Millennial Mom’s Review: Is the 2023 Jeep Wrangler 4xe a family-friendly SUV?

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I’m not a super-sentimental person, but my baby recently turned four. She’ll start kindergarten in September 2023, and it’s slowly hitting me — she’s not a baby anymore, and I’ll never have another baby to, well, baby. So, forgive me if you see me spoiling her this summer and treating her like my baby — my last baby. 

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She often asks when we’re going to get a pink car, and there’s a high probability that it won’t happen, but we’re even less likely to get a rainbow car, which she says is her second favourite paint option. However, a close third is purple, and while those chances seemed pretty slim, Jeep finally came through for us! We got one! And when I brought the 2023 Jeep Wrangler Sahara 4xe home, the look on her face was sheer excitement. “Mom! I love this car!” she shouted as she hugged me tight. 

If you don’t love Jeeps, then at the very least you can probably point out a Wrangler on the road. My kids can, and though they may sometimes get caught off guard by the odd Ford Bronco, it’s not often, because the Wrangler is just so popular and seen almost everywhere we go. And just like Wrangler owners love their accessories, many seem to love choosing bold paint colours, much like this limited edition Reign (purple). 

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Side note: In Ford’s defence, it did show off a beautiful rainbow-painted Bronco for Pride last year. I wish that one was in the fleet!

In general, Jeep has always been one to have fun with colours, but you didn’t come here to read about paint options, did you? Probably not. And maybe you don’t have a family with young children, in which case, a large portion of this review won’t pertain to you. If that’s the case, David Booth has a recent Range Finder column on the 2022 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon 4xe. 

Ever since my middle child (seven years old) somehow learned the Jeep’s doors could be removed, he has wanted to be in it with the doors off. To be frank, I wasn’t sure about the safety of having the kid(s) in there with the doors off, but a quick Google search proves I’m not alone in contemplating that decision. In addition to that, shoppers are also asking some of the most basic Jeep questions such as—

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Is the Jeep Wrangler family-friendly?

Based on the most popular answers that Google chose, it seems to be a resounding yes, but I beg to differ. Yes, the Jeep Wrangler is equipped to latch car seats into it, and it’ll certainly fit a couple kids in the back, but, no, I wouldn’t call it a family-friendly vehicle. In 2021, we test drove a Wrangler, taking it to Canada’s Dinosaur Park (think of it as a mini Jurassic Park).

The long drive there made it apparent the bouncy Wrangler isn’t a family-road-trip kind of SUV — especially if you’ve got a kid with extreme car sickness. The extremely spacious trunk (898L) can hold a ton of stuff, but the lack of storage space in the front is a bit of a deal-breaker for larger families with small children. There isn’t even a space to store the phone that needs to be plugged in to access Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

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Furthermore, though the Wrangler is fairly wide, it didn’t make it any easier to comfortably fit three car seats side by side. If I’m driving, the second row has ample legroom; however, a taller driver will leave absolutely no space for second-row passengers of any age. 

The loud wind noises are no surprise, but can especially be heard on the highway and aren’t baby-friendly. But, hey, maybe your baby will get used to such loud noises and therefore be able to sleep through anything — win, win! Besides, it kind of drowns out the sound of complaining kids. If you’re eager to get rid of the wind and/or kid noises, just blast some music through the Alpine premium audio system that includes a rear subwoofer — that should do the trick. 

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Are you allowed to take the doors off the Jeep Wrangler?

Well, the simple answer would be duh. Why would Jeep sell a vehicle with easily removable doors if you weren’t allowed to remove them? 

Why do people take the doors off their Jeep Wrangler?

The most obvious answer to that would be to look cool — but that isn’t the only reason. A little less obvious logic says to reduce the weight of the vehicle, which in turn helps fuel efficiency (see below for more information on electric range versus fuel consumption). 

Reducing the weight also means you can now add some weight, if needed, whether it be a bit of towing — it has a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds — or just carrying something heavier than usual. 

Many Jeep Wrangler owners love off-roading. With those doors off, they get to experience the great outdoors on another level. For a detailed review of some off-roading fun, check out Clayton Seams’ recent Moab adventure; or the off-road comparison of the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco. 

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Electric range vs fuel consumption

The plug-in hybrid works with a 2.0L inline-four plus two electric motors and a battery pack to produce 375 horsepower and 470 lb-ft of torque. NRCan rates its combined fuel efficiency at 4.8 Le/100 km. In this case, that means not only is it combining the highway and city driving, but also assuming you’re using the electric bits in combination with the regular gas parts. Once the battery was drained, I let it stay that way — though it should take about 12 hours to fully charge it using a regular 120-volt outlet — meaning my average fuel consumption was considerably higher, at 10 L/100 km. That’s still less than the non-PHEV Sahara, which has a combined average of 10.8 L/100 km.

When you’ve still got some electrons left — which should get you up to 35 kilometres of range on a full charge — you can choose one of three modes. 

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In order to get maximum regenerative braking, the Wrangler 4xe has an option that’s somewhat similar to one-pedal driving, except it doesn’t actually bring the vehicle to a full stop when your foot is completely off the accelerator. It can also be turned off if you’re not a fan of this mode — it jerks the car forward a bit and slows down a lot quicker than you’d expect it to when normally taking your foot off. It may take some time to get used to, but it definitely has advantages, such as getting a few of those precious electrons back.

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If you’re looking for a bit more info on the electric side of things, check out David Booth’s review of the 2022 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe.

But back to the doors.

Is it safe to drive with the doors off of the Jeep Wrangler?

Yes, as long as you’re taking necessary safety precautions. Along with the doors coming off are the side mirrors. There are aftermarket mirrors specifically for Wranglers that can either attach to the hinges where the doors came off; or directly on to the windshield. You should also:

Cool. It’s safe, but—

Is it legal in Ontario to drive without the doors?

Yes, according to the Highway Traffic Act, it is legal to drive with the doors off. However, with the exception of motorcycles, the act states all motor vehicles do require “a mirror or mirrors securely attached to the vehicle and placed in such a position as to afford the driver a clearly reflected view of the roadway in the rear, or of any vehicle approaching from the rear.” That doesn’t sound too clear to me. Technically, a single rearview mirror won’t give you a clear view of any vehicle that approaches from behind, but it also doesn’t specifically say “side mirrors are required.” 

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I emailed the Ministry of Transportation to get a better understanding but was met with this response: “For questions related to the implementation of the Highway Traffic Act please contact local law enforcement.” So, I contacted Peel Regional Police, which confirmed that driving without side mirrors is legal — at least it is in Peel — because you still have your rearview. Case solved. 

That said, the JL Wrangler forum has a few interesting experiences from owners. One user (KrazyKanuck) commented, “I went doorless this summer in ONT and got pulled over…” The user claimed the police officer “educated” him about needing mirrors and let him off with a warning. “He also wanted to make sure my dog was properly secured in the jeep,” which KrazyKanuck followed up with a “He was.” 

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Another user said, “I’ve driven past many cops with no doors, no side mirrors, windshield folded and never had an issue.” A couple others said they just prefer driving with mirrors and have bought the attachment, with one particular user saying: “what else ya gonna grab as you go out the side right?” I guess — though there is also a handle to grab.

So we’ve got an idea of why people take the doors off, and we know it’s safe and legal, but now here’s the more important question keeping me up at night—

Is it safe for kids to be in a Jeep Wrangler with the doors off?

Well, at the risk of sounding judgmental of the parents who have their children in the Jeep Wrangler with the doors off, I’d say no. I’m sure there are people who would undoubtedly disagree, but at the end of the day, it just isn’t as safe as driving with the doors on. 

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The reasons are endless, but generally speaking, children aren’t the most reliable. Do you trust your child to stay still and seated without reaching for anything that may potentially put them in harm’s way? My kids have never done anything to make me feel like they’d be unsafe, but you just never know. Trying to ensure your children are safe at all times is an added distraction that takes your eyes and mind off the road, which could potentially lead to an accident. 

Of course, if you choose to have your kids in the vehicle with the doors off, there are ways to be as safe as possible. For example:

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Back to the forum, it seems like a split vote. There are some who seem to be comfortable with letting their kids enjoy the wind in their hair, while others agree, “better safe than sorry.” As one Reddit user commented on the matter, “There’s a reason 99.9% of cars don’t have removable doors, and it’s not because they’re ‘less cool’ than a Jeep.”

So, now you may be wondering—

Did my kids get to ride in the Wrangler with the doors off?

Spoiler alert: No. We didn’t take the doors off, but read on to find out why — and it wasn’t because of a safety issue.

At the risk of sounding like a parent who gives into her kids’ every want and need, I wanted to find a way to satisfy my seven-year-old’s request of driving with the doors off, while also making myself feel like I was doing everything possible to keep him as safe as possible. 

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My first thought was to go to the drive-in movie theatre which would be perfect, save for the fact that it’s a 20-minute drive away. In no way did I feel comfortable driving for that long with three kids in the back with the doors off, nor did I want to get there and take the doors off only to have to find a place to store them for the duration of the movie. And let’s not forget, we’d have to put the doors back on after the movie, in the dark. Plus, there was a chance of rain. That’s a hard no. 

The next best thing I could think of was to remove the doors in our driveway, then just simply drive slowly down our street, and back. This seemed like a good plan, except it never happened. 

One day earlier, I drove my youngest two (seven- and four-year-old) to the mall. I opened the top with the click of a button on the roof, to which my son first exclaimed, “It’s too bright! Close it!” I didn’t. Instead, I proceeded to open the front and back windows. We weren’t even going 60 km/h, but I’ll admit, it was a bit windy. Both kids were not too happy about that as my youngest dramatically shouted, “Help me, help me!” As I finally gave in and closed everything, I asked, “If you can’t even be in the car with the windows down, how will you manage with the doors off?”

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“I don’t want to do that any more,” replied my seven-year-old.

And just like that, I was rescued from having to make the decision of whether or not I felt safe with them being in the Wrangler with the doors off. (There’s always next year.)

Canadian pricing for the 2023 Jeep Wrangler 4xe

Personally, I wouldn’t purchase a Jeep Wrangler as my family vehicle. That said, I think it could make a great second car for a small family, especially one that loves adventuring into the great outdoors. 

Adventure aside, it’s also a pretty pricey SUV. Let’s put it this way: I love minivans, but I’m not willing to spend $60k on a brand-new one. This isn’t a minivan, duh, but what I mean is I’m not willing to spend $74,480 (including the $2,095 destination fee) on this specific tester to not even have adequate space for adult legs in the back seat, though I’m sure there are Jeep fans who may be willing to spend upwards of $100,000 on the Rubicon 392. 

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The base price of the tested Sahara 4xe is $61,495, which gets you a bunch of cool stuff like the Alpine sound system, an easy-to-use UConnect system that resides in an 8.4-inch touchscreen, a Torx tool kit for top and door removal, and a bunch of other things. Pushing the price tag up by nearly $15k are all the added options, such as:

• $495 for purple Reign paint;
• $1,095 for the Cold Weather Group that includes a heated steering wheel and heated front seats;
• $945 for the Safety Group that adds a rear park assist system, blind-spot monitoring (shouldn’t it already have this?) and rear cross-path detection;
• an additional $1,450 for the Advanced Safety Group that also includes automatic high-beam headlight control, advanced brake assist, and adaptive cruise control with stop;
• $4,295 for the one-touch power top that comes with a storage bag; and
  
• a bit more for things like a trailer package, Mopar all-weather mats, side steps, etc. — the list can go on, and it does

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Final thoughts

Circling back to the beginning and thinking of my baby getting older, I can’t help but wonder what type of kids they’ll grow up to be over the next few years. I don’t want to limit their experiences with my fears, though a fear for their safety in a Jeep Wrangler is probably warranted.

However, when it’s the kid who is afraid, sometimes it’s the adult who needs to give a little push to help them experience all the world has to offer — and this is starting to feel like something that’s no longer a review of the Jeep Wrangler, so let’s wrap up the mushy stuff.

If you’re a Jeep fan, or just in the market for a Wrangler, I highly recommend testing it out on regular roads to see if you’re okay with the bumpiness of the ride. Some people love it. Me? Not so much. There are plenty of trims and options to peruse, and with the PHEV option, you could potentially save a ton of money on gas — provided you don’t have to go much further than 35 km. It’s not the greatest family-hauler, but it might turn out to be the most fun. To each their own.

Check out the latest Jeep Wrangler model. Click here for more Millennial Mom’s Reviews.