The other day, the new JL Wrangler was announced in Japan. Aluminum body, 2L turbo engine etc. When I registered for JEEP’s e-mail magazine, I got a calendar for next year to commemorate the visit, so I went for a test drive of the new JL Wrangler while I had a calendar immediately.
The model that I tried was a 2L turbo engine Unlimited sport.
The engine hood is the most changed parts in appearance
It is an Unlimited sport equipped with a 2L turbo engine. The color is Granite Crystal Metallic C / C, which is like Gunmetal. I think the color matches the style of Wrangler.
It is the engine hood power bulge and air outlet that are characteristic of the appearance. It looks cool like a customized model.
The rest of the look doesn’t look much different from the previous JK Wrangler. It is a form that can be seen as JEEP at a glance.
Drive feel
What about a 2L turbo with this size and weight? That is why I came to test drive. By the way, the car weight of Unlimited sport is a catalog value of 1,950 kg. Thanks to the aluminum body, it weighs less than 2 tons.
The specifications of the 2L turbo engine are power 200kW (275ps) / 5,250rpm and torque 400Nm (40.8kgm) / 3,000rpm. Numerically, it generates the power and torque equivalent to 4L.
The test drive course was a few minutes around the dealership that can only deliver up to about 50 km / h, so I could not try various things, but in the stop and go in the city it was an engine with sufficient performance without any dissatisfaction.
It seems that the turning radius is about 1m smaller than the JK Wrangler, and he made a small turn without worrying about entering a narrow path.
The brakes were a good response when the assist was working well, but there is no particular discomfort.
Comparison with my FJ Cruiser
My current car is an FJ cruiser. I have no plans to replace it at this time, but I wonder if I may consider purchasing the JL Wrangler.
When compared with the FJ Cruiser,
Positive points
The shift shock is not noticeable.
The FJ Cruiser is a 5-speed AT and the shock between the 2nd and 3rd speeds is quite large (maybe only my FJ Cruiser). The JL Wrangler did not feel any unpleasant shift shock during the test drive, probably because of the 8-speed AT.
Good fuel economy
Perhaps because of the 2L turbo engine and 8-speed AT, the fuel consumption of the catalog value exceeds 10km / L. This is an honest I envy.
Modernity and latest equipment
The FJ Cruiser has a lot of dissatisfaction because it has an old basic design. In contrast, the latest model is modern, the interior design is modern, and there are plenty of new and comfortable equipment.
Negative points
Small side mirror
The side mirror is smaller than the FJ Cruiser. I thought it would be better to have something a little bigger.
I’m troubled with the place my left foot
I wonder if it’s a bad idea to use the left-hand drive as the right-hand drive, but I’m having trouble with the left foot. Normally, the footrest is located near the brake pedal, so the left foot cannot be pushed forward.
Summary
I have been on a test drive of an unlimited sport, JL Wrangler’s 2L turbo engine is installed. I also compared it with my FJ Cruiser. There are some drawbacks compared to the FJ Cruiser, but I don’t think these will be a problem if you get used to them. If you switch from a domestic car, you won’t be dissatisfied. It was a very good car. If you are interested, please try the test drive.