How does the Jeep Wrangler 4xe Rubicon drive on public roads? And in the mud?
You have to forgive us, we just couldn’t resist the temptation. First we should have thought about which version of the new Jeep Wrangler 4xe would be most relevant (which is not to say relevant) for our dear readers in the Netherlands and Belgium. We should have chosen that version for an extensive test drive. But there he stood, staring at us in a small square in Turin. Bright yellow, thick Rubicon logos, an opening cloth roof, all kinds of extra buttons for off-road fun and profile tires that a shrew can get lost in for days. We went for the Jeep Wrangler 4xe Rubicon. What would you have done in this situation?
Before we climb into the car, do some background information? Jeep has been selling the latest Wrangler in the Netherlands for a while with a four-cylinder petrol engine and previously also with a diesel block. Not the world’s most Dutch car: a bit too expensive, just too big and a bit on the inefficient side. All motorisations are now making way in the price list for this new plug-in hybrid: the Jeep Wrangler 4xe. It uses the same 2.0-litre petrol engine, but with an electric motor. It is not only faster and more economical than before, but also 17,000 euros cheaper. The Jeep Wrangler 4xe Rubicon has even become 23,000 euros cheaper in the Netherlands due to the electrification.
The Jeep Wrangler 4xe Rubicon is just like a normal Wrangler
We climb into the Wrangler and inside except for four EV buttons (three for the drive modes and one for regenerative braking) it’s normal. Or well, normally, it remains a special interior with a very short dashboard, several handles to hoist or brace yourself in the car, two sticks and a high seat. A high seat that is also very ergonomic due to the also high placed steering wheel, as if you were sitting at a high table.
Through the windshield you only see the narrow hood, which gives a distorted picture of the width of the Wrangler. That requires some attention when we leave the center of Turin in electric mode (it lasts about 50 kilometers by the way). In the city pulls the electric motor fine and smooth, although the quiet cabin puts some extra emphasis on the beeps and creaks that the car is rich.
It doesn’t get much better on the highway
The soft top does not insulate very well, so you always have the idea that a window is ajar. The 380 hp of the electric motor and the four-cylinder make toll gates an entertaining experience. Not only does the Wrangler 4xe move surprisingly quickly (0-100 in 6.5 seconds), the electric motor and the hum of the off-road tires make it sound like a flux capacitor winding up to send you back in time. Only at 88 mph you don’t get a time travel; just more noise. In terms of noise on the highway, the tires and the soft top are not the best combination.
Then there’s the loudest blind spot warning we’ve ever heard. Will have to do with the fact that the Wrangler has speakers placed in the roof construction that sit right next to your ear. The negatives on the asphalt are quite logical; Steven Spielberg couldn’t have made a movie about a shark on dry land either. So it’s high time to take the exit and make the Wrangler dirty as well.
We fold the front part of the soft top back (the rear part opens, but that’s more work than two clamps), disconnect the anti-roll bar so that the front wheels can move freely from each other and lock the rear differential. The box goes into the low gearing. We could fold down the windscreen and even completely disassemble the doors, but that is not useful for this trip. The nice thing about the Wrangler 4xe is that the electric motor is in the gearbox, so that the car can do exactly the same in all driving modes in terms of four-wheel drive.
We’re going for the all-electric mode
The moment the tires hit the loose dirt, everything falls into place. Like a pig in the mud, so to speak. The electric motor plows through the sludge with the greatest of ease. You will have to call in the captain of the Ever Given to really secure this car. Sometimes the electric motor is even a little too eager, because the electric torque quickly causes wheelspin. And then those wheel arches may be so wide, the mud just flies in through the open side windows or the open roof. Once on the road, the torque is easy to dose. That electric off-roading, that has something. With the sun shining on your head, you can crawl in peace (go ahead, you’ll be shaken up a bit) through the woods, with the birds as background choir, including a free mud mask. An almost serene experience. The sound of a petrol engine would make this a lot less relaxing.
Still take the Jeep Wrangler 4xe Rubicon, then? Think of it this way: The Wrangler is like an all-you-can-eat buffet. At first it seems like a good idea to get the most for your money, but the moment you wonder if there is also a cesarean section for food babies, you realize that more is not always better.
The Jeep Wrangler 4xe Rubicon is not the best version for the Netherlands
The extra cost of 4,000 euros for the Rubicon sounds like great value for money, because you get a tougher appearance, the soft top, the electronically detachable stabilizer bar and lockable differentials front and rear. But if you want to use the Wrangler 4xe regularly to join the sad polonaise of can under the blinking party lights of the matrix boards, it’s smarter to exercise some self-control and just go for the Sahara version. The power is the same, as is the four-wheel drive and the auxiliary transmission, but it is a bit friendlier for the highway miles.
This comes standard with a hard roof (with removable panels) so that it squeaks and creaks less and is quieter anyway. Plus: it doesn’t run on off-road tires, which makes it nicer on the road and less noisy. Don’t worry, the tires with size 255/70R18 are still exaggerated. You won’t fix wind noise with 130 in a car with the aerodynamics of a Tetrisblock. It’s never going to be the most refined or most comfortable car, as you’ll always give up something in exchange for its off-road capability, but the Sahara is fine for everyday living, if the on-street parking is big enough. And thanks to the electric motor, the fuel bill will be better than expected.
Specifications Jeep Wrangler 4xe Rubicon (2021)
Engine
1,995 cc
four-cylinder turbo hybrid
380 hp @ 5,250 rpm
637 Nm @ 3,000 rpm
Drive
four wheels
8v automatic
Performance
0-100 km/h in 6.5 s
top 156 km/h
Consumption (average)
4.1 l/100 km
94 g/km CO2 A label
Dimensions
4,882 x 1,894 x
1,901 (lxwxh) 3,008 mm (wheelbase)
2,409 kg
65 l (petrol)
533 / 1,044 l (luggage)
Prices
€84,690 (NL)
€70,200 (B)