Push button 4WD for the Wrangler

[Heimkehr]

There is a big practical benefit to the push button/knob for the Auto Trans and Tcase, it frees up all that room for more console space.

My Ram has both, and it makes the console huge. Ram did an awesome job with taking advantage of it with sliding and flip up storage.

The Wrangler's mission brief doesn't include accommodating contractors who need space for their clipboards and 36 oz. coffee mugs. That's the wheelhouse of pickup trucks, exactly as you suggest.

Center consoles have their place, but they also need to stay in their own lane where our Jeeps are concerned.

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[BullMoose1776]

Is the 8 speed transmission stick just an electronic sender unit, or is it physically shifting gears? I can't remember.

I could see them keeping the stick for the transfer case and it simply being an electronic sender unit.

 

[Heimkehr]

Is the 8 speed transmission stick just an electronic sender unit, or is it physically shifting gears?

The former. It accommodates the AutoStick manual shift feature.

 

[John VonJeep]

Love the shifter. However, Jeep’s implementation sucks. Ever drive a 4Runner? They also have a lever (on off road trims) and it shifts like butter. Really beautiful action.

Keep the shifter but make it better.

 

[BullMoose1776]

The former. It accommodates the AutoStick manual shift feature.

Yeah, so, no, probably no push button or screen sliders in our future, but electronic sender units to give us the illusion of control.

 

[AirportDave]

I'd think the biggest loss would be for those who flat tow. I don't believe any of my button/knob actuated 4wds have had a neutral position. My Ram has a light for "N" when it switches into low, but it's not a selectable position.

I've got a Grand Cherokee Trailhawk with push button 4 lo, and it works great. Since it's AWD without a 2WD setting, It also has a button to put the transfer case in neutral for flat towing. While the 4 low button works just fine, there's just something viscerally rewarding about using a lever to change drive modes!

 

[JABCAT]

There's no shortage of posts by owners who claim to "need" the 8.4" Uconnect touchscreen, leather seating surfaces, adaptive cruise control and all of the other tech encumbrances that plainly dilute what we might refer to as the Wrangler DNA.

With such preferences being so well-documented here, it's fair to ask why the community doesn't just finish the job and go all in for push-button transmission dials and buttons. On that point, here's a fine bit of garment rending already well underway.

I like analog controls, personally. The disconnect on display in this thread will be humorous to observe.

I don't disagree with you, however, for 99% of owners the vehicle is just a mode of highway transportation that looks cool, and probably never engages 4wd. On my wife's Grand Cherokee that is awd, it is nice to just turn a dial between modes if needed. But again, that vehicle sees nearly 100% of on-road driving.

Because I am also a Corvette owner, I follow Corvettes forums and the number of people complaining the new Vettes don't have adaptive cruise control, automatic braking, and self-drive mode is astonishing. Why are you even buying the vehicle if you just want the computers to drive it for you? I'm in the camp that certain niche vehicles like sports cars, Wranglers, etc. need to be more analog and driver-engaged.

 

[Gunfighter]

Lever should stay - otherwise the Wrangler is just going to morph into the other metrosexual city slicker "off road" capable SUV's out there.

 

[TX_Ovrlnd]

I got into this debate with someone who was going on and on about push button 4WD functionality appearing in more true off-road capable SUVs

Would love for them to explain what a more "true" off-road capable SUV with this push button functionality is. True 4wd functionality needs to be pretty fail-safe, an electronic system is hardly flawless. Those buttons are for those who cannot work the lever, much less plan to go "true" off-roading.

There's no shortage of posts by owners who claim to "need" the 8.4" Uconnect touchscreen, leather seating surfaces, adaptive cruise control and all of the other tech encumbrances that plainly dilute what we might refer to as the Wrangler DNA.

With such preferences being so well-documented here, it's fair to ask why the community doesn't just finish the job and go all in for push-button transmission dials and buttons. On that point, here's a fine bit of garment rending already well underway.

I like analog controls, personally. The disconnect on display in this thread will be humorous to observe.

Hey now don't take my cozy seats and nice stereo, I feel like I've earned some of those creature comforts after living out of HMMWVs for months at a time. I do see your point though, where does the line get drawn in how far they cater? I will say clinging too much to tradition kills things off.

 

[BullMoose1776]

I don't disagree with you, however, for 99% of owners the vehicle is just a mode of highway transportation that looks cool, and probably never engages 4wd. On my wife's Grand Cherokee that is awd, it is nice to just turn a dial between modes if needed. But again, that vehicle sees nearly 100% of on-road driving.

Because I am also a Corvette owner, I follow Corvettes forums and the number of people complaining the new Vettes don't have adaptive cruise control, automatic braking, and self-drive mode is astonishing. Why are you even buying the vehicle if you just want the computers to drive it for you? I'm in the camp that certain niche vehicles like sports cars, Wranglers, etc. need to be more analog and driver-engaged.

I was 100% against adaptive cruise control...then I went on a 2 day trip to get my half doors in my wife's Lexus SUV...wow. So nice. What a great feature..mi still don't want it on my Jeep.

 

[JABCAT]

I was 100% against adaptive cruise control...then I went on a 2 day trip to get my half doors in my wife's Lexus SUV...wow. So nice. What a great feature..mi still don't want it on my Jeep.

I'm not a fan of it on my wife's GC. Have had several instances where it slams on the brakes out of nowhere or slows way down when passing another vehicle in the other lane. I'm sure there are better iterations of the system in other vehicles, but again imo it shouldn't be in vehicles such as sports cars & Wranglers.

 

[Heimkehr]

Because I am also a Corvette owner, I follow Corvettes forums and the number of people complaining the new Vettes don't have adaptive cruise control, automatic braking, and self-drive mode is astonishing. Why are you even buying the vehicle if you just want the computers to drive it for you? I'm in the camp that certain niche vehicles like sports cars, Wranglers, etc. need to be more analog and driver-engaged.

Oddly, I have a bit of sympathy for the Corvette owner's expectations, for several reasons:

1. The price tier that the new Corvette occupies is such that electronic niceties like adaptive cruise control, etc. should probably be standard, or at least available.

2. Perhaps more to the point:
For many years now, the only folks I've seen driving Corvettes are well-dressed, well-groomed men & women of obvious retirement age. This reconciles with the fact that the Corvette abandoned its accessible-to-the-working-man niche a long time ago. Said differently, the monied duffers are part of the ever-contracting constituency that can actually afford these cars...which, it must be said, I've not seen being driven by said duffers in a manner that reflects the vehicle's obvious capabilities. Cue the computerized cruise control, etc.

Anyway...it's easy to argue that those particular consumers are going to have inflexible expectations regarding what their fiberglass sleds should have built into them, vis-a-vis the cost of entry.

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I'm firmly on your side, Jabcat, regarding driver engagement and such. I daresay we're in an ever-contracting constituency of our own, though.

 

[GATORB8]

Because I am also a Corvette owner, I follow Corvettes forums and the number of people complaining the new Vettes don't have adaptive cruise control, automatic braking, and self-drive mode is astonishing. Why are you even buying the vehicle if you just want the computers to drive it for you? I'm in the camp that certain niche vehicles like sports cars, Wranglers, etc. need to be more analog and driver-engaged.

Whenever I look at the interior of the C8, all I can think is "man, this car needs way more buttons".

 

[AFD]

With such preferences being so well-documented here, it's fair to ask why the community doesn't just finish the job and go all in for push-button transmission dials and buttons. On that point, here's a fine bit of garment rending already well underway.

Why would you even care about paddle shifters and manual override on an auto transmission, when you'd obviously buy a true manual anyway? The tech on the auto is already present. Paddles are just providing an optional secondary input option. The vehicle would continue to function just fine if they broke or were removed.

And what's the big deal with wanting leather seats? Even the earliest CJs had Naugahyde upholstery. I personally don't 'need' leather, just not a fan of porous cloth materials in an open air off-road vehicle that are more difficult to clean versus smooth surfaces.

Really doubt all the horse riders back in the day 'needed' leather saddles either.

 

[multicam]

Whenever I look at the interior of the C8, all I can think is "man, this car needs way more buttons".

Yeah… as usual, a GM product fails hard in the ergonomics department. My wife’s old 2012 Camaro was a design nightmare on the interior. The only good thing about that piece of shit car was the Tremec transmission.

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