Jeep Wrangler JK vs JL - What are the Key Differences?

By now, everyone in the galaxy has heard about the new Jeep JL. The advent of the latest generation Wrangler has generated a huge amount of media attention – and for good reasons. Purists and off-road enthusiasts wanted to make sure that Jeep didn’t take away any of its capability in the dirt. Everyone else wanted a Wrangler that was more refined and comfortable on the pavement.

Those two goals are diametrically opposed. Most of time, they’re on somewhat of a sliding scale. As one increases, the other decreases. But Jeep seemed to pull off the impossible with the new JL. It is more refined, comfortable, and swankier than ever before. And, while evolving into a nicer place to spend time in on the highway, it’s still plenty capable when the pavement ends.

Tons of media outlets have covered the upgrades the new JL offers over the JK. However, the bulk of focus is on the JL’s refinements on the pavement. Here at The Dirt, we wanted to see how the JK and the JL stack up to each other in the dirt. And, we didn’t want to use stock vehicles. Most of our readers don’t keep their Jeeps stock for long.

To pull off our test, we pilfered the keys to a modified 2017 Jeep JK Rubicon and a modified 2018 Jeep JL Rubicon and hit the trails around Big Bear, CA. We also had both vehicles out at Moab, UT, during Easter Jeep Week for further semi-non-destructive testing and evaluation. However, the day spent driving both Rubicons back to back in the mountains around Big Bear really exposed the differences between the two. What did we discover? Read on to find out.

Inches do matter off-road. Originally our JL Rubicon was equipped with a 2.5-inch lift that cleared 37s, but we found it too low in technical terrain. An inch larger lift was put into place that helped it off-road. However, it would still kiss the rockers or the frame in places where our JK, equipped with a 4.5-inch lift, would walk right through.

You Can Easily Fit 37s on the JL Rubicon – But So What?

A lot has been made of the fact that it’s extremely easy to fit 37-inch tires on the new Jeep JL Rubicon. With 2-inch taller fenders than the standard JL, the Rubicon only needs a small 2.5-inch lift to allow fitment of 37s. In theory, this sounds great. A low center of gravity with big tires is usually a good combination. In reality, our experience with our JL Rubicon on 37s with a 2.5-inch lift wasn’t so great. We were constantly dragging our JL’s belly on the more difficult trails out in Moab. It was also fairly easy to run out of bump travel being so low, getting into the bump stops hard. We eventually went to 3.5 inches of lift on our JL and were much happier. The smaller lift worked fine on milder trails,but with the slightly longer wheelbase of the JL, it needs more clearance for more technical terrain.

8-Speed Me Please

When we first heard about the new 8-speed automatic transmission in the JL, we figured it was mostly a move for extra fuel economy. After all, the JL’s final overdrive gear is a higher 0.67:1 compared to the final 0.83:1 overdrive in the 5-speed automatic found in the JK. Indeed, the JL does get better fuel economy, but the 8-speed also has a much lower first gear (4.71:1) compared to the JK (3.59:1). Both Rubicons come with the 4.0:1 low range gears in the transfer case, but the JL is the better crawler with its lower first gear. The 8-speed has better programming when put into Drive in low-range, as it holds gears longer and doesn’t upshift at weird times. Another difference is that the lower gear of the 8-speed helps the JLsprint faster to 60 mph on or off the highway. It is definitely a step forward and worth the upgrade. The flipside is the 8-speed is more sensitive to not regearing the axles. We still have the stock 4.10 Rubicon gears in ours and it won’t pull 8th gear, and will only stay in 7th on absolutely flat terrain.

The 8-speed transmission in the JL really wakes up the 3.6L V6 cutting over a full second off a sprint from 0 to 60 mph when compared to the JK’s 5-speed. Its much lower first gear also makes the JL the better crawler. The programming and overall behavior of the 8-speed is better than the old five-speed. It also comes with a beefy shifter so that’s kind of neat.

Electric Avenue

For the new JL, Jeep decided to go with an electric/hydraulic steering setup. By using an electric pump instead of a hydraulic one for the steering, horsepower loss is minimized, and there is likely a slight bump in fuel economy as well. In theory, steering effort at very low speeds can be reduced, as the electrically driven pump isn’t dependent on rpm to build pressure. On the trail, we’ve found this to be true. Our JL has an easier time turning 37s than our JK at very slow speeds. But the electric/hydraulic steering setup hasn’t been completely trouble-free. On another JL Rubicon we have, the steering wheel occasionally seems to fight us. A quick browsing of the forums shows we’re not the only ones with this issue. Admittedly, ours seems more minor than the issues some JL owners experience.

Being An Early Adopter

This isn’t really something we tested, but the above issue does bring up a valid point. Our history with the JK runs vast, storied, and deep. We know how to build them, we know exactly how hard we can use them without breaking them, and we know their common fail points. Jeep has alsohad a full decade to iron out any issues with the JK. Being an early adopter of the JL means we are operating more in the dark. There could be issues with the JL that Jeep needs to figure out. And, while some of our knowledge of the JK can transfer over, it will take a while to find the weak points of the JL, and just how hard we can run one. All this is something to consider when deciding between the two.

While it might be harder to tell the difference between the JK and JL from the side, it is easy from the front. Our JL felt wider and lower than the JK and it was wider coming in at 81.5 inches wide compared to the JK’s 78-inch width. The JL’s belly was also a half inch lower than the JK. At the front, the nose of the JL is 4 inches lower than the JK.

Size Matters

For our test, we tried to find two identically equipped Jeeps, but that turned out to be impossible. We did get pretty close though, with both having 37-inch BFGoodrich Mud Terrains and Poison Spyder Armor. But our JK had a 4.5-inch Rubicon Express long arm kit on it, while our JL had a 3.5-inch Rubicon Express short-arm system. That extra inch of lift might not sound like much, but we were surprised at the amount of difference it actually made on the trail. The belly heights of the JK and JL were closer than we thought (15.9 inches for the JL vs. 16.4 inches for the JK), but the JK had a full inch of extra clearance at the lowest point on the rockers. With the lower front bumper brackets on the JL, its nose is a full 4 inches lower than the JK. An inch here or there might not sound like much, but it does matter.

Controls and Displays

We have never been a big fan of the controls for the lockers and sway bar on our JK Rubicon. We just keep hitting the locker button until something happens. Usually, we’re left trying to remember if we are locking or unlocking the sway bar. Half the time the light just blinks at us until it stops, leaving us to wonder if it actually locked, unlocked, or just gave up. It’s probably something that owners get used to, but it just isn’t intuitive for those who don’t wheel a JK Rubicon all the time. By stark contrast, the controls on the JL are much easier to use, and clearly marked. And they don’t feel like leftover controls from a Chrysler minivan, either. Even better, the TFT screen in the center of the dash tells you exactly the status of the lockers and the sway bar.

The switch gear for the lockers and sway bar on the JL are much easier to operate. We were often left wondering just exactly which locker was engaged and what our sway bar was doing on the JK.

The interior of the JL is nicer than the JK and better thought out. The JL’s 7-inch TFT center display has an off-road mode showing exactly the status of the sway bar and which lockers are engaged.

Squeaks, Creaks, and Cheap

On the pavement, it’s easy to appreciate the better build quality of the JL, when compared to the JK. That also translates to the dirt. At speed on dirt two tracks, our JK shakes, vibrates, and quivers. The hardtop creaks a bit and the dash rattles. Even the doors seem to shake. Yes, it has more off-road miles on it than our JL, but it’s not like it has been beaten senselessWhile we might use our vehicles hard, we don’t abuse them. We keep up on maintenance and prep. Overall, the JK just has a cheaper and less well put together feel to it when compared to the JL.

Racking Up The Miles

While this test mostly focused on the JL and JK in the dirt, the vast majority of us won’t be driving either just on the trail. This means they will see plenty of time on the pavement. Here, the Jeep JL was a clear favorite. It was quieter on the inside and more comfortable. It rode nicer and handled better on the twisty mountain roads we pushed it through. The massive 8.4-inch uConnect system is damn sexy, along with the rest of the interior. Little details like the LED lighting, contrasting stitching in the leather seats, cool vented hood, much higher-quality switchgear, and a host of other details add up to a more premium feel over the JK. It actually feels luxurious and more car-like, while still being remarkably capable. If we could pick just one for a long road trip, it would undoubtedly be the JL.

While our test of a modified JK and JL primarily focused on capabilities in the dirt, we still spent plenty of time on the highway in both. Here the JL was the clear favorite of our testers. It was quieter, more comfortable, feature-rich, and way more refined than the JK.

Splitting Hairs

Clearly the JL is better on the pavement, and in a lot of other areas than the JK. But when we shift back to the off-road focus of this test, that difference gets significantly smaller. Yes, the 8-speed transmission and the steering of the JL work better in the dirt. But that is really splitting hairs. The JK had no problem holding its own in the dirt. In fact, with its slightly better clearance (due to its 1-inch bigger lift) it was better than the JL in more technical terrain. So what does it come down to? Well, if we already had a heavily-built JK, we would have no problem keeping it. But, if we were in the market for a new Jeep, we would go with the JL and take advantage of the extra refinement.

The Ultimate Showdown: Jeep Wrangler JK vs JL