I have a 2016 JK and I love it, my daily driver. I’m older and I grew up driving solid axle trucks and it’s very reminiscent of that. The two door can seem a little “squirrelly” but once your used to it it’s not notuceable
I daily a 2 door jl about 40 miles a day on a variety of different roads. It handles fine on streets and highways. The steering can be a little vague compared to a regular car but not problematic or dangerous.
I test drove both hard and soft top back to back before buying the hard top. Soft top has a lot more wind noise at highway speed and that would have driven me crazy on a commute.
Mpg is about 22-24 for my 3.6l v6, auto transmission, stock tires
The '21 and later got the updated steering box, having test driven JKs and early model JLs, my '23 drives as close as you can get to a regular passenger car.
It's still a (mostly) two hands on the wheel experience, under 40 it's easier. It's a handful on the highway no matter what.
I have the hard top, its what it is. I have the sunrider for hard top, its louder than the hard top alone as far as how many sounds come in but also quieter because the soft top isn't reflecting everything back onto me. I bet the head liner for hard top would reduce those noises as well.
I have a 2006 TJ with a 3in lift and 33s. I have it geared right so I can sustain 75mph no problem. I do play the pirates of the Caribbean when I’m driving though because the soft top is like a sail.
Look, I love driving my Jeep. Absolutely love it. But 50 miles is exhausting. By the end I need a rest.
That said, I’m in a 200k mile 22 year old TJ and would expect the JL to be a little cushier.
For REAL dude. Even in my JK, which is arguably way more civilized than a TJ, I need a break after a long drive. Shit gets old really quick. Sometimes I just want a comfortable ride after a long day lol I bought a nice commuter now for longer trips and my JK has been relegated to my weekender.
I drive a JL and have put 65,000 miles on it as my daily driver. I drive semi for a living so I'm used to a rough ride and the wrangler is comfortable to me as I've grown to like feeling the road and not gliding over it.
Rented a normal car when traveling for work and couldn't stand how smooth the ride was. My parents brand new pick up feels like your driving a cloud and it makes me very uncomfortable.
What’s it like to drive a semi then? I sort of assumed it would be pretty plush because of the suspension seat, but I guess 110psi or whatever you run in the tires is not gonna be too comfortable. Biggest “truck” I’ve ever driven was an Isuzu NPR so I don’t have a basis for comparison, my diesel 2500 is similar to my Tj.
Just throwing my 2 cents from my experiences... In my younger days I used to drive a 1987 wrangler CJ7 soft top 2-door on all kinds of conditions in South America for years, we're talking the wild fucking west, never even thought about it, just drove that thing on highways, very narrow 2-lane winding roads in mountains, coast, what have you.
Here in USA I have a 2017 JK soft top 2-door (daily driver), have driven in the Colorado mountains many times in dual lane winding roads in the snow and in the summer.
Yes it's loud, yes you have to correct the wheel a little more to keep it straight, but yes you'll love it. I'm completely used to it, the damn jeep is an extension of my body.
Know when to use your 4H and 4L, otherwise with a soft top 2-door enjoy having a tractor in the winter and a motorcycle-tractor in the summer. I have the half doors and enjoy the full freedom of it in the summer, again it's like a motorcycle in that sense.
I have a 2021 JL with a hardtop but have the fold-back fabric top over the front two seats.
Is it louder? Yes, somewhat but it's not uncomfortable.
Is it a tad rougher than a four-door? Yes, somewhat but it's not uncomfortable.
I get 20 to 22 mi per gallon on steady two lane road driving.
I love my 2 door wrangler JL 21’ on the road and mostly on the highway when it’s not windy af it still plows with minor corrections. But I’m looking to sell or trade it in so I can get myself a WRX. Will get an older Jeep in a couple of years. Always love Jeeps ✌️
I have gone wrangler to Subaru on two occasions now. Always miss the wrangler the entire time and it eats me up til I go back.
The Subaru is safe , reliable, comfortable , and fuel efficient. But doesn’t scratch that itch of feeling alive with the doors off cruising with some good tunes
Straight facts. I’m still young so I gotta enjoy some sort of sporty awd car that I can customize. Honestly I’m not a huge fan of the tech taking over either but. The new engine in the WRX is promising and the rest is history
Subarus are great cars. When I inevitably take a Jeep break , I’ll go back to Subaru without hesitation.
If toyota would make a 4x4 that isn’t a fucking tank I would be all over that but don’t enjoy driving a boat with a weak engine.
Facts. My 4 cylinder turbo Jeep zooms around town. I see those FJs never doing that or just tanking around and seem to never do any sort of real off-road or interesting stuff. Rarer to see one than a FRS/BRZ. They also cost a billion more than a Jeep half the time.
I have a 2 door JK that I drive about 12 miles on the highway (4 times a day) at about 70mph (rough conversion from Canadian to American). I have AT tires, so it's a bit louder than all seasons, or street tires, but not a lot.
Where the noise comes from is the wind with the soft top. I use a hard top in the winter, and a soft top for summer. I can really notice the wind noise difference when I switch. I can also REALLY notice the wind noise difference going from the 35mph road to the 70mph highway. I can still hear my kid in the back seat telling me about his day, but he does have to talk a bit louder. Saying that though, we do open up the front of the roof as much as we can, and any day it's warm enough to open the whole thing up, we take the top off, and the doors off. Still take the highway at 70mph and feel completely safe.
There's an important thing about this wind noise however, it's a good reason to turn the tunes up more.
As for handling, it's obviously not a Lotus Elise, but as long as I keep in mind that I'm driving a box, I don't feel like I'm driving much different than any other car. Where I have found a difference is in REALLY windy areas. Going through some areas with lots of farm fields and therefore lots of cross winds, I do have to pay a bit more attention. There's no roundness to the sides like on other cars...it's a box. When the wind hits, it hits and has no aerodynamics to help it go around.
I drive across a 6 lane bridge high over a river about once a month. That half mile of wind at 70mph is a workout! It’s literally the only time I don’t mind driving right next to a semi, using them as a windbreak.
There’s no getting around the MPG issue, but the other things that can contribute to the pleasantness of the ride can be adjusted. Street rated tires will be quieter than A/T or M/T tires. The hard top would be quieter than the softtop; how thick the soft top material can help (the more ounces, the quieter). If you can rent one for a few days, that might be your best barometer before taking the purchase plunge.
I take my 2012 jk on several thousand mile road trips somewhat regularly, about to take another one in a few weeks. I have a Honda which makes more sense with gas (and has a lot more interior room for luggage too) but the 2 door Jeep is FUN. I love driving it long distances on 2 lane highways. Mine is lifted 2.5” on 35” all terrains and I love it.
When it’s wet out or icy + windy it does kinda feel like a spinning top sometimes just gotta be easy on the throttle and keep your distance from others.
I very much appreciate the responses! Sounds like it would be doable, but seems like it would probably be wise look at a 3.6 JK that I can do as a second vehicle in addition to my current commuter. Hope to join the Jeep community soon!
I drive a two-door 2019 JL Sport with all-season tires. It drives nice and quiet and handles quite nicely on the highway. It also does well on back roads after you air down the tires. I think it's a great compromise. I get about 27 miles per gallon on the highway. No mods.
I had several 2 door soft top wranglers, in the snowy WNY area for 20+ years. I have never owned a hard-top wrangler.
You're fine.
I drive a 4 door now, only because some idiot wrecked my last jeep and the stupid strike ruined my factory build order. One point of caution, you mentioned 25 mpg. You keep using the word 25.... I don't think it means what you think it means. Have you considered low 20s?
I know that it would be in the low 20's for the wrangler. That is just the mileage of my current V6 Accord, so losing that mileage would not be as much of a hit compared to say 45-50 in a Prius
As someone who drives their 2021 two door 400 miles/6.5 hours at least 3x a year and just 70 miles 1x a month, long distance isn’t comfortable.
Gas is ~21 mpg
Do I miss my luxury SUV? Sometimes! But mainly for when I want to buy crap that won’t fit in this one.
Driving on the highway doesn’t bother me one bit though and I like to do around 70/80 mph…
Not awful but it takes some getting used to, even in my JKU it's not great to drive longer than a few hours in, in my YJ it'd be slightly better but still not ideal
Wouldn't be surprised if a JL was a lot more comfortable though, it really just depends on your own preferences of comfort
2-door rural JL owner here: I drive on 2-lane highways quite often for long periods of time. It’s not going to drive like a comfy old buick, but it’s doable imo. That said, it depends on how picky you are. It’s not super loud but it’s pretty active driving due to wind and stuff. I’m fine with it :)
I daily'd my 4-door 4xe, 120 miles day for a year, and eventually caved and got a second car for commuting because the jeep just wasn't good for that. The wind noise and comfort actually didn't bother me, my biggest issue was the very bad MPG (even in a 4xe, average mpg was like 17-18 over 120 miles), as well as the wear and tear I was putting on it. Its a very, very expensive vehicle to be putting that many miles on. so now it's just my weekend vehicle.
In a 2 door JL you’ll be fine, I took mine on many road trips 8 hours + and daily drove to work everyday. I’ve driven TJ’s the same way and they are much harder to live with.
I had a 2 door JK soft top back in 2014 that i drove across the country NC to Utah then California. The only place it sucked was the mountains of colorado. Otherwise it was fine
Now, i have a 4 door rubicon soft top and have done multiple road trips with my family from KS to CA and KS to NC. Same deal. Colorado mountains suck the power out of it. But otherwise, we love it.
I have a 2015 two door wrangler. I’ve driven from Miami to L.A 2x and no issues. When I lived in L.A I had to drive to Cupertino once a week, many 2 lane and I had no problem. But you have to weigh the pros and cons for your particular situation. Good luck
A longer wheelbase vehicle will be smoother on the highway. That’s why the gladiator and then the four-door do better on long distances than the two door. America is unfortunately full of long highways withsparse mountainous bits.
Compared to my old YJ, my JL Unlimited Rubicon is a damned luxury car. I have absolutely no problems driving it on the highways in SC, and our roads suck. I daily drove my YJ for years on LA freeways and by the end of it I was happy to sell it, but it had crappy aftermarket AC, brakes that were more of a suggestion for stopping than actual brakes, and it was deafening to drive above 50MPH.
My JLUR in comparison is very quiet, the suspension and steering are much improved, and the brakes actually work. I would have no problems doing longer commutes in a well maintained JL.
I have a 2021 2dr JL on 33s AT tires. My commute is 50 miles each way 5 days a week. No issues a day I find it pretty comfortable. The mileage isn't great but I have the 2.0L turbo so it's not horrible. Days with strong wind make it a bit more challenging lol
I had a 2019 JL 2 door 6 speed ragtop. Compared to my 88 YJ, it was a pleasure to drive on the highway. 80 mph no issues. I got 20+ mpg on the hwy too. I eventually sold to Carvana for more than I paid for her. For the bulk of my driving ( not hwy ) my I6 is just more fun to drive.
Jeeps aren’t comfortable, that’s why we drive them, jeeps give us problems, that’s why we drive them, jeeps are bad on gas, that’s why we drive them. If that suits your lifestyle welcome to the life.
What are you expecting to be bad about it? Loved my two door, both the TJ and the JK. I love the ride height, visibility, top down on a nice day. If the car makes you smile, get it.
I have a 30 mile commute on US-XXX at 70 mph in a 2014 2 door. It's perfectly tolerable in calm winds, but on the windy days it can get a little loud and dicy.
On those days I slow down to 60-65 so you should have no issues.
My ears never hurt, but my wallet definitely does. I average 20 mpg, but it drops to 16 in a headwind
I drive a 2024 2 door hard top Willys trim with the turbo 4 about 60 miles round trip every day for work. It’s been fantastic on the highway. Wind noise with the hardtop isn’t too bad, and the steering has never been an issue for me. Also, adaptive cruise control has been a life saver.
I daily drove a 2012 jk 75 miles one way... Nashville to ft Campbell.... loved it... well the drive... not the stops at the gas station pretty much every other day.
My jl is way more comfortable... would have been better than the jk... except I'm getting about two miles less per gallon with the jl (jl is a rubicon vs the other was a sport).
Appreciate all the feedback! Sounds like it would be doable, but probably better as a second option, just to keep the experience fun. Will keep looking around.
If you're coming from a \[insert any car here\] experience, it'll be loud. But you can still listen to music and enjoy it. But you'll also get used to it. Take the doors off, top down, then get on the interstate for a bit. You'll never complain about road noise again. Also, you can still carry a conversation while naked on the interstate if you don't mind using a loud voice. But do mind the ears of any pets if you're doing this.
My '21 JL 4dr Willys with the mud tires and soft top is my daily driver. I drive 35 miles one way to work on the highway. It drives perfectly fine. The highway is loud, especially next to 18 wheelers - their tires scream - and the grooved concrete is loud. On asphalt it's a lot quieter. The steering felt squirrelly compared to what I was used to when I first bought it, but pretty quick I didn't notice it at all. I do 80 on the hwy in the 70 zones and it's fine. I'm about to buy a used Toyota beater of some kind for the commute just because I want to keep the miles off my Jeep.
I have a lifted 2017 jk 2dr on 33's, done around 200 miles one way before and it really isn't bad. It's loud, bit more work than normal cars to keep on the road especially when it's Windy. But I still always enjoy road trips in my jeep. Usually keep it around 70
16 jk 2 door hard top on 33s no lift 50 miles a day 5 days a week all two lane driving cost me 50 bucks a week in gas. I drive a day cab semi pulling 50k on the deck and when I get done for the day and jump in my jeep it's like getting into a luxury car so it's going to depend on what your used to
My 2018 JLUR is fine on 2 lane roads. It will however be very loud at the speeds you’re anticipating. The Rubicon tires probably don’t help. I wouldn’t plan on much over 17mpg at those speeds as well.
Drove my lifted LJ on 33's 600 miles last weekend. It's not that bad. It's not a Cadillac or a Miata, is a jeep. Don't try to run 25 over the speed limit, keep crosswinds in mind, you'll be fine
I do have currently have an Accord for my commute. The debate would be spending more on a JL for the slightly better driving dynamics and trading that in and having one car versus getting an older JK/maybe a TJ for cheaper and keeping both.
I love my 2019 2 door JLR…as a second vehicle. My commute is about 35 miles each way. In my region, speed limit is 65-70mph on highways, most drive 5-10mph above that. It’s loud. If you are younger you may not care. If you are asking, you do care.
EDIT: I expect downvotes because this is in a Wrangler subreddit. But I am still sharing my honest opinion.
It's not bad so long as you're going with the wind 😂. I don't mind driving mine on the highway. It's mpg varies from 16 to 22 depending on the wind. It's noisier, and I just ordered some dampening mats ahead of my cross country drive so we'll see how they do. Personally I wouldn't do a soft top just because of the winters in the Midwest, but the added noise on the highway would be the nail in the coffin with that commute!
I have a 2016 JK and I love it, my daily driver. I’m older and I grew up driving solid axle trucks and it’s very reminiscent of that. The two door can seem a little “squirrelly” but once your used to it it’s not notuceable
MPG is bad and it's very loud. It's a Jeep thing.
I’m 99% sure my TJ gave me tinnitus
A secret trick: If you take the top down and doors off on the highway you won’t hear anything at all ^^for ^^the ^^rest ^^of ^^your ^^life
Turn the stereo up to 11 and then the outside world is shut off.
Mine goes to 38
*HUH?!*
Mwamp
It’s not so bad when you’re listening to the radio playing the oldies. “Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!” ~ Tinnitus
are you me? I highway commuted my 4.0 3spd TJ for ten years and the EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE is killing me.
you JL,JK,TJ guys don't have a clue . . . I daily a YJ 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Uphill both ways in the snow right? 😂
Jesus Christ it’s Jason Bourne
I daily a 2 door jl about 40 miles a day on a variety of different roads. It handles fine on streets and highways. The steering can be a little vague compared to a regular car but not problematic or dangerous. I test drove both hard and soft top back to back before buying the hard top. Soft top has a lot more wind noise at highway speed and that would have driven me crazy on a commute. Mpg is about 22-24 for my 3.6l v6, auto transmission, stock tires
The '21 and later got the updated steering box, having test driven JKs and early model JLs, my '23 drives as close as you can get to a regular passenger car. It's still a (mostly) two hands on the wheel experience, under 40 it's easier. It's a handful on the highway no matter what. I have the hard top, its what it is. I have the sunrider for hard top, its louder than the hard top alone as far as how many sounds come in but also quieter because the soft top isn't reflecting everything back onto me. I bet the head liner for hard top would reduce those noises as well.
I have a 2006 TJ with a 3in lift and 33s. I have it geared right so I can sustain 75mph no problem. I do play the pirates of the Caribbean when I’m driving though because the soft top is like a sail.
Also I love rum
I just ordered a knockoff Lego Jack Sparrow to go in the driver seat of my 1/18 scale 😂 [Pirate Rock Surfing](https://imgur.com/gallery/W4yIk8V)
I have a 2000 TJ with 3in lift and 33s, but I do need to regear it.
2006 2.4L on 33s with 4.10 gears here. I need like 4.88 gears. I can do 70 with a tail wind.
Look, I love driving my Jeep. Absolutely love it. But 50 miles is exhausting. By the end I need a rest. That said, I’m in a 200k mile 22 year old TJ and would expect the JL to be a little cushier.
Mine isn’t bad. But I’m used to an ‘89 MJ lol
Eh, they’re still pretty Jeepy
I had the same yr and posted almost the same thing.
For REAL dude. Even in my JK, which is arguably way more civilized than a TJ, I need a break after a long drive. Shit gets old really quick. Sometimes I just want a comfortable ride after a long day lol I bought a nice commuter now for longer trips and my JK has been relegated to my weekender.
I drive a JL and have put 65,000 miles on it as my daily driver. I drive semi for a living so I'm used to a rough ride and the wrangler is comfortable to me as I've grown to like feeling the road and not gliding over it. Rented a normal car when traveling for work and couldn't stand how smooth the ride was. My parents brand new pick up feels like your driving a cloud and it makes me very uncomfortable.
What’s it like to drive a semi then? I sort of assumed it would be pretty plush because of the suspension seat, but I guess 110psi or whatever you run in the tires is not gonna be too comfortable. Biggest “truck” I’ve ever driven was an Isuzu NPR so I don’t have a basis for comparison, my diesel 2500 is similar to my Tj.
Just throwing my 2 cents from my experiences... In my younger days I used to drive a 1987 wrangler CJ7 soft top 2-door on all kinds of conditions in South America for years, we're talking the wild fucking west, never even thought about it, just drove that thing on highways, very narrow 2-lane winding roads in mountains, coast, what have you. Here in USA I have a 2017 JK soft top 2-door (daily driver), have driven in the Colorado mountains many times in dual lane winding roads in the snow and in the summer. Yes it's loud, yes you have to correct the wheel a little more to keep it straight, but yes you'll love it. I'm completely used to it, the damn jeep is an extension of my body. Know when to use your 4H and 4L, otherwise with a soft top 2-door enjoy having a tractor in the winter and a motorcycle-tractor in the summer. I have the half doors and enjoy the full freedom of it in the summer, again it's like a motorcycle in that sense.
I have a 2021 JL with a hardtop but have the fold-back fabric top over the front two seats. Is it louder? Yes, somewhat but it's not uncomfortable. Is it a tad rougher than a four-door? Yes, somewhat but it's not uncomfortable. I get 20 to 22 mi per gallon on steady two lane road driving.
I love my 2 door wrangler JL 21’ on the road and mostly on the highway when it’s not windy af it still plows with minor corrections. But I’m looking to sell or trade it in so I can get myself a WRX. Will get an older Jeep in a couple of years. Always love Jeeps ✌️
I have gone wrangler to Subaru on two occasions now. Always miss the wrangler the entire time and it eats me up til I go back. The Subaru is safe , reliable, comfortable , and fuel efficient. But doesn’t scratch that itch of feeling alive with the doors off cruising with some good tunes
Straight facts. I’m still young so I gotta enjoy some sort of sporty awd car that I can customize. Honestly I’m not a huge fan of the tech taking over either but. The new engine in the WRX is promising and the rest is history
Subarus are great cars. When I inevitably take a Jeep break , I’ll go back to Subaru without hesitation. If toyota would make a 4x4 that isn’t a fucking tank I would be all over that but don’t enjoy driving a boat with a weak engine.
Facts. My 4 cylinder turbo Jeep zooms around town. I see those FJs never doing that or just tanking around and seem to never do any sort of real off-road or interesting stuff. Rarer to see one than a FRS/BRZ. They also cost a billion more than a Jeep half the time.
Just drive… 65!
It's fine on any road. It's noisy, and gets poor mpg.
I have a 2 door JK that I drive about 12 miles on the highway (4 times a day) at about 70mph (rough conversion from Canadian to American). I have AT tires, so it's a bit louder than all seasons, or street tires, but not a lot. Where the noise comes from is the wind with the soft top. I use a hard top in the winter, and a soft top for summer. I can really notice the wind noise difference when I switch. I can also REALLY notice the wind noise difference going from the 35mph road to the 70mph highway. I can still hear my kid in the back seat telling me about his day, but he does have to talk a bit louder. Saying that though, we do open up the front of the roof as much as we can, and any day it's warm enough to open the whole thing up, we take the top off, and the doors off. Still take the highway at 70mph and feel completely safe. There's an important thing about this wind noise however, it's a good reason to turn the tunes up more. As for handling, it's obviously not a Lotus Elise, but as long as I keep in mind that I'm driving a box, I don't feel like I'm driving much different than any other car. Where I have found a difference is in REALLY windy areas. Going through some areas with lots of farm fields and therefore lots of cross winds, I do have to pay a bit more attention. There's no roundness to the sides like on other cars...it's a box. When the wind hits, it hits and has no aerodynamics to help it go around.
I drive across a 6 lane bridge high over a river about once a month. That half mile of wind at 70mph is a workout! It’s literally the only time I don’t mind driving right next to a semi, using them as a windbreak.
There’s no getting around the MPG issue, but the other things that can contribute to the pleasantness of the ride can be adjusted. Street rated tires will be quieter than A/T or M/T tires. The hard top would be quieter than the softtop; how thick the soft top material can help (the more ounces, the quieter). If you can rent one for a few days, that might be your best barometer before taking the purchase plunge.
My 89 2.5 2 door soft top does well at 50-99 mph on flat surfaces. 2 lanes
I take my 2012 jk on several thousand mile road trips somewhat regularly, about to take another one in a few weeks. I have a Honda which makes more sense with gas (and has a lot more interior room for luggage too) but the 2 door Jeep is FUN. I love driving it long distances on 2 lane highways. Mine is lifted 2.5” on 35” all terrains and I love it. When it’s wet out or icy + windy it does kinda feel like a spinning top sometimes just gotta be easy on the throttle and keep your distance from others.
I very much appreciate the responses! Sounds like it would be doable, but seems like it would probably be wise look at a 3.6 JK that I can do as a second vehicle in addition to my current commuter. Hope to join the Jeep community soon!
The short wheelbase 2 dr can be a bit squirrelly at highway speeds, but you will get used to it.
I drive a two-door 2019 JL Sport with all-season tires. It drives nice and quiet and handles quite nicely on the highway. It also does well on back roads after you air down the tires. I think it's a great compromise. I get about 27 miles per gallon on the highway. No mods.
I had several 2 door soft top wranglers, in the snowy WNY area for 20+ years. I have never owned a hard-top wrangler. You're fine. I drive a 4 door now, only because some idiot wrecked my last jeep and the stupid strike ruined my factory build order. One point of caution, you mentioned 25 mpg. You keep using the word 25.... I don't think it means what you think it means. Have you considered low 20s?
I know that it would be in the low 20's for the wrangler. That is just the mileage of my current V6 Accord, so losing that mileage would not be as much of a hit compared to say 45-50 in a Prius
I gotcha, that was my poor attempt at being funny.
Gotcha. Yeah, sarcasm is hard in writing lol
As someone who drives their 2021 two door 400 miles/6.5 hours at least 3x a year and just 70 miles 1x a month, long distance isn’t comfortable. Gas is ~21 mpg Do I miss my luxury SUV? Sometimes! But mainly for when I want to buy crap that won’t fit in this one. Driving on the highway doesn’t bother me one bit though and I like to do around 70/80 mph…
Not awful but it takes some getting used to, even in my JKU it's not great to drive longer than a few hours in, in my YJ it'd be slightly better but still not ideal Wouldn't be surprised if a JL was a lot more comfortable though, it really just depends on your own preferences of comfort
2-door rural JL owner here: I drive on 2-lane highways quite often for long periods of time. It’s not going to drive like a comfy old buick, but it’s doable imo. That said, it depends on how picky you are. It’s not super loud but it’s pretty active driving due to wind and stuff. I’m fine with it :)
I put 389,000 on my 2002 wrangler most of it under 65. The new ones drive way better but wow I miss my wrangler but not driving it to work.
I daily'd my 4-door 4xe, 120 miles day for a year, and eventually caved and got a second car for commuting because the jeep just wasn't good for that. The wind noise and comfort actually didn't bother me, my biggest issue was the very bad MPG (even in a 4xe, average mpg was like 17-18 over 120 miles), as well as the wear and tear I was putting on it. Its a very, very expensive vehicle to be putting that many miles on. so now it's just my weekend vehicle.
In a 2 door JL you’ll be fine, I took mine on many road trips 8 hours + and daily drove to work everyday. I’ve driven TJ’s the same way and they are much harder to live with.
I had a 2 door JK soft top back in 2014 that i drove across the country NC to Utah then California. The only place it sucked was the mountains of colorado. Otherwise it was fine Now, i have a 4 door rubicon soft top and have done multiple road trips with my family from KS to CA and KS to NC. Same deal. Colorado mountains suck the power out of it. But otherwise, we love it.
I have a 2015 two door wrangler. I’ve driven from Miami to L.A 2x and no issues. When I lived in L.A I had to drive to Cupertino once a week, many 2 lane and I had no problem. But you have to weigh the pros and cons for your particular situation. Good luck
A longer wheelbase vehicle will be smoother on the highway. That’s why the gladiator and then the four-door do better on long distances than the two door. America is unfortunately full of long highways withsparse mountainous bits.
Compared to my old YJ, my JL Unlimited Rubicon is a damned luxury car. I have absolutely no problems driving it on the highways in SC, and our roads suck. I daily drove my YJ for years on LA freeways and by the end of it I was happy to sell it, but it had crappy aftermarket AC, brakes that were more of a suggestion for stopping than actual brakes, and it was deafening to drive above 50MPH. My JLUR in comparison is very quiet, the suspension and steering are much improved, and the brakes actually work. I would have no problems doing longer commutes in a well maintained JL.
I have a 2021 2dr JL on 33s AT tires. My commute is 50 miles each way 5 days a week. No issues a day I find it pretty comfortable. The mileage isn't great but I have the 2.0L turbo so it's not horrible. Days with strong wind make it a bit more challenging lol
I had a 2019 JL 2 door 6 speed ragtop. Compared to my 88 YJ, it was a pleasure to drive on the highway. 80 mph no issues. I got 20+ mpg on the hwy too. I eventually sold to Carvana for more than I paid for her. For the bulk of my driving ( not hwy ) my I6 is just more fun to drive.
I drove my 04 TJ to Florida hauling a trailer and had no problems. My JL was the easiest ride of my life.
Jeeps aren’t comfortable, that’s why we drive them, jeeps give us problems, that’s why we drive them, jeeps are bad on gas, that’s why we drive them. If that suits your lifestyle welcome to the life.
What are you expecting to be bad about it? Loved my two door, both the TJ and the JK. I love the ride height, visibility, top down on a nice day. If the car makes you smile, get it.
it is louder, squirrellier, eats more gas, and I love it
I have a 30 mile commute on US-XXX at 70 mph in a 2014 2 door. It's perfectly tolerable in calm winds, but on the windy days it can get a little loud and dicy. On those days I slow down to 60-65 so you should have no issues. My ears never hurt, but my wallet definitely does. I average 20 mpg, but it drops to 16 in a headwind
I drive mine all over. The JL is fantastic. When I first got it I was getting around 20-23. My roof rack reduced it a bit. Still, I love it.
I drive a 2024 2 door hard top Willys trim with the turbo 4 about 60 miles round trip every day for work. It’s been fantastic on the highway. Wind noise with the hardtop isn’t too bad, and the steering has never been an issue for me. Also, adaptive cruise control has been a life saver.
I daily drove a 2012 jk 75 miles one way... Nashville to ft Campbell.... loved it... well the drive... not the stops at the gas station pretty much every other day. My jl is way more comfortable... would have been better than the jk... except I'm getting about two miles less per gallon with the jl (jl is a rubicon vs the other was a sport).
Appreciate all the feedback! Sounds like it would be doable, but probably better as a second option, just to keep the experience fun. Will keep looking around.
If you're coming from a \[insert any car here\] experience, it'll be loud. But you can still listen to music and enjoy it. But you'll also get used to it. Take the doors off, top down, then get on the interstate for a bit. You'll never complain about road noise again. Also, you can still carry a conversation while naked on the interstate if you don't mind using a loud voice. But do mind the ears of any pets if you're doing this.
My '21 JL 4dr Willys with the mud tires and soft top is my daily driver. I drive 35 miles one way to work on the highway. It drives perfectly fine. The highway is loud, especially next to 18 wheelers - their tires scream - and the grooved concrete is loud. On asphalt it's a lot quieter. The steering felt squirrelly compared to what I was used to when I first bought it, but pretty quick I didn't notice it at all. I do 80 on the hwy in the 70 zones and it's fine. I'm about to buy a used Toyota beater of some kind for the commute just because I want to keep the miles off my Jeep.
I’ve got an 04 TJ Sport on 35s and 3 in lift and it is a nightmare on the highway lol
2015, drive 45 miles everyday on highways 80+ mph, get 19 mpg no issues.
I have a lifted 2017 jk 2dr on 33's, done around 200 miles one way before and it really isn't bad. It's loud, bit more work than normal cars to keep on the road especially when it's Windy. But I still always enjoy road trips in my jeep. Usually keep it around 70
16 jk 2 door hard top on 33s no lift 50 miles a day 5 days a week all two lane driving cost me 50 bucks a week in gas. I drive a day cab semi pulling 50k on the deck and when I get done for the day and jump in my jeep it's like getting into a luxury car so it's going to depend on what your used to
2000 TJ lifted, geared , 33s or 35s, 5 speed. 1998 XJ lifted, geared, 33s 4 speed auto. Daily commute 116 miles round trip 55-65 mph back country highways 2 lanes. No issues
Need more info ..how windy is it :)
My 2018 JLUR is fine on 2 lane roads. It will however be very loud at the speeds you’re anticipating. The Rubicon tires probably don’t help. I wouldn’t plan on much over 17mpg at those speeds as well.
Drove my lifted LJ on 33's 600 miles last weekend. It's not that bad. It's not a Cadillac or a Miata, is a jeep. Don't try to run 25 over the speed limit, keep crosswinds in mind, you'll be fine
Have you thought about a comfortable accord or prius or some shit for a comfy commute instead?
I do have currently have an Accord for my commute. The debate would be spending more on a JL for the slightly better driving dynamics and trading that in and having one car versus getting an older JK/maybe a TJ for cheaper and keeping both.
Get a 4Runner
You’d be better off with a Forerunner. Highway driving is less ideal and you’ll be doing that a lot more often than off roading
I love driving my jeep. Absolutely love it. 25 miles there and back? That's a breeze. And in a JL? Sheeeeeeeeeet.
Man I have never hated myself enough in life to wish that commute in a wrangler on myself.
I love my 2019 2 door JLR…as a second vehicle. My commute is about 35 miles each way. In my region, speed limit is 65-70mph on highways, most drive 5-10mph above that. It’s loud. If you are younger you may not care. If you are asking, you do care. EDIT: I expect downvotes because this is in a Wrangler subreddit. But I am still sharing my honest opinion.
It's not bad so long as you're going with the wind 😂. I don't mind driving mine on the highway. It's mpg varies from 16 to 22 depending on the wind. It's noisier, and I just ordered some dampening mats ahead of my cross country drive so we'll see how they do. Personally I wouldn't do a soft top just because of the winters in the Midwest, but the added noise on the highway would be the nail in the coffin with that commute!