Does A Plugin Hybrid Jeep Wrangler Make Sense? It Depends. 2023 Wrangler Rubicon 4XE Review

A PHEV Wrangler has impressive horsepower and torque numbers for sure, but does it make sense when it comes to your wallet?
0:00 Intro
0:51 Exterior
2:43 Interior
3:09 Driving Modes
6:00 Technology
7:55 Power
9:00 What is MPGe?
11:50 Driving Experience
13:16 Overall Rating
Car Reviews: • Drives & Reviews
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#Jeep #Wrangler #4xe

[@apensity]

800 miles so far on my '24 4xe, still 3/4 of my original tank. I use it on an 8 mile commute to work and have solar for free charging. It was $8k more than the regular Sport model, but I ended up with $5k in rebates/incentives. The gas savings the first year will make up the rest. 49empg and 0-60 in 6 seconds with 375hp and 470 lb/ft of torque? It was a no-brainer for me. I LOVE it!❤

[@felixruiz2838]

Not worth it !!

[@vageli]

I did 1200 miles on one tank of gas. My daily commute is under 10 miles and I can charge at work. For me it makes the best sense. YMMV of course, literally.

[@mehdisy3d]

Yep, I'm averaging about the same since my commute and total drive for an average day is less than the total electric range. It was 3.5 months before my first fill up since I took delivery. It really is a thing of beauty.

[@jp-iy8hk]

2000 miles with 24 USG bought, like you mostly local trips but I have done 2 all day off-road adventures.

[@Wrangler4XEFans]

My PR so far is 1,365 miles on a tank. I feel like a failure if I don’t get 1,000 miles on a tank.

[@mehdisy3d]

@@Wrangler4XEFans haha yes! Btw love your channel and the content you put out. Super useful!

[@Wrangler4XEFans]

@@mehdisy3d Kind words. Thank you.

[@richardjackson1745]

great review... really helped me.

[@emonty62]

15 month owner, enjoying every moment!

[@deancikins6461]

I love my 4xe. I use mostly around town and i am also getting around 1000 miles a tank. I have a charger in my garage and know where all the free charges are in my town. The acceleration is fantastic and the quiet ride on back roads and off road is really nice, especially with the roof and doors off.

[@tml184]

My 4XE is always in FORM and I haven't been able to use Electric in a while. Have you seen Electric mode unavailable message yet?

[@johnfrancis4407]

@@tml184 I went for a test drive today and when I pressed Electric a message appeared unavailable at this time.

[@Wrangler4XEFans]

This video contains the absolute best explanation of MPGE of any Wrangler 4XE video on KZbin. Awesome work. This entire video is awesome. So many excellent and well researched points. This is now the gold standard for vehicle reviews.

[@Wrangler4XEFans]

There’s a correction to be made about the price difference. If you comparably equip a regular Rubicon to a Rubicon 4XE, the price difference is about $7800, not $12,000-$13,000. There are features like the LED group that are standard on the 4XE that aren’t standard on the regular models. So if you add those things on the regular Wrangler that are standard on the 4XE, the price difference is less than $8000.

[@jeffk464]

The 2024 wrangler comes with "shore power" you can plug into the battery and power your campground.

[@Wrangler4XEFans]

@@jeffk464 That’s going to be awesome.

[@andyschuldt7580]

All good comments. I bought one in April 23’. It’s more fuel efficient than my last lifted JK and twice as fast. No gear hunting in hills. I can run with any of the faster vehicles on the road. It’s wonderful off road. The quietness of EV is eerie but cool. Overall, it’s not something you buy for economics it would be for the fun if it. Btw. I charge once a day on level two because my work doesn’t support EV. 100 mile total commute. I’m averaging 24 mpg with all my driving. I love my 4xe…….”zeus”

[@MrRobDale]

I have a 4xe High Altitude on a lease. So very good video explaining the vehicle. I drive a lot locally, so it works for me. I leased it because i believe its not worth paying the extra $8k to $10k when the battery goes (if you own it long term), especially when you're paying an extra $8k to $10k to begin with (over a gas powered vehicle). So you're really not saving anything over the long run, youre actually losing. And when you use the re-gen button you feel great thinking you're getting free energy while driving, but in reality the re-gen is putting a lot of resistance on the car when it wants to freely drift after pulling off the excellerator. So its reducing normal drifting time to repower the battery.... which makes it a wash or even an over all loss of power. I personally like the car and it works for me in my situation. But it doesn't make sense to own it in my opinion, lease it.

[@snootyfox.indahouse]

Thanks for the info. I went in to buy out of my lease... but the salesman even said to just go with the lease and enjoy no worries. Also, it appraised pretty high. 60k.

[@cochoaa]

especially since jeep aint that great in hybrid territory so i don't trust having it till like 100k miles without having some kind of problems. hopefully its all good but that's why i lease it too

[@swabee4843]

This makes sense for me. My new gig is 7 miles away from home and there are free j1772 chargers there. Time to talk to the Misses 😊

[@anthonyp6462]

I just got my 4xe on President's day 2023. I used to have an '18 JLU Sport S with 6 spd manual, 3.5" lift and 35's. I didn't regear and got terrible mileage in the 14 mpg - 15 mpg range. I also had a '21 Nissan Leaf SV I used to save $$ instead of filling up the Jeep. I got rid of both and saved on 2 payments and 2 insurance premiums and 2 registrations in by getting the 4xe. This PHEV combined the best of both worlds and my 13 mile commute each way, with available level 1 charging at work, keeps me in EV mode all the time. The only gas I used was driving the Jeep from the dealer to my house and using the 2.0 to charge the battery since it was at less than 1%. That was the worst way to charge and only gave me 17 mpg on mostly freeway driving. I also have the Rubicon with the steel bumper group and tow package so the additional weight took away about 1-2 miles of range vs a Sahara 4xe. Sure, it's got it's quirks and I could have gotten a diesel or regular V6 Rubicon with 6 spd manual and had more fun. But the fact that I don't have to go to the gas station and I don't have to worry about the price of gas makes me feel that it was the right purchase for me. I'm taking it out mudding in 2weeks and through water hazards, so let's see if it really is a Rubicon...

[@hansgruber650]

Avoid it, my buddy is a Chrysler mechanic, you heard it here.

[@philipc239]

Can't wait for the full EV Wrangler 👍😀 no more oil change longer service interval I guess and perhaps much more reliable? Powerful enough and mostly electricity is cheaper than fuel.. for now at least 😅😅

[@Wrangler4XEFans]

I’m ready.

[@marcodm]

$2500/yr insurance Canadian. And I have a good clean record, still thinking about it

[@rhmimages]

Won't the regenerative breaking mode help top off the battery while driving?

[@shadowswordairsofteast]

So I know the level 1 charger takes for ever to fully charge a dead battery but if I had a full battery and work is 16 miles away and I plugged it in at work with the level 1 charger and charged it for 8 hours do you think it would get me enough battery to do another 16 mile trip home?

[@icarussisyphus5201]

Waiting for the 4Xe Gladiator.

[@randallhash9283]

Love mine…Charge it right beside my Tesla…They work wonderful for me

[@davidcarrico3385]

Nice video, just one clarifying comment about the statement about commute distance - at a 60 mile round trip, my rubicon 4xe averaged 26 to 27 mpg without charging at work, so still a fairly nice benefit of the 4xe system for a decently long commute.

[@jefflloyd394]

Gotta have one, wish they had 50 mile ev range... Cheers

[@88rushrocks]

I own the 2024 4xe Willy’s and I love it . Actually faster then the 2021 4 Runner and more capable off road don’t ask me how I know lol it’s because we traded up as I’m calling it now. I live in the cascade mountains and our 4 Runner couldn’t pull our 4x10 trailer full of firewood out of the snowy mountains and not just on a logging road . If you don’t have a 4x4 or a snowmobile in our area you’re stuck for the winter

[@KrisShadow216]

Yes its worth it

[@bobdaniello3370]

My electric dryer is close to the garage, so I bought another charger for 125.00 and a NEOCHARGER for 325.00 and hooked the NEO to the dryer left side dominants so you can't dry clothes while your charging and the same the other way. It takes 4 hours to charge...12 hrs is ridiculous.

[@the4xeguy]

What you may need is a Load miser

[@bobdaniello3370]

@@the4xeguy Why would I need that? The setup I have is much cheaper, that's why I posted.

[@mowcowbell]

Great review, but never understood the dings for not having wireless Android Auto or Apple Carplay. The best sound quality is provided to the infotainment system by a wired connection. Plus this is the most efficient way to charge your smartphone.

[@sbgaming4794]

Most People cannot distinguish bluetooth audio from wired audio. Most People feel wireless is superior because its more convenient.

[@PeacefulPariah]

​@@sbgaming4794I think most people just don't care, which is fine, but I bet a wired connection to that Alpine system sounds pretty legit.

[@PeacefulPariah]

Agreed, I think both apps suck and I don't understand why they are pushed so hard. Android Auto is one of the few apps that cannot be removed from my Samsung. Android Auto is the definition of bloatware.

[@the4xeguy]

If you live in an cold environment, then short commutes it can also be damaging. With Direct injection and your engine not reaching op tempature fuel seeps down and dilutes the oil in what's called FORM "Fuel Oil Refresh Mode" I am just finding this out with my first winter as I live in a 4 season part of Canada where Temps range from +30's to -30's C. Don't get me wrong I Love my 4xe though and in the summer I’m in Electric mode all the time but on occasion I would run the motor to circulate oil. I hope i did not frighten anyone, that was not my intention.

[@mowcowbell]

I haven't seen FORM yet in my 4x3, but my daily commute is short enough that the ICE never kicks on. I do take weekend trips which gets the ICE some use.

[@moexilla]

I was curious to know if you drive or warm up the car for 5 minutes everyday using the engine and not electric if that helps with preventing form?

[@mowcowbell]

@@moexilla no, when I leave for work I just unplug and use the 4xe in electric mode. As long as I don't push the throttle to the floor, it will stay in EV mode. Cabin heat is almost instant with electric.

[@the4xeguy]

@@moexilla I live in Canada and at the moment it is -29c I will warm up my 4xe for at least 15 minutes. the motor will start regardless I think in -12c or colder. but mine has been running the motor since last November when the tempetures were onlly -1c

[@tml184]

I bought my 4XE not knowing that I wouldn't be able to use electric especially in Winter. I should have got the 6 cyl 3.7 litre instead. Damn.

[@David-zk2vy]

"you get that efficiency when you're operating in electric and gas mode...." Is that engaged by pressing the "electric" button?

[@eugenej4511]

Can you charge the beterry with solar pannel?

[@tml184]

no

[@Ken-qq6gp]

40 MPG ? Seen a vd on here where in hybrid mode he only got 19 to 21 mpg . Not sure . Seems like once the warranty is up it will get expensive.

[@steiner1942]

Does gas engine recharge the batteries? Or do you have to always plug it in eventually?

[@justacop4856]

It does recharge the battery, but it will use a lot of power when doing that. The amount of gas used to charge the battery while driving would be way more than just paying to plug in charge the battery.

[@StuffYouShouldKnow1]

Does anyone know if the 2024 4XE will get you more like 60+ miles in the e mode?

[@mowcowbell]

2024 models have same powertrain, so the EV range will be no different.

[@alistairthorne7805]

Any word on the recall of 62000 of these jeeps, due to “unexpectedly shut off the engine while driving”…

[@peterdavila3045]

Not ready for prime time for me. Eventually, I will need to replace my aging 2012 Sahara, but I need at least 50 miles electric . Maybe in 2025.

[@wallyn1410]

For me make sense… I do not drive long distance so I get about 600+ miles for about 15 gallon of gas. But if drive long dance I get about 350 gallons. I bought 25 amp level 2 charger and it works great 2 hours and 40 minutes to go from 0 to full charge… which give me about 20 miles. The electrical system gives a great boos to the start. All the info that I give is with in cold weather… can’t wait till weather warms up so I can go topless 😂

[@JP-nisu_2]

What about maintenance and reliability.

[@dartboardearth]

I have a 2021 with no issues other than a known all Wrangler locker replacement. They have an 8 to 10 year warranty on EV system. The engine gets less miles than a traditional vehicle. So far so good (24k miles).

[@theamazingjose699]

Electric bill Is already expensive. I’ll pass

[@SuperFrazil]

As a auto techy,I guarantee the engine will have issues due to small motor with turbo in few years or so .

[@apensity]

So the Audi 2.5 turbo is crap huh? Oh wait, it's rated as one of the top engines ever made...

[@videosforpublicspeakingcla1196]

I thought about renting one of these for our vacation from Ohio to Florida but was recommended not to get it because the guy working at the rental place said that it would be that comfortable for long drives. For those of you who owns one of these Jeep wranglers, is this true?

[@kevineisenlord6264]

hey i'm a normal driver... but i feel that crap.

[@PeacefulPariah]

It seems like they did this to align with the trend, it seems forced. If you can't make a quality hybrid or electric vehicle then don't make it.

[@kingkong2598]

12~16 hrs? 😆 🤣 😂

[@RipleyBukta]

If you use a regular 110 outlet, it is the same reason your stove and fridge uses 220 and not 110 🤡

[@Ad.003]

From 0/100 I charge my 4xe in 4 hours 220 v

[@mowcowbell]

It takes mine 2.5 hours on 240v 32amp evse.

[@felixruiz2838]

Too much money !!

[@rand0mGT]

NO

[@irvwander8756]

CRAP !!!!!

[@MM9Productionz]

Mall crawler

[@andreikravchenko8250]

horrible reliability, would stay away from this p.o.s.

[@stevemanieri5409]

Sorry no E Jeep for me.