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Is a JL wrangler a good daily driver???

coljl

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The JL is the best highway Jeep ever made. However you're going from all IFS vehicles to a live front axle. While more capable off road, steering isn't as tight on road and the suspension is stiffer. It will drive differently. Whether that's good or bad is very subjective. But most people who don't like it are coming from the same place you are and doing the same sort of driving as you.
It's a Jeep thing - love it or drive something else - I'm on my third
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Shooting Star

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I picked up a JLU Sport Altitude back in October and I'm still trying to decide if it is or not. I have a hard top the simple V6 and 18" Bridgestones so the road noise isn't as bad as I expected. I don't think these tires wheel do any heavy offroading but they'll handle most dirt roads/trails I plan on going down before I upgrade my wheels and tires.
 

Hennessey17

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It will be my daily driver when it's delivered. I'm coming from a tuned VW Tiguan which has been fun AF to drive... I will miss the European handling and the small, nimble size. I do plan on buying a second vehicle in the next couple of years because I'm sure I will miss driving something with sporty handling, but... this will be the only thing I'll be driving for the next couple of years.
 

JL Fan

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So Iā€™m in the market for a new SUV. Iā€™ve had grand Cherokeeā€™s growing up when I was in my teens, and then owning a couple of Toyotas, so Iā€™ve had my fair share of vehicles but never owned a wrangler!!!

Iā€™m looking for a new SUV. How are the new four-door wrangler JLā€˜s with a simple V6 automatic? Are they a good daily driver? Iā€™m not worried about miles per gallon but I just moved so Iā€™m father away from work which is about 50 to 55 minutes each way. So I do a lot of daily driving on the highway all the time. How is the JL wrangler for a daily driver? I know itā€™s not gonna be buttery smooth but to anyone that does like 70% Highway 30% in the woods, how do you like your vehicle?

Is the road noise that bothered some with the hardtop? Is there anything else I should look for when buying one? Probably just looking at a simple sport S cause dont really wanna spend 50k right now haha. Thanks guys
This is my first Wrangler...and it is a Sport S 3.6L with Manual 6-speed...and love it. I had the same wind noise and road concerns. I am more highway than city...so I was concerned that I might get sick of the ride. But I'm at 30K miles and it has been great. I previously drove a Tacoma/Ranger (so, light trucks...not Cadillacs or Lexus). So maybe I was used to a slightly rougher ride? I also got the "Premium Soft Top" upgrade...not sure if that makes it quieter or not? But I love it. Rides perfectly smooth...or at least equal to my trucks and a 4Runner. I upgraded my tires to Nitto Terra Grapplers, then BFG KO2's...and the road noise has not been noticeable at all. If you put real off road tires on it, it could be louder? But I can easily make calls with my iPhone over the CarPlay/UConnect with the top on. JLU's drive as smooth as almost any SUV I know of.
 

Dragon52

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I have a 2020 Rubicon with the turbo diesel. I live in rural western Washington and drive 20 - 50 miles daily to hike with my hunting dogs and then lots of highway miles during upland bird hunting season, i.e. about 15k miles per year. On a daily basis I get 25 mpg and find it comfortable to drive locally. I pull a small hunting gear trailer east to the Dakotas in the fall and south to Nevada in the spring. I get 26 - 27 mpg on the highway with the trailer. I love it.
 

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kej

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I'm a little skeptical of your second sentence.

First, I have a 2021 JLUR and agree that JL's are great daily drivers. I love my JLUR. But mainly around town or off-road.

But when we bought the JLUR (i) we sold my wife's 2009 MBz CLK350 convertible and a spare 2007 Sequoia Limited, (ii) I gave my wife my 2017 BMW X5, and (iii) the 2021 JLUR became my DD.

But it drives on road about the same as the 2007 Sequoia did. Not even close to the 2017 BMW or even the 2009 MBz convertible. But I didn't expect the Jeep to drive down the highway like a German luxury car.

I've taken the JLUR on a couple long road trips and it was certainly acceptable for long road trips.

It drives fine on the road, but it is a different beast than the BMW or MBz. It is also worlds better on road than my 2007 JK Sport which is my Lake Tahoe beater. And it does things off-road that none of the other vehicles would consider except for the JK (which it would still beat off-road).

Unless you had a very old BMW, the BMW is freeway experience is definitely worlds smoother than the Jeep. Still fine for a DD; but not the Ultimate Driving Machine at 75MPH.
 

jaysmooth24

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I'm a little skeptical of your second sentence.

First, I have a 2021 JLUR and agree that JL's are great daily drivers. I love my JLUR. But mainly around town or off-road.

But when we bought the JLUR (i) we sold my wife's 2009 MBz CLK350 convertible and a spare 2007 Sequoia Limited, (ii) I gave my wife my 2017 BMW X5, and (iii) the 2021 JLUR became my DD.

But it drives on road about the same as the 2007 Sequoia did. Not even close to the 2017 BMW or even the 2009 MBz convertible. But I didn't expect the Jeep to drive down the highway like a German luxury car.

I've taken the JLUR on a couple long road trips and it was certainly acceptable for long road trips.

It drives fine on the road, but it is a different beast than the BMW or MBz. It is also worlds better on road than my 2007 JK Sport which is my Lake Tahoe beater. And it does things off-road that none of the other vehicles would consider except for the JK (which it would still beat off-road).

Unless you had a very old BMW, the BMW is freeway experience is definitely worlds smoother than the Jeep. Still fine for a DD; but not the Ultimate Driving Machine at 75MPH.
I had a 2017 5 series. Of course itā€™s not comparing apples to apples but the amount of money I invested in my JLs suspension components, the driving feel and experience was very similar to that of the BMWs. I use to always here that jeeps ride rough, you felt everything and that is not the case with my trim level.
 

JoeBanks

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My current daily drive is a 6-spd 21ā€™ Willys Sport JLUā€¦definitely HUGE improvement over YJ I had a few years ago. That thing was loud, slow and shifted like an old dump truck.
My wife loves driving my new Jeep even more than her Miata for running errands around town.
All around great ride and lotsa fun to drive. šŸ‘‹
 

Kevin32199

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So Iā€™m in the market for a new SUV. Iā€™ve had grand Cherokeeā€™s growing up when I was in my teens, and then owning a couple of Toyotas, so Iā€™ve had my fair share of vehicles but never owned a wrangler!!!

Iā€™m looking for a new SUV. How are the new four-door wrangler JLā€˜s with a simple V6 automatic? Are they a good daily driver? Iā€™m not worried about miles per gallon but I just moved so Iā€™m father away from work which is about 50 to 55 minutes each way. So I do a lot of daily driving on the highway all the time. How is the JL wrangler for a daily driver? I know itā€™s not gonna be buttery smooth but to anyone that does like 70% Highway 30% in the woods, how do you like your vehicle?

Is the road noise that bothered some with the hardtop? Is there anything else I should look for when buying one? Probably just looking at a simple sport S cause dont really wanna spend 50k right now haha. Thanks guys
Compared to a Crown Victoria that's easy to get into and out of, has a a ride so smooth you could circumsize a baby in the back seat at 60 mph (wrong car commercial), it's a terrible car. Compared to a pickup it's very maneuverable (2-door especially) and rides and steers better than you could dream a solid front axle could. I drive mine as a primary and love it. I wouldn't drive anything else.
 

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lexvet

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Over the past 30 years my daily drivers have been: 1990 Saturn SL, 2000 Saturn SL, 2009 Infiniti G37Xs, 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 2021 Jeep JL Willys 2dr 6spd.

I enjoy every second I'm in my Willys. I'm 53yrs old, both kids are grown and gone. We have my wife's Grand Cherokee if we need to carry more people/stuff. I'm on forest service roads 2-3 times a week getting to trails for running/hiking.

I loved driving the Infiniti but that thing was like a rocket, it MADE you want to go fast and drive aggressively. When I get in my Wrangler I'm instantly calmer and more laid back. I love it.
 

SoCal

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I would never buy a Ford. Every person I know that ever had a Ford regretted that decision.
I had a 2016 Explorer and the thing was flawless until the day I sold it with 85,000 miles for the JLUR ...my only regret was I sold it right before the used car market boom
 

WorkingMan

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I have owned a bunch of different vehicles and my Jeep is by far my favorite daily driver. I'm so glad I bought it.
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