To clear up a misconception the 4 banger autos had 3.73 gears and the 4 banger sticks had 4.10's.
My experience with the jeeps you mention is this:
My parents have a 1994 yj with the 2.5 and auto, it is stock besides 1.5" lift springs, .5" lift greasable shackles, and 31x11.5r15 super swamper ltb's on 15x8's. Otherwise the jeep is stock with open differentials and 3.73 gears.
The jeep lives on beaver island (15x6 mile island in the middle of lake MI) the island has 9 miles of paved road and a bunch of windy gravel roads where 45-50 is max safe speed anyways. It is great for what my parents use it for. On the gravel roads power is fine and on the 9 miles of straight paved road it's ok, I got it up to 65 mph for about 10 seconds and chickened out because it was too scary, it will cruise 50-55 mph on paved road, any more than that really isn't happening.
Offroad the thing is an animal and I've never had it stuck or not gone some where because of lack of power. Once you put it in low range it goes and the super swampers find plenty of traction.
My parents love the jeep, it's "unique" every one knows its my parents jeep. Does it do what we ask of it? Yes. Are we happy with it? Yes. Could it use more power/ gearing? Yes. One day I want to swap in an 8.8 rear axle, some air lockers, and 4.56 gears.
A word of advice if you do get the 4 banger. Unless you want to spend all kinds of $$ on internal modifications to the engine the bolt on mods (intake, exhaust, headder, throttle body spacer, well over $1000) will do almost nothing to the seat of the pants dyno. A gear swap $500-$1200 depending on who does the labor will give you much more seat of the pants dyno feeling.
 | 
Linear Mode
