Edmunds Long-Term Fleet: We Added a 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe

• We wanted a midsize SUV for our long-term fleet so we got a 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
• We got the Jeep due to its broad buyer and demographic appeal.
• We got the 4xe plug-in hybrid to see how well it does over a year or so.

We discussed our options and voted on the 4xe powertrain, which denotes a turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with a plug-in hybrid (or PHEV) component. PHEVs straddle the gap between hybrids and full EVs, in that they can be plugged in to travel a short distance on electric power alone or use gasoline for longer drives. These days, drivers have to contend with high gas prices and an EV charging structure with teething issues. The 4xe seems like it's perfectly poised to meet both challenges.

Here's how we specced our 4xe.

What did we get?

Edmunds recommends the standard 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe since it's pretty well equipped for the price. So, we took our own advice for this purchase. For a starting price of $61,660, the 4xe comes standard with four-wheel drive, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assistance, a blind-spot warning system, heated front seats, leather upholstery, a 10.1-inch touchscreen and a panoramic sunroof.

We also splurged for the rear entertainment system — which supports apps like Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime — for the many parents on our staff. It added $1,995 to the total. Throw in another $495 for our Grand Cherokee's Red Velvet Pearl paint, and the total damage amounted to $64,150. The only downside is that our vehicle isn't equipped with the $2,295 Luxury Tech Group II package, which would have added front and top-down cameras, ventilated seats and a few other goodies. Our ideally equipped Grand Cherokee was impossible to find quickly and at a reasonable price, so we opted for this more lightly equipped model. I'm sure we'll survive.

Why did we buy it?

We've already explored why we bought a Grand Cherokee, but we also wanted to test the 4xe plug-in's fuel economy and electric range. This PHEV was new to the Grand Cherokee lineup for 2022, and we had yet to spend fully explore its capabilities. We'll have plenty of time behind the wheel now. 

Where does the plug-in system excel and where does it stumble? How long will it take for us to see a real-world breakeven point between the 4xe's price premium and its gasoline savings? How far can we drive this Jeep on electricity alone? How is this Grand Cherokee as a family mobile? Is it fair to consider this an eco-conscious purchase? We have a lot of questions to answer over the next 12 months and 20,000 miles.

Edmunds says

This should be interesting. How will the Grand Cherokee plug-in hybrid do over 12 months and 20,000-plus miles? Ride along with us and find out!