Jeep’s plug-in hybrid Wrangler is pretty good. It’s also selling like proverbial hotcakes. Wanting to capitalize on a sales success, Jeep has announced a second price hike for the 4xe models, up another $1,220 for both the Sahara 4xe and Rubicon 4xe models, which now start at $52,520 and $56,220 respectively. Considering that the 4xe launched with a base price of $49,490 just eight months ago, it’s gaining price creep pretty quickly.
Across 2021 the 4xe has been among the quickest selling new vehicles on dealer showroom floors, and Jeep has said that it’s the best selling plug-in hybrid in America. That’s right, it moves more units than Toyota’s Prius Prime or Rav4 Prime, according to Jeep. Impressive work, but at least some of that is due to the fact that the federal tax credit and better residual value mean 4xes currently lease for less per month than a standard gas-only Wrangler.
However you look at it, the Wrangler 4xe is an expensive machine if you want to buy one. It’s significantly more expensive than other plug-in hybrid SUVs, but obviously nothing has the off-road chops of a Jeep legend like the Wrangler. Is it worth the money to buy, or are you better off leasing? Well, there have been lease deals this year which see consumers paying as little as $250 per month for the electrified off-road behemoth. If you look at similarly-equipped gas-only Wrangler lease deals, they’re still over $300 per month. By that metric alone, it’s easy to see why the 4xe has been shifting units.
And price is only one consideration, really. When you consider that with the 4xe you’ll be able to run in electric-only mode both on road and off, it becomes an enticing proposition. With a combined fuel economy rating of 49 MPGe to run a full tank, and some 470 lb-ft of combined available torque, the 4xe starts to make a lot more sense.
Jeep probably isn’t wrong to charge an extra $3,030 more for the 4xe than it had initially planned to, but considering how quickly that price is going up, it’s possible that once first-wave 4xe buyers get theirs, that demand will wane and the price hike will bite Jeep in the ass.
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