2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe Hybrid

If the all-new 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe Hybrid were to pilot past you, you'd likely assume it to be just another Herculean, classic Jeep SUV driven by an avid adventure-seeker or adrenaline junky that frequents rural America for the unbeaten trails - totally oblivious of the fact that the V6 or V8 under their vehicle's hood is the cause of the demise of the very nature they relish. But, you'd be very much mistaken, as the 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe Hybrid is the first of a new breed of Wrangler. Instead of coming armed with one or other heavy-displacement gas-guzzling engine, the 4xe Hybrid features a more solicitous 2.0-liter hybridized inline-4 motor. As unconventional as that may be, the 375 horsepower and ardent 470 lb-ft of low-down torque the newfangled powertrain zaps out supports the Wrangler's body-on-frame design and off-road capabilities just fine. With that said, the Wrangler 4xe Hybrid is still a bit of a clinker in terms of being a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. While it is more frugal than its combustion engine counterparts and it does actually offer an all-electric range similar to that of the Volvo XC90, it's not nearly as frugal as the very many other PHEV SUVs out there.

Rather than employing the vigor and hardiness of a 6-cylinder that you'd typically find powering a Wrangler SUV, the Wrangler 4xe Hybrid instead embraces the prudence and balance of a more modern 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that's been hybridized by two electric motors and a 14 kWh battery pack. The Wrangler PHEV is bestowed a fairly stark 375 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque from this powertrain, all of which is forwarded through an 8-speed automatic transmission to its all-wheel-drive platform. This Wrangler benefits from some robust low-down torque, which can be really neat when off-roading, but overall, acceleration responses are mostly slow-witted and often jarring. Charging the PHEV will take approximately 12 hours on a 120-volt charging system or around 2 hours on a 240V system.

While Jeep's attempt at deploying a more eco-friendly and fuel-efficient Wrangler into the world is an honorable one, the fact that the advantages of the 4xe PHEV's hybridized platform are so insignificant, can't be ignored. The 4xe PHEV is still a very proficient off-road 4x4, but it's a terrible excuse for a PHEV. The powertrain provides plenty of power and torque low down in the rev range, and the 21-mile range may be nifty for some, but that low-down oomph can only really be enjoyed whilst off-roading, and if you don't live near to the trails you'll be traversing, you'll only end up getting to your destinations with a soulless, four-cylinder-equipped version of the regular Wrangler. In other words, the regular V6- and V8-powered Wranglers simply make more sense.

As a daily, the 4xe Hybrid isn't the most entertaining, economical, or comfortable SUV $50,000 can buy - the entry-spec 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe Hybrid SUV's price coming in at $$49,805, but it does come with a reasonable number of modern features and safety equipment. It has to also be noted that the regular Wrangler's mediocre reliability expectations and subpar safety review apply to the 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe Hybrid, too. In all fairness, this is the first-generation Wrangler 4xe Hybrid we've seen and its first year on the market, so Jeep has plenty of opportunity for improvement.

Jeep presents its first-ever semi-electrified version of the Wrangler SUV to the market in a three-model lineup but starts the selection off at a mid-spec level. Some exterior accents differ slightly for all three trims and there are some interior differences, too, but when it comes to performance and capability, only the Rubicon differs in its off-road prowess. The Wrangler 4xe Hybrid isn't a vehicle we'd recommend for regular driving, but certainly one we laud for tackling the unbeaten path. In this regard, the Rubicon is the model that makes the most sense. It comes equipped with a full-time Rock-Trac 4x4 system and specialized Tru-Lok locking differentials with specially tuned axle ratios. It also rides atop 22-inch alloy wheels with 33-inch off-road tires.