I have the new engine and the new automatic transmission in this JK, so comparing it to the older engine and automatic transmission is easy. Shifting on th new transmission is super quiet, almost seems like it's not shifting. Engine RPM's are lower and more inline with the speed limits that I drive on a daily basis. Most of the time I was running at about 2000-2500 RPM's all the way into work. Not fun for 30 minutes hearing the engine whine and realizing your gas mileage was terrible. Now the RPM's stay around 1500 and the engine is very quiet. Throttle response quick to your inputs and having the power to actually do something makes the JK fun to drive. I can actually pass people with it now. I've kept it down for the most part during the break in period, though following the recommended "Occasional Full Throttle acceleration" line under engine break in did give me a chance to get a comparison with a friends 2011 2 door JK Rubicon Automatic. I have a convient 2 lane on ramp for the freeway so starting from a stop we both gunned it to 60. Even with the more weight I was able to easily pull away up the hill onto the freeway. I actually backed off the throttle because I was worried about the engine and had to slow down for him to catch up. No need to go blasting down the freeway early in the morning. Even at freeway speed there was more than enough throttle to easily accelerate the Jeep. The transmission would downshift smoothly and accelerate. Biggest difference was on hills(yes, we have them here in Florida), the transmission wouldn't downshift to maintain speed as much, it didn't feel like you were trying to do 8 seconds on a nasty bull in a rodeo every time you hit a hill.
That's not what I meant to do, otherwise know as steering wheel mounted radio, phone and voice commands. I spend much of my time trying to figure out what button does what and getting my fingers used to pushing buttons to change things. Most of the time I'm muttering about not what I wanted to do. It's even more fun when you catch yourself talking to the radio, even funnier when you have hit the voice command button and it tries to answer you. Ever argue with your radio, well now it will attempt to answer you. Of course my son thinks it's hilarious. Hopefully he's not picking up any more bad words.
Seats are definately more comfortable, especially the new headrests that are no longer a brick behind your head. They are still stout, but just have softer cloth covered feel. The rest of the controls that got moved around, or changed just take a little getting used to. I still catch myself trying to activate the stalk mounted cruise control buttons, or hitting the wrong stuff for the air conditioning. Or forgetting where they moved the front anti-sway bar and locker buttons to. My son pointed them out to me to be helpfull. Cabin wind noise is even quieter than before with the new top and door seals. The doors are harder to shut, the fronts are harder than the rears, and the front passenger is the hardest. I though this was strange, but I checked a few on the lots and they all seemed to be this way.
Overall the 2012 is much nicer to drive than the old 2007 JK. |
