2021 is going to be a wild year for the Jeep Wrangler. While the latest JL generation debuted with new powertrains in the pipeline a couple years ago, now we get to see the fruits of everything Jeep’s engineers have been working on behind the scenes. First, the Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid: A greener, more efficient (and sometimes silent) version of the iconic 4×4 will go on sale later this year. Then, on top of that, we should see a 6.4-liter Wrangler Rubicon 392 emerge sometime in calendar year 2021.
When everything hits dealers, that means you’ll have no fewer than six powertrain options for the 2021 Jeep Wrangler. But of the two newest examples, which one is the best? Are you liking the all-electric capability of the Wrangler 4xe? Or perhaps as a diehard V8 fan, you’re eyeing the beast that is the Hemi-powered Rubicon 392. In the video below, Tommy and Nathan argue which of the two will be the best Wrangler of the year.
Charting the changes
Most of the 2021 Jeep Wrangler lineup is available to build right now. We will have a video coming up on that soon. But there’s more still to talk about with the plug-in and big V8 versions of the updated range.
At the heart of the Wrangler 4xe is a 2.0-liter turbocharged engine, mated to an integrated electric motor within the transmission. Together, the two put out 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. As of this year, that makes it the most powerful Wrangler you can buy — at least until the Rubicon 392 comes along.
Thanks to that model’s 6.4-liter Hemi V8, you’ll be able to get somewhere around 450 horsepower and 450 lb-ft of torque. At least, if what we saw in the concept carries through to production, that will put it at the top of the horsepower heap for the 2021 Wrangler lineup.
Pricing isn’t available for either model yet, but it’s likely both will run over $50,000, at least in their fully-loaded configurations. We’ll have more information on that soon, but find out more on both models and other ways they set themselves apart from the conventional Wrangler models below:
