VIVIAN ASHER

Jeep follows the Wrangler 4xe with a plug-in hybrid version of its mainstay Grand Cherokee

Any Jeep has to prove its off-road credentials – which is how I found myself at an acute angle on the side of a rock face, trusting its low-range gearing to pull me slowly forward with one wheel a couple of feet in the air.

The goal was to show that the new 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe plug-in hybrid is every bit as capable at doing Jeep things with an electric motor as its gas-only brethren. I also forded two feet of water, scraping the protective chassis underplate on a rock in the process. And while we didn’t tow, the 4xe carries a 6,000-pound tow rating. Consider the mission accomplished.

The 4xe adds a plug-in hybrid option to the V6 and V8 powertrains in the Jeep’s mainstay mid-size SUV. Available “this spring,” the Grand Cherokee 4xe is the second Jeep with a plug, after the Wrangler 4xe that launched last year

The plug-in Grand Cherokee and Wrangler use virtually identical powertrains: a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired with an electric motor (of unspecified power) inserted between the engine and the eight-speed automatic transmission. The motor is powered by a 17.0-kilowatt-hour battery pack mounted under the floor and protected by skid plates. Combined power output is 375 horsepower, and Jeep quotes 470 pound-feet of torque from the system – more than the 5.7-liter V8 (at 357 hp and 390 lb-ft) – plus better fuel economy (EPA-rated 23 mpg in gas-hybrid mode) than the smaller, less powerful 3.6-liter V-6 (at 21 mpg).

The plug-in Grand Cherokee 4xe offers an EPA-rated 25 miles of electric range under optimal circumstances. That’s four miles more than the less aerodynamic Wrangler plug-in hybrid. Operating as an electric vehicle, the EPA rates the Grand Cherokee 4xe at 56 MPGe. (Miles Per Gallon Equivalent, or MPGe, is the distance a vehicle can travel under electric power on the energy contained in one gallon of gasoline.)

Behind the wheel, the usual Grand Cherokee features and fittings are supplemented by some new options. When starting up the Jeep, the word “Hybrid” appears in the cluster, meaning its standard mode is to operate as a gas-electric hybrid. Buttons above the driver’s left knee offers “Electric” and “e-Save” options. The first propels the SUV solely on battery power, while the second retains battery charge for later use – perhaps for silent off-roading, Jeep suggested.

I started the drive around Austin, Texas, in electric mode. Over a mix of city, suburban, and a short stretch of highway driving, we got exactly the EPA rating of 25 miles. The electric motor drives the car through the eight-speed automatic transmission, so experienced EV drivers may be startled to find the Jeep shifting up and down through its gears as it gains and sheds speed.

The “Max Regen” button at the top of the center of the dash increases regenerative braking. It allows something close to so-called one-pedal driving down to 8 or 10 miles per hour, but drivers must brake below that speed to bring the plug-in Jeep to a complete stop.

For my test, Electric plus Max Regen delivered a calm, quiet ride with sufficient acceleration to keep up with traffic. Drivers who floor the accelerator – past a noticeable detent that keeps it in Electric mode – will switch on the engine to get all 375 hp for emergency circumstances.

Operating in the hybrid mode in which the 4xe will cover most of its miles, the powertrain could get lumpy. My 4xe had a few jarring transitions among electric power, gasoline power, and regenerative braking. It’s the penalty of using a one-motor system with a conventional automatic transmission – versus two-motor systems used by Toyota and some Fords with smoother and infinitely variable power delivery. Jeep will likely update its software over time to iron these out, but it’s not as smooth as a conventional torque-converter automatic alone.

Over time, it’s clear more owners of Jeep 4xe models will experiment with plugging in. Most will discover they enjoy the quiet, torquey acceleration of operating in all-electric mode. Meanwhile, Stellantis has now sold tens of thousands of Jeep and Chrysler plug-in hybrids – and many more are on the way, including the Grand Wagoneer large luxury SUV.

If you’re in the market for a Grand Cherokee, the 4xe provides more power than any other powertrain offered this year. It’s a taste of electric driving without any of the worries about battery range or finding charging stations on longer road trips. As one EV enthusiast quipped years ago, “Let’s just consider plug-in hybrids the gateway drug to buying an electric car.”

✅ Source: JEEP