Less than glowing endorsement

[Bbannongmu]

Consider the source. R&T is a solid 25 years from being relevant anymore. They seem to do a lot of keyboard/google comparisons and often talk about cars as if they are blenders. Big miss, getting a Mojave and not taking it to the dunes of Michigan, or the American Southwest. Hard to take the author seriously and COVID is a lame excuse. Some of the sentiment is accurate but the overall message sort of misses the entire point of a Jeep - open air, removable doors customizable, versatile and capable and now capable at a higher speed and dessert rated. I’m a Rubi owner and live in the east so I have no where to run high speed but a Mojave looks pretty cool and can’t fault anyone for getting what connect with them or meets their needs.

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[W8lifts]

Comparing a raptor to a gladiator ‍Lol

 

[BLK HOLE]

Nope, its not just a well equipped Sport. Do your research, and then reply. Just as much different between sport and Overland, as Overland to Rubicon.

Your logic is saying a Rubicon is just a well equipped Sport S Max Tow...

You're wrong.

Mechanically the Sport and Overland are the same. Only thing left is interior and exterior options. The end.

Nice try tho.

 

[DirkG]

Taking off my Jeep fanboy hat ...

On paper, the article is a fair comparison and assessment. You have 2 purpose-built desert runner trucks who have similar MSRPs and marketing campaigns.

In the real world, however, full-size versus mid-size and a N/A V6 versus a twin-turbo V6 are an apples to oranges comparison. The MSRPs are similar simply because Ford sells 900K F150s a year and employs a low-cost, high-volume strategy. Kudos to Ford.

But I'm not going to park my $62,000 truck outside my garage every night, so full-size doesn't work for me. I also don't enjoy driving full size trucks; honestly, they're too big for my tastes. Nor do I trust a twin-turbo Ford engine (or any blown engine for that matter). I've never owned a blown engine simply because they don't stand up to a N/A engine over time.

So IMO it was a fair assessment for a magazine with numbers in hand, but in the real world, a Raptor and a Mojave are two different trucks for two different buyers.

Okay, Jeep fanboy hat is back on........

 

[TBuck]

Why do these authors always insist on comparing the price of a loaded Rubicon/Mojave to the cheapest Raptor. By the way, $60K does not buy you a well optioned Raptor. I have a loaded Mojave that I happened to get employee pricing on, but even if I hadn't, there's almost a $20K price differential. He's obviously trying to twist the numbers in his favor.

 

[Jaxmax]

I wonder if a lot of reviews on the Gladiator and as in this article he mentions several times how the Mojave and Jeeps in general “wanders” on the highway, is this because they rushed out demo jeeps with the steering box issue? The Mojave I test drove was tight and really did ride smooth over bumps at speed. I get the haters of Mohave as just an edtion, but most people have no use or need for front locker, disonnect sway bar and ultra low transfer case in their Jeeps. The Mojave is not being given a decent chance and saying it is for high speed driving in deserts by everyone misses the fact that it does everything pretty damn good with a better ride, then the other models. I drove a sport , Rubicon and Mojave, Mojavehands down better fit my needs and I never go to Malls ,hate shopping period, will never spend money to adjust the rake of a pickup truck that has rake designed for carrying loads, and lifting jeeps and adding tires for the look.
Hey I bought a 1982 scrambler first year they came out, gone two years later, Mojave, overland, Sport , Sport S , Max tow, all could be gone in two years. Max tow should just be an option on any model in my mind. Thanks I feel better now, Mojave is built waiting to ship, I’m waiting to mount front surf rod/cooler rack, RSI cap, air compressor and cap mounted rod and kayak racks so I can drive at high speeds on the sand of the Atlantic coast beachs!.....Jack

ps: most surf fishing beaches have like 25mph speed limits.

 

[SloW8]

I find nothing redeeming about the Mojave model at all.

Same with the Overland, Altitude and North Editions.

Just need models:
1. Cheap
2. Cheap with tow
3. Rubicon

The rest are for the mall crawl groups. I think the Mojave edition will be short-lived. That is an IFS type of wheeling.

I love my Mojave, that's why I bought it instead of a Rubi. The stock suspension is fantastic at what it was designed for. Those other models you mentioned ARE just different paint and trim packages but the Mojave was actually designed by a team of individuals who knew what the mission was and worked to provide a group of parts that work really well together to achieve that goal.

It doesn't have all the off-road chops of the Rubi for crawling, but a Gladiator isn't ideal for crawling anyway. I'd say the Gladiator is actually better suited for high speed desert work than crawling because the long wheelbase makes it so much more stable and the break-over and departure angles aren't as big of a hindrance in that role. Plus, I have stronger frame and axles and just need to throw in a locker and swaybar discos if I want to crawl a little more. But if I really wanted a crawler, I wouldn't have gotten the Gladiator, I would have gotten a JL because they are better suited for that.

Nice that we have options to fit our needs and wants.

 

[BLK HOLE]

I love my Mojave, that's why I bought it instead of a Rubi. The stock suspension is fantastic at what it was designed for. Those other models you mentioned ARE just different paint and trim packages but the Mojave was actually designed by a team of individuals who knew what the mission was and worked to provide a group of parts that work really well together to achieve that goal.

It doesn't have all the off-road chops of the Rubi for crawling, but a Gladiator isn't ideal for crawling anyway. I'd say the Gladiator is actually better suited for high speed desert work than crawling because the long wheelbase makes it so much more stable and the break-over and departure angles aren't as big of a hindrance in that role. Plus, I have stronger frame and axles and just need to throw in a locker and swaybar discos if I want to crawl a little more. But if I really wanted a crawler, I wouldn't have gotten the Gladiator, I would have gotten a JL because they are better suited for that.

Nice that we have options to fit our needs and wants.

I should have included as different and as a 4th model. I just have it in my head it won't be around long. But yeah...as of today...4 models.

 

[ACAD_Cowboy]

Wow...

So yes, it is very unfair to stack the mohave against the raptor, cost wise the reality drifts hard from the myth on cost. But the raptor is massively expensive and Im not sure you get the best value.

But... the gladiator and specifically the mohave can't fly. I don't care how high you can wind it up, it lacks the suspension travel and IFS for a safe landing.

Look at every modern trophy truck and tell me what you see? IFS and RWD, huge suspension travel.

The article does at least admit that the live axles design lends itself better to slow and low versus flying low. The JL and JT may be the nicest riding jeeps outside of grand cherokee and grand wagoneer (I'll give the commander a pass here too) but its only by comparison. I love the gentle lane shift that comes with pavement heaves and coffee I'll never get to enjoy care of expansion joints.

But... (more butts?) I find it very hard to find fault with off road performance. These are the trade offs as there is no vehicle that is as luxurious and comfortable on highway as it is capable off highway.

 

[ACAD_Cowboy]

ps: most surf fishing beaches have like 25mph speed limits.

Mine are 10. And up Burma Road you'd consider 10 to be cruising at speed.

 

[DAVECS1]

Well one point is way way off point. "No amount of money can fix that" HOLD MY BEER!

 

[Klutch]

I think Road & Track fired all their good writers back in 2012 when they were moved to Michigan. I also expect a few good writers chose to be unemployed in California rather than relocate to Michigan. Road & Track used to be kind of a snob's magazine. But since the whole magazine market has been circling the drain for years, I suppose they're having to write to the lowest common denominator and hiring anyone willing to work cheap.

I honestly believe someone at Ford picked up the phone, called Road & Track and said, "Hey, that new Jeep Mojave thing it going to cut into our Raptor sales. Crank out a critical article and we'll renew our advertising package for another year". And thus, we get this article.

It's fun to look back at old magazines to read their reviews. I'll never forget the Renault Alliance being the Motor Trend Car of the Year back in 1983. A Marine Corps Major I worked with bought one of those turds on treads literally because it was the Car of the Year. Boy did he regret that purchase. Chrysler ended up buying back a lot of those cars when they acquired AMC/Renault. It was much cheaper than trying to fix the plethora of horrific problems.

Similarly, I remember Rolling Stone giving the new Bryan Adams album "Cuts Like a Knife" a pretty poor review. Of course, that album launched his career and went multi-platinum. While sales don't always indicate quality, a few of the songs off that album are now Pop-Rock classics.

So, yeah. Who cares what Road Track says.

 

[Klutch]

How about when the author finds out there are no $60K Raptors on any dealer lot? I saw a 2020 Raptor recently, stickered at $93K.

One of the commenters on the article says exactly that. And you're both not wrong.

 

[Clendennan]

Similarly, I remember a Rolling Stone the new Bryan Adams album "Cuts Like a Knife" a pretty poor review. Of course, that album launched his career and went multi-platinum. While sales don't always indicate quality, a few of the songs off that album are now Pop-Rock classics.

So, yeah. Who cares what Road Track says.

I loved that album, worked on that tour. Wish I was back there.

 

[Blade1668]

Well if the Mojave would have been out back in January not few months later I would have got one instead of the Max-Tow. Knowing that I would have lost out on cargo capacity and towing.
Not just for the hood, I don't have a need for 4:1 T-case and I'm well and able to disconnect a sway bar myself. "I was going to install 4:1 T-case in my XJ but found it unnecessary for me Rock crawling in Tellico before it was closed down" . To much wheel speed needed at times, a part of why I didn't get a Rubicon LJ too. Other plus for the Mojove JT daily driving it would be a better D.D. for me. I drive a mix of rolling hills, gravel, asphalt, and general S####y roads. I live in AL. anyone who's drove though Birmingham in last 22 years understands that. heck I've seen harder rated off-road trails that are better than there. Don't get me wrong I'm happy with and don't regret my Max-Tow. I love solid axles and only way to get it is Jeep or oversized and unnecessary vehicle for me. My ego can fit in any of my Jeeps . Less to go wrong, every time a I. S. vehicle hits a bump in road bushings and a lot of parts are wearing a little. Solid axles has a lot less parts to wear out I plan on driving the s##$ out of mine and look at it as a investment for long term use of 10 plus years. I don't change vehicles like most people, at a 100k miles I think it's just broken in good. I doubt a Raptor or any other will hold up with out a s### load of parts and the suspension to be replaced. Besides I'm not going to be blasting across the desert or dunes at 70 plus mph any time soon, maybe I-65 at 70 or pulling my Scamp T.T.

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