Quote:
Originally Posted by Sine Deviance
Basically it's what everyone else is saying here. I currently have a '95 Wrangler and before this I had an '89 Wagoneer Ltd (essentially a glorified Cherokee.)
Some people say Cherokees get better mileage but my Wagoneer got less MPG than my Wrangler, so I think it's relative to the person you ask (could also be related to weight, the Wagoneer Ltd was a high-luxury model.) For reference the Waggy had the 4.0 EFI engine, my Wrangler has the 2.5L EFI.
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IDK if the gas mileage dispute even goes so far, as Wrangler vs Cherokee; but 2.5 vs 4.0; I have had exactly ONE 4 cyl vehicle, in my life; a 93 YJ with a 2.5. Both of my brothers have Wranglers with 2.5s; one has a '92 YJ, the other has a 98 TJ. all 3 Wranglers are manual trannys and 4.10s. though my brother's 92 is still going daily, on its original, unrebuilt motor with 230K miles on it! and my nephew overheated the 98 so bad that he warped 2 intake valves and popped all 4 exh seats loose in the head, but the bottom end is still the original. (dumb arse blew the waterpump and kept driving til the engine died, even though he knew that he'd blown off all the coolant!)
MY 97 TJ with a 4.0 is equivalent in MPG, to all the 2.5 ones we've had; and the difference in available power (all are "stock", maintenance parts replaced as needed) is so noticeable, having a 4.0 and getting the same MPG as the 2.5s that I have experience with, is like having cake and eating it too. I guess its because the 2.5 has to work harder than a 4.0 to do the same work. My YJ was the doggiest vehicle I have ever owned. even though it had the 4.10s. that motor always "screamed" from the higher revs needed to hold a given road speed compared to my 97, or my Cherokee.
Now on the other hand, I also have an 01 XJ; also with a 4.0.
Its not a straight-across comparo, between the Wrangler and the Cherokee, because of trans and gearing differences but yeah the Cherokee does do a bit better than the Wrangler over the road; in town they are about equal.
but with 3.07s and a 5 speed with a nearly worthless OD gear in the Wrangler (because of the 3.07s), vs. an OD/Auto and 3.55s in the Cherokee, I can't compare "straight across";
Both run 235/75/15 tires; when I had the 31s on the Wrangler, I could hardly ever get it into 5th, I get better use out of it now that I went back to the 235s.
The Cherokee "lugs" much less in top gear, than does the Wrangler.
I do have a set of 3.73 gears for the rear of the Wrangler, but gotta wait til I can afford to get the carrier and the matching gears for the front axle before I can swap them out. Then I expect my 5th to be more beneficial, and a more straight-across comparison can be done to the Cherokee; but unless I put the same gearing into both vehicles, one will always have an "edge" over the other.