Leatherette steering wheel? Seriously?

[AFD]

I checked a few '24 X build sheets and they all said premium, not leather.

Thanks for looking. Guess they gotta pay for that new bigger screen somehow!

Just seems like a penny-pinching move for a deluxe trim that's been touted as "loaded". Hopefully the 392 and other trims with leather seats as standard equipment aren't getting the same treatment.

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[Ratbert]

Funny thing about this conversation is my 22 392 is in for service and they had to give me a loaner since it ended up being over night. The loaner was a fairly base 24 Sahara. The feel of the steering wheel leather or whatever it is has been giving me the cringe. I have also noticed a lot of the common parts between my 22 and the 24 almost seem like the plastic is cheaper. Although the big screen is flashy and nice the 18 -24 dash setup looks and feels way better to me. I get it that it’s a Jeeps and I like to get mine dirty just as much as the next guy. They are however pretty damn expensive these days for what they are and there is no reason they cannot still have nice interior and be capable.

I'm pretty sure the 392's steering wheel is quite a bit thicker than the rest.

 

[rforbes]

I checked my build sheet also says "premium wrapped steering wheel". I have to say, it feels like particularly soft leather to me and feels like the seats. If those are actually plastic, well, that is some nice feeling plastic.

Also, I am not an expert, heh, so it is quite possible that I have the delicate touch of a true philistine.

 

[rforbes]

Funny thing about this conversation is my 22 392 is in for service and they had to give me a loaner since it ended up being over night. The loaner was a fairly base 24 Sahara. The feel of the steering wheel leather or whatever it is has been giving me the cringe. I have also noticed a lot of the common parts between my 22 and the 24 almost seem like the plastic is cheaper. Although the big screen is flashy and nice the 18 -24 dash setup looks and feels way better to me. I get it that it’s a Jeeps and I like to get mine dirty just as much as the next guy. They are however pretty damn expensive these days for what they are and there is no reason they cannot still have nice interior and be capable.

Funny enough, I find it just the opposite. I think the JL pre-24 dash is cheap feeling. The hard plastic, especially when it was red, the grab handle, the switches, all feel cheaper to me than the 2024. the textured dash, the nice stitching, the way the leather feels. I just think it is so much better in the 2024.

 

[Rubi6mt]

I'm pretty sure the 392's steering wheel is quite a bit thicker than the rest.

It's thicker and has more "shape" to it ie thumb grips.

 

[Bhodi11]

Funny enough, I find it just the opposite. I think the JL pre-24 dash is cheap feeling. The hard plastic, especially when it was red, the grab handle, the switches, all feel cheaper to me than the 2024. the textured dash, the nice stitching, the way the leather feels. I just think it is so much better in the 2024.

I think the 24 interior is a bit all over the place. You have 2 different colors of stitching, orange gauges on a Rubicon trim vs red, the odd rectangular vents, the screen and controls jut out on the center console.

18-24 you have chrome around the vents, speedo, tach. Everything is uniform. You can do color matching dash panels. The screen is plenty big enough and well integrated into the dash, etc…

They are both nice don’t get me wrong I just think Jeep could have done a little better job on the refresh instead of just throwing something together and trying to save costs at every turn while still increasing the price.

 

[Bhodi11]

I think the 24 interior is a bit all over the place. You have 2 different colors of stitching, orange gauges on a Rubicon trim vs red, the odd rectangular vents, the screen and controls jut out on the center console.

18-24 you have chrome around the vents, speedo, tach. Everything is uniform. You can do color matching dash panels. The screen is plenty big enough and well integrated into the dash, etc…

They are both nice don’t get me wrong I just think Jeep could have done a little better job on the refresh instead of just throwing something together and trying to save costs at every turn while still increasing the price.

[/QUOTE

I think the 24 interior is a bit all over the place. You have 2 different colors of stitching, orange gauges on a Rubicon trim vs red, the odd rectangular vents, the screen and controls jut out on the center console.

18-24 you have chrome around the vents, speedo, tach. Everything is uniform. You can do color matching dash panels. The screen is plenty big enough and well integrated into the dash, etc…

They are both nice don’t get me wrong I just think Jeep could have done a little better job on the refresh instead of just throwing something together and trying to save costs at every turn while still increasing the price.

here are same angles on my 24’ loaner.

I think the 24 interior is a bit all over the place. You have 2 different colors of stitching, orange gauges on a Rubicon trim vs red, the odd rectangular vents, the screen and controls jut out on the center console.

18-24 you have chrome around the vents, speedo, tach. Everything is uniform. You can do color matching dash panels. The screen is plenty big enough and well integrated into the dash, etc…

They are both nice don’t get me wrong I just think Jeep could have done a little better job on the refresh instead of just throwing something together and trying to save costs at every turn while still increasing the price.

Same angles on my 24’ loaner. For me there is no comparison.

 

[Heimkehr]

It is just amazing that you pay like $70,000 and get less and less as the years go on. It's terrible.

Again, where are you seeing fewer fitments, especially where the recent model refresh is concerned?

 

[4x4snowmachinejeep]

This fake stuff they use looks bad after a few years when it becomes high gloss

 

[GinaC]

Yeah, I completely agree with you on the 2024 interior. The interior of my Tuscadero 4xe isn't going to match the exterior at all. Gold stitching and light gray? It's nowhere else on the vehicle. They could have at least made the stitching blue on the 4xe's.

I found a dog hammock that is heather gray with blue trim for the back seat, and I'll probably put blue knob covers on the dash.

 

[Bhodi11]

Yeah, I completely agree with you on the 2024 interior. The interior of my Tuscadero 4xe isn't going to match the exterior at all. Gold stitching and light gray? It's nowhere else on the vehicle. They could have at least made the stitching blue on the 4xe's.

I found a dog hammock that is heather gray with blue trim for the back seat, and I'll probably put blue knob covers on the dash.

I bet you can get Katzkin to re wrap the dash panels and door armrests , plus the shifter boots with blue 4xe stitching. Of course new seats covers too haha. Figure for an extra 5k or so you can get it looking like it should have in the first place. This is what the 22 4xe looked like, matching stitching everywhere.

 

[2nd 392]

Yeah, I completely agree with you on the 2024 interior. The interior of my Tuscadero 4xe isn't going to match the exterior at all. Gold stitching and light gray? It's nowhere else on the vehicle. They could have at least made the stitching blue on the 4xe's.

I found a dog hammock that is heather gray with blue trim for the back seat, and I'll probably put blue knob covers on the dash.

They are good at making things clash. Red dash regardless of paint color, red seats regardless of paint color, and in an otherwise black interior with no black centers, or even stitching to tie it together, blue decals-accents regardless … and no options offered.

 

[sixspeed]

I am looking at 2024 Rubicon X and just noticed that the steering wheel is leatherette. Since when?
I had a 2018 Rubicon and as far as I remember the steering wheel was real leather.

I have a 2020 JLUR with a leather steering wheel which is noticeable better than the seats (if they are really leather). However, I want to point out that Mercedes Benz has been using its proprietary MB Tex faux leather on its seats for at least half a century with apparently not enough unhappiness to stop. The reason--lasts forever. My wife's car has it. If you really look close, you can tell it's not leather but it is a high quality fabric and I'd get it again. I would not want it on my Rubicon steering wheel, though, and I'm certain Jeep couldn't manufacture anything close to the quality of MB Tex.

 

[rogercanady]

It just seems that they keep making changes to the wrangler and keep cutting things out. It really stinks.

I have a 2024 Rubicon X and that has not once been a question or concern. The use of Rubicon (X) things ...like lockers or sway bar disconnect or 35" tires or 4:1 transfer case make the leatherette steering wheel a non issue.

 

[watchluvr4ever1116]

My 2019 build sheet says leather wrapped steering wheel. It wouldn’t surprise me though if they are cutting corners to reduce their costs. Some makers are even starting to ditch leather altogether for more eco friendly fabrics made from recycled plastics that mimic leather, like BMW and Mercedes.

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