Date: Sat, 06 Oct 2001 21:41:50 -0700 Subject: [WJ-Grand] jeep test drive Test drove a new KJ (aka Liberty) Friday. It had the 3.7L V6, AT. In general I'd rank Jeeps as follows for overall ride and comfort: CJ/YJ/TJ/ XJ-KJ WJ-SJ xj-kj and wj-sj could go either way, depending on subjective feelings or what you're calling comfort. :) Of course there are a lot of variations in the way individual jeeps handle and feel, springs, tires, age, loads, etc. The KJ had better visibility than a WJ or a TJ, but less than an XJ or an SJ. The SJ's "panoscopic-vision" is unique to the Brook Stevens designed big Jeeps of the early '60's. I can't think of another vehicle that offers such a view, except of course a large bus or truck. :) At 30 to 35 mph the KJ rode worse than an XJ, but at freeway speeds was remarkably quiet and smooth, maybe quieter than the WJ! In town the KJ seemed to me to have a broken tire belt. I've driven the same road in an XJ with 269+ miles on it and didn't feel those imperfections... strange mix of speed and road surface I guess. There are sections of I-5 through Seattle that will get a lifted Jeep bouncing along very nicely... The KJ had a nice turning radius. The KJ had a nicer feel to the steering then the WJ. It was lighter than the WJ, but slightly heavier than an XJ. The 3.7L V6 was disappointing. I would imagine that the four cylinder will be very unimpressive. :) The 3.7L felt like it just couldn't get enough air. It started to produce power but just went flat... It just didn't do it... I would think that the venerable 4.0L would have made the KJ move out much better. I've also heard that the KJ weighs about 50 lbs more than the WJ. I wonder if they'll put the 4.7L V8 in the KJ eventually. I also figured out why they moved away from the 4.0L. It was not because of emissions, but because of space limitations. On the same note, the KJ has a very pronounced intrusion into the driver's floor space, right next to your right leg. The KJ handled slightly better than a TJ on the road, but not as good as an XJ or WJ. The KJ experienced noticeable body roll and felt as though it had a higher center of gravity. Even my lifted Xj's handled curves with more finesse. The KJ is ok in the handling department, but not as well as I would have expected. The WJ has a much, much better cornering capability. The KJ had the feeling that it would behave poorly if pushed hard through a corner. It was very sensitive to steering input while in a curve. The excessive body roll and higher center of gravity will lead to problems if driven aggressively. I didn't push the KJ very hard, but the feedback from the vehicle told me it wouldn't like being thrown through a curve hard. One of the nice features of the WJ has been included in the KJ, the radio with cassette and CD and remote on the steering wheel. :) The tailgate setup is very nice. Except that the spare tire is kind of in the way for short people. The window lifts up, but I think I'd have trouble putting anything in the back without opening the swing to the driver's side tailgate. The chicken straps on the A pillars are nice, and the view of the hood is enjoyable. The WJ slopes so much that you can't see where the hood is... you lose touch with the WJ in parking lots and off-road. The KJ feels nice in those situations, it's got a certain nimbleness to it. Still not as nimble feeling as an XJ, but close. The KJ just doesn't have the feel that I enjoy in an XJ. That and the KJ is about the ugliest Jeep anyone has ever seen. It's taller than a WJ! I looked at a KJ and WJ side by side on the lot. It also has a lower ground clearance than many other 4x4s. What are they doing with all that space in between??? I mean my WJ has plenty of interior room. Why all the extra vertical space in the KJ??? The window switches in the center console, which shouldn't have confused me after owning a few Mercedes, but I was locking and unlocking the doors instead of operating the window. :) The stereo didn't sound as rich as in my WJ, probably didn't have an amp. All in all, I think I'll pass on the KJ. We'll keep our '99 WJ or try to get another loaded XJ. Of course as soon as SuperDawg is done I won't be driving the wife's jeep anyway... WJ or XJ is fine by me for those times when passengers are required options... BTW, a few years back I went to Jeep 101 and drove a TJ, XJ and WJ on the test course. The TJ would rock and roll as it went over anything, the WJ felt like a large vehicle that smoothed out washboard and the rough stuff, but didn't give you a lot of feel for the trail. But the XJ hit the happy medium and felt just right... :) I still think Daimler-Chrysler is out of their collective minds in cancelling the XJ. Why? Weren't they making enough money from them??? I never heard anyone complaining about the XJ. The XJ is clearly superior to the KJ. I don't care if they did drive a KJ over the rubicon. It doesn't look as nice or feel as nice to me as an XJ. The lack of visibility from the WJ ruins it for me. I know that the WJ is far superior to the SJ technically. But I'd prefer to drive an SJ. The body style change of the XJ freshened it up a bit. What they should have done is offered Quadradrive, a rear window that opened up in the tailgate and maybe the 4.7L V8 in the XJ... ;) Anything they did add to the KJ or the WJ could have been adapted to the XJ. The XJ is the best overall Jeep that has ever been produced. It's too bad that the SJ hadn't received the improvements found in the XJ before it's retirement. Maybe I just don't appreciate change... ;) Long live the SJ and XJ Jeeps. :) later, john meister snohomish, washington --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.WAGONEERS.com/ Snohomish, WA - where Jeeps don't rust, they mold... jesus, don't leave life without him, please! --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------