2019 Jeep Wrangler | Long-Term Wrap Up Review by KBB

[Flashguy]

2020 with 2.0 and no issues here with the shifting on the automatic. Loving this new Jeep life.

Sponsored

 

[jakebrake]

boss lady's 2.0 is fine. shifts fine. that trans is smoother than my 10 speed ford trans. had zero complaints from the test drive on. doesn't hunt for gears, not a mushy shift, but, not whiplash, either.

but, since someone mentioned that wretched ess...

the e.s.s. is why auto engineers should be put into a 73 pinto, and, rear ended at 70.

 

[Outlawd]

The tranny thing must not be too big of an issue as they made it clear they didn't want to let the jeep go now that they are done. Probably just had to dig around and find something negative about the wrangler which we all know is very difficult to do.

 

[Dkretden]

Seems like a very positive review to me.

 

[Fusilli Jerry]

There's also a decent 50K mile review from Edmunds on a red Rubicon they owned. Similar sentiments. They didn't express any major steering issues, other then driving the Jeep Rubicon was a "2 hands on the wheel" activity.

Yeah, I love mine. But in any kind of gusts, it gets pushed FAR into the other lane. I had to drive 6 hours on a day when there were 60 mph gusts on the highway, and it was terrifying.

Normal situations though w/o wind and I can mostly one-hand it. But precise it is not. Not a big deal.

 

[Fusilli Jerry]

Ditto with the automatic transmission. I don’t have any issues with it. In fact, it’s one of the best I’ve ever owned. I wonder if the eTorque motor makes a difference...

They should drive a Toyota Tacoma to see what an atrocious automatic transmission drives like.

Thanks for posting.

I like my auto too. I wanted a manual, but my wife needs to be able to drive this occasionally, and she can't drive stick. Sure I could teach her, but if you've never driven a manual and only get to drive it once in awhile, mistakes will be made.

Expensive mistakes. So an 8-speed it is.

 

[ODDs]

This is the first negative review I've ever read about that transmission, ever other one I've read praises it. I almost feel it's too good, it can't be a real Jeep if it has a slushbox that works so well.

 

[Jmonroe]

My comment on the trans is not related to its durability or smoothness but is directed more at the programming.

One of your dash setting options is to display the gear you're currently in. It tends to hold onto the lower gears way too long in normal "non aggressive" driving. I think thats at least one of the reasons I'm getting significantly lower mileage than with my last 6 speed manual equiped JK.

 

[chilly_one]

I have the 2020 JLU Sahara with the 3.6 e-torque, and I agree with the other posters. Absolutely no issues with the automatic transmission. It accelerates and shifts smoothly, both in-town and on the highway. Very pleased with my Jeep.

 

[MarkyMark]

I have the 2019 rubicon 2.0 etorque with the 8 speed. No issues at all. Love the Jeep. Love the engine. Love the tranny. My one desire would be for the SOT roof to be a little quieter at highway speeds. Love the roof, but Jeep should have made it double walled or add a Mopar Liner.

 

[GGolds]

KBB:

It’s only been six months with Spongebob, but in our short time together we’ve been through a lot! There were some high highs and some tragedy. Here’s our take on what it’s like to own a Wrangler. We love the overall presence of the Wrangler. These cars scream “good time” and who doesn’t want that? It’s a unique vehicle in a sea of also-rans, especially in the bright colors Jeep offers customers, like our Hellayella here. Who doesn’t want to drive around in this and have some fun?

When it comes to connecting to your car Jeep’s got a pretty good leg up with their competition. The Uconnect system sets up quickly and intuitively. It’s customizable, and you can have or get rid of all the beeping warnings you want to. Phone integration with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto works lightning fast without needing a Ph.D. to figure it out.

While they do cost extra, the Wrangler’s dynamic safety features work extremely well. Blindspot warnings in either ding or indicator form help with visibility and dynamic cruise control delivers unnoticeably smooth braking. And you can adjust the distance between cars to either be the length of a runway or something a little less conservative depending on your comfort level.

The Wrangler hums happily along on the highway offering up a uniquely comfortable ride. Hey, it’s still a Jeep. Of course, the Wrangler’s off-road chops are second to none, even in the non-beefed up off-roady Sahara. The front and rear locking differentials of the Rubicon are great, but we proved that a lot of fun can still be had here thanks to the juicy torque (graphic: 270 hp, 295 lb-ft torque) of our 2.0-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine. While the numbers were lower than the published 24 combined MPG, we managed 20.5 over our almost 7500 miles in six months. The commuting miles we put on Spongebob helped out, but the off-roading fun didn’t. A small price to pay in our opinion.

The top is insanely difficult to swap. This is not a whimsy event. You need to commit unless you’ve got “people” who will do it for you. If you do, then pay them well. It’s a chore.

Unfortunately, the LED headlights were stolen, and it’s an exceedingly easy thing to do with there being no locking latch on the Wrangler. I hate to be a glass half empty person, but I’m hoping this doesn’t become a “thing.” Lots of folks park on the street these things were expensive!

One thing that wasn’t a fan favorite on the Wrangler was the transmission. With the eTorque system in quick acceleration situations, it simply works against you. It’s not smooth, searches too long for the right gear and by the time it’s decided what to do, it’s almost too late. In an emergency scenario, this might be a very bad thing otherwise, it’s just frustrating.

The Wrangler’s steering isn’t a problem for me, but some of our drivers felt it wasn’t super precise. Here’s a direct quote from one editor: “The Wrangler needs a lot of steering input to keep this thing going straight down the highway. But as our de facto convertible, I'm in.” And that’s the charm of the Wrangler. Because of its unique fun quotient, there are some things that you might not pardon on another car that you do here. That being said, the Jeep Wrangler may not be for everyone, so know what you’re getting into before you buy!

Selling the Wrangler, while we’d never recommend doing that after six months or a year in a car, you’re in decent shape with this one. Kelley Blue Book resale values on the Wrangler are consistently on the high side. Which is good, because so are prices. Spongebob here with his upgraded engine, safety, and tech features cost $53,860.

My least favorite thing about the Wrangler is that it’s leaving. Boo! I loved my six months with the Sahara Spongebob and hope that it gives you all more of a real-world taste of living with the Wrangler, too. Arrivederci, Bob.

 

[GGolds]

The transmission on the Wrangler is among the best of all vehicles. Even Consumer Reports which hates everything, thought it was great. It's precise, shifts beautifully, and never hunts for a gear. So that said, must have been an individual issue on theirs. The steering!!!. Mine is perfect. I don't wonder and it is very accurate. I've had new Corvettes, Minis, VW's, everything. This steering is quite good. Love my Wrangler, a lot. 20K miles. Not even a rattle. Perfect.

 

[BikiniJLRubi]

Got our 2020 Rubicon Recon with the 2.0 eTorque about a month ago approaching 2k miles and I have to say shifting isn’t as smooth as I thought it’d be. Highway driving is fine but in the city it can be pretty rough. The 8-speed auto in our XC90 is much smoother in my opinion. Is this something I should have the dealer look at?

 

[Notorious]

I wanted a manual, but my wife needs to be able to drive this occasionally, and she can't drive stick. Sure I could teach her, but mistakes will be made.

Expensive mistakes. So an 8-speed it is.

Hmmm... Pete.... methinks the first mistake was letting the woman out of the kitchen. The second mistake was letting her drive. The third mistake was letting the woman buy another pair of shoes. Because now she can drive anywhere, including to another man’s kitchen!! You don’t want your woman cooking breakfast in another man’s kitchen now do you?



Bahahahaha! That’s all complete bullshit!!!

The Jeep actually has a REALLY good, fun, short throw manual shifter. It’s almost effortless to get it in gear and I feel confident that anyone can learn how to drive a stick on a brand new Wrangler.

Get yourself a 2 door manual, teach the lady how to drive and most importantly, have fun out there!

 

[jessedacri]

Ditto with the automatic transmission. I don’t have any issues with it. In fact, it’s one of the best I’ve ever owned. I wonder if the eTorque motor makes a difference...

They should drive a Toyota Tacoma to see what an atrocious automatic transmission drives like.

Thanks for posting.

I drove a 2.0 Etorque for a month and hated it. Trans always seemed to be working overtime to keep the engine in its narrow 3800-5500rpm sweet spot which made it feel a little awkward.

I absolutely adore the auto in the 3.6. It drives totally different.

Sponsored