The Grand Cherokee 4xe and Wrangler 4xe look to the past for the future.
Jeep- Black leather seats and a nine-speaker Alpine sound system round out the 30th Anniversary package that Jeep says will tack $4700 onto a Grand Cherokee 4xe.
- The Wrangler Willys 4xe hits dealers by year’s end. The Grand Cherokee 4xe will open up for orders later this year but won’t start hitting the street until 2023.
- Both new packages serve to expand the plug-in hybrid footprint of Jeep’s 4xe powertrain.
Somehow, someway, Jeep rolled its new Grand Cherokee through the then-Cobo Hall glass 30 years ago at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. Honoring this window-shattering introduction, Jeep is celebrating with the aptly named Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe 30th Anniversary Edition. Jeep isn’t ignoring its electrified Wrangler, either. The Wrangler will also get a nod to its past, with the addition of the Willys trim to the 4xe-equipped Wranglers.
Both vehicles were unveiled today at the new (and smaller) Detroit auto show, the first to be held downtown since 2019 and the first to be held in September.
The hardware on the 30th Anniversary Grand Cherokee is essentially the same as what you’ll find on other 4xe models: a plug-in hybrid drivetrain that nets 56 combined mpg and can travel 25 miles on battery alone. This system blends a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with a pair of electric motors to deliver 375 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque, which works well enough to haul up to 6000 pounds.
Jeep
While a lot is the same as the standard model, the 30th Anniversary Edition sees a revised front fascia, blue tow hooks, and body color cladding while also getting 20-inch wheels, a blacked-out appearance package and, as you’d expect, special badging. Black leather seats and a nine-speaker Alpine sound system round out the major parts of the package that Jeep says will tack $4700 onto a Grand Cherokee 4xe.
The Jeep Wrangler Willys 4xe follows a similar mold and uses the same powertrain as the aforementioned Grand Cherokee 4xe, while adding Willys decals to the hood and 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 255/75 mud terrain tires. The Willys edition might not pack a ton of extra content, but it does lower the Wrangler 4xe’s entry point, to $55,590 before any tax credits. That represents a $770 savings from the current most affordable Wrangler Sahara 4xe’s $56,360 price tag. While that’s not enough to push you into retirement, it’s a good saving.
Brand head Jim Morrison speaks about 4xe Jeeps at Detroit auto show unveilings today.
Tom Murphy
These might not be the most groundbreaking additions to the Jeep lineup, but the new packages both serve to expand the plug-in hybrid footprint of its 4xe powertrain, which has been extremely popular since first introduced in the Wrangler. The Wrangler Willys 4xe is set to hit dealers during the fourth quarter of 2022. The Grand Cherokee 4xe will open up for orders later this year, but won’t start hitting the street until 2023.
Wesley Wren Wesley Wren has spent his entire life around cars, whether it’s dressing up as his father’s 1954 Ford for Halloween as a child, repairing cars in college or collecting frustrating pieces of history—and most things in between.
Keyword: Jeep Celebrates Its Heritage in Detroit