2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe Review and Test Drive
America's best-selling plug-in hybrid is now better than ever.
Christian Wardlaw
You already know what a Jeep Wrangler is. This rugged and ready-for-anything SUV stands for sun and fun, adventure, and Americana. People often buy vehicles that reflect how they see themselves, and a Wrangler conveys these things and more, transcending social classes in a way few vehicles can. Young or old, rich or poor, everyone seems to want a Jeep Wrangler.
However, there's a new kid on the block, and it shares most of what makes the Wrangler so appealing, right down to the retro design, convertible roof, and removable doors. The Ford Bronco can even do some things better than the Jeep, but only the Wrangler offers a plug-in hybrid powertrain.
Installed in the 2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe (four-by-e), it provides an estimated 22 miles of electric-only driving range, and then, when driven as a hybrid with the turbocharged four-cylinder engine running, it returns an average 20 mpg.
To ensure the 2024 Wrangler 4xe remains an appealing choice in a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), Jeep gave it a refresh. The lineup expands to include Sport S 4xe and Rubicon X 4xe trim levels, and the Rubicons boast improved off-roading capability, an 8,000-pound Warn winch option, and engineering changes to allow larger tire sizes. In addition, a new infotainment system debuts, more safety features are standard, and a new Jeep 4xe Power Box option will enable you to power external devices using four 120-volt electrical outlets fed by the SUV's battery pack.
Christian Wardlaw
2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe Prices Are in Luxury SUV Territory
The 2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe comes only in a four-door body style and in Sport S, Willys, Sahara, Rubicon, Rubicon X, and High Altitude trim levels. Base prices range from the mid-$50,000s to the mid-$70,000s, including the destination charge to ship the SUV from the Toledo, Ohio, factory that builds it to your local dealership.
As of publication, the Wrangler 4xe qualifies for a federal income tax credit of $3,750 if the sticker price is less than $80,000. However, things change over time, so confirm this figure using official sources.
For this Wrangler 4xe review, I test-drove a Jeep-supplied Rubicon X in Southern California. Highlights from the options list included High Velocity paint, a Warn winch, a Sky One-Touch power-operated top, and all-weather floor mats, bringing the manufacturer's suggested retail price to $76,935, including the $1,795 destination charge. Since my test vehicle rolled off the assembly line, the price has risen by more than $2,000.
Christian Wardlaw
The 2024 Jeep Wrangler Interior Has a New Dashboard and Improved Materials
Jeep made minor exterior styling changes to the Wrangler 4xe, including new wheel designs, a redesigned and blacked-out grille, and new Anvil and Bikini paint colors. The mast antenna is gone, too.
Inside, the 2024 Wrangler gets a new dashboard to house the next-generation touchscreen infotainment system. It features more soft-touch surfaces than before and brackets for mounting devices to the top of the dash.
For all the updates, the interior remains much the same. Simplicity and functionality are the rule, with large stereo and climate knobs, numerous buttons with glare-reducing matte-black finishes, and materials designed to get wet and dirty with easy cleanup after the fun is over.
Christian Wardlaw
Power Seats and Premium Leather Are Now Available
The more money you spend on a Wrangler 4xe, the less likely it is that you'll leave the top and doors off in variable weather and driving conditions.
For example, my Rubicon X test vehicle had the new-for-2024 12-way power-adjustable front seats. Jeep says they're tested and approved for water fording, but the premium nappa leather upholstery likely won't take kindly to the water, salt, sand, grit, dust, dirt, and mud that frequently collects in Wranglers.
Keep the Jeep buttoned up, and the soft, supple leather is undeniably nice to have. The test model also had heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, an active noise control system, acoustic carpet, and acoustic front door window glass, so hints of luxury are now available in some versions of the Wrangler 4xe.
Entering and exiting a Wrangler isn't easy, and that's especially true of the back seat, accessible through narrow door openings. Because the 4xe's battery lives under the back seat, the bottom cushion is higher, making it easier for tall people to hit their heads on the overhead roll bar and soundbar. There isn't much legroom either, and the hard plastic front seatbacks with integrated hooks can cause unwanted knee pain.
Christian Wardlaw
PHEV Battery Creates Some Compromise
Interior storage space is limited, and the new brackets eliminate the previous dashtop tray, which I found useful. The transmission and transfer case shift levers and mechanical parking brake handle take up a lot of space on the center console, leaving you with only the cupholders, small nets on the door panels, and a narrow box under the center armrest for stashing stuff. The stowage situation is even worse in the back seat.
To access the cargo area, swing the tailgate to the right and lift the optional hardtop's rear window. This design is impractical but necessary since the spare tire lives on the tailgate. The nice part is you can drive with the rear glass up, enhancing flow-through ventilation and an open feel without removing the roof.
Cargo space behind the back seat measures 27.7 cubic-feet, less than a standard Wrangler but plenty for multiple days on the road or off the grid. Fold the rear seats down, and the maximum volume measures 67.4 cu-ft. Unfortunately, the rear seatback remains angled due to the battery location, reducing overall utility.
Christian Wardlaw
2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe Uconnect 5 Review
The most significant change to the Wrangler 4xe's interior is the next-generation Uconnect 5 infotainment system with a 12.3-inch touchscreen display. Highlights include more customization options, improved voice recognition capability, Bluetooth support for two smartphones, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, enhanced satellite radio programming, connected services including access to a Wi-Fi hot spot, and over-the-air updates for the navigation system.
Overall, I found the user experience is better than the old Uconnect 4 system. However, despite the improved microphone array and new Uconnect 5 technology, the voice recognition system proved hit and miss with the windows raised, the top in place, and the roof panel closed. Unless I spoke loudly and clearly, it couldn't understand me, and even then, it did not respond as quickly or accurately as Siri and Apple CarPlay.
Christian Wardlaw
Data, Guides, and Cameras for Maximizing Off-Road Travel
In addition to infotainment, the Uconnect 5 display is a data portal to everything from longitude and latitude coordinates and current elevation to four-wheel-drive system status and pitch and roll angles.
Jeep also offers up to 3,000 Trails OffRoad adventure guides to the system. Along with providing directions to the trailhead, the guide rates them based on difficulty and also includes information about key junctions and points of interest.
Out on the trail, you'll also benefit from the Wrangler 4xe's available exterior camera views, including one looking forward to assist with visibility on challenging terrain. They're also helpful in urban driving, as I discovered when parallel parking on a busy city street.
Christian Wardlaw
2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe Safety Features Have Improved but Still Lag Behind
For 2024, Jeep adds more standard safety features to the 2024 Wrangler 4xe. It includes standard forward-collision warning, automated emergency braking, and adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability. Side-curtain airbags for both rows of seats are new for 2024 and come standard.
Safety upgrades include a blind-spot monitoring system, rear cross-traffic alert, automatic high-beam headlights, rear parking sensors, and a forward-facing off-roading camera. The Rubicon X trim level includes all of these as standard equipment.
During testing, I discovered the Wrangler's adaptive cruise control brakes too hard when someone cuts into the gap ahead. That's a problem in moderately thick traffic when the motorist behind the Jeep doesn't expect it. In addition, I think it's worth upgrading to the blind-spot monitoring system because the Wrangler's side mirrors are small.
Due to the changes made to the 2024 Wrangler, crash-test ratings were unavailable at the time of publication.
Christian Wardlaw
Plug-In for Power and Efficiency
Jeep's PHEV powertrain combines a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission featuring an integrated 100-kilowatt electric motor. In addition, the system includes a 17.3-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Total output measures 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque.
Four-wheel drive with a manually shifted transfer case is also standard. Rubicons have the more capable Rock-Trac setup with locking front and rear differentials and a new-for-2024 heavy-duty Dana 44 full-float rear axle that allows for larger aftermarket tires. Rubicons, in addition to the Willys 4xe, also provide the lineup's most generous clearances and water-fording capabilities.
Official EPA ratings peg the Wrangler 4xe at 22 miles of electric driving range and 20 mpg in combined driving when used as a gasoline-electric hybrid. Jeep says it takes 12 hours to recharge the battery when using a standard household power outlet, which aligns with my experience. You can use a Level 2 charging station for faster recharging sessions.
You can choose between Hybrid, Electric, and E-Save driving modes. Hybrid provides maximum power, Electric offers electric-only driving, and E-Save uses the gas engine to recharge the battery as you drive.
Christian Wardlaw
A Raw and Rugged Driving Character With Hints of Newfound Refinement
The Rubicon X 4xe is more capable at off-roading than I am. While I did drive it on challenging terrain, I spent nearly all of my time in the same environments you will: freeway traffic, school drop-off and pick-up lines, and shopping center parking lots. In addition, I was diligent about charging to maximize electric-only driving.
Cutting to the chase, I could not match the official driving range and fuel economy estimates. The test vehicle traveled 20.1 miles in Electric mode during a range evaluation. On the driving loop, in Hybrid mode, it averaged 18.7 mpg.
The 4xe powertrain is unrefined, but the Wrangler's general lack of polish and sophistication masks occasional lurches in city driving. When driving on the freeway at 75 mph in Electric mode, however, the Wrangler struggled to maintain its speed as the battery charge dipped below 25 percent.
Christian Wardlaw
Otherwise, the Rubicon X 4xe drove as expected, exhibiting bumpy, bouncy, tippy, and wobbly driving dynamics at nearly all times. When driving up mountain grades, the gas engine drones. On narrow freeway lanes and skinny country roads, the slow and numb steering is a distinct liability. Believe it or not, this is all part of the fun of driving a Jeep Wrangler.
There were hints of civility. For example, at highway speeds, the test vehicle's added sound insulation made a difference regarding wind and road noise. But make no mistake: the Rubicon X remains loud inside, especially when the Sky One-Touch Power Top is open.
Christian Wardlaw
Is the Jeep Wrangler 4xe Plug-In Hybrid Worth It?
Depending on the trim level, Jeep charges about $8,000 to $12,000 more for the 4xe PHEV powertrain before factoring in any tax credits, rebates, or other incentives.
Compared to a standard Wrangler with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which also earns a fuel economy rating of up to 20 mpg, the benefits of the 4xe include the short 22-mile electric range, instant torque when off-roading, and significant total power output.
Does that make a Jeep Wrangler 4xe worth it? Only you can decide. But remember: You can't find another PHEV SUV with a Wrangler's personality and performance at the price, so Jeep can charge whatever the market will bear — for now.
Written by humans.
Edited by humans.
Christian WardlawMy first word was “car.” That’s what I’m told, anyway. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been obsessed with them. The design. The engineering. The performance. And the purpose. I’m a car enthusiast who loves to drive, but I’m also most interested in the cars, trucks, and SUVs that people actually buy. Anybody can tell you that a sports car is fast. What you need to know is whether or not you should buy that new SUV, and why. My life purpose is to help you make that decision.
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