Lessons Learned Over 48,000 Miles with JLU Rubicon
JLU Rubi may not be most civilized daily driver, but that doesn’t stop Edmunds from putting 48,000 hard miles on it in just two years.
A test drive can give you a basic idea of whether or not you like a certain vehicle. But the only way to know what it’s like to own a particular car or truck is to…well…own it. According to video host Carlos Lago, the Edmunds staff wanted to learn about living with a 2018 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon on a day-to-day basis so it got one in February 2018 and let its various staff members put close to 48,000 miles on it. These are some of the things they learned about their $52,510 purchase:
-It’s Next-Generation for More Than One Reason:
Jeep designed and engineered the JL to not only be the successor to the JK, but to be better than it in every way. It’s definitely an improvement when it comes to ride quality. Lago says, “It’s much better in terms of drivability and comfort than previous Wranglers.”
It Works Well in Traffic
Thanks to the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6’s snappy throttle response, optional 8-speed automatic and 4.10 rear end, the Rubicon is able to get up to speed quickly. “That’s a boon, especially when you’re in gridlock commuting because you can navigate around traffic much more easily and that also works because of the Jeep’s pretty compact size. It’s actually a pretty fun car to drive around in traffic.”
“9” and “3” are the Most Important Times
There are trade-offs to the Rubicon’s off-road hardware and capabilities. One of those is the loose, vague steering, which means you definitely have to drive with both hands on the wheel, especially on the highway.
Limits of the Stock Shocks
Lago says, “At about 35,000 miles, we experienced what we would describe as ‘excess wandering’ from the suspension and a quick visual inspection revealed a leaky shock.” Luckily, Edmunds was able to get that – and the two other leaky shocks that a dealer check discovered – replaced under warranty.
Gas Mileage Is in the High Teens
The EPA’s combined fuel economy figure for the Wrangler Unlimited is 20 mpg. The folks at Edmunds averaged 17.5 mpg. Lago chalks that difference up to the fact that the Rubicon has slightly different dimensions and hardware than the JLU that the EPA most likely tested.
It Does What Every Vehicle Should
Is the Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon a perfect vehicle? No. Its impressive abilities don’t come without strings attached. But, in Lago’s opinion, it does what every vehicle is supposed to: make you want to drive it more. No wonder Edmunds put an average of 24,000 hard test miles a year on its long-term Wrangler.
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