2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe Rubicon X Tested: High Capability, Higher Price (2024)

If you really, really must have your cake and eat it, too, there's the 2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe Rubicon X. This plug-in-hybrid SUV marries the immense off-road capability we've come to appreciate from the Rubicon name with newfound electric-only capability for almost a couple dozen miles at a time. That pairing works better than you'd think; but then again, for a starting price north of $70,000, it had damn well better.

If you're unfamiliar with newer Jeep parlance, the Rubicon X not only brings all the off-road hardware we expect—Dana axles, an electronically disconnecting front anti-roll-bar, locking front and rear differentials—but it also throws a bunch of premium stuff into the equation, like cushy nappa leather seating, a heated steering wheel, a transfer case with a automatic four-wheel-drive engagement mode, additional exterior cameras, and beadlock-capable 17-inch wheels wrapped in 285/70R-17 BFGoodrich All-Terrain K02 tires.

Not only does the Wrangler 4xe's electrified powertrain give it the ability to operate emissions-free for an EPA-estimated 21 miles, it also confers some major power benefits. By itself, Jeep's turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four produces 270 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque, but the 4xe combo bumps output to an impressive 375 horsepower and 470 pound-feet of torque. Combined with Dana's full-float rear axle, this will let you tow up to 5000 pounds, so you never need to leave the Jet Skis at home.

Of course, all this power made for some impressive figures at testing time as well. Our test ute made its way to 60 mph in 5.2 seconds (not bad for a 5568-pound brute), a bit of an improvement over a non-X 2021 Wrangler Rubicon 4xe, which required 5.5 seconds. Five-to-60-mph sprints show improvement, as well, with the 2024 Rubicon X needing 6.0 seconds against the 2021 model's 6.2. Handling-wise, the two remain even-steven at 0.72 g on our 300-foot skidpad.

In non-instrumented driving, the 4xe Rubicon X is the metallic manifestation of "Meets Expectations." The ride quality is on par with the average unladen body-on-frame trucklet, in that it's a little janky. The recirculating-ball steering—now with a slightly slower steering ratio—is old enough to have fought in the Spanish-American War and feels every bit of its age. The brake pedal is a little too firm, causing a fair bit of head-bobbing if the initial press is even a hair too strong. The BFGoodrich tires are aggressive enough to claw out of almost any dilemma, but there's a trade-off in how much they wander on just about every type of pavement.

And then there's the noise. Our long-term Ford Bronco's removable hardtop lacked the optional sound-deadening, and as a result the cabin can be quite noisy at highway speeds—specifically, 76 decibels at wide-open throttle and 72 decibels at a steady 70-mph cruise. This Wrangler 4xe includes the optional (and, at $3995, expensive) Sky One-Touch power soft top. We had hoped for better sealing on the Jeep, but alas, our microphones picked up 76 decibels at WOT and 73 decibels at 70 mph. It never sounds truly sealed, which makes for some interesting white-knuckling at the car wash.

Easily the most standout part of this Jeep is the hybrid half of its powertrain. Its 134-hp electric motor provides smooth—and, more importantly, sufficient—acceleration while the 2.0-liter stays in bed. However, when the charge runs low and it's time to operate as a traditional hybrid, things get a little murky. The transition between EV and ICE power isn't the smoothest, and a lot of it comes down to the gas pedal; give it too small of a jab, and the 4xe simply won't accelerate. Lean on it a little too heavily, though, and the engine awakens with a violent surge of forward motion that will catch your passengers off-guard and lead to more unwanted body movements.

Not every 2024 Wrangler upgrade concerns the mechanicals. Creature comfort takes a massive step forward this year with the addition of a standard 12.3-inch infotainment touchscreen, which replaces the puny 5.0- and 7.0-inch units from years past. The software is, in characteristic Stellantis/Uconnect fashion, easy on the eyes and easy to use. It'll let you connect two phones via Bluetooth simultaneously, it's loaded with off-road trail maps, and it includes wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Two USB-C ports are a welcome addition for front-riding occupants, and the Wrangler can be outfitted with seven USB ports in total, split between USB-A and USB-C.

You could get a plug-in Wrangler for as little as $52,590, since one of the updates for the 2024 model is a new Sport S 4xe trim meant to make its electrified offerings a little less expensive. But our test example is at the complete opposite end of the spectrum, replete with higher-end equipment. A nonhybrid Rubicon X will set you back a little under $60,000, but the PHEV sends the price into low-earth orbit, with a starting figure of $72,290 and our test car ringing in at an eye-watering $79,345. Perhaps Jeep hides $20,000 behind one of the fenders; we should've checked.

Therein lies the rub—there's an awful lot of lovely kit shoehorned into the cabin and beneath the body, but you have to really want an electrified Jeep Wrangler Rubicon to be capable of swallowing a price tag this swollen.