Depends on what you were after.
I traded a loaded 4 door Rubicon for the Rebel.
Creature comforts / etc was a horizontal trade. We lost nothing, gained nothing.
The Rubicon had a proper JKS lift, fox shocks, 35's, wheels, winch, flat flares, etc etc.
It was AMAZING in the respect that it went ANYWHERE I pointed it.
When we got the Rebel, priorities shifted. We made sacrifices, but gains in other areas.. Check it.
Losses:
- Extreme off road capability. The JK went ANYWHERE I wanted it to go. The Rebel does not. No lockers. And "off road mode" in the suspension is a joke. It is so rough, and goes back to normal after 35 km/h.
- Butter smooth ride on the roughest of terrain. We went anywhere at 60mph, on road, off road. I changed the tires on the Rebel to 315/70/17's, and my ride got better… But it's no Rubicon on 35's w/fox shocks.
- Exceptional retained value. I sold it for what I had into it. I bought the Rebel at $100 over dealer cost…. I owe more than it's worth right now. No head start. Trucks, no matter the brand stink for resale value.
- Aftermarket parts support. I could buy anything I wanted to achieve any goal with the Jeep. Sky is the limit, as much as you can afford - you can spend. The Rebel.. Noone makes a winch mount for it. I can't even get side steps to fit a 2015.5 yet that require no modification. No Locker available for the front, I've heard there are one or two brands for the rear - maybe. BDS makes a 4" lift - but i've heard it rides like crap.
Gains:
-Truck Box. I carry anything I want now. In the Rubicon, buddies were going for a bonfire… I brought the chainsaw, half the time the wood is green or wet… Buddies with trucks brought palettes or seasoned wood that burned well. I needed a bike rack for mountain bikes, half the time I had to pull the rack out, attach it, etc etc. The truck? Throwem in.
-5.7 Hemi. I cannot believe the Rubicon does not come with one of these yet!!! On 35's, a 3.6 and automatic - it was a DOG. Fuel economy sucked, and off road was boring as **** if anything required speed. I'm sure a conservatively tuned Hemi JK w/ 4 cyl MDS would get the same fuel economy as the 3.6 variant.
-Highway driveability. On 35's the Rebel hits any highway like a car. Put it in Aero Mode, set the cruise at 10 over, pump the tunes and have a relaxing drive. The Rubicon on 35's….. OH MY GOD hang on, because this is the most tiring drive you've ever made. Grabbing at every rut in the road, constant steering input. I spent hundreds of dollars on wheel alignments, road force balancing and All terrain tires. I couldn't make it drive well. (this was why we got rid of it)
-I CAN FINALLY TOW SOMETHING! The Rebel has a 10,800 LB towing capacity! We bought a camping trailer. Almost immediately. This is something I couldn't do in the Wrangler.
As much as I miss the JK… I love the Rebel for everything it isn't.
If Jeep put a Hemi in a JK, gave it Dana 60's(or at least one in the rear), and a truck box… I'd buy one.
But until they do, the Rebel is the closest thing I could get.
Want everything you currently have, but a V8 and a truck box? Buy a Powerwagon.
We were very close to buying a Powerwagon… It's a Truck version of the JK.
Lockers, winch, swaybar disconnect, fits 37's bone stock….
It is unfortunately too big of a vehicle for us to live with it daily. It's a bigass truck.
