Jeep Wrangler Owner (Bronco on order) - I've got questions

[broncodream]

Hi all,

Wondering if any of you have owned or spent significant time behind the wheel of a JL Wrangler. I currently own and daily drive a 21' JLUD Rubicon. Also, I have on order a two door Wildtrack Sasquatch and hoping to get some feedback on the differences from a daily driver/comfort and convivence/highway drive perspective. I've owned the Wrangler for approx. one year and have a love / hate relationship with it. I love it while I'm looking at it or when I'm wheeling it. Otherwise I hate it like poison. Please see my gripe below. I know I bought a compromised vehicle and yes I've driven it ~6K miles so this isn't a knee-jerk thing. I'm hoping that you guys will tell me that the Bronco is just larger and more refined enough to justify the switch.

I'm 6'2" and find:

• the interior cramped - side to side
• no leg room - seat doesn't go back far enough - my knee bashes against the transfer case lever a lot
• seat cushion has zero thigh support

I'm a normal human with a healthy degree of respect for driving safety:

• I cannot relax at all behind the wheel due to it wandering all over the place
• don't feel safe with the tires being MTs .. I know I can and will change them .. not safe to me because I've skidded to stops on dry pavement (probably going too fast)
• Suspension has too much travel on the road - too willowy - leans too much for comfort (I know it isn't a sports car)

I'm sure I'm missing some, but you get the picture. Thanks in advance for the feedback.

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[BRONCBOY21]

I am 6'3 and i have had no issues with leg room/overall space at all i find it to have more than enough space i think you will be surprised and like it a lot compared to the JL and for the wandering or steering travel i have 6000 miles on my bronco with sasq. package and it tracks straight as can be it is a joy to daily drive anywhere highway or in town mine is a 4 door so i think the 2 door will have some more level of agility on the side to side driving difference but i cant imagine it is enough of a difference to make it more "sketchy" feeling compared to mine daily driving wise.

 

[chancewm]

I can address a few of your points.

First off, I'm 6'5" and "big boned." I've never had more room in a driver's seat, and I traded in my Explorer for my OBX. Tons of leg room, tons of head room, and plenty of width. Super comfortable ride.

As far as driving is concerned, I haven't experienced any wandering or wobble, even north of 80 mph. It's a very comfortable ride.

 

[Arrowbear Rider]

Hi all,

Wondering if any of you have owned or spent significant time behind the wheel of a JL Wrangler. I currently own and daily drive a 21' JLUD Rubicon. Also, I have on order a two door Wildtrack Sasquatch and hoping to get some feedback on the differences from a daily driver/comfort and convivence/highway drive perspective. I've owned the Wrangler for approx. one year and have a love / hate relationship with it. I love it while I'm looking at it or when I'm wheeling it. Otherwise I hate it like poison. Please see my gripe below. I know I bought a compromised vehicle and yes I've driven it ~6K miles so this isn't a knee-jerk thing. I'm hoping that you guys will tell me that the Bronco is just larger and more refined enough to justify the switch.

I'm 6'2" and find:

• the interior cramped - side to side
• no leg room - seat doesn't go back far enough - my knee bashes against the transfer case lever a lot
• seat cushion has zero thigh support

I'm a normal human with a healthy degree of respect for driving safety:

• I cannot relax at all behind the wheel due to it wandering all over the place
• don't feel safe with the tires being MTs .. I know I can and will change them .. not safe to me because I've skidded to stops on dry pavement (probably going too fast)
• Suspension has too much travel on the road - too willowy - leans too much for comfort (I know it isn't a sports car)

I'm sure I'm missing some, but you get the picture. Thanks in advance for the feedback.

2 dr is better for taller drivers side to side, B pillar is farther back than 4 dr, your shoulders would probably touch them on a 4 dr.

No transfer case lever to bash, and even though I'm just under 6' I had extra room to move seat back.

I found the seats comfortable, all day during Off Rodeo. Spend the money, a $250 deposit for the day and if you buy a Bronco you get it back. They had some WT there too.

Spent a week on a road trip in a Jeep and it was scary on the hwy, and the top speed we could comfortably drive at was slower than the rest of the group (only Jeep), including a guy pulling a trailer with a minivan!

I think you'll find the independent front suspension much more stable, on the Bronco, but still not a sports car. The stock set up on the WT should be more stable, but still able to soak up the desert at speed so not a sports car, but stable. I was passenger in one at the "Hammers" and the driver hit it pretty hard on a power line road in Johnson's Valley, it was fun!

 

[sniffHound]

I can help here. We will answer these in 9 months. You'll have plenty of time to prepare.


JOke, welcome!

 

[Richterman]

I've had CJs, YJs, TJs and JKs. The seat in my Lux BL is much much better than any of my jeeps and you hit bumps going 60 mph and not think your going to hit the ditch

 

[Rayder]

It's a night and day difference. I'm 5'11 but always found the JL interior too cramped and awkward even for my liking. The Bronco is very much like any other midsized SUV in that regard. Whenever I've been in my father in laws JL with him we are always almost touching shoulders it's so narrow. We aren't even close in the bronco. The Sas. Suspension does not have nearly as much body roll in the corners as a ruby. I do find it a bit harsher over small bumps and such, but it handles big bumps much better and feels much tighter in corners. It also doesn't feel like it's trying to steer you off the road and into an Oak tree every time you go over a crack in the road. I have an old TJ myself, and my wife will not drive or even be a passenger in it because of how bad the steering is, but she loves driving the Bronco and has no issues with the way it handles.

 

[710-oil-614]

I don't own a JL but enough of my friends do. I would never buy a Wrangler for much of the same reasons you stated. I Am 6'1" (a skinny 6'1" too) and I felt cramped in any and all seats of the Wrangler, including the drivers.

Now, I sit up pretty close to the wheel in the Bronco (out of preference) and that has caused my knee to bang the headlight knob getting in and out, and occassionally if I am in boots my knee will hit the underside of the steering column....THIS IS USER ERROR. I have another 12-16 inches I could push the seat back if I wanted.

Bronco tracks/drives like a champion. Very linear steering and response. The ride isn't incredibly better than a wrangler. Now you won't feel like the Bronco is going to jump out on you when you hit a washboard road or broken pavement but it's more jittery and truck like than I would have wanted (4dr Sasquatch, 33 psi cold/36 psi warm).

Bronco still leans when cornering hard, braking hard, or accelerating but I'd be a little disappointed if it didn't.

I think the things that bug you about the Wrangler are non-issues with the Bronco.

 

[firelo724]

I get your concerns, but I will tell you the Bronco is superior in many aspects. I drove a '17 JKUR Hard Rock for three years before buying my BadSquatch. I had similar complaints with steering, wandering with 37 MT's. The Bronco ride is much smoother even with the MT's and I have yet to feel any sway or drifting at higher speeds. Bottom line : No regrets, you will be happy with it.

 

[DwnSth]

I have a JLURD lifted and on 37's and am also 6'2". Same problems with the jeep although I have driven jeeps for decades and this one is much more spacious than the other older jeeps. I've also driven the Bronco for several days at off rodeo. Seats and space are much better - on road ride is much better - one of the reasons we have stuck with the process this long. I won't give up my jeeps but will enjoy the comfort of the Braptor when it arrives.

 

[69-300]

I would agree with everyone here - I have a BD 4dr non SAS - and drove for about a month a JL 4dr

The Bronco is far superior in interior comfort and driving manners - i find myself going faster than should and the car behaves great

The MT tires are not ideal, but even with those it behaves better than the Jeep, if it slides you feel under control

Engine is a toss, I have the 2.7 and was surprised how peppy the 2.0 in the Wrangler felt

The main difference against the Bronco, at least in my opinion, is the noise. its LOUD, not around town or up to 50mph or so, but get on the highway and at least my soft-top is loud., cant hear the radio, raise your voice loud. The Wrangler with hardtop was dead quiet in comparison. Have not had the chance to drive a hard top Bronco to compare.

Hope that helps

 

[RunNGunArk]

I'm only 5'9, so cant fully answer for you...but i just traded in 2021 JLUR for 2022 Badlands Sasquatch 4 door. 500 mile trip to dealer in jeep/500 miles back in bronco.
The Bronco is Way more comfortable.. in seat/width/seat comfort, etc.
Steering/Suspension...WAY better on the road. I had 35's on my jeep and had a little bumpsteer thats so common with jeeps.. nothing like that on Bronco. Bumps in the road are much smoother in the bronco. i've had a few F150's over the years. i feel like the bronco drives/steers much like an F150. where my arms rest on door/armrest are far more comfortable in the bronco...

 

[SethPoeski]

I'm not a Jeep owner for what it's worth, but grew up in a manual 86 CJ that belonged to my dad (sat on 35 MTs with a 3" lift if I remember correctly). I even learned to drive in that thing. To top that off, test-drove a '18 Rubicon Unlimited this past weekend because I was getting impatient waiting for my Bronco. I've driven my dealer's Sas Wildtrack Bronco a bunch of times so I'd understand what the ride is like. Bronco is superior in every way. That 18 Rubicon had 17" Methods on 35s and a 2" lift. It pulled in every direction, was incredibly loud and braking was awful. The interior was too small and dated, as well. The Bronco is comfortable, smooth, excellent acceleration and braking, and significantly quieter than the Jeep was. It's also much more spacious inside. As others have said, the seats are no comparison - the Bronco is very, very comfortable. It just re-affirmed me that I will be holding out for my Bronco and will remain patient. I think you'll be very, very happy with it as well!

 

[SubmarineNuke]

I’m 6’5”, 300 lbs and people say I’m built like a linebacker. I have no issues in my 4dr Wildtrak. I went from a Tundra limited to this and love it. I have so much headroom. In the Tundra I couldn’t wear a hat, or out sunglasses on top of my head as it starts to get dark. No problem with either of those in the Bronco. Plenty of room side to side imo. I’ve rented a few Jeeps over the years and I totally agree they feel very cramped and skinny. I was leaning towards a Jeep a few years ago, then rented one for a weekend and it completely changed my mind (made the wife happy too). But the Bronco is completely different to sit in and drive. I enjoy it.

 

[broncodream]

I can address a few of your points.

First off, I'm 6'5" and "big boned." I've never had more room in a driver's seat, and I traded in my Explorer for my OBX. Tons of leg room, tons of head room, and plenty of width. Super comfortable ride.

As far as driving is concerned, I haven't experienced any wandering or wobble, even north of 80 mph. It's a very comfortable ride.

I love that you say you've never had more room in a driver's seat. Still can't believe Jeep doesn't allow the driver's seat to go back further. It's like they're looking out for rear-seat passengers more than the driver. Thanks.

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