportunity costs suffered from the distractions of so many Jeep models, most of which short-lived at the expense of product maturity in four excellent existing chassis..... a 2 door; a pickup; a family wagon and a light weight mid sized unit body 4 door (XJ) all emphasizing Jeep's renowned off road capability. If that had been the case, I doubt the Bronco would have reappeared.
 

MNML_OVRLND

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I went from a JKU to a JL two door last year and have a lot of similarity to you in what I was trying to use it for.

1. I live in brooklyn and street park everyday, so a 2 door makes parking so much easier. Lots of spots I’m parking in now I would never get into with my 4 door.

2. We camp most weekends of the summer and also have a background doing a lot of kayak camping. Having said that, like backpacking, we acquired a lot of backpacking gear that works well in our two door and fits fine (thermarest pads and a big Agnes tent). We found that with the 4 door, we always would fill the space, now that we are in a 2 door, we really take what we need instead of loading the car because we can. We have spent 19 days in our 2 door on some large trips and never once thought we needed more space.
We have taken the back seat out and rarely use it, but we do put it in when we are traveling with other people.

The first thing we bought when we got the car was a roof rack, especially if we are having passengers since there is virtually no room with the back seat up.

I also made a shelf system in the back
which makes camping great since you don’t have to take stuff out to get to other things. (4 door pro is that the back doors are great for grabbing gear instead of reaching through the front seats...)

Jeep Wrangler JL 2-door vs. 4-door -- All the Things Discussion 5E15FB76-A854-498C-B99E-1EDA636911B0


We did just make the plunge into a rooftop tent. Wanted to try one of the clamshell styles, but the fold out ones just fit the footprint of the car... if you know you want a clamshell tent, I would say go with a 4 door just so it won’t be hanging over...

Jeep Wrangler JL 2-door vs. 4-door -- All the Things Discussion 8AB4CB23-C2A7-4D4D-ACDE-4089804A0EF9


3.Overall, the 2 door JL drives very similar to the 4 door JK on the highway, since you are coming from a Subaru, it’s going to feel very different. Test drive them both and decide what you need.

Some days I miss my 4 door, but overall, I love the 2 door just as much, it just forces us to focus on what we really need and again... can’t beat parallel parking a 2 door in the city.
 

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Kizzo

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I like the 2 door, but I like space of the 4 door with a longer wheelbase. The 4 door was introduced to expand the customer base and increase sales, which was a smart move by Chrysler.

Remember when the market was flooded with 2 door vehicles? No more. They are not practical everyday vehicles for the majority of Americans. Which is why the 4 door is the top seller.
 

Thegrants82

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I like the 2 door, but I like space of the 4 door with a longer wheelbase. The 4 door was introduced to expand the customer base and increase sales, which was a smart move by Chrysler.

Remember when the market was flooded with 2 door vehicles? No more. They are not practical everyday vehicles for the majority of Americans. Which is why the 4 door is the top seller.
Totally disagree. The 2 door is a perfect day to day commuter and better off road. Why do you think they are heavily discounting the Gladiators? People don't want vehicles that are so long.
 

twisty

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had a 2 door TJ and space was ALWAYS an issue when you added a third person. Where do you put the cooler the chairs the whatever.

The four door eliminated that in total and is still a beast offroad. It does MANY things better then the 2 door. Hill climbing for example. RIde quality is better too.

BUT, I miss my 2 door, what it lacks in off road prowess due to a short wheel base is gained in off road prowess due to a short wheel base. Easier to maneuver, and does things the 4 door wont do or has a harder time doing.

I'll bet the 2 door JL is a blast with that 3.6 or 2.0 cause I know that the 4 door is. My TJ with the 4L was great I can only imagine.

Go watch the old movie "Long Hot Summer" and see Orson Wells zip around in the old jeep. It's how I felt with my 2 door. You just dont get the same effect in the 4 door.

LOVE my 4 door but MISS my 2 door!!
 

emptyminded42

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Totally disagree. The 2 door is a perfect day to day commuter and better off road. Why do you think they are heavily discounting the Gladiators? People don't want vehicles that are so long.
Could those discounts have something to do with the fact that it's way more expensive than its peers, the Tacoma, Ranger, and Colorado? Every comparo I've seen likes the Gladiator except for its price.

The 4 door is a perfect commuter for those of us hauling kids under 4 years old to/from day care (whenever that opens back up again). I never considered a 2 door because the hassle of dealing with car seats with coupes is not worth it. If it were, I'd have bought an older 911 or some other sport coupe/cabrio (BMW 3 series, Mustang, Camaro, BRZ, etc.) instead. But the Jeep is really the only 4-door convertible out there, and coming from a Miata, I wanted to keep the ability to go top-down.

I think the added practicality of the 4-door for families is absolutely critical to keeping the sales of the Wrangler going, and since the vast, vast majority of Wrangler owners are just average Joe's that never really go off-road to the point where the capability differences between the 4-door and 2-door matter.

Don't get me wrong, though - the 2-door is THE Jeep, but not everyone is willing to give up the additional space and practicality now that almost everyone is driving around in a sedan or 4-door CUV. I wouldn't own a Jeep if they didn't offer the 4-door and that'd be a shame because of how much I enjoy driving around in it.
 

HardSell

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I live in brooklyn
Certainly explains your brilliant creativity regarding space. Hats off! In four corners we use that space for tools, parts, ice and beer and never seem to have enough of it (space) due to the beer, often being 40 crow miles from the next vehicle. When my camping buddy ends his hip replacement and other age related issues we'll be finding out how good we are with space in a 2 door vs the incredible XJ I lost. Tossed the back seat and hung the top the minute I parked the 2 door in my driveway. Wife and I honeymooned in NYC 50 years ago. Neither of us could tolerate the place. If I had all the money in the world I'd be spending it being away from the city kinda like you're doing in your 2 door. Once again, hats off!
can’t beat parallel parking a 2 door in the city.
Can't beat parallel parking it in the desert or at 13,000 feet either.:)
 

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_thewick

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Certainly explains your brilliant creativity regarding space. Hats off! In four corners we use that space for tools, parts, ice and beer and never seem to have enough of it (space) due to the beer, often being 40 crow miles from the next vehicle. When my camping buddy ends his hip replacement and other age related issues we'll be finding out how good we are with space in a 2 door vs the incredible XJ I lost. Tossed the back seat and hung the top the minute I parked the 2 door in my driveway. Wife and I honeymooned in NYC 50 years ago. Neither of us could tolerate the place. If I had all the money in the world I'd be spending it being away from the city kinda like you're doing in your 2 door. Once again, hats off!

Can't beat parallel parking it in the desert or at 13,000 feet either.:)
This - the beer thing. I usually find my crosstrek much emptier on the way home than they way out. I bring a lot of beer usually, especially if camping with friends.
 

aro

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I had a 2 door JK for years and never lacked space for my needs. Now I have a 4 door because I feel it handles a little better on the road... and because I hope I'll convince my wife she really needs a 2 door :angel:
 

Whisky19

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I love my Rubi 2-door! Looks awesome, handles fine on the highway and maneuverability off road is crazy. As for looking out of proportion with larger tires-I have a two inch lift with 35's and they do not look out of proportion at all, maybe I am getting used to it but if anything they look on the small side! As for roominess, right now it is just me, girlfriend and sometimes girlfriend's dog and we have plenty of space.
I am not even sure if I would have bought a JL if they only offered 4-door models...

Jeep Wrangler JL 2-door vs. 4-door -- All the Things Discussion 8AB4CB23-C2A7-4D4D-ACDE-4089804A0EF9
Rubi Bikini! It doesn’t get better

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