2021 Jeep Wrangler

The Wrangler is the original go-anywhere, do-anything vehicle that still has the spirit of the original military Jeep of World War II. In an era when SUVs have become the de-facto family vehicle, the Wrangler is a throwback to rougher and more rugged off-road vehicles. It's not as comfortable as rival SUVs such as the Toyota 4Runner or Land Rover Discovery, but in return it provides excellent off-road capability, two-door or four-door configurations, and a unique removable top.

The big news so far for the 2021 Jeep Wrangler is the prospect of a new plug-in hybrid model. At the 2020 Consumer Electronics Show, Jeep showcased its new 4xe (that's "four-by-e") lineup that also included the Renegade and the Compass. These partial electric vehicles are likely offshoots of the plug-in hybrids the company showed at the Geneva auto show in 2019.

The Renegade shown at Geneva was estimated to return 31 miles of electric-only range, using the European WLTP standard that tends to be a little more optimistic than U.S. standards. If the Wrangler 4xe uses the same battery pack, we'd expect fewer miles.

It's unclear how this system might work in the Wrangler. In the Renegade and the Compass, the electric motor will drive the rear wheels while the gasoline engine will power the front wheels. Since the Wrangler is a four-wheel-drive vehicle at its core, it might have a different system. Then again, the 2020 Wrangler already uses a mild hybrid eTorque system.

If the 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe is fully realized, it could be the best way to explore every corner of the planet while minimizing your impact upon it. We expect Jeep to release more information about the 4xe and the rest of the 2021 Wrangler lineup soon, so check back for the latest updates.