Can a JL WU be a good highway cruiser?

[Chocolate Thunder]

Ok I will be the one to say HELL NO. They are horrible on long drives. Uncomfortable, bumpy, wander, get blown all over with the slightest wind or trucks.

And I thought it was just me. I wonder if people who consider it very good highway cruiser are only comparing it to past Wranglers? Clearly everyone has a different standard of what makes for a good highway cruiser is all over the map.

I’m hard pressed to think of a vehicle I’ve driven in recent years that’s not more comfortable for long drives than my Jeep. Whether it’s the ride, handling, seat position/comfort, cruising range. The infotainment system is pretty good. The headlights are great. But the over the road driving experience - not so great.

I still love it though. I just won’t say that long drives in it are good when I’m my opinion they’re crap.

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[SleepEatJeepRepeat]

honestly no.. if you love the car you get used to it.. but the leg space and head room are tight, seating position is very up and down.. and the solid axle's with offroad suspension, don't ride like a sports care, and the removable top lets in a lot of road noise.. if you really want that silent smooth tight cornering suv.. i wouldn't recommend it.. if you like open air driving, hitting trails, and just think the thing looks awesome.. then there is not better vehicle in the world.

 

[cnapierala]

Go drive one and see for yourself, i like mine and would drive it anywhere. My only complaint is the door arm rest is hard and makes my elbow sore.
One piece of advice if you want the 6 speed manual is to go with a Rubicon for the 4.10 gears. I had a 6 speed Willys before my Rubicon and couldn't stand the 3.45 gear ratio which was one of the big deciding factors to trade up to my current Rubicon.

 

[HungryHound]

It's relative. Taken my TJ across country several times. Just drove it on an 8-hour trip last year with the soft top on it and it was fine. I'm turning 55 next year so it's not that I'm young and in shape. Looking forward to the cushy JL ride everyone promises. BTW... the trick with the soft top on the TJ is to run the fan at speed 3 or higher to "inflate" the top where it doesn't buffet so much. Does anyone know if this will be true in the JLUR with the soft top, or am I the only one not getting a hard on my Jeep? Top, I mean hard top.

 

[Arterius2]

It's relative. Taken my TJ across country several times. Just drove it on an 8-hour trip last year with the soft top on it and it was fine. I'm turning 55 next year so it's not that I'm young and in shape. Looking forward to the cushy JL ride everyone promises. BTW... the trick with the soft top on the TJ is to run the fan at speed 3 or higher to "inflate" the top where it doesn't buffet so much. Does anyone know if this will be true in the JLUR with the soft top, or am I the only one not getting a hard on my Jeep? Top, I mean hard top.

I think you'll get a hard on in your new Jeep regardless! Congrats!

 

[HungryHound]

I think you'll get a hard in your new Jeep regardless! Congrats!

Well, it's a 4xe so the new Bronco might be out before any are released from holding.

 

[najnad]

Are there any suspension upgrades that would make the JL smoother on the highway? Maybe air bag suspension or different springs/shocks/struts? I really want to be back in a manual vehicle.

 

[Rodeoflyer]

Tastes like chicken..........

Mine tastes like chicken with Louisiana hot sauce . OP, If you get a 2021 with the new steel iron steering gearbox I think you'll be fine on long trips. I've taken mine on 5+ hour trips multiple times non-stop no problem. No sore back, legs or neck even with a manual trans.

It's BY FAR the most comfortable interior and driving jeep ever made imo.

 

[cnapierala]

Are there any suspension upgrades that would make the JL smoother on the highway? Maybe air bag suspension or different springs/shocks/struts? I really want to be back in a manual vehicle.

I wouldn't worry as much about the suspension, it hasn't bothered me on either of mine anyway. Wranglers tend to wander and have bump steer. If I was going to complain this would be it for me. Id also stay away from mud terrain tires now that i think of it. Otherwise I think its personal preference on the seating arrangement

 

[HungryHound]

Are there any suspension upgrades that would make the JL smoother on the highway? Maybe air bag suspension or different springs/shocks/struts? I really want to be back in a manual vehicle.

Every Jeep I've ever owned from CJs, YJs to TJs have had a much imoroved ride quality when loaded down. Just find a few really fat friends to take on trips with you. Might affect mpg, tho.

 

[Oncorhynchus]

My criteria for great long range cruiser:

Good visibility

Well placed dead pedal for symmetric position and extension between left and right legs

Seats that are comfortable on butt and back but don’t lull you into getting sleepy

arm rests approx same height and position on left and right so that I can lean to one side or other for 15-30 minutes at a time with equal ease and comfort. This helps break up the stiffness that comes if you just sit straight for the whole time.

confident road handling - but the driver can compensate by driving defensively so that there is little need to be on high alert for last minute evasive action

right amount of feedback on the pedals - not to squishy but not so hard that it wears on your ankles

large enough fuel range so that I can stop at the rest areas and food joints based on my preference and not be dictated by the interplay between fuel tank, mpg of the engine, and the towns along the way.

Good set of road tires.

Given the above, my JLU with M/T tires is not a good cruiser in my opinion. But I find that 4 to 5 hour drive is fine if I have a destination I’m looking forward to. For commuting I wouldn’t want to spend more than an hour at a time on the freeway in the JLU.

 

[631_Islander]

I am interested in getting a JL WU, mainly because it is the only SUV out there still with a Manual transmission. However, I do a lot of highway driving and all the reviews I have seen give poor reviews for highway travel. Is there a specific model and/or aftermarket suspension I should look into to make it better on the highway? I know tires make a big difference too, so I would have two sets, one for day to day and one for off road. Thanks!

My personal is a JLUR with a 3.6 Pentastar and 8 Speed Automatic without eTorque (a combination no longer available after MY 2020). However, I have never driven my personal Jeep on long road trips.

Before COVID, I used to drive a lot for work between Long Island to Northern New England, Long Island to Baltimore and Long Island to Montreal using company issued rental cars via Enterprise. On a couple of occasions the Enterprise Branch gave me JLU Sport S with the 2.0 Turbo and an 8 speed automatic. Drove this combination on long trips with both hard tops and soft tops. I also drove many JKs with the 3.6 and the Automatic transmission when they were the norm back in the days. Also drove the JKs with both hard tops and soft tops depending on the time of year. The JL is a completely different Jeep for long trips I must say. I was pleasantly surprised!

On long trips, the JL models for me were as comfortable as Full Size rental sedans like Altimas and Camrys. I cannot say the same about JKs because they handled very bad on the highway and you consistently need to keep your foot on the gas to keep them going at decent speeds on I-95 or the NY State Thruway (typically 75MPH plus). If Long Road trips like mine are on the menu a lot for you, I would recommend either getting the JL 2.0 Turbo or maybe even the Ecodiesel. The 3.6 in a JL is a very good choice also but will consume a little more Gas at the end (more stops on the way).

Be careful about that Manual Transmission for long road trips. There is a stop order for them right now due to a Clutch Overheating issue. I myself am a huge lover of Manuals but this Clutch issue may have hurt the Manual's image in the market IMHO.

 

[Gunfighter]

Funny, I am into cowboy action shooting and have rented a few Jeeps over the years for the longer drives to make it more fun. For the 3-hour plus drives to the match they all have been great. The soft top was too loud, the Sport 2.0 I was peppy, but didn't like the engine noise. The Sahara was cool with the 3.6L, but the windy day the Jeep platform was a little twitchy. However, when we rented our last Jeep - and in the market for a new car considering the new Genesis GV80 - my wife said "you look like you fit the Jeep" - she was very keen on us getting the new GV80. She then drove it some and smiled saying..."while we are still young (50's) we should get something we can go to the dunes with and have fun". At the hotel looking through the website I spotted the new High Altitude. She said "Bingo, best of both world's...let's get it".....so we did. It's my daily driver now. Have purchased some 285/70/17's for when we decide to enjoy some off road duties. With the 3:73 gearing limited slip it is plenty "peppy". with the stock 20's it drives very nice and cruises great on the highway. The whole Jeep thing kinda of brings me back to my college days when I drove my '73 CJ5. All in all, we are proud Jeep owners and drivers. Like was mentioned "it's all subjective".

 

[N875ED]

Binewt:

Rubicons and non-lifted Jeeps w/ Rubicon springs have low caster, so just something to keep in mind as it's a simple $80 fix.

Could you explain what you get for $80?

 

[FMB]

I have owned a wrangler unlimited at all times since 2012. First a 2012 JK Sahara and then a 2018 JL Sahara, both automatics with the pentastar v6. Living on the Canadian prairies lots of long distance highway travel in all kinds of weather

We also own a 2017 Audi Q5 with a supercharged v6 and a BMW sedan with naturally aspirated inline6

Both my shortish wife and my lanky 6 ft 4 inch frame find the Jeep the most comfortable on long trips in terms of seating comfort. Even with the lack of adjustments compared to our German stablemates with many seating adjustments, we find the simple, minimally adjustable cloth seats in the Jeep preferable

Our only complaint for highway travel in the Jeep is wind noise from the hardtop in the event of headwinds or crosswinds. Surprisingly given its much greater level of overall refinement, the JL is noisier than the JK.

Also, fuel economy is heavily dependent on wind direction. With no wind, highway economy at 70 mph is typically about 25 mpg (in US gallons) which is pretty good for driving a brick shaped vehicle. Against a modest wind, drops to 18 mpg, with a modest tailwind it is supremely quiet and 34 mpg. Even pulling my 19ft Lund fishing boat at 60 mph, a very respectable 20 mpg overall.

Vehicle tracks well on the highway and also corners surprisingly well and this coming from someone who has been a lifelong German car "snob".

I should also note that we have never been let down mechanically by either Wrangler and have needed no maintenance other than normal fluids so have been very impressed by both our Jeeps!

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