The Jeep Wrangler 4xe has proven to be the must-have plug-in hybrid in the United States, topping the sales charts for the past two years. It’s a remarkable feat given PHEVs were never really associated with capable off-roaders before its launch.
In its first year on sale, a total of 29,000 Wrangler 4xe models were sold in the United States. At the time, that accounted for 14% of all Wrangler models sold. Last year, Jeep shifted a total of 42,469 examples of the Wrangler 4xe or 23% of all Wrangler models sold. That figure is particularly remarkable when you compare it to sales of the Toyota Prius Prime which was the best-selling PHEV in the U.S. in 2018, 2019, and 2020.
In 2018, Toyota sold 27,621 units of the Prius Prime but its stranglehold over the PHEV market then began to wane with sales falling to 21,868 in 2019 and 14,540 in 2020. The popularity of the Wrangler 4xe shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, sales spiked 72% in the first quarter, representing 38% of all Wrangler sales.
Read: Jeep Wrangler 4xe Recalled Due To Bizarre Odometer Failure
Speaking with Auto News, Jeep’s North American head Jim Morrison says the Wrangler 4xe has proven to be a hit as it combines all of the same off-road credentials of a typical gas-powered Wrangler with the added performance of a hybrid.
Vice president of the Moreland Auto Group which operates two Jeep dealerships, Brandon Moreland, echoed these sentiments.
“The true Jeep enthusiasts love it because of the torque and power that it has,” he said, “The 4xe has 470 [pound-feet of] torque on it compared to the regular turbo Wrangler [that] only has 295. They can rip through anything, they can go up hills easily.”
One analyst believes the technical savvy of many Wrangler owners has also contributed to the 4xe’s success. According to iSeeCars executive analyst Karl Brauer, Wrangler owners can better grasp the engineering that’s gone into the vehicle.
“There’s a sophistication to a plug-in hybrid drivetrain,” he noted. “The more engineering knowledge you’ve got, the more mechanically savvy you are, the more you appreciate that engineering, and I think Jeep buyers tend to have a better grasp on the benefits of a plug-in hybrid than a lot of other people.”
