Car and Driver trashes the 4xe

[Sjbiss]

Most PHEVs tend to have a similar full electric range. So the Wrangler isn't much different compared to the segment. For me it works out since I can do nearly all my day to day in full EV, up to 32 miles on a full charge. Even more with a couple hours of time to recharge.

Having a 100 mile range PHEV could cause issues with the fuel, forcing a fuel refresh mode.

True but 100 miles would be better for road trips.

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[whiskey jack]

All right, I was fine until that MF’ing metro sexual just had to include curb crawling at the Piggly Wiggly! He just had to pick a rural icon to compare Jeep owners to in an attempt to paint a picture of Jeep owners as poor rural hillbillies and belittle owners enthusiasm for such an iconic piece of Americana!
Car and Driver can suck it!!

As a former stock boy at a Piggly Wiggly, I couldn't agree more. Good job, great times.

 

[GoldenKnight]

Most PHEVs tend to have a similar full electric range. So the Wrangler isn't much different compared to the segment. For me it works out since I can do nearly all my day to day in full EV, up to 32 miles on a full charge. Even more with a couple hours of time to recharge.

Having a 100 mile range PHEV could cause issues with the fuel, forcing a fuel refresh mode.

I don't know what's average, but I gotta think that even the same battery system in another vehicle not shaped like a cube would provide significantly more miles. Maybe I'm wrong though. The 21 mile electric range is enogh for my wife's daily commute though, so it performs well for what we need.

 

[Mutlkey53]

Don't kill the messenger:
https://www.caranddriver.com/review...rangler-unlimited-rubicon-4xe-by-the-numbers/

Eric Tingwall sure has a hard-on for trashing the Wranglers, EV and non-EV. Obviously not an off-roader, probably one of those Lycra-clad bicyclists who shave their legs, so he shouldn't really be an armchair critic of an effective all-weather all-terrain vehicle.

 

[Inigo Montoya]

First time Jeep owner and bought a 4xe, not for the hybrid but because it was a good deal. I’m loving driving it around on the battery, it’s is clunky when the battery dies but I love the Jeep so much I barely notice.

Im a big fan!

 

[Low_Spark]

First time Jeep owner and bought a 4xe, not for the hybrid but because it was a good deal. I’m loving driving it around on the battery, it’s is clunky when the battery dies but I love the Jeep so much I barely notice.

Im a big fan!

Welcome to the family!

 

[Sean L]

Don't kill the messenger:

Nope... You're dead...

Now on to the 4Xe itself. I will continue to hold my position that people with regular long drives would be better served by the diesel than the Hybrid. Short Daily drivers like me could really make a good use of the Electric only mode, since I really don't make long drives all that often.

 

[Sjbiss]

Nope... You're dead...

Now on to the 4Xe itself. I will continue to hold my position that people with regular long drives would be better served by the diesel than the Hybrid. Short Daily drivers like me could really make a good use of the Electric only mode, since I really don't make long drives all that often.

I think this is accurate

 

[aldo98229]

First time Jeep owner and bought a 4xe, not for the hybrid but because it was a good deal. I’m loving driving it around on the battery, it’s is clunky when the battery dies but I love the Jeep so much I barely notice.

Im a big fan!

Clunky is the perfect word to describe how 4Xe drives!

Like I said before: I’ll probably end with a 4Xe in the future. On paper it is perfect for my daily driving. But the final execution still needs a bit more work IMO.

 

[TheRealTVGuy]

Clunky is the perfect word to describe how 4Xe drives!

Like I said before: I’ll probably end with a 4Xe at some point. On paper it is perfect for my daily driving. But the final execution needs a bit more work IMO.

I just wish I could find one nearby to test drive…

 

[LongTimeListener]

Now on to the 4Xe itself. I will continue to hold my position that people with regular long drives would be better served by the diesel than the Hybrid. Short Daily drivers like me could really make a good use of the Electric only mode, since I really don't make long drives all that often.

Any of the other powertrains is better than the 4xe for long drives. Without the ability to plug in or regenerate, the 4xe is just a turbo 4 with an extra 800 lbs hanging off it.

 

[Det4xE]

The big thing for me was the power, throw this thing into 4wd auto and it has some serious kick. I don't think anyone is buying the 4xE expecting electric car range, it's simply a more efficient/more powerful wrangler powertrain. It is kinda clunky if you're stepping on it, definitely needs work but honestly if I need power I'd rather get a clunky surge of it than have some huge delay just to make it feel smoother.

 

[Sean L]

Any of the other powertrains is better than the 4xe for long drives. Without the ability to plug in or regenerate, the 4xe is just a turbo 4 with an extra 800 lbs hanging off it.

It still operates as a hybrid once the full electric range is depleted. That battery is never just dead weight. Still its better around town than on the highway, as is the nature of all hybrids.

 

[LongTimeListener]

It still operates as a hybrid once the full electric range is depleted. That battery is never just dead weight.

But it's still a parasitic loss on the powertrain at that point.

If I have a battery that is run down, how do I recharge it at a constant highway speed? From the engine, obviously. And if that's the case, then some of the engine's energy that could be put into propelling the vehicle is instead being put into charging the battery, thus making the engine less efficient than it would otherwise be.

Plus, the vehicle is hauling around an extra 800 lbs of weight.

As you note, hybrids make sense in urban and mixed driving. They make little sense -- from an efficiency standpoint -- for highway trips.

 

[PatrickR]

Yeah the weight penalty of the 4xe is so excessive it's a nonstarter for me even before you get to clunky driving....

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