2012 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon

The steering feel may be due to the stright front axle. Are there any other vehicles out side of big trucks that have a solid front axle ? Drove many miles in CJ's. Fun.

Most cars have rack and pinion steering and Jeeps still use recirculating ball- this is where the difference in feel comes from for the most part.

Rubi's have more offroad capability than anything else off the shelf which makes them cool, but the girth of the JKs over the old TJs make them less capable/agile than they used to be - at least on wooded trails. Mostly a moot point since about .1% are used to do what they are made for.

For most buyers its not about off-road capability. Its all about projecting a rough and tumble outdoor image. It says "I can climb that mountain trail if I want" when reality is more of the "I don't have to avoid that pothole on the way to the supermarket."

I have taken stock and modified Rubicons way, way off road. Even drove them through an off-road instructional course that demonstrated what the Rubicon can really do. Few owners (that I have seen) will ever reach the performance limits of the Rubicon while offroading, let alone dropping the girls at Lacross practice. For those who will, nothing else will suffice because nothing else will do what a Rubicon will do.

Jeep Wranglers are legendary for their off-road prowess, and this Rubicon model is currently Jeep’s most capable vehicle. Along with luxuries like a leather-wrapped wheel and a hard drive-based entertainment system, this Jeep sports locking front and rear differentials, a disconnect-able front anti-roll bar, and extra-low transfer case gearing.

This Jeep is arguably the most capable stock 4x4 on the market, but how does it make a bunch of automotive journalists feel?