Car and Driver In-Depth review

[Sean L]

It's funny, because they absolutely love the 6MT in the 2016+ Tacoma, yet hate this one.

I've driven that 6MT in that newer Tacoma, and it still drives like a shit truck transmission. Meanwhile I've driven the new JL 6MT and it's fantastic, as others have attested.

The fact they showed stats for the 6MT's 50-70mph time of 20+ seconds, apparently keeping it in 6th gear instead of downshifting properly, is a monument to how out of touch car reviewers are in some areas. What's next? Flooring it in first gear and holding it and posting a negative review because it wouldn't accelerate past 7200rpm?

This forum is a better source for reviews of the 6MT. Honda makes some of the best manuals around, and I have a wonderful 6MT in my V6 Accord. This transmission and clutch is better than that.

I'm starting to think some of these reviewers learned to drive manual after they took the job as a motorjournalist.

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[DanW]

There have been dozens (if not hundreds) of posts on here about drift-y steering.

Not from me. Mine feels great. Best of any Jeep I've driven.

 

[Muzzle of Bees]

Jeep dealerships are probably the last to employ service advisers and techs that can drive a manual transmission.
My Xterra had a manual transmission and dealership service advisers were not well versed in using manual transmissions. The second generation Xterra has a great transmission too.

 

[BoisetheCat]

crazy c+d at it again lol. 20 sec for passing? lol

 

[Simulacra]

Jeep dealerships are probably the last to employ service advisers and techs that can drive a manual transmission.
My Xterra had a manual transmission and dealership service advisers were not well versed in using manual transmissions. The second generation Xterra has a great transmission too.

Yeah don't trust those guys. My partner's father is a service manager at a dealership. No one in his department knows how to drive manual.

 

[kre62]

Test drove a JL today for the first time. Sport with S package and automatic trans. $38,000 sticker (!). Absolutely insane.

Anyway, the 8-speed is SO NICE. Wrangler has needed that for years! The entire Jeep was nice, actually, except for one thing.......

The handling/steering is awful. Worst of any new vehicle I've driven. Worse than the JK. Maybe worse than the TJ. Just awful. It wondered all over the road. Required constant steering wheel input. We're talking newly constructed 4-lane highways with sunshine and a light breeze. Had to keep two hands on the wheel. Lots of "tug-boating" going on. Also the steering felt "tight" for lack of a better way of putting it. Almost like it had little to no return to center programmed into it. It was just not a good feeling experience. Very disappointed there.

Oh, and it bounced a lot. Ride quality was pretty stiff. Stiffer than what I remember from my JKU when it was new. The one I drove had the Michelin 245/75 tires on it. Overall, not impressed with ride quality...but...it also wouldn't be a deal breaker for me.

Otherwise, the ESS is great, the new soft top is great, the new tire options are great, the dash looks great, it's all great. Too bad the sticker price puts them out of reach.

You are definitely in the minority. Every reviewer I've seen has praised the steering and handling as major advancements, including car and driver. I tested two JL Rubicons and found them to be excellent handlers. Maybe try another one, different trim level like a rubicon with the better suspension and shocks.

 

[CashMonkey]

Say what now?

LOL idiots

 

[NavyVet1959]

LOL idiots

Yeah... Pretty interesting that you can get from 0 to 90 faster than you can get from 50 to 80. I'm thinking there's some law of physics that has been violated there.

 

[macintux]

How long it takes to reach a quarter mile, and what speed you’re at when you get there. Took me way too long to figure that out.

 

[Brad41]

What baffles me is hearing reports of forum members saying it’s the best driving wrangler, and others saying is terrible or the worst. Why the huge variance?

 

[Texas_Yote]

What baffles me is hearing reports of forum members saying it’s the best driving wrangler, and others saying is terrible or the worst. Why the huge variance?

I have a JK and the JL. I had a 15 Grand Cherokee prior to the JL and the JL feels more like the Cherokee then any Jeep prior. The steering on the JL is 10x better than any JK or prior year..period...Jeeps feel sloppy period but to say the JL is worse than the JK that person must be on straight up heroin!!

Feel free to come and drive my 15 JK then jump in the JL and you will instantly feel much more in control, a more responsive steering wheel with a much tighter feel.

The Wrangler will never win any best in class awards for driving feel but who really cares...unless you only drive it on the road...then I just SMH at you and suggest you go buy something else...

Maybe ill do a comparison video down a really shitty street to show the steering wheel bounce difference...It is literally night and day.

 

[JeepFan]

What baffles me is hearing reports of forum members saying it’s the best driving wrangler, and others saying is terrible or the worst. Why the huge variance?

My guess is that has a lot to do with (1) expectations, (2) what they've been driving before, and (3) overinflated tires. True a Wrangler isn't for everyone; it really depends on your adjustment to it and your expectations.

Over the last 50 years I've owned many Jeeps, pickup trucks, vans, and cars of all sorts, including GMCs, Chevys, Fords, Dodges, VWs, and BMW X3s, X5s, 3-series sedans, M cars, etc. They all drove, handled, and felt vastly different from one another. Even the same vehicle with minor changes can be made to steer differently. For example, I recently changed the factory original tires on my wife's 2014 X3 with a different brand and style of tire, and just that one change alone made it feel like a different car on the highway.

When you first drive a car that's much different than the one you are used to, it probably will feel strange at first. I believe you really need to drive a car for at least a few days, and adjust to its idiosyncrasies, before you draw any conclusions on how you'll like it. After you get used to a particular car it might fell completely normal, or you may hate it.

I've owned two JK's (a Rubicon and a Sahara) and I have test driven three JLs (a Sport base, Sport S, and a Sahara). I can assure you that the JLs handle and steer much better than the JKs - provided the tires are properly inflated. Even on my 2017 Grand Cherokee with 20" wheels the steering can be made to feel "squirrelly" (technical term) by just over-inflating the tires a by few pounds.

 

[kre62]

What baffles me is hearing reports of forum members saying it’s the best driving wrangler, and others saying is terrible or the worst. Why the huge variance?

I'm going to make a guess:

The people who claim its the best driving are driving Saharas or Rubicons

The people claiming the worst are driving Sports

I am guessing the better suspension components is having more to do with it this year than past years, and there is a big delta between the sports and S/R.

 

[NavyVet1959]

What baffles me is hearing reports of forum members saying it’s the best driving wrangler, and others saying is terrible or the worst. Why the huge variance?

It might depend on the person's background. I can remember cars and trucks in my younger days where there was so much slop in the steering that to drive straight down the road, the steering wheel was moving 30 degrees from side to side. I've also owned Porsches where the handling was excellent and the steering was very precise. Just adding a new set of tires makes a difference on a car, even if it is the same brand and tire pressure.

 

[That One Guy]

I'm going to make a guess:

The people who claim its the best driving are driving Saharas or Rubicons

The people claiming the worst are driving Sports

I am guessing the better suspension components is having more to do with it this year than past years, and there is a big delta between the sports and S/R.

I highly, highly doubt that.

Much more likely to be differences between the ride different people are accustomed to.

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