Prices start at $54,765—what’s it like to drive, and what about a tax credit?
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Klady
- Prodigious off-road talent
- Muscular drivetrain
- Electric and hybrid modes
Nevýhody
- Not very efficient in hybrid mode
Co je nového?
- Two fresh colors
- Stars & Stripes on front fenders
The 2023 Jeep Wrangler 4xe puts a plug-in hybrid drivetrain into an iconic SUV. Muscle and off-road abilities are joined by fuel efficiency and low running costs. Prices start at $54,765.
Elegance isn’t perhaps the first word that springs to mind when considering the Jeep Wrangler SUV, whose heritage dates back to the unpretentious and highly utilitarian Willys Jeep of World War II.
But the 2023 Wrangler 4xe is an elegant solution to the tricky conundrum of leaving the roads behind, reconnecting with Mother Earth, yet not emitting more carbon into the atmosphere as we trundle past the chaparral — or startling the wildlife with engine noise. The 4xe can run for about 20 miles using just its battery.
That’s because the 2023 Wrangler 4xe is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, or PHEV. And it can turn in a performance similar to a much pricier V8-powered Wrangler while driving past more gas stations.
The 4-door Wrangler used to be called Wrangler Unlimited, but no longer. There isn’t a 2-door version with this 4xe drivetrain. The rest of the 2023 Jeep Wrangler lineup — with all-combustion drivetrains — is reviewed separately.
2023 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 4xe pricing
The 2023 Wrangler 4xe starts at $54,765, plus a destination charge. This is for the Sahara trim level. The Rubicon version is priced from $58,595.
The priciest variant is the Sahara with the High Altitude package, which retails for just over $60,500. With more options, that could approach $68,000.
A silver lining to this fiscal cloud comes in the form of a federal tax credit offered with plug-in hybrids, up to $7,500. Some states also have incentives. New York, for example, will provide $500 with its Drive Clean rebate program.
Just as there is not a bevy of like-for-like rivals to the regular Wrangler, competitors with plug-in hybrid drivetrains are also few. If the main idea is to buy a PHEV SUV, but not take it off-roading, the Toyota RAV4 Prime starts in the low $40K range. The Hyundai Tucson Plug-In Hybrid begins in the mid-to-high $30K range. So does the smaller Subaru Crosstrek Hybrid (which is a PHEV).
Alternatively, a combustion-only Ford Bronco could please a lot of adventurers. A 4-door model comes in at about $35K.
Before buying a new Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid SUV, check the KBB.com Fair Purchase Price to see what others in your area paid for theirs. This particular Wrangler variant is still a relative newcomer, but resale values should be robust.
Driving the 2023 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 4Xe
Like every other Wrangler, this model has the high driving position loved by SUV owners in general and off-roaders in particular. And like other Wranglers, there’s a give-and-take between things like wind and tire noise (especially with the Rubicon’s all-terrain rubber) and awesome ability over rough terrain.
Heavy-duty solid axles front and rear are standard in all 2023 Wrangler 4xe versions. That’s a good thing for when the going gets tough and not so forgiving on tarmac.
Maximum torque is a strong 470 lb-ft, coming in at 3,000 rpm. A lively launch from standstill is definitely possible, as well as enough muscle to crawl up a boulder-strewn landscape. The Rubicon, named after the demanding trail, also has a front anti-roll bar that disconnects (and re-connects) automatically for maximum suspension travel over rocky surfaces.
Vnitřní pohodlí
Things are kept basic inside the 2023 Wrangler 4xe SUV. There are no little electric motors to adjust the front seats, for example. Not because of penny-pinching, but so that owners can hose down the interior if they need to and let the water flow out through the drain plugs.
The rear seats have safety belts for three occupants, but two will be more comfortable, given the narrow cabin’s tight shoulder room. Rear legroom is good, though: 38.2 inches.
Cargo space goes from 27.7 cubic feet behind the split/folding 60/40 rear seats to 67.4 cubic feet when they’re folded down. That’s a compromise of about 5 cubic feet, compared with other 4-door Wranglers, because of the extra apparatus involved with the plug-in hybrid drivetrain. But it’s still quite roomy.
Vnější styling
Changes to the 2023 Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid SUV are confined to this aspect. Jeep offers two new paint choices. Earl is a silvery greenish-blue and the limited-edition Reign is a metallic purple. The front fenders also gain Wrangler decals that feature the Stars & Stripes.
With an eye to making life easier for drivers when they encounter parking/recharging/nose-in spaces, Jeep put the charging socket on the front left fender. When spotting a Wrangler in the wild, two small tell-tale signs that it’s a 4xe are the electric blue tow hooks at each end.
Available only as a 4-door Wrangler, this plug-in hybrid SUV still has the usual removable top and doors, plus a folding windshield. The Rubicon receives even more under-body protection than the Sahara.
Oblíbené funkce
1. Removable roof and doors
What’s the point of driving into the great outdoors and staying cocooned inside a metal shell? The Wrangler 4xe SUV allows the elements in and even comes with a fold-down windshield.
2. Apple CarPlay/Android Auto
Because this is 2023 and we all like some convenient technology in our cars. Standard smartphone integration is expected these days and the 2023 Wrangler 4xe provides it.
3. Electric-only off-roading
The Wrangler 4xe can travel for about 20 miles in electric vehicle (EV) mode. This range will be shorter over demanding terrain, but drivers can still count on a couple of hours of rock climbing or dune dashing. The sealed battery also enables a fording depth of 30 inches.
4. Corning Gorilla Glass windshield
This optional feature is three times more resistant to cracks and chips than a regular windshield.
5. Off-Road Plus
The Rubicon version has this feature as standard. It’s like a low-speed, off-road cruise control where throttle, gears, and traction control are all looked after by the system. The driver just has to concentrate on steering.
6. Other Wrangler owners
Events like the annual Jeep Jamboree bring together a community of like-minded people. The Wrangler rises above the level of mere transportation.
Motor a převodovka
Pronounced “four by E” as a play on the 4×4 term, the Wrangler 4xe has a gasoline/electric drivetrain consisting of a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine augmented by a pair of electric motors. These motors get their spark from a lithium-ion battery pack.
Total output is 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. An 8-speed automatic transmission sends that to a standard 4-wheel drive system.
This 4xe is one of the most muscular Wrangler variants. The nearest a gasoline-only model gets is the V8-powered Rubicon 392, with the same amount of torque and 470 horsepower. And that’s in the $80,000 region before filling the gas tank, which happens a lot.
Recharging the battery pack takes up to 2.5 hours when using a 240-volt system. It’s more like 12 hours using a 120-volt domestic supply.
With plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles, the Environmental Protection Agency has a method for miles-per-gallon-equivalent (MPGe) calculations which takes the all-electric range into account.
The EPA estimates that the Wrangler 4xe can travel for 21 miles on battery power alone, delivering efficiency equivalent to 49 mpg for those miles. When operating in gas-electric hybrid mode, city/highway combined fuel economy is 20 mpg. Regular gasoline will do, but Jeep recommends using 91-octane premium gas.
2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine + dual electric motors
375 total horsepower @ 5,250 rpm
470 lb-ft total torque @ 3,000 rpm
EPA combined fuel economy: 20 mpg in gas-electric hybrid mode (49 MPGe in electric-only operation)
EPA-estimated electric-only range: 21 miles
KBB vehicle review and rating methodology
KBB’s Expert Ratings come from hours of both driving and number crunching to make sure that you choose the best car for you. We comprehensively experience and analyze every new SUV, car, truck, or minivan for sale in the U.S. and compare it to its competitors. When all that dust settles, we have our ratings.
We require new ratings every time an all-new vehicle or a new generation of an existing vehicle comes out. Additionally, we reassess those ratings when a new-generation vehicle receives a mid-cycle refresh — basically, sprucing up a car in the middle of its product cycle (typically, around the 2-3 years mark) with a minor facelift, often with updates to features and technology.
Rather than pulling random numbers out of the air or off some meaningless checklist, KBB’s editors rank a vehicle to where it belongs in its class. Before any car earns its KBB rating, it must prove itself to be better (or worse) than the other cars it’s competing against as it tries to get you to spend your money buying or leasing.
Our editors drive and live with a given vehicle. We ask all the right questions about the interior, the exterior, the engine and powertrain, the ride and handling, the features, the comfort, and of course, about the price. Does it serve the purpose for which it was built? (Whether that purpose is commuting efficiently to and from work in the city, keeping your family safe, making you feel like you’ve made it to the top — or that you’re on your way — or making you feel like you’ve finally found just the right partner for your lifestyle.)
We take each vehicle we test through the mundane — parking, lane-changing, backing up, cargo space and loading — as well as the essential — acceleration, braking, handling, interior quiet and comfort, build quality, materials quality, reliability.
The Wrangler 4xe has quickly become FCA US’ most popular plug-in hybrid. It has two advantages for buyers—it can save money compared with the base V6 gasoline engine, despite having about the same rated mileage, because it can be driven for a while on pure battery; and its has V8 acceleration which comes close to the all-out (and pricier) 392 V8.
Some time ago we reported on the experience of Allpar member valiant67, who owned two 2023 Wrangler 4xes. He was able to charge it quite cheaply and reported 29 mpg on mostly-highway use and 27 mpg in non-highway use, far better than we’d expect.
The EPA’s ratings are 20 mpg with the base V6 and 21 mpg with the hybrid setup, but this excludes the all-electric portion. (The Jeep Wrangler has never been known as one of the best cars for gas mileage.)
EPA testing found 22 miles of electric power; they rated it at 49 MPGe. As a pure hybrid, though, the combined figure was 20 mpg. The diesel remains the most fuel efficient engine, with a combined 25 mpg (and $2350/year estimated fuel costs), but its acceleration is a far cry from the quick 4xe, and diesel fuel is pricey.
The plain turbo engine also gets better mileage than the 4xe, turning in 23 mpg ($2,300/year) compared with the 4xe’s 20 mpg. However, the estimates for the 4xe are lower ($2,050/year) because they assume you will be running on just electricity now and then. (It’s important to note that the Rubicon has a gas mileage penalty of 2 mpg with the diesel.) But these are also not apples to apples comparisons. The 2023 4xe was not available across the board, but only on the four-door models. The diesel number was likewise from a four-door, but the 2.0 turbo engine quoted as from a two-door model, which is lighter. It wasn’t available on the four-doors.
The basic V6, which is the Wrangler’s standard engine, turned in 20 mpg combined in either two or four doors, with an automatic. The manual transmission drops it down to 19 mpg. The 392 engine, incidentally, is not just the only one of these to require premium fuel; it also only turns in 14 mpg, which the EPA suggests will cost owners $4,650 per year.
So now let’s do two comparisons. First, let’s say you want the best performance you can get from a Wrangler. The 392 easily beats anything else in “instant-on” performance from any speed, but the 4xe isn’t far off in 0-60 sprints. The 392 is the most expensive Jeep, and should cost at least $2,000 per year more in extra fuel costs, so economically this is not the most interesting comparison.
What might be more interesting is asking, “Does the 4xe pay off in anything but acceleration?” The answer there is, it depends. Again, the Wrangler is not the highest mpg car you can buy, but the 4xe, like the diesel, makes it a bit more like a minivan than a heavy duty pickup in gas mileage. (Incidentally, when Toyota made a Wrangler challenger, the FJ Cruiser, it did not match the Wrangler off-road, but still turned in almost identical mileage, so this is not a “Jeep doesn’t know how to get mileage” issue but an “all-out off-road credentials lower your mileage” issue.)
Let’s take the EPA at their word for the gas mileage of the V6 automatic—19 city, 24 highway, 21 combined, and $2,550 per year in fuel costs (assuming $3.54 per gallon). The 4xe version brings in 20 mpg, combined—the EPA doesn’t break that out. The cost of around 25 miles of mostly-electric driving is quoted as $2.63, compared with $4.43 on gasoline. That assumes electricity costs 14¢/kWh, so if your power costs more, the price goes up; if your power costs less, the price goes down. As an example, power in New Jersey is 16¢/kWh on average; so the cost would be around $2.90 for that first 25 miles.
Now, if you commute less than 22 miles, you can run entirely on electricity most of the time; and sometimes you can get that power for free (especially if you work at Ikea or another store with free charging). If you can charge at work at 16¢/kWh and at home for the same price, your annual cost would be around ($0.16 x 15 kWh x 200 days x 2 trips) or more like $960 for your daily commute, plus whatever shopping and vacation miles you put on. For the V6, that would be ((22 m / 20 mpg) x 3.54/gal x 200 days x 2 trips) or $1,558. That’s $598 per year just for the commute. The advantage of the 4xe also works if you’re not charging the car at all, but it’s not as big a difference.
Now comes the question of cost. Jeep has been slapping on a stunning $10,000, more or less, for the 4xe option, and it’s been selling briskly. That’s not anywhere as hefty as the Rubicon 392 package—adding 4xe to the Rubicon X tacks on “only” $10,190 vs $28,700 for the 392, which then adds a hefty annual fuel cost and most likely a sizable insurance punishment.
Does the 4xe pay off? That depends on how much you drive, and how you drive. It might quite possibly pay off quickly in a good deal of city and suburban driving, especially if you can charge it regularly. The main payoff may well be in acceleration rather than fuel economy—while fuel prices stay where they are. It also provides a quite respectable driving range, which can be helpful too.
2024 Jeep fuel economy figures have not yet been released and the 4xe estimates may change because it will be available on every model other than the base Sport and the 392.
