Off-roading the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe at Moab

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It’s hard to believe that it’s already been 20 years since the first Jeep Wrangler Rubicon debuted. Launching as a 2003 model in the summer of 2002, the Rubicon set a new standard for off-road capability, with 31-inch mud-terrain tires; front- and rear pneumatic lockers; and a lower crawl ratio. Since then, the “Rubicon” badge has grown almost as iconic as the famous route that lent its name, and has come to represent the ultimate in tackling trails.

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To celebrate the milestone, Jeep has unveiled the 20th Anniversary package for the 2023 Wrangler Rubicon 4xe and the Rubicon 392. The package adds $10,995 to the $67,190 sticker of a 4xe Rubicon, for an upgraded MSRP of $78,185; in the case of the burly Rubicon 392, the package adds $12,995 to the $112,140 base price to give a total price of $125,135. What do you get for all that coin?

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Up front, you get a grille design that previews the new design coming to all Wranglers on refreshed 2024 models. In addition to the expected 20th Anniversary decals and badges, you get a unique triple-hop front bumper, which is ready to accommodate an aftermarket winch. You also get a half-inch suspension lift, which helps to fit larger 33-inch BFG KO2 tires on 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels. Plus, there’s an 83-piece toolkit in the back, heavy-duty rock sliders, and a tougher Gorilla Glass windshield.

Inside are unique red-and-black leather seats; a red leather-wrapped dashboard that replaces the plastic part found on other Rubicons; and a set of blank auxiliary switches are fitted so that buyers can equip their own off-road lights or other accessories. The Wrangler 392 20th Anniversary models get all of the aforementioned mods and the goodies included in the Xtreme Recon package, notably including even larger 35-inch KO2s on wider 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels.

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We have driven the 392 Rubicon extensively on Driving.ca, most recently on this snowy comparison test against a Ford Bronco Sasquatch. Changing the scenery, however, I was very excited to test the 20th Anniversary Rubicon 4xe on some of Moab, Utah’s famous “slickrock” trails.

One unique feature of the 4xe is the ability to crawl rocks in silent EV mode. Drivers simply slot the transfer case into 4-LO as usual, then switch to EV mode to noiselessly crawl up and over obstacles. Such silent operation is serene and relaxing, but I ultimately found the accelerator hard to modulate in off-road situations while in EV mode; that instant electric torque was almost too readily available!

I found that you’d have to drive some supremely difficult trails to find anywhere that a stock Rubicon 4xe isn’t enough for the task, or would need the help of a Rubicon 392. On our drive, this limit was only illuminated by an even more challenging optional route up the impossible-looking Wipeout Hill, where any but the seasoned pros would need the Xtreme Recon’s extra tire and ground clearance to scale it.

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But other than the most hardcore stretches of Jeep’s prescribed off-road route, the 4xe achieved everything asked of it, and returned great fuel economy for a boxy 4×4. The Wrangler 392 is high on juvenile fun, and the muscle-car soundtrack is addictive, but the 4xe is a different sort of thrill. It’s so relaxing to bomb down dusty trails in EV mode with the windows down, just taking in the sights, sounds, and smells of nature. It doesn’t just get you out into nature — it amplifies your experience of it.

Ultimately, I have to comment that the heady price increase for the 20th Anniversary package isn’t really worth it for off-road capability alone. Sure there are bonus bits like the leather-wrapped dash that you couldn’t so easily buy from the aftermarket, but more than anything, this package will be bought by those who want a unique Jeep. Though not limited editions, you’re unlikely to see another 20th Anniversary Rubicon parked next to yours. Unless you’re at a trailhead in Moab.