Potential New owner question on Wrangler highway ability.

[Racer X]

Like a lot of people, we've been looking a new Wranglers. Wow.... what a crazy market we are in. My question stems from the intended use of the purchase. We are looking at the sky one touch roof as a must have. Other than that, we are open.
My question is this. We would be potentially using this Wrangler Unlimited for 4-6k miles of vacation highway use a year. I have two boys 8 and 11. How highway capable is the Wrangler now days? I'm assuming a Sport or Sahara are the two more road friendly models. Any advise is welcome.

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[Jeepeto]

Like a lot of people, we've been looking a new Wranglers. Wow.... what a crazy market we are in. My question stems from the intended use of the purchase. We are looking at the sky one touch roof as a must have. Other than that, we are open.
My question is this. We would be potentially using this Wrangler Unlimited for 4-6k miles of vacation highway use a year. I have two boys 8 and 11. How highway capable is the Wrangler now days? I'm assuming a Sport or Sahara are the two more road friendly models. Any advise is welcome.

It’s still a body on frame solid axle vehicle, but they’ve refined the Jeep very well over the years. Despite the go anywhere image of the wrangler, the vast majority of miles put on these are on pavement. They work well enough. We do similar road trips every year and find it to be an acceptable vehicle for the task. Everyone’s different, I would suggest test driving one and seeing how good of a fit it is.

Good luck! Post pics with your new Jeep if you pull the trigger on one.

 

[N8213]

Like a lot of people, we've been looking a new Wranglers. Wow.... what a crazy market we are in. My question stems from the intended use of the purchase. We are looking at the sky one touch roof as a must have. Other than that, we are open.
My question is this. We would be potentially using this Wrangler Unlimited for 4-6k miles of vacation highway use a year. I have two boys 8 and 11. How highway capable is the Wrangler now days? I'm assuming a Sport or Sahara are the two more road friendly models. Any advise is welcome.

All depends on what your comparison point is. I’ve got a 2020 jlur with the sky top, and have three sons ages 7,10, and 11 that sit across the back seat. They love the jeep. Granted it is not as quiet or smooth as the minivan we drive before, but immensely more fun.

we have the 2.0t engine with the auto transmission- it’s happy to cruise along at 80mph all day.

 

[Racer X]

It’s still a body on frame solid axle vehicle, but they’ve refined the Jeep very well over the years. Despite the go anywhere image of the wrangler, the vast majority of miles put on these are on pavement. They work well enough. We do similar road trips every year and find it to be an acceptable vehicle for the task. Everyone’s different, I would suggest test driving one and seeing how good of a fit it is.

Good luck! Post pics with your new Jeep if you pull the trigger on one.

We rented one for a week last year during the shutdown. Was $125 for the week.... lol
While we loved it, we didnt take it anywhere far on the highway.

 

[Jeepeto]

We rented one for a week last year during the shutdown. Was $125 for the week.... lol
While we loved it, we didnt take it anywhere far on the highway.

They are great fun on road. Take the doors and top off and it’s an experience like nothing else this side of a motorcycle. If you enjoyed your rental, I think you’d love it.

 

[Racer X]

Another question..... While looking I came across a company that modifies Jeeps. They sell new ones lifted with 35s etc. They claim even with the 35s and what look like aggressive tires, it drives smooth on the road/highway. I took it for a quick test drive, and yes I was pretty smooth. My question is, how will those big 35s do for long highway trips? Will they get louder and more rough as they wear?

 

[Racer X]

All depends on what your comparison point is. I’ve got a 2020 jlur with the sky top, and have three sons ages 7,10, and 11 that sit across the back seat. They love the jeep. Granted it is not as quiet or smooth as the minivan we drive before, but immensely more fun.

we have the 2.0t engine with the auto transmission- it’s happy to cruise along at 80mph all day.

Thanks... exactly the kind of response I was hoping for. Do your kids find the rear seat a bit to upright? I noticed during my test drives that the back seats seems very upright.

 

[Jeepeto]

Another question..... While looking I came across a company that modifies Jeeps. They sell new ones lifted with 35s etc. They claim even with the 35s and what look like aggressive tires, it drives smooth on the road/highway. I took it for a quick test drive, and yes I was pretty smooth. My question is, how will those big 35s do for long highway trips? Will they get louder and more rough as they wear?

My last Jeep was on 35’s with a 2” lift. I had to adjust tire pressure to compensate for the much tougher sidewall, but I found it to be acceptable driving on the highway. Even with very aggressive mud terrains the noise level wasn’t bad. That being said, I did have a soft top, and the wind noise may have masked a bit of tire noise. But I never heard any humming or droning after 35k miles.

Picture of said mud terrains for refrence. Modern tires are impressive at pulling double duty.

 

[cOtter]

Another question..... While looking I came across a company that modifies Jeeps. They sell new ones lifted with 35s etc. They claim even with the 35s and what look like aggressive tires, it drives smooth on the road/highway. I took it for a quick test drive, and yes I was pretty smooth. My question is, how will those big 35s do for long highway trips? Will they get louder and more rough as they wear?

Hello. We have a ‘20 Sahara with 35s and Mopar lift. The 35s are ATs.

They do very well over the road and in off road conditions.

My rig has 38k miles on it. Everything from country roads to Detroit and Chicago.

my previous ride was a Toyota Highlander.

Both are GREAT VEHICLES.

However, the Wrangler is the MOST ENJOYABLE VEHICLE that I have ever owned. Actually the competition is not even close.

I have owned multiple SUVs, a couple coupes, several trucks, an Odyssey, a couple sedans, and started out over 35 years ago with an El Camino.

So I have been all over the board.

Doors off and top open, even if it is only the front freedom panels…… PURE JOY!!!!!

 

[N8213]

Thanks... exactly the kind of response I was hoping for. Do your kids find the rear seat a bit to upright? I noticed during my test drives that the back seats seems very upright.

My kids have never mentioned the seat being too upright. Granted their kids- pretty sure I could roll them up and put them in a suitcase and they would not complain. The youngest is still in a car seat with a five point harness, older two do not have any kind of booster.

 

[omnitonic]

I drove cars my whole life, until I

My question is, how will those big 35s do for long highway trips? Will they get louder and more rough as they wear?

It's really hard to make a blanket statement about how a tire will do over time, based on nothing more than its size. Is it a 35" highway tire? An all-terrain? A mud tire? They offer pretty much everything across the board in that size.

As far as highway manners, a Wrangler is somewhere between a car and a pickup truck.

 

[Dr. RGB]

Thanks... exactly the kind of response I was hoping for. Do your kids find the rear seat a bit to upright? I noticed during my test drives that the back seats seems very upright.

We have a 7 and 11 year old that ride with me in the 2-door. Wind, noise, upright seats, the kids don't care as long as we take the Jeep (and not the brand new 3-row Subaru Ascent). It is not going to ride like a BMW or be comfortable like a Cadillac, but it makes up for these shortcomings with the fun factor.

 

[#diesel]

During good weather, I had no issues on round trip to the Big Easy in the stock JLUR, and that was before the recall on the steering stabilizer. Throw in 4x4 auto and street tires on the Sahara, and that’s the sweet spot for highway manners and off-road capability. The KO2s on the Rubi are not the best in the rain, IMO though.

 

[Maverick909]

road trips are a breeze in a jeep. I did a 1500 mile of on and off road trip with my brother, my niece and a buddy of his with his daughter. i have to admit it was a blast! a co worker of mine just took his JK from CA across to Ohio for work meeting and to see his family as he used to live there. He got caught in the flooding that happen in Zion a month a ago. said he had never been more thankful to be in his jeep with his two boys when that happen. I would recommend a jeep all day. I currently am running a jeep jlu sport on a 2.5" lift and 35's and its perfect for cruising

 

[Jeepeto]

We have a 7 and 11 year old that ride with me in the 2-door. Wind, noise, upright seats, the kids don't care as long as we take the Jeep (and not the brand new 3-row Subaru Ascent). It is not going to ride like a BMW or be comfortable like a Cadillac, but it makes up for these shortcomings with the fun factor.

What a great way to describe it.

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